# We caught an Amazonian Giant Centipede in our vacation house **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 6, 2023, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249 "2023-04-06T13:04:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/41 "2023-04-06T21:34:36Z")
A fun set of ages no doubt. For occasionally exasperating values of “fun”. IANA expert on child-raising, but I hear you’re just about to go over the waterfall with first one, then both, of these two. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/42 "2023-04-06T21:37:07Z")
Whoa. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/43 "2023-04-06T22:43:02Z")
Is that a Green Mamba? Scary AF! ---
**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/44 "2023-04-06T22:54:59Z")
At first I thought it was. In your rooms you have an emergency alarm in case a lion is trying to kill you. At first I thought I should press the button. But I knew they would just kill the snake so I opened the doors and took a towel and shooed it out. At one point it raised up, looking at me. After it was outside I watched it slither away and then waited about an hour before I told anybody. The staff had an absolute fit when I showed them the picture and told them I put it outside by myself. Even the cooks came out to see the crazy tourist that dealt with the snake herself. They started calling me Wonder Woman. To this day I’m not entirely sure if it was a Green Mamba or just some sort of other green snake. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/45 "2023-04-06T22:57:27Z")
It sure looks like a Mamba. Just wow! ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/46 "2023-04-06T23:58:33Z")
> [@FloatyGimpy](#): > > To this day I’m not entirely sure if it was a Green Mamba or just some sort of other green snake. I’m thinking it isn’t. Green mambas have a rather proportionally large, elongated and distinctive “coffin-shaped” head, with a yellow-green belly. The smallish head, kinda bug eyes and what looks like a pale belly makes me think something in the genus Philothamnus, like this [Green Water Snake](https://www.africansnakebiteinstitute.com/snake/green-water-snake/) or one of its close cousins. However appropriate caution when dealing with a green snake in much of Africa is probably warranted unless you’re absolutely sure of what it is. Especially if it is just a quick glimpse in dim lighting 😉. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2023, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/47 "2023-04-07T00:15:59Z")
**Loggins** , you know that you and Medina have a song about this. [Lahaina Centipede Song - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwG7MOmZsZk) ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/48 "2023-04-11T22:46:45Z")
Haha, i had not heard that song before. Its quite relaxing and pleasurable i think. Well done! ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/49 "2023-04-11T22:56:57Z")
More than 4 feet, fewer than 2, run screaming into the night. Arson may or may not be involved. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/50 "2023-04-11T23:30:37Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > … fewer than 2 … Running away from a snail _might_ be an overreaction, but you do you! 😉 Then again, there are these friendly critters. [![](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/7XoUY4yg4cyQTlE2z_tRX_5xYIo=/750x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-1034224034-44ac36b33c634492b50f7157b842ce20.jpg) ](https://www.thesprucepets.com/thmb/7XoUY4yg4cyQTlE2z_tRX_5xYIo=/750x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/GettyImages-1034224034-44ac36b33c634492b50f7157b842ce20.jpg) I’ve been slimed! 😁 The good news is you needn’t run away. A panicky saunter will do fine. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/51 "2023-04-12T11:45:06Z")
“Panicky saunter” would make a good name for, like, a ska band. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/52 "2023-04-12T13:50:53Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Oh, Sweet North America! > I shall never leave thee! I’m with you! I hate our winters in MN but at least I’ll never have to worry about one of those things getting in my house! 😵‍💫 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/53 "2023-04-12T14:27:31Z")
If winter gets in your house for a couple days it’ll kill you a lot deader than that centipede will. My rule of thumb is never live where you can’t survive outdoors for 24 hours buck naked. If you can’t, that’s clearly an environment trying to kill you harder than humans were designed to withstand. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/54 "2023-04-12T15:58:30Z")
I agree with that rule. I’m also trying to find a grocery store I can shop at buck naked, but haven’t succeeded yet. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/55 "2023-04-12T17:14:14Z")
The hard part about shopping buck naked is how to pay for anything you want to buy. I don’t know if an apple watch will work without being tethered to an iPhone. And even then naked-but-for-wristwatch is almost, but not quite “buck naked”. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/56 "2023-04-12T22:30:22Z")
Just get some Duluth Trading “Buck Naked” underwear. They might let you in the store with that to hide your phone in. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/57 "2023-04-12T23:16:11Z")
Wow. FL’s changed since I lived there. And not for the good. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/58 "2023-04-13T01:36:57Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > I’m also trying to find a grocery store I can shop at buck naked, but haven’t succeeded yet. What, you’re too good for Amazon delivery? ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/59 "2023-04-13T02:13:42Z")
Update, the centipede returned (or one very like it). It is now back in the yard. In three widely dispersed locations. It will not be returning. (Achieving this took more effort than expected. After depositing it in the yard, I slammed a large wedge-shaped stone onto it, edge first. It responded by shrugging off the blow and turning back toward me with murderous intent. Five more impacts were required to incapacitate the beast, and two further to achieve bisection. This is not a fragile organism.) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2023, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249/60 "2023-04-13T02:34:31Z")
I saw the title of the thread and the first thing that popped into my head was that Amazon was using giant centipedes to deliver packages. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/we-caught-an-amazonian-giant-centipede-in-our-vacation-house/982249.md?page=4)