Unusual effects of centipede venom

Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
393
This is gonna be a rather crass and controversial topic, I can already see it happening. I would like to address an unusual side effect of centipede venom from my own personal experience. I've been bitten three times from three different species. The Hawaiian coastal Subspinipes, the dehaani cherry red, and the Raiu Giant/Malaysian tiger. All three of which were plings approximately 2.5 to 3 in in length. And with each of them I had similar effects. There was a numbing sensation at the bite zone, two well defined blisters developed, there was minimal swelling, and each time I was overwhelmed with euphoria and adrenaline. I would liken this effect to a combination of cocaine and heroin. Extreme mental clarity and an excess of energy and thought process. The effects varied from centipede to centipede in length but most were approximately 3 days to 7 days in duration. All the while I felt little to no discomfort or pain.
 

Malum Argenteum

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 16, 2020
Messages
285
Interesting report, but as with Colorado River Toads, perhaps this information is best not publicized. For the benefit of the animals, and also because hospitals are currently over capacity with patients who are somewhere between negligent and self-destructive.

Edit to add: "socialization attempts"?
 

Edan bandoot

Arachnoprince
Joined
Sep 5, 2019
Messages
1,601
I clearly stated that there was little to no discomfort or pain. Did you not read that?
you also said you felt adrenaline comparable to cocaine, adrenaline is a natural pain reliever, trust me i read it.

There's plenty of bite reports on this site for Scolopendra (even some of the species you listed) and there's a couple scientific studies and your symptoms seem to be unique to you.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
393
you also said you felt adrenaline comparable to cocaine, adrenaline is a natural pain reliever, trust me i read it.
I don't have an adrenaline overload with anything else. This is a forum to share knowledge, and that's what I'm trying to do here. You can make your jokes in the watering hole but the main forums should be dedicated to sharing and exploring factual information. And yes, this would seem unique to me as you put it. That's why the first word in the title of this thread is "Unusual".

Interesting report, but as with Colorado River Toads, perhaps this information is best not publicized. For the benefit of the animals, and also because hospitals are currently over capacity with patients who are somewhere between negligent and self-destructive.

Edit to add: "socialization attempts"?
Chilopods are poorly documented as it is. Any and all knowledge discovered should be shared in its uncensored form. Even though this may be a unique case, the knowledge is still invaluable. It shows that centipede venom effects everyone differently, and in varying degrees on a case-by-case basis.
 

Jumbie Spider

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
369
Do you think the size of them made a difference? Sounds like plings might be less painful than an adult one but I have no experience there.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
393
Do you think the size of them made a difference? Sounds like plings might be less painful than an adult one but I have no experience there.
From what I've gathered it does. My more experienced colleagues suggest the effects would be around 10x with an adult so I only try to socialize captive bred plings so when they're bigger they're less inclined to be startled and go into defensive mode. I've been doing this for a while and I rarely have incidents like that. 2/3 times it was an involuntary twitch that startled them and the other was a terminal leg stuck between my fingers.
 

Jumbie Spider

Arachnobaron
Joined
Oct 29, 2020
Messages
369
From what I've gathered it does. My more experienced colleagues suggest the effects would be around 10x with an adult so I only try to socialize captive bred plings so when they're bigger they're less inclined to be startled and go into defensive mode. I've been doing this for a while and I rarely have incidents like that. 2/3 times it was an involuntary twitch that startled them and the other was a terminal leg stuck between my fingers.
This makes sense... and maybe it helps build a tolerance with their venom? I remember an old documentary of a cobra keeper who would inject himself with their venom daily to the point where he is able to tolerate their bites. Not sure if that would translate elsewhere but it was interesting for sure.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
393
This makes sense... and maybe it helps build a tolerance with their venom? I remember an old documentary of a cobra keeper who would inject himself with their venom daily to the point where he is able to tolerate their bites. Not sure if that would translate elsewhere but it was interesting for sure.
Well that's the weird part. I had never been bitten before, and the effects were the polar opposite of what I was expecting. It really baffled me. Instead of pain I had a numb tingly feeling at the bite zone, and my adrenaline was going into overdrive. I was working out, going for jogs, writing things in my journals, all for about 3-4 days. I might have had as little as 9 hours of sleep during the whole process. But this is unheard of basically, even my toxicology friend was in a loop about it. Even plings can cause severe pain in all three of these species, but all three times the effects were like what I stated above.
 

Arthroverts

Arachnoking
Joined
Jul 11, 2016
Messages
2,468
I would chalk it up to you having a wack immune response to something in the venom, because as mentioned before that experience is not consistent with any other recorded bite reports (that I know of anyway). Something must have triggered your adrenal glands to head into overdrive pumping out that much epinephrine. Did you have a big "crash" so to speak after the effects wore off?

Thanks,

Arthroverts
 

Godzilla90fan

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 4, 2021
Messages
94
I've been bitten by a centipede, and it was extremely painful. I am, however, allergic to wasps. Being stung creates a similar sensation that you described, usually followed by the negative reactions (if the dose of venom is high enough) such as swelling, difficulty breathing, and hives.

I also get an identical reaction from high amounts of electricity. Its likely how your nervous system is set up, something unique about it. I used to chase the electricity feeling, but realized how dangerous it is.

Essentially, you're having a unique nervous reaction, I wouldn't pursue it. Could build a resistance, could cause damage.
 
Joined
Jun 22, 2016
Messages
393
I would chalk it up to you having a wack immune response to something in the venom, because as mentioned before that experience is not consistent with any other recorded bite reports (that I know of anyway). Something must have triggered your adrenal glands to head into overdrive pumping out that much epinephrine. Did you have a big "crash" so to speak after the effects wore off?

Thanks,

Arthroverts
Huge crash. I was sleeping to 4 in the afternoon for a few days after the effects wore off.

I've been bitten by a centipede, and it was extremely painful. I am, however, allergic to wasps. Being stung creates a similar sensation that you described, usually followed by the negative reactions (if the dose of venom is high enough) such as swelling, difficulty breathing, and hives.

I also get an identical reaction from high amounts of electricity. Its likely how your nervous system is set up, something unique about it. I used to chase the electricity feeling, but realized how dangerous it is.

Essentially, you're having a unique nervous reaction, I wouldn't pursue it. Could build a resistance, could cause damage.
Definitely something I wouldn't do recreationally. My heart was beating out of my chest so it's probably not the best idea to do it for thrills, not to mention the fact that I'd be stressing them out and straining their metabolism. It's just something that happens on a blue moon when I'm socializing them, which I do quite often. I try to avoid incidents as much as I can but it's just a fact of the practice that it'll happen eventually to even the most experienced of us centipede lovers.
 

Hakuna

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
210
How do you go about “socializing” a centipede...?

Symptoms sound like some sort of adrenal response from your immune system... or possibly psychosomatic.
 
Top