Barks scorpions communally

[Extensionofgreen]

I have several species of Tityus and Centruroides from moist climates and I have raised them all individually, except the parthenogenetic species. After 5i, wouldn’t it be fairly safe and even natural to keep the other species communally, with adequate feeding and hides? I assume that bark scorpions typically congregate under bark, leaf litter, leaf bases, and other debris, and when collecting C.gracilis years ago, they certainly seemed to live right on top of one another. I’m considering placing up to 5 specimens in 5 gal or similar sized enclosure, for communal keeping and breeding and I know that there are no species that are guaranteed to never eat another scorpion, but are there people here that have success or have seen high rates of cannibalism when housing species such as T.anthenses, C.bicolor, C.edwardsi, and similar genera together?

 

[Scorpionluva]

In sure it would be possible to raise them up communally but if you have some pricey rare species... it would be safe to keep them individually til adult

communal setups as juveniles really increases the risk of cannibalism Even with species like Tityus Stigmurus. Very rarely will they eat a sibling or tank mate but it does happen

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Most of the specimens are adult or one or 2 molts away, so that’s why I’m considering it. Thank you for the reply.

 

[darkness975]

I personally would not risk keeping the species you mentioned communally. Centruroides spp. and such have a known better reputation for living together.

But, I know someone who kept 3 Hadrurus spp. together for some time before they went postal on one another. Nice experiment, but ultimately failed.

Either way, good luck @Extensionofgreen

 

[RTTB]

I had a trio of male T asthenes get absolutely murderous with each other one night to where only 1 survived and died not too long after from injuries. Supposedly communal but I’d heard reports from others of them killing, not cannibalizing, each other. I learned the hard way.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

Yes, speaking to someone that has bred many Tityus species, he indicated that male anthenses can be murderous towards other males.

 

[brandontmyers]

Centruroides sp can be pretty weird. Most of them will not do well together until they get to around 6i. Even as subadults they seem to do ok. The exceptions I have noticed are for some of the smaller ones, ie. C. baracoae, C. hoffmanni, and C. nitidus. I was able to keep them communally from Day 1. Tityus sp may be different but I only have experience with some of the parthenogenetic ones.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

It’s not a big deal for me to not house them together, as I’ve raised most of these species from 2i, in their own cups. I just know that there were reports that the parthenogenetic species actually grow faster when housed together. I was housing mine individually, because I didn’t want to lose any and when I got over the fear of them eating one another, they did indeed grow faster together. I assumed, that bark scorpions live in nature the way I found C.gracilis in FL or Tityus crassicauda in Ecuador, which is that the populations are locally abundant and are found in numbers under debris, bark, leaves, logs, and other similar places. I thought it would be the most natural way for them to breed and live in captivity. I did notice that I never captured any obviously ready to give birth, or mothers with babies on their backs, in these places and I also found the Tityus that was carrying babies alone, so maybe gravid females find a secure place alone to give birth, to avoid the risk to her offspring. I also never found dramatically different sized individuals in one place, all were adults, which also lends to the theory females give birth outside of the community and the babies hide elsewhere to avoid being food to the bigger members of their species.

 

[darkness975]

My P. imperators have been together since 2i, tho that's the exception not the rule.