I need Help about Baby Scorpions Pandinus imperator Mother died

[spiderengineer]

Ok so I realize when I got her it was an impulse buy but it was an offer I couldn't refuse. About three days ago I was at my local pet land shop and they were trying to get rid of this mother Pandinus Imperator with nine babies on her back. I had done research on taking care of scorpions and figured was confident I could take care of the mother and the babies and get Ten scorpions for the price of one. she was doing fine when first got her and the tank i put her in was perfect for her needs and the babies at least what i have read about them. I offer food to her but she didn't take it and I started to ger concerned for the mother, because she didn't eat anything and appear lethargic compare to the videos and pics of mothers and their babies. I was concerned that the birth took allot out of her, but figured she was just trying to get her strength back. Now i found her dead with the babies still on her back. they seem to be perfectly fine and are still moving, but what do I?

The pet store was not helpful with info like when she gave birth and was she eating (it was not chain store pet store so their is no communication between any of the employees so they weren't helpful.) I believe they have not molted to their first instar here is a pic when i first got them alive.


This was in here old tank that i was not satisfied with when they gave me here. I put here in a new tank that I thought was much more suited to her needs and the babies.

So can/should i leave them on the dead mother until there first molt or do I need to remove them and if so in what? Also how can I feed them and with what should I feed them? Any help will be appreciated.

P.S. If you going to be a dick and tell me I should do a through search on this site for the info then please do me a favor and not respond, because I have search allot and could not find anything and you are not helping the situation with your comments.

 

[MrCrackerpants]

I have not dealt with this exact situation but have had the babies go through their first molt and then had their mother die. They were fine.

This is what I would do. I am not saying it is correct and others that have dealt with this exact situation will have better advice. If she is truly dead, I would remove her body or the bacteria and fungus associated with the decomposition of the mothers body will (more than likely) infect the babies. I would smell her and when you get a HINT of her body decomposing, I would immediately transfer the babies to a very small enclosure. Provide them with the proper Emperor scorpion environment and wait for them to molt. After they molt, let their exoskeletons harden and then provide prey items of proper size. Good luck.

 

[jake9134]

It takes more than a few days for them to molt to 2i (up to a week or 2), by then she will be stinking and attracting mites.

Do you know how long it has been since she gave birth?

If not you might want to move them to a deli container with very slightly damp paper towels and keep them warm. Keep them all together and be extremely careful moving them.
You might want to try putting the dead mother in the container then slowly nudge them off one by one.

But honestly, I've never had this happen with any of mine so I'm just taking a shot in the dark with what I would do.

 

[spiderengineer]

ok I appreciate your advice i wish i knew when she gave birth. I wish i knew when she gave birth but the people that were working their at the time did not know I think they were new employees. I realize i should have waited until i found some one who knew, but it look like a good thing at the time (buyer beware i guess) I want to assume last week some time. I figured she would stink up the tank but wasn't sure how long that would take but I will try and carefully remove them. Thanks for the adivice

one quick question do you keep the babies with the mom so that she feeds them or do you removed them once they get off her back and feed them your self. If you do it how do you feed them.

 

[jake9134]

The mother can sometimes feed them (unless I was seeing things, and even then, they had already molted and were about come off her back) but normally they don't/won't eat until they molt and harden

 

[spiderengineer]

ok so it sounds like i am in for the waiting game type scenario were i hope they make it to their first molt.

 

[Galapoheros]

The situation hadn't ended well for most people in your situation but they have pulled through for some. btw that coco fiber should be dark brown with moisture, looks way too dry, in the pic anyway. Good luck with it.

 

[spiderengineer]

yeah I figured my chances are slim just wanted to try, but as for the coco fiber. Like i said I didn't like the enclose she was in so I switch it out and that pic was what she was in when i bought her. I mate not have been that clear on that my bad. so use a different substrate peat moss and its much wetter not soaked but i think you get the idea, but this is a mute point anyway.

 

[GS]

Hi spiderengineer,

Specifically for your scenario, I would suggest to rehouse the young.

Some guides below for your reference:

[HOW TO] Incubate 1.instar Scorpling

[ASA] Forest Scorpions' Caresheet

Hope that things will turn out fine for the kids.

Regards,
GS

 

[spiderengineer]

Thank you GS, also do you think they are not emperor. I had my suspicion about that and thought they might be Asian forest scorpions, but wasn't an expert on them.

 

[Roblicious]

They are emps just take them all off put into a deli cup with a moist paper towel keep it moist they should molt to 2i in no time

You cab separate or put all in one and keep it warm and humid

 

[spiderengineer]

Thanks Roblicious I thought they might be forest, because when i shown a light on the mother when i first got her when she was in her new tank in a hiding place she was extremely green and I read that was sign of a asian forest scorpion. wish me luck I hope they survive.

 

[Roblicious]

forest scorpions have same care warm/hot and high humidity

 

[GS]

Thank you GS, also do you think they are not emperor. I had my suspicion about that and thought they might be Asian forest scorpions, but wasn't an expert on them.

She's a Pandinus imperator (Emperor scorpion).

Keep us updated on the babies. Good luck!

 

[spiderengineer]

I will thanks

 

[spiderengineer]

ok so I have an update I think they will all pull through or over half of them will. I have notice five of the nine seem to be moving around like walking like miniature scorpions if that makes sense and that was from one last night acting like that to about five of them. The best way to explain this is that they pedipalp are extended outwards instead close to there body. The tail is curved over their bodies instead of to the side or in various direction. they are walking with there body lifted off the ground instead of laying on the ground and just moving occasional. In short they are much more active these last few hours then when i first had them and their mother wasn't dead. If my interpretation of what I read is right i think some are getting ready to molt soon. Can any body confirm that for me?

 

[iaminside]

got any update pics?

 

[spiderengineer]

I will get some later tonight

 

[bigo]

Hey good luck with the babies i had three female of my own give birth about 3 months ago and the only problem i see for you is getting them to eat. some of my babies did not eat on their own they were to scared of the crix but had no problem eating from the mother food which was a large crix that she killed but some of the babies did eat on their own but is was pin head crix

 

[spiderengineer]

I count about six that look like those two compared to the other pictured I posted. they seem more develop than when i first got them. I kept the mother with them because i was afraid to damage them trying to get them off her. That doesn't seem to be an issue so far :biggrin: