my first two scorps

[the new guy]

i've had 3 tarantula's for a couple of years now and i wanted to try something different. i picked these two up at petco today. i know the enclosure is pretty plain, but i intend to change that later this week. the enclosure is 15" x 9".

 

[Navaros]

The tank looks fine to me but of course there's no water dish.

 

[the new guy]

the rock hide is also the water dish. i just lifted it up off of the ground for the second pic to get a good shot of them. i pland on getting either a piece of wood or a flat rock so i can make a hide that isnt under the water dish.

 

[the new guy]

i found some time today to fix the enclosure to my liking. i moved the water dish to the other side of the enclosure and covered their hole with a broken up log hide. i also didnt think that the room was warm enough to accomodate the scorpions, so i added a 45W black light/heat light. its gets a little warm, so i put it on the side away from the hide. if anyone has any opinions, good or bad, please feel free to post them.

 

[David_F]

Pics look great but from what I've heard (and read) constant exposure to black lights (UV) is detrimental to scorps. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Whatever, the scorp pics are cool. The tank looks great. What species are you keeping? P. emperator (sp?).

 

[8 leg wonder]

love the avatar, are those pandinus or heterometrus. Sorry I'm drunk(spelling)

 

[the new guy]

i did not know that the blacklight could hurt them. just on the chance it does, i have removed it. plus, that setup i had with the light in the cage didnt work anyways. it got too hot. i had moved it to the top of the enclosure with a metal cone around it. it doesnt seem to be too hot at all now. until i can find out if it hurts them or not, its going off and staying off.

they are p. imperator by the way.

 

[PIter]

Pics look great but from what I've heard (and read) constant exposure to black lights (UV) is detrimental to scorps. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Whatever, the scorp pics are cool. The tank looks great. What species are you keeping? P. emperator (sp?).

It looks like its a bulb colored purple, so if I'm right its not harmful.
The New Guy do the scorpions florecese (name?) under it?

Florecese(?)
Peter

 

[the new guy]

yes, they get flourescent under the bulb. it didnt say anything about UV light on the box, but im gonna make sure i check out the box the next time i stop in at my pet store (already threw the box away).

 

[PIter]

yes, they get flourescent under the bulb. it didnt say anything about UV light on the box, but im gonna make sure i check out the box the next time i stop in at my pet store (already threw the box away).

Scorpions should not be exposed to flouresing light for to long, take it of.

Take it of.
Peter

 

[skinheaddave]

The danger with constant UV exposure is two-fold. The first bit is simply aesthetics which is that they will lose their flourescence over time. This makes it hard to show people. The more important bit is that it can cause the cuticle over the eyes to become opaque -- effectively blinding the scorpion.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Highlander]

Yeah you will want to get a differn't bulb for them.For my emp I just use a plain 40 watt house bulb and it works well.Good luck with your new scorpions and welcome to the hobby .

 

[Eurypterid]

This does not look or sound like a UV bulb. Generally, bulb lights do not produce UV light. There are some that do, but they are very expensive. And flourescent lights do not produce heat. This sounds and looks like what is marketed as a "moonlight" bulb, made to simulate the light levels of night time. If so, there's no UV, but they do get quite hot. As long as you're not cooking your scorps or melting the cage, it should be okay.

 

[PIter]

yes, they get flourescent under the bulb. it didnt say anything about UV light on the box, but im gonna make sure i check out the box the next time i stop in at my pet store (already threw the box away).

I don't belive he would lie about that.

Lie
Peter

 

[skinheaddave]

Gary,

There are incandescent "blacklight" bulbs that put out some, but not much, UV. They are not overly expensive and are geared towards hallowe'en parties and the like.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Keith]

This does not look or sound like a UV bulb. Generally, bulb lights do not produce UV light. There are some that do, but they are very expensive. And flourescent lights do not produce heat. This sounds and looks like what is marketed as a "moonlight" bulb, made to simulate the light levels of night time. If so, there's no UV, but they do get quite hot. As long as you're not cooking your scorps or melting the cage, it should be okay.

First of all, incandescent, fluorescent, and LED lamps can all produce or not produce UV light. Also fluorescent lamps do produce heat.

 

[the new guy]

This does not look or sound like a UV bulb. Generally, bulb lights do not produce UV light. There are some that do, but they are very expensive. And flourescent lights do not produce heat. This sounds and looks like what is marketed as a "moonlight" bulb, made to simulate the light levels of night time. If so, there's no UV, but they do get quite hot. As long as you're not cooking your scorps or melting the cage, it should be okay.

thats exactly what the box said. im still a little confused about the slight differences of opinions though. does anyone else know if the bulbs that simulate moonlight will be ok, even though the scorpions "glow under them"? the bulb is off for now until i can determine if its safe for sure.

 

[Keith]

UV light is harmful to scorpions. It is also harmful to you. However, blue fluorescent light(blacklight), produces a very long wavelength of UV light. If you have a blacklight lamp that shines through a piece of clear glass, that glass effectively blocks the harmful UV rays. Blacklights will not harm your scorpion, as long as there is a piece of clear glass(or clear plastic) between the lamp and your scorpion. If your lamp truly is a blacklight, there will be a risk group 1 warning on the packaging. In this case don't use it on the scorpion without filtering it(glass or plastic).

 

[Keith]

False Information

UV light is harmful to scorpions. It is also harmful to you. However, blue fluorescent light(blacklight), produces a very long wavelength of UV light. If you have a blacklight lamp that shines through a piece of clear glass, that glass effectively blocks the harmful UV rays. Blacklights will not harm your scorpion, as long as there is a piece of clear glass(or clear plastic) between the lamp and your scorpion. If your lamp truly is a blacklight, there will be a risk group 1 warning on the packaging. In this case don't use it on the scorpion without filtering it(glass or plastic).

I was told about this by a co-worker, and even went as far as consulting the ANSI/IESNA RP-27.3-96 safety regulations. However, I have come to find out that this information and I were both wrong. Recently, I have noticed decreased fluorescence in one of the specimens I keep under blacklight during the night hours. It took about a year, but it's to the point that the scorpion almost doesn't fluoresce at all. As for scorpions being blinded by blacklight, I have no experience, but I can only assume it may be true due to the fact that I was wrong about scorpion fluorescence as it relates to blacklight. I personaly will no longer use prolonged blacklight on my specimens, and I strongly suggest you do likewise. I sincerely appologize for the bad information.

 

[the new guy]

I was told about this by a co-worker, and even went as far as consulting the ANSI/IESNA RP-27.3-96 safety regulations. However, I have come to find out that this information and I were both wrong. Recently, I have noticed decreased fluorescence in one of the specimens I keep under blacklight during the night hours. It took about a year, but it's to the point that the scorpion almost doesn't fluoresce at all. As for scorpions being blinded by blacklight, I have no experience, but I can only assume it may be true due to the fact that I was wrong about scorpion fluorescence as it relates to blacklight. I personaly will no longer use prolonged blacklight on my specimens, and I strongly suggest you do likewise. I sincerely appologize for the bad information.

no need to apologize at all. no harm was done since i had already decided not to use it after all. i will be switching to a smaller heat lamp which has no UV rays at all. thank you for your help though.