info plzzzzzzz..!!!????

[jodi l. mann]

:? thinkin of gettin a S.cingulata or a megarian giant..but hubby says i HAVE to get more info :8o i have tarantulas...and ive heard its not real different..or difficult to care for pedes as well..problem is..hubby makes them out to be fire breathing monsters due to the stories his mum and gran and grmpa told him about some south american species that walked over his mum and left marks..now..ive heard the stories and his mum dont lie..so anyone got any info on this..???:?

;P CIAO ;P

 

[invertepet]

Not the first time I've heard stories of really large centipedes leaving pinprick marks where they walk on skin. Can't say for sure either way, and I'm not about to find out. A bite from any centipede is best avoided at all costs.

b

 

[MrDeranged]

From what I've heard, S. cingulata is one of the smaller species. I think they max out at about 5 or 6 inches. It's been hypothesized that the reason for them leaving the "track" if they walk upon bare skin is that it's actually an infectious reaction. They have small claws on the tips of each of their legs, and combined with remains of food that may be on their feet, when the claws pierce the skin, it causes an infection in the classic "track" pattern.

Depending on the species of tarantulas you have, there may or may not be a difference. First of all, most pedes are either obligate burrowers or opportunistic burrowers. In other words, unless you're up late at night, you won't be seeing much of your pet. Some species that I see out and about alot more often are my S. subspinipes and my S. heros castaneiceps. While centipedes cannot climb glass like tarantulas, that does not mean that you don't have to worry about their escaping. You should have the pede in an enclosure that is taller than the length of the pede, plus substrate and any decorations that the pede would be able to climb upon. They can very easily push themselves up the side of an enclosure with just their back legs on the ground. They have also been known to climb the silicon in the corners of most tanks. A must with any pede is a secure lid that should be lockable. They have enormous strength for their size and can push an unsecured lid right off, much like a snake.

Other than that, they can be kept much like a medium humidity needing tarantula.

One other word of caution, the larger species have very nasty bites. A healthy adult might have nothing more to worry about from a bite than a night or two of EXTREME PAIN and wishing they were dead, but for a child, there may be other complications as there is a death of a 7 yr old girl attributed to the species S. subspinipes.

Hope that helps some,

Scott