Hadrurus arizonensis not eating

[Corevus]

2 weeks ago i got a hadrurus arizonensis pallidus, who's pretty young, only a few inches long. She's in a 10 gallon enclosure with a heat lamp that runs during the day. Day temps around 80-90 degrees, humidity about 30-50.

I'll dropa dubia roach or a wax worm in front of her occasionally, she'll walk up to it, stand there for a moment and then either back away or just walk right over it.

Is this unusual, or could she still be getting use to her environment?

 

[FatherOfScorpions]

Its normal. Sometimes scorpions can go several weeks or even months without eating. Especially when adapting to a new environment. Desert hairys can be kept comfortably at room temps, so you might bring the temps down. I keep mine just above that at 75-85°. A water dish is optional as long as you mist every week or so...humidity isnt very important unless molting. But with a 10 gallon enclosure I'd just drop 2 crickets in there and give it a day or so.

 

[FatherOfScorpions]

Nice enclosure btw, looks awesome!

 

[RTTB]

Give it some time. When she is ready she will start gobbling up the feeder insects.

 

[Red Eunice]

May not be hungry, mine have fasted for weeks. Could also be pre molt, looks pretty plump. Ruling out diapause, you're keeping temps higher than I do.

 

[Corevus]

Thanks everyone for the info, that's reassuring!

 

[darkness975]

2 weeks ago i got a hadrurus arizonensis pallidus, who's pretty young, only a few inches long. She's in a 10 gallon enclosure with a heat lamp that runs during the day. Day temps around 80-90 degrees, humidity about 30-50.

I'll dropa dubia roach or a wax worm in front of her occasionally, she'll walk up to it, stand there for a moment and then either back away or just walk right over it.

Is this unusual, or could she still be getting use to her environment?

Looks like it is in heavy pre-molt. That would explain not eating.

Also, until it digs a burrow it will be skittish and less responsive to food.

Does it have sufficient and proper substrate to burrow in? It does not look like a 30/70 excavator clay/sand mixture that they need as obligate burrowers. Also, your substrate bears resemblance to crushed walnut shells. If it is crushed walnut shell desert blend, as is very common at pet stores, you need to replace it ASAP as it has been discussed how walnuts are toxic to invertebrates.

Also, how close is that heat lamp? It could desiccate it. All of my Hadrurus spp. live in room temperatures year round and are fine. Winter night temps in the mid to high 60's, Winter day temps in the low 70's, Summer night temps in the mid to high 70's and Summer day temps around the same (run the central air in Summer).

 

[Corevus]

Looks like it is in heavy pre-molt. That would explain not eating.

Also, until it digs a burrow it will be skittish and less responsive to food.

Does it have sufficient and proper substrate to burrow in? It does not look like a 30/70 excavator clay/sand mixture that they need as obligate burrowers. Also, your substrate bears resemblance to crushed walnut shells. If it is crushed walnut shell desert blend, as is very common at pet stores, you need to replace it ASAP as it has been discussed how walnuts are toxic to invertebrates.

Also, how close is that heat lamp? It could desiccate it. All of my Hadrurus spp. live in room temperatures year round and are fine. Winter night temps in the mid to high 60's, Winter day temps in the low 70's, Summer night temps in the mid to high 70's and Summer day temps around the same (run the central air in Summer).

I looked at the bag and you're right, it is made from walnut shell =( would she be ok in a large tupperware with some paper towel for a few days so the new substrate has time to dry?

I read somewhere clumping cat litter(basic, unscented, etc) is good to mix with since it's basically just clay. And i add in some reptibark.

It's always pretty humid in our townhouse, usually around 58%, which is great for my gecko, not so much for a desert scorpion. The heat lamp helps quite a bit, which is the main reason i got it. It sits on top of the enclosure, but it's one of those mini ones with a 25w. Maybe i should reduce the time its on?

Also, how long are they in pre molt for usually?

 

[darkness975]

I looked at the bag and you're right, it is made from walnut shell =( would she be ok in a large tupperware with some paper towel for a few days so the new substrate has time to dry?

I read somewhere clumping cat litter(basic, unscented, etc) is good to mix with since it's basically just clay. And i add in some reptibark.

It's always pretty humid in our townhouse, usually around 58%, which is great for my gecko, not so much for a desert scorpion. The heat lamp helps quite a bit, which is the main reason i got it. It sits on top of the enclosure, but it's one of those mini ones with a 25w. Maybe i should reduce the time its on?

Also, how long are they in pre molt for usually?

I would not use cat litter for any reason other than its intended purpose. The odor absorbing chemicals alone can be harmful, never mind whatever else might be in it.

I had a couple housed on walnut shells for a few years before much more recently learning about the natural insecticides of walnuts. Yours will likely be okay for a couple days. You can also expedite the drying of substrate with hair dryers and the like. You can even just throw a bag of regular play sand in there. Many people keep Hadrurus spp. in set ups that don't really permit burrowing and they are okay, so I would say the biggest threat is the walnut shell substrate itself.

The molting process (and often failure thereof) of this species in captivity is one reason why we recommend the purchase of adult specimens for the average person. Hopefully yours will molt okay.

Normal humidity conditions may play a role in this species molting; if you search up Hadrurus arizonensis molting on the boards here you will find several threads where the topic of this species molting , and those that have had it happen successfully, has been discussed. It's a bit of an ongoing grey area.

Pre molt can last a while. One of my sub adults is still in pre molt from a while back.


Also, I have noticed with my Hadrurus spp. and some other people's as well that they will enter a diapause period from late October / early November through late March / early April. During this period, I do not see them at all. They bury away and go into a type of suspended animation, if you will. This likely coincides with the drop in temperatures in their natural habitat, which I am not all that far away from. People who keep theirs under heat lamps and heat pads 24/7 365/year don't report this phenomenon as much, but mine live more or less in the temperatures that the room is, which in winter is lower than I'd like it to be but that's sadly not my choice.

In any case, I wanted to mention this in the event that yours does bury away. As long as you can see that it is alive (pick up a UV flashlight so you can shine it in there and find it easily) then it should be okay.

Make sure it has a water dish. The water dish debate is ongoing but I have seen all of mine drink from the dish, and especially if your specimen is in pre molt there is no reason not to give it one. Here is my pre molt sub adult drinking:

H. arizonensis Drinking

• darkness975
• Apr 27, 2017
• 6

Don't use UV lights all the time, though. UV is harmful to Scorpions.

One of my Hadrurus arizonensis (pallidus) adults.

H. arizonensis pallidus

• darkness975
• Apr 27, 2017

Hadrurus arizonensis pallidus

• darkness975
• May 6, 2016

Hadrurus arizonensis pallidus

• darkness975
• May 6, 2016

"Normal" Hadrurus arizonensis

H. arizonensis

• darkness975
• Apr 27, 2017

Hadrurus arizonensis

• darkness975
• May 9, 2016
• 3