What does "socializing" a centipede mean?

[Luka98]

Hey i'm a T keeper, i have absolutely 0 idea on keeping centipedes but i'm just curious as i've heard someone mention centipedes being able to be "socialized" unlike a T. Does this mean it enjoys your warmth like lizards or something or what? I'm sorry for my cluelessness, i was just kinda curious

 

[NYAN]

Unlike tarantulas, scorpions and most other invertebrates, centipedes can be ‘socialized.’ Essentially what this means is the pede becomes accustomed to being handled or touched. In my opinion, what happens is the pede learns to associate your scent with not being a predator or food and as a result, wont bite or freak out when handled. I don’t think there’s any reason to say that they enjoy it, but they don’t not enjoy it. I think using the word tolerate would be more accurate. Pedes have been known to ‘ relax’ and groom themselves on people’s hands though. Socialized Pedes can still bite, but it happens far less often.

Disclaimer: I use words like learn because in human terms, that’s what seems to happen. I’m not sure how much ability to learn they have in reality.

 

[Luka98]

Unlike tarantulas, scorpions and most other invertebrates, centipedes can be ‘socialized.’ Essentially what this means is the pede becomes accustomed to being handled or touched. In my opinion, what happens is the pede learns to associate your scent with not being a predator or food and as a result, wont bite or freak out when handled. I don’t think there’s any reason to say that they enjoy it, but they don’t not enjoy it. I think using the word tolerate would be more accurate. Pedes have been known to ‘ relax’ and groom themselves on people’s hands though. Socialized Pedes can still bite, but it happens far less often.

Disclaimer: I use words like learn because in human terms, that’s what seems to happen. I’m not sure how much ability to learn they have in reality.

Thank you for the info i appreciate it , seems to me like there's not a lot of centipede literature out there so i cam here to ask

 

[NYAN]

Thank you for the info i appreciate it , seems to me like there's not a lot of centipede literature out there so i cam here to ask

There’s literature, but it doesn’t discuss Socialization as far as I know. You’ll find info about it mostly here and on instagram.

 

[Staehilomyces]

As said above, socialising is the term coined to describe the process by which centipedes are worked with to become accustomed to handling. They do not enjoy it, however, they may be attracted to the warmth of one's hand, and as they will happily eat, drink and groom while being handled (provided they are properly socialised), I think it's fairly safe to say that they aren't bothered by it to a great extent, if at all. There is no rigid procedure; people have been trying different techniques, some with great success, some not so much. This is further complicated by the behavioural differences between species, and individuals. From my experience, Scolopendra morsitans is fairly easy to socialize without being bitten, though they are quite jumpy at first. Ethmostigmus rubripes on the other hand is not only highly aggressive, but has a very strong tendency to mistake its owner's hand for food, particularly inside the enclosure. Thus, E. rubripes is far harder to properly socialise than some others. From what I've seen on IG and YouTube, S. heros, S. hainanum and the South American giants respond to socialisation pretty well.

However, a socialised pede may still bite, and that may happen for a number of reasons, such as:
- Your usual scent is masked by soaps etc.
- You smell like food, which may happen after handling feeders or "human" foods such as meats or even fruit.
- It's licking salts and other nutrients off your hand, and may give you a light pinch while doing so.
- It's holding on with its forcipules for some extra grip (often happens when the pede is clinging upside-down).
- You have rushed the socialisation process and handled the pede too roughly when it's not fully acclimated to your scent - take it slowly.

 

[Bill S]

Socializing is the wrong word for what is meant in this context. There is no social behavior involved. It's simply getting a centipede used to being handled. Such primitive animals break down their world into simple terms - food, threat, potential mate or "background". Where handling a freshly caught centipede might cause the centipede to interpret the scent of human and the physical contact as being a threat, repeated handling allows the centipede to downgrade that into "background". Again, there's nothing social about this. And of course there's always the possibility that a centipede will scent something on your skin that causes it to assume you are food. Again, nothing social.

 

[Staehilomyces]

Honestly, I think "tame" is actually a better word, even though it's usage is generally frowned upon in the invert hobby. As the term doesn't necessarily imply training or domestication, it seems fairly applicable in the case of centipedes.

 

[dragonfire1577]

You kinda just touch it until it stops trying to murder you.

 

[Bill S]

Honestly, I think "tame" is actually a better word, even though it's usage is generally frowned upon in the invert hobby. As the term doesn't necessarily imply training or domestication, it seems fairly applicable in the case of centipedes.

Definitely more accurate than "socialized". And tame doesn't imply domestication - wild animals can be tamed without being domesticated.

I suspect that "socialized" remains in use in the hobby because some people really want to think of their animals as "friends". And others simply don't know the difference between socialized and tame.

 

[Luka98]

I've recognized nyan from the bite report section haha, i wouldn't hold a 'pede if i had one no sir even if they didn't give me the heebie jeebies. But thank you for the info this thread has been awesome!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Hey i'm a T keeper, i have absolutely 0 idea on keeping centipedes

Once you are (at least almost) certain that your provided enclosure is a 'no escape one', they aren't hard at all to care for. Not definitely hard like often, in good faith, people imagined

Does this mean it enjoys your warmth like lizards or something or what? I'm sorry for my cluelessness, i was just kinda curious

The users that posted above managed to get very nice, interesting results. But I will never try something like that... I have a S.subspinipes, that venom potency is brutal. Brutal, my man

 

[Luka98]

I have a S.subspinipes, that venom potency is brutal. Brutal, my man

Please don't

 

[NYAN]

I suspect that "socialized" remains in use in the hobby because some people really want to think of their animals as "friends". And others simply don't know the difference between socialized and tame.

Maybe, but more likely it’s because that’s the word that everyone seems to use for it.

 

[Bill S]

Maybe, but more likely it’s because that’s the word that everyone seems to use for it.

Not everyone. But bad habits and misinformation propagate more easily than good ones.

 

[BobBarley]

To anyone wanting to handle pedes:

Keep in mind that you can and will get bit! Even very “socialized” (“tamed, whatever you wanna call it) pedes can and will envenomated whenever the specimen wants to. I have taken countless envenomations and as such I only handle low potency species. Know what these animals are capable of!

 

[Staehilomyces]

Does depend on the individual. My first morsitans never tried to bite me at all, but all of the pedes I have now are a good deal more bitey, including other morsitans.

 

[SonsofArachne]

I have no plans handle any of my pedes, and reading bite reports that start out like "I've handled my S. subspinipes dozens of times before but this time it clamped down on my arm" don't make me want to change my mind. One of my goals for keeping inverts is no bites or stings, so no handling inverts for me.

 

[Staehilomyces]

Well, simply handling the pede doesn't mean it'll see you as less of a threat as time goes on - if you do it roughly, it could end up getting even more defensive.
I certainly understand why handling pedes isn't for everyone (I certainly have no inclination to handle my larger E. rubripes) but I think it's a whole lot more justifiable than tarantula handling, especially involving OWs.

 

[SonsofArachne]

Well, simply handling the pede doesn't mean it'll see you as less of a threat as time goes on - if you do it roughly, it could end up getting even more defensive.
I certainly understand why handling pedes isn't for everyone (I certainly have no inclination to handle my larger E. rubripes) but I think it's a whole lot more justifiable than tarantula handling, especially involving OWs.

I agree, with pedes it's a matter of choice. In fact with T's I wouldn't be against it if it weren't for the danger to the T's. Although I still would advise against handling OW's.

 

[Scoly]

Honestly, I think "tame" is actually a better word, even though it's usage is generally frowned upon in the invert hobby. As the term doesn't necessarily imply training or domestication, it seems fairly applicable in the case of centipedes.

Hit the nail on the head. As far as I can tell the term 'socializing' came from The Pure Life channel, which everyone (even myself) then used in the context of taming centipedes, but it is the incorrect word.

"Taming" is the correct word, regardless of how frowned it is in the hobby. It doesn't necessarily imply intelligence, there are beauty products which claim they will "tame" wild hair. Not that I agree with the view that these animals lack intelligence, or that wild hair needs tamed.

The only time that the term "socializing" would be applicable to centipedes is when introducing one into in a communal set up. In fact, closely watching centipedes in a communal set up will tell you a lot about their intelligence. They will attack prey, but not one another, they will also share prey, chewing down at the same time. They will also congregate together, and seem to have preferences for which other centipede they congregate with. They don't have any proper social interactions, it's more in the realm of highly aware tolerance and co-habitation, but there is a minimum amount of brain power required to do this.