What kind of pede to buy?

[intrepidus6]

I am wanting to buy either a centipede or a millipede. (If I can talk my mom into it...) I have never had one before so I was wondering some things. First of all, Should I get a centipede, or a millipede? What are the advantiges and disadvantiges to both? What kind of millipede/centipede would be best for me?
And, lastly, where can I buy them?

Thanks!

 

[dirtborder4life]

Pedes

First off,there is a big difference in millipedes and centipedes.Millipedes are vegetarians,centipedes are predators.If you get a centipede,you will have to buy,and handle other bugs for it to eat.

Second,Im probly not the best guy to reccomend pedes,but if you decide on a centipede,over a milli,then i would catch a stone centipede before you buy one.Keep it for a while,get used to caring for,and feeding it,and then buy whichever pede you want.I just got a S.h.c for my first pede,and am very satisfied.

 

[intrepidus6]

I don't mind to feed it live food. I have other pet that must eat live food.
I wish I could catch a pede to keep, but I live to far north to be able to do that

 

[reverendsterlin]

If you can't WC local pedes or millis then my recomendation is to pick from the least expensive species. I've kept both, the millis were easy to keep temps were indoor average at about 75F and humidity was a little higher than I keep my Ts. Fruits, veggies, and oak leaves had mine reproducing so you may not want to buy pairs. Centi's were very fast, quite willing to bite, extremely clever at escaping. That said they were good looking and entertaining, polymorpha seems to be a very hardy species and usually with a great price.
Rev

 

[Jmadson13]

If you want a centipede S. polymorpha and S. heros are both good choices.

 

[intrepidus6]

Thanks everyone! But, where is the best place to buy them?

 

[crashergs]

get a polymorpha... or a subspinipes. Buy whichever one you want, most venomous, least venomous, just if you get bit, its your fault. Never throw your hand in there, I find myself getting very used to my "mai chau" and i know its going to get me sooner or later. So if you find yourself trusting your pede, snap outta it and start using some tongs/tweezers.

I didnt know junk about centipedes, my first one is a wild caught tiger centipede
which are an abundance in rialto,ca... then I felt i needed to get a much larger one, so i was in phoenix one day and heard about a very good petshop in mesa i think, drove down there and they had all types of pedes for sale. I picked up the "mai chau" or "de haani" whicheverone comes first, very beautiful animals.

 

[intrepidus6]

Thanks!

Does pretty much any pet store have them?

 

[cacoseraph]

Thanks!

Does pretty much any pet store have them?

no

a lot of petstores don't carry them for various reasons

i high one on the list is that a cent escapedinto the store... hehheh

 

[Scolopendra55]

The best place to buy them is from online dealers. Golden Pheonix Exotica usually has S.polymorpha for good prices. Swifts Invertebrates has a variety of centipedes, no S.polymorpha, but allot of very nice species.

 

[Drachenjager]

S Heros

Id say an S heros, at least if you get bit you will know it
seriously tho they are very impressive pedes. everytime i see one when im fishing or just spider hunting it gets my attention really fast
and to get one id try really hard to talk someone in the southern central part of the USA into catching you one and shipping it to you. OR order at http://www.swiftinverts.com/

 

[intrepidus6]

Thanks everyone! I am probably going to look on-line.

 

[intrepidus6]

Ok, I have talked my mom into it! I am going to go with a centipede over a millipede. I have looked around the web and I have pretty much narrowed it down to two different species. This one: http://www.goldenphoenixexotica.com/shaz.jpg
and this one:
http://www.goldenphoenixexotica.com/Herosher.jpg
If anyone has any experience with either one, please give me your input on witch is best and stuff, this is pretty much what I am looking for:

-Prettiness lol
-non-deadly
-easy to care for, but not too easy
-somthing that won't climb out of the cage to easily.

Thanks for the help everyone.
I might change my mind, and decide on a different kind of centipede, but of the ones I have read about so far, those are my favorites. I plan on doing ALOT of research before I finalise my decision.

 

[Scorp guy]

im nto sure what the first one is, probably a polymorpha which would be good for you i think. i got a huge subspinipes for my first pede and it was very active at night only hardly ever comes out. the second pic, is commonly known as texas red head centipede. ive heard they make great display pets, but ive heard many stories of them dying. if you have all the right equipment for it, then go with the second.

 

[darkeye]

I have both of those and they are about the most tenacious when it comes to "future escapee". My S.h.castaniceps (the red-headed one shown above) will do almost ANYTHING to test the boundires of it's enclosure. And my S.h.arizonensis, although only about 3" long, is on that same path.

Good luck with your first pede, but just be prepared to be unprepared for the speed they can move at.

I'd suggest a Scolopendra polymorpha to start with...

 

[cacoseraph]

as long as you are pretty smart and pretty careful you can really get any centi to start

but just so you know, i'm kind of leaning towards the heros group having a pretty mean bite.

i think all the Scolopendra subspinipes and Scolopendra heros can put the hurt on you pretty good.

of course, if you react poorly a polymorpha can swell you up pretty good and hurt pretty bad