Emperor Scorpion Humidity

[kitty_b]

if i set up a 2" false bottom and another 8+" of substrate, will i most likely need another source for humidity? we're talking NC weather...

just asking while i'm preparing my set-up for a 29+ gallon enclosure.

also, would a 30" x 12" enclosure be acceptable for 4-5 emps?

 

[~Abyss~]

What substrate?

 

[kitty_b]

What substrate?

i'll probably use peat moss (maybe peat moss/potting soil).

i'm also concerned about avoiding mold and fungal growth.

 

[Normski2020uk]

Your humidity should be fine, a good test without geting fancy gadgets is press down on the soil, if it leaves your finger damp its fine. To stop fungual growth allow good ventilation, a set of holes at operset ends of the tank should do it. You may feel the need to mist every now and again, this realisticaly just gives surface water, like dew, that scorps can drink.

 

[Brian S]

If the substrate is moist then you are in business

 

[Prymal]

Kitty,

As Brian aptly states above, as long as the substrate is moist to the touch, your emp(s) will be fine. After 10+ years of keeping and breeding emps, I've yet to see any advantages offered by sweltering, high-moisture environments.
I've had over a dozen successful matings that resulted in many healthy offspring reared on moist peat or peat/topsoil substrate in environments that rarely experienced RH levels above 70-75%. Good luck!

 

[Scorpfanatic]

although they may survive and leave pretty well in those conditions, giving them the correct condition and in the setup youre doing will definately be rewared with many off springs!

 

[Prymal]

Scorpfanatic-

Let me assure you, I've kept, maintained, mated and reared hundreds of emps in the past. I also subscribed to the 'historical' methods of keeping them in sweltering, wet environments (temps 80-95/RH 85-90) and over many years observed no differences between groups kept in the above environmental conditions and those kept cooler and drier.
All of the young molted, fed and grew without problems and many friends still have offspring from my mating efforts in drier, cooler enclosures and they're all still kickin' and doin' fine. My daughter just took my last emp for her new apartment. Ol' gal will be 11 years old soon and she never saw RH above 70-75 and temps rarely above 80F. She's birthed 4 broods and she's still strong as an ox and goin' strong.
However, to each their own. I'm not advocating any 'exact' keeping method as being 'perfect' because even in nature, no animal is perfectly adapted to its habitat so, guess that probably applies in captivity, too!

 

[~Abyss~]

IS having to much humidity bad for the emp. I got mines in that eco-crap I have a plant and the meter reads more than 100% whenever I turn off the light. With the light on it reads at about 75-90% but at night its really high my meter cant even read it. Ohh by the way it's covered with plastic on the top, a tip I got because w/o it i would have to spray it like 4 times a day this way I dont have to worry about it

I know it needs more substrate but shes small anyways she can wait 3 weeks

 

[Scorpfanatic]

i guess wat you can do is by adding some small ventilating holes, if it can main tain at 70-85 day and almost similar at nigh it should be ok.. because when you on the lights the humidity is evaporating, when you off.. it because full humidity

chances are if you have a false botten youdon have to mist that much

where are you from and wats the rooms humidity that you keeop you tank in? maybe that might help in giving some good advice.

 

[ThatGuy]

too keep good humidity you want about 1-2 inches of gravel and place a pipe that goes straight to the gravel and get 1-2 of those brick things called like echo earth or jungle floor, they kind that u add water and you get alot of substrate. any ways thats really great stuff it really holds alot of moister in. but like i said get a pipe and put it down to the gravel and then poor your substrate in and your all set. for the pipe u use pvc pipe works great for me. and if your thinking about using a heat pad make sure you put it on the saide and not the bottom. dont want to cook your scorp.

 

[Brian S]

You cant have more than 100% humidity. The gauge you are using isnt accurate just as it is with most gauges like that you buy. Throw that thing away so it will not bother you again