Heterometrus petersii brood

[FatherOfScorpions]

She's been gravid for awhile now and when I got home yesterday I witnessed her giving live birth.

This is the second heterometrus brood in my care. The first heterometrus brood was from a different female, and the survival rate of the scorplings was not very good. So any advice, tips or warnings would be appreciated.

I have her in my "scorpion closet", contained inside a sterilite enclosure. I have a heat lamp in the top of the closet and put a heat pad on top of her enclosure just because it wasn't being used for anything anyway. The enclosure has some moss, full water dish and the humidity is kept pretty high. Substrate is damp but not super wet.

But now here's the interesting thing...I got home in the evening yesterday and she had given birth to 7 scorplings so far... left her alone for the rest of the night and today when I checked on her one of the scorplings appears to still be stuck underneath her. I dont know if she is going to push out more or not... has anyone seen anything like this? Can a birth take several days? Seemed like the last brood was overnight and done. Thanks!

 

[Captandan]

My H. Spinifer just had slings, 2out of 3 in fact. This is my first time, but it has been a few months and they are doing well. Is yours behave like mine then keep mama well fed and she will care for the slings. There is no need to separate them from the mother. Both mothers are now sharing the same den and it is almost like they give eachother breaks from the babies. I keep it at about 80 degrees and about 85% humidity. I have just posted a pic of the set up and some of the slings. I think its been about a month now. We even gout to watch a sling molt.

 

[Captandan]

She's been gravid for awhile now and when I got home yesterday I witnessed her giving live birth.
View attachment 253926
This is the second heterometrus brood in my care. The first heterometrus brood was from a different female, and the survival rate of the scorplings was not very good. So any advice, tips or warnings would be appreciated.

I have her in my "scorpion closet", contained inside a sterilite enclosure. I have a heat lamp in the top of the closet and put a heat pad on top of her enclosure just because it wasn't being used for anything anyway. The enclosure has some moss, full water dish and the humidity is kept pretty high. Substrate is damp but not super wet.
View attachment 253927 View attachment 253928
But now here's the interesting thing...I got home in the evening yesterday and she had given birth to 7 scorplings so far... left her alone for the rest of the night and today when I checked on her one of the scorplings appears to still be stuck underneath her. I dont know if she is going to push out more or not... has anyone seen anything like this? Can a birth take several days? Seemed like the last brood was overnight and done. Thanks!

 

[Captandan]

I just posted, but didnt see my coment so at the risk of posting twice... 2 of my H. Spinifer had slings about a month ago. I heep the environment 80 degrees and 85% humidity. If yours behave like mine, then do not separate the mother from the slings she will care for them if you keep her fed.

 

[Captandan]

Here is a pic of them together.

 

[FatherOfScorpions]

Nice, congrats on the brood, looks good!

I have heard different opinions on feeding... some say you are actually not supposed to feed them when they have a brood... feeding day is this Saturday so I need confirmation on this.

 

[Captandan]

Nice, congrats on the brood, looks good!

I have heard different opinions on feeding... some say you are actually not supposed to feed them when they have a brood... feeding day is this Saturday so I need confirmation on this.

Over the last, I guess 2 months now I have kept the 1 mom well fed and she still has all the babies. The other we didn't realise had a brood, so we didn't feed as heavily and it looks like we lost half. They do feed the babies. I have seen it. But she should be very hungry after getting them all out.

 

[FatherOfScorpions]

Ok, and it does make sense that she will be hungry so I will feed her as scheduled. Thank you for the advice.

 

[Captandan]

Ok, and it does make sense that she will be hungry so I will feed her as scheduled. Thank you for the advice.

I fed mine a honed tomato worm i purchased at petsmart, and the mom and babies were all feeding on it. This was after they left her back. She will prduce food for them from glands on ger back. So, just like a nursing mother she will need more calories than usual.

 

[RodG]

Nice and congratulations!

 

[FatherOfScorpions]

Thank You!

@Captandan I attempted to feed her today but she wasn't having it... she seemed pretty defensive and I didnt want to stress her out. I was using tongs with a large cricket but she seemed more pissed about the tongs than eating the cricket. How do you feed yours?

 

[Captandan]

Thank You!

@Captandan I attempted to feed her today but she wasn't having it... she seemed pretty defensive and I didnt want to stress her out. I was using tongs with a large cricket but she seemed more pissed about the tongs than eating the cricket. How do you feed yours?

I put in a bunch of crickets and they are gone in a few days. Mine hate to be tong fed.