Help! my Asian Forest scorpion is way too fat. Is it obese, moulting, or gravid?

[Th3lastcooki3]

Helpp! My scorpion has been in hiding for the past month and yesterday I cleaned it's enclosure and I can NOT believe how fat it got. Im not sure if its a male or a female. We got it from VIPets like 6 months ago, so I don't know if it was kept around males or not. I'm concerned by how fat it is. Maybe getting ready to moult? I've been watching the humidity just incase that's it and removed the cricket that was in there. Did I just over feed? averaging like 4 crickets a week or so. Any advice welcome!! Its freaking me out.

 

[AnimalNewbie]

Helpp! My scorpion has been in hiding for the past month and yesterday I cleaned it's enclosure and I can NOT believe how fat it got. We got it from a pet store like 6 months ago, so I don't know if I was kept around males or not. I'm concerned by how fat it is. Maybe getting ready to moult? I've been watching the humidity just incase that's it and removed the cricket that was in there. Did I just over feed? averaging like 4 crickets a week or so. Any advice welcome!! Its freaking me out

Well how big is it?
If it’s not yet adult size it molting. Are you aware if it’s male or female? 4 crickets sounds like to much I feed my adult 1 or maybe 2 crickets in a week

 

[Th3lastcooki3]

I'm not sure if its a male or female. I feel like it's not adult size yet and it has not moulted since I got em. I'm leaning towards I over fed but I also don't want to be surprised with 100 scorpion babies

 

[AnimalNewbie]

I'm not sure if its a male or female. I feel like it's not adult size yet and it has not moulted since I got em. I'm leaning towards I over fed but I also don't want to be surprised with 100 scorpion babies

What size is it about roughly with the tail

 

[AnimalNewbie]

What size is it about roughly with the tail

You could get ventral shots of the scorpion on its underside and post them here so we could find out the gender toobif you’d like

 

[Th3lastcooki3]

I'm stuck at work right meow, so I don't have a pic of the underside at the moment but I'd say he/she is like 4 inches long including the tail probably.

 

[The Snark]

That's pretty weird. Never seen a Spinifer anything like that. Or Laoticus for that matter.

 

[Jonathan159]

I would edge towards over fed if you are feeding a 4 inch total length Heterometrus spp. 4 crickets a week. That is far too many in my opinion considering most feed 1-2 a week. Also 4 inches including the tail seems a bit small for a mature Heterometrus but the next best step would be to sex the scorpion by giving us pictures of the Pectines located underneath the scorpion...if it is male then the chance of a gravid scorpion goes out the window. Also, when was the last time your scorpion ate? Has it eaten recently? Scorpions will fast and refuse food when approaching a molt, we call this a premolt. If your scorpion has eaten in the last 7 days then I'd rule out an upcoming molt because if it is in a premolt state then its in a stage we call "heavy premolt" meaning a molt is imminent. My advise would be to get the pictures of the Pectines uploaded as soon as possible which is easily done by coaxing your scorpion into a clear tub and then take pictures from underneath the tub. After we know whether it's male or female and whether it has or hasn't eaten in the last 7 days will give everyone much more information to give you a clearer answer.

 

[Th3lastcooki3]

First off, you guys are amazing! Thank you so much. I was able to get pics of the underside, I hope they're clear enough. I would probably say it's just under 4 inches, closer to 3 1/2. And he/she has eaten in the past 7 days. I hope the pics are okay, my camera skills kinda suck.

 

[Jonathan159]

OK based on the pictures I beleive this is a female and if she has eaten in the last 7 days she' is not in a premolt. She is either fat or gravid.

 

[Jonathan159]

My advice would be to carry on caring for her normally but cut her meals down. Give 1-2 crickets per week and remove un-eaten feeders after 24 hours and try another in 2-3 days. She will either lose the weight and look more healthy or you'll wake up one day to a fully loaded scorpion mom. The good news is that there's no reason at all to panic at this point and if she does give birth just come back and we'll point you in the right direction. My money is still on just fat though, it's a bit small at 3 1/2 inches to be mature.

 

[Hinin]

OK based on the pictures I beleive this is a female and if she has eaten in the last 7 days she' is not in a premolt. She is either fat or gravid.

I thought the big pectins are the male, you sure are female?

 

[badscorp]

scorpions will stop eating if they're full so don't worry about over feeding, that's just base on my experience though

 

[khil]

scorpions will stop eating if they're full so don't worry about over feeding, that's just base on my experience though

Is this really true? I don't mean to call you out-just wondering if other people have had the same experience. I know fish as well as some insects, and tarantulas as well will overeat.