Sabre52
Cave Dweller 
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 3, 2014 22:50:30 GMT -5
Howdy folks, Lately when I've been out on the porch at night, I've notice our population of geckos seems to be reduced. Was out this evening and found out why. Geckos are pretty fast but I guess this small seven inch predator is a bit faster. Had an even larger one in my shop a couple of days ago so I guess they are very active now. Really large ones go about a foot long and an inch across the back plates. And yes, that is one of our geckos in his jaws. And yes, that is why Gators are popular wear in the house at night *L*.....Mel  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 3, 2014 23:16:42 GMT -5
Can you barbeque the big ones ?
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 3, 2014 23:20:50 GMT -5
Eww, I'd prefer the gecko to the centipede, any day. I never could stand those things. They creep me out, especially the four/five inch ones.
Balance of nature, and all that, I guess. We don't have to like it.
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junglejim
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2014
Posts: 344 
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Post by junglejim on Jul 3, 2014 23:23:39 GMT -5
Kill that sucker !! Don't care for bugs like that and like geckos. I've had two Leopard Geckos for 18 years now. I'd whack that thing if it was around my house. Wouldn't want to step on that thing barefooted. How big are the fangs on one that size?
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bhiatt
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since July 2012
Posts: 1,532
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Post by bhiatt on Jul 3, 2014 23:37:47 GMT -5
I wouldn't of believed it unless I seen it. A centipede eating a lizard. That is pretty wild stuff.
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,359
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Post by quartz on Jul 4, 2014 0:27:56 GMT -5
Egad, that's a nasty bug.
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Post by snowmom on Jul 4, 2014 6:19:38 GMT -5
aaaack! everything seems bigger out west!
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 4, 2014 6:29:45 GMT -5
Don, I suppose you could cook'em but first you'd have to wrassel them to a standstill and kill them with a rock hammer. Pretty tough and aggressive critters.
Jim, I'm a biologist and like Rockpicker says, balance of nature and all that. I kind of think the centipedes are cool too. Fangs aren't too huge, maybe 1/3 inch......Mel
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roundrock
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Holding on to the Stone of Destiny
Member since June 2014
Posts: 91
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Post by roundrock on Jul 4, 2014 6:31:07 GMT -5
Hey, I saw a documentary about desert species and a centipede that looked like this one took on a mouse. Thankfully the mouse won.
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Post by gingerkid on Jul 4, 2014 8:23:29 GMT -5
Don, I suppose you could cook'em but first you'd have to wrassel them to a standstill and kill them with a rock hammer. Pretty tough and aggressive critters. ROFL, Mel!!  |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2014 22:54:47 GMT -5
That is really awesome Mel. I live centipedes. Can I buy a dozen or so?  |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 4, 2014 23:24:44 GMT -5
That is really awesome Mel. I live centipedes. Can I buy a dozen or so? Having the inlaws over for dinner ? |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 2:17:57 GMT -5
That is really awesome Mel. I live centipedes. Can I buy a dozen or so? Having the inlaws over for dinner ? Nope. I truly do dig centipedes!! Haha |
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 5, 2014 8:31:32 GMT -5
Hey Scott, I stomp on them here. Ours only get a couple inches long. If they got as large as Mel's, I'd break out the shotgun.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 15:18:22 GMT -5
Hey Scott, I stomp on them here. Ours only get a couple inches long. If they got as large as Mel's, I'd break out the shotgun. Yeah those big ones are ninja warriors. I've always admired the big red ones with a black head. |
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 5, 2014 17:48:37 GMT -5
Scott, you must really like them. Around these parts, we have ones that are a tannish-yellow with a green stripe down the center of the back. Maybe five inches long. And, as mentioned, they creep me out! But I leave them alone to go about and do their job.
So where are the red ones with a black head found?
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jul 5, 2014 18:15:18 GMT -5
This thread gave me faith to be nervous about centipedes. Spiders and centipedes. not a bug sensitive person, but those two raise fear.
You can predict a bee. it is a painful sting. Ants sting too, and sometimes the ant sting can last a long time. But that centipede looks like
it would deliver flesh rotting poison. Oh, and scorpions too.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 5, 2014 18:43:30 GMT -5
You know, what was fascinating was the next morning I found the lizard carcass beneath where the centipede was feeding. Head was still untouched but the skeleton was intact but totally picked clean. They grab and hold with the fangs which are modified claws and have another modified pair of feeding legs between the fangs and the head above. Apparently, judging by how well the skeleton was picked clean, this feeding mechanism is really capable of detail work. Very weird but functional little beasties....Mel
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jul 5, 2014 18:44:06 GMT -5
One thing I learned while raising reptiles - the difference between poisonous and venomous. Poisonous is when you ingest it. Venomous is when you get injected with it.
But I get what you're saying. (I know, I'm being picky, lol!). Think I'll avoid either one, if I can at all help it.
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,497
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Post by Sabre52 on Jul 5, 2014 19:15:33 GMT -5
Me too Jean! I looked up the venom of these centipedes and it's one of those fairly exotic ones where reactions are all over the place. Mostly just pain for a short while but some folks react much worse. Best to not be a guinea pig and just avoid getting bitten so you don't have to see what kind of envenomation lottery you've won. Got to say those boogers are hyper-aggressive too. The one I removed from my shop was bad tempered in the extreme.....Mel
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