Handling a Death Stalker

[No name]

Handling a Death Stalker and A.Australis

..................

 

[Wolvie56X]

thats really not recomended haha

technically its not lethal to an adult male, but its still potentially life threatening depending how you react to the venom

so yeah, i personally wouldnt do that... ever, not even with my A Australis

Wolvie

 

[Kugellager]

IMO...thats just plain dumb...not worth the risk with that species...too unpredictable with too hig of consequence for an accident.

That said...to each his own...its his life to risk.

John
];')

 

[Scorpie]

not very smart.
but its a good pic though

 

[Spider-man 2]

Hence the name...............DEATH stalker. I would never risk my life to showboat, but that's just me.

 

[Wolvie56X]

i picked up my P Trans without a glove and my P Liosoma, but those are far from the toxicity of a deathstalker, but yes, to each their own and an awesome pic indeed

Wolvie

 

[Richard_uk]

You know, I look at the picture and something doesn't quite look right. I think the scorpion is actuall dead, the stance looks wrong for a live scorpion. Pay close attention particularly to the very back pair of legs, they appear to be being dragged along, none of the scorpions I ever handle ever have their legs behind them like this.
I think its just someone trying to be a bit clever.
Must admit, it is a nice pitcture of the scorpion though. I never realised that D/S were so colourful.

 

[alex]

It sure does.

Alexander

 

[Gravy]

I think your right richard i've never owned a deathstalker before let alone handled one but after handling Smeringurus Mesaensis & H. Arizonensis i've never come across that stance before, also the rest of hit appearing to be laying on his hand.

I must admit Death Stalkers eyes look awsome!

 

[Kugellager]

It's not limp enough looking to be dead....when they are dead the metasoma lies flat and usually to the side. The chela on one of the palps looks like it is not lying on the hand limp as it would with a dead scorp. The back legs of my scorps do that all the time...it a pain when trying to photograph one and you want to move the legs into a more defensive looking position. Anyone who has C.exilicauda or C.vittatus that has them on bark take a look at their back legs when the scorp is in a little crook/hollow in the bark...you'll see the same thing.

John
];')

 

[carpe scorpio]

I agree it's a dead (or severly refrigerated) specimen.

 

[Malkavian]

After watching the guys at the petstore feed the deathstalker they had there is NO way i'd pick one of those things up

to call it a spaz would be understatement

 

[carpe scorpio]

I agree, I have kept this species and it is not to be trifled with in any way. In 1986 I went to my regular pet shop and to my amazement they had just gotten a bunch of new scorps in a shipment from the usual supplier. There were four L. Quinquestriatus in deli-cups marked Scorpio Maurus, I immediately recognized the potential danger to the unsuspecting first-time scorp owner and the hobby (still relatively new) at the time, and bought all four. I explained the situation to the owner and they had some "words" with the supplier. After I got them home and allowed them to "rest", I fed them and let a week go by before bothering with them again. It was at this time that I was suddenly educated with regard to thier speed and temperment. As I reached in one of the tanks with (shorter than I own now) forceps to remove a water dish, the scorpion charged toward my hand in a powerful lunge, I withdrew my hand right at the moment that the telson was swinging toward me. The pinky on my right hand and the glass on the far left of the tank had venom droplets on them. Thank god she missed. After that I only observed the "spraying" behavior from two of the four specimens on limited occasions. I have since used extreme caution with all other species I have kept.

 

[G. Carnell]

lq can spray!!? i thought that only parabuthus did that,
thats my new info for the day


EDIT and is it just me, or is there a new pic with an AA on his hand!!??

 

[Kugellager]

It's not you...look at the bottom of his post...he just added it last night...that one is definitely NOT deceased....


John
];')

 

[skinheaddave]

lq can spray!!?

I was also unaware of this and have yet to hear it from any other source. Parabuthus are not the only ones, though. H.arazonensis (and presumably spadix?) can fling its venom.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Kugellager]

I wonder how many of these other species are actually flinging their venom rather than spraying it?

Carpe...could your L.quinquestriatus actually been flinging it rather than spraying it ?...this would be the first report I have ever heard of this behavior in L.q. as well...on the other hand...I suppose it is possible that all scorpions may be capable of spraying their venom...certainly all should be able to fling it.

John
];')

 

[carpe scorpio]

The amount of venom was only perhaps 1/200th that of a parabuthus, but there was a sound at the same time of the "misting", like fphsst!

 

[protheus]

The amount of venom was only perhaps 1/200th that of a parabuthus, but there was a sound at the same time of the "misting", like fphsst!

Eek. Interesting and noble animals, but I would not keep anything that could potentially kill a human in my house, much less my hand. On the other hand, if asian forest scorpions could be induced to spray their venom, that would be kind of cool to watch.

Chris

 

[carpe scorpio]

I believe that the holding/touching of these two species is ultimately a personal decision, but any fatal outcome must be considered "natural selection" and not any reason to vilify the hobby at large.