Japanese Centipedes?

[Duo Majere]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new, and I actually fear centipedes because I know nothing about them. But I love snakes, and always encourage people to try and understand/appreciate them, so I hope to do the same. I live in Japan, and my first encounter with a centipede was 2 weeks after moving into my new Japanese home, a little guy scurried out from under my bed as I was waking up... It freaked me out, and then the bug-fearing Japanese people around me fed my fears, and started telling me how "poisonous" they are. Turns out, my house, which was empty for several years until I moved in, had a bug infestation, especially centipedes. My employers had my house professionally "bug bombed," and the centipedes and spiders are gone, but now that spring is here, the spiders are coming back, and I've already found a couple little-bitty centipedes. Rather than have another episode of mental breakdowns, I hope to understand if these guys are even worth freaking out over or not. I have a couple of pictures, can you guys help me identify them? And I wouldn't want to take a bite, especially from the big guy, but what is the reality of being bit (I sleep on a futon, which is a thin mattress on the floor. All Japanese people do this, and I've never heard of anyone else being bit, so I assume the chances are low, but should I be worried?)



Okay, I can't seem to upload the other two pictures (file type too big?) I'll try again later, but this was the big guy I was worried about. at 10 cm, I dare say he could "bite" and break skin. But we also have these super tiny guys that run around really fast, and they're so small, I don't think they can harm people. This guys is a scolopendra... something? I'm guessing, but there are so many further divisions, I don't know...

Thanks for the help! I hope they don't come back into my house, but it they do, I want to be prepared with knowledge about them. After all, knowledge is power! The right knowledge, anyway, and I trust the people on this forum more than the idiots at my work (who freaked out over a beetle...)

~Duo

 

[Rhodin]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new, and I actually fear centipedes because I know nothing about them. But I love snakes, and always encourage people to try and understand/appreciate them, so I hope to do the same. I live in Japan, and my first encounter with a centipede was 2 weeks after moving into my new Japanese home, a little guy scurried out from under my bed as I was waking up... It freaked me out, and then the bug-fearing Japanese people around me fed my fears, and started telling me how "poisonous" they are. Turns out, my house, which was empty for several years until I moved in, had a bug infestation, especially centipedes. My employers had my house professionally "bug bombed," and the centipedes and spiders are gone, but now that spring is here, the spiders are coming back, and I've already found a couple little-bitty centipedes. Rather than have another episode of mental breakdowns, I hope to understand if these guys are even worth freaking out over or not. I have a couple of pictures, can you guys help me identify them? And I wouldn't want to take a bite, especially from the big guy, but what is the reality of being bit (I sleep on a futon, which is a thin mattress on the floor. All Japanese people do this, and I've never heard of anyone else being bit, so I assume the chances are low, but should I be worried?)

View attachment 117488

Okay, I can't seem to upload the other two pictures (file type too big?) I'll try again later, but this was the big guy I was worried about. at 10 cm, I dare say he could "bite" and break skin. But we also have these super tiny guys that run around really fast, and they're so small, I don't think they can harm people. This guys is a scolopendra... something? I'm guessing, but there are so many further divisions, I don't know...

Thanks for the help! I hope they don't come back into my house, but it they do, I want to be prepared with knowledge about them. After all, knowledge is power! The right knowledge, anyway, and I trust the people on this forum more than the idiots at my work (who freaked out over a beetle...)

~Duo

Can't help you with info on centipedes and I feel you on how creepy they are but for the pictures, try resizing them using paint or an image editor. That will make the pictures small enough so you can upload them

 

[zonbonzovi]

I *think* that at that size your best bet is Scolopendra japonica. Here's a recent revision and some details for comparison: http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/spix35_1_03.pdf

I doubt the bite would be pleasant but not worth any mental breakdowns Give your new "roommates" a terrarium and observe...might be a good way to allay your fears.

 

[Duo Majere]

That's a sweet article! Thanks for the advice! I definitely want to get a terrarium set up and ready to go just in case. I have a feeling I might not see another that big again, though... Unless they grow really fast. I assumed he got big over the years the house was abandoned. But I hope that if I can keep one for a bit, it will help me get over my fears. ^^ And at least if he's in my terrarium, then I know he's not going to crawl into bed with me. Haha!

 

[dactylus]

I *think* that at that size your best bet is Scolopendra japonica. Here's a recent revision and some details for comparison: http://www.pfeil-verlag.de/04biol/pdf/spix35_1_03.pdf

I doubt the bite would be pleasant but not worth any mental breakdowns Give your new "roommates" a terrarium and observe...might be a good way to allay your fears.

Thank you very much for the link!! It is much appreciated!

David

 

[Lycanax]

I'm more of a spider and scorpion guy, but even though centipedes are the only animals that truly freak me out
I bought a subspinipes subspinipes with 6inches, it's larger now but damn is it amazing! I keep them as display
animals, a bite isn't worth the risk, their behaviour and creepy confidence are enough reward.
Nice specimen! Good luck and enjoy.
Don't forget to make sure the terrarium is taller than the centipede or it will escape or when you disturb it
And at least 4inches of damp substrate!
Alex

 

[satchellwk]

The most escape-proof thing I've found for centipedes is a large jar with a screw-on lid. If you put one in there, you can be sure it's not getting out. Here's the kind jar that I keep my big dehaani in (minus the cheese balls) : http://img2.targetimg2.com/wcsstore/TargetSAS//img/p/13/23/13234606.jpg

Good luck with overcoming your fear. I myself was deathly afraid of cockroaches, then I began keeping them, and now I have nearly 30 different species!

 

[Cavedweller]

Not a centipede expert, but I think it's awesome that you're trying to face your fears with knowledge! I respect that a lot.

 

[Duo Majere]

Not a centipede expert, but I think it's awesome that you're trying to face your fears with knowledge! I respect that a lot.

Thanks so much! I'm actually excited now to see another centipede. The guy in that picture is long dead... But I can assure you, I no longer come home expecting 10 cm of terror to crawl up my wall, and instead, I come home hoping I'll see something half as big as that guy was! None so far, but it's still early in summer. I saw two little centipedes (different species) but both were dead by the time they'd crawled into the house...

Also, satchellwk, you're an inspiration! I hope I can do the same, even if I don't end up getting REALLY into it, just enough to get over my fear is good. Thanks for the support!