Pandinus dictator vs. imperator

[Daniel Edwards]

I have a trio of Pandinus dictator on the way. Looks like some of these finally became available and I am assuming they are imports. Does anyone know how ther temperament and size are compared to imperator?

 

[Galapoheros]

They will pinch the dickens out you man! They look a lot like imperator, size is all over the place, big, medium, small, sometimes real small and pretty big. So they look like imperator in general but seem more reactive to things than imperator. If you compared a boa constrictor to a coachwhip or garter snake, imperators generally act like the boa and dictator acts more like a garter snake, nervous, alert.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

... sounds like a Bull Snake compared to a Corn Snake. I'll be careful. As long as they aren't P. cavimanus mean i'm good! I'm excited for them either way.

 

[Galapoheros]

Same kind of thing yeah. I would be fired up also, the news was that they got smuggled in so the logical thing to do was to just let some pet stores sell what got through. I grabbed what was left at a pet store here and been trying to breed them. They knew what they were at the store, labeled dictator. You don't have to be careful really, they are just pinchy, easy to avoid. Imperator will give your finger a little squeeze and kind of push your finger away. Dictator just goes for it, no warning squeeze. I'm messed with imperator and it's clamp down pressure, they give you several chances. They squeeze a little harder the more threatened they feel, I thought it was kind of interesting they do that.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Same kind of thing yeah. I would be fired up also, the news was that they got smuggled in so the logical thing to do was to just let some pet stores sell what got through. I grabbed what was left at a pet store here and been trying to breed them. They knew what they were at the store, labeled dictator. You don't have to be careful really, they are just pinchy, easy to avoid. Imperator will give your finger a little squeeze and kind of push your finger away. Dictator just goes for it, no warning squeeze. I'm messed with imperator and it's clamp down pressure, they give you several chances. They squeeze a little harder the more threatened they feel, I thought it was kind of interesting they do that.

Cool. Thanks for the heads up! Yes I assume they were imported one way or another, but i'm a good home and an appreciated home for the scorpions so I will post some more when I unpack them!

 

[Red Eunice]

... As long as they aren't P. cavimanus mean i'm good! I'm excited for them either way.

Lol!
I've 5 cavimanus, 5i, act really defensive, but its just a show. The only P. viatoris I have acts like a pit viper when the enclosure is disturbed.
Heard both dictator/imperator pinches are painful, something I'd definitely avoid.
Nice additions btw, enjoy!

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Thanks! I look forward to them. I'll grap some pics of the pincers to try and identify them for sure! It's been over 10 years since i've owned Pandinus.

 

[Oroborus]

Well frankly, the main difference between imperator and dictator is one is green and one is black. Obviously arachnologists will note pectine counts and pedipalp granulation, among many other things I'm sure, but from what I've observed they have same care requirements and similar behaviour. My dictators are only 3i and 4i so I have no evidence they get larger than imperator. My imperator is very jumpy so the reactions of the dictators to stimulus does not appear unusual. I guess I'll close by saying I love both. Cheers.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Thanks! I'll put up pics once they are here. I am interested to study the pincers...

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Well they are here and unpacked and HUGE! Their pincers are perfectly smooth, have the tan telson, and are jet black with a deep teal or algae bloom green undertone. What i'm saying is they look EXACTLY like every single P. imperator specimen I have ever owned or sold. I will post pictures tonight. I'd love someone to judge in if they can tell P. dictator from P. imperator by color and pincers or any other remarks. So far 2 are docile and 1 is slightly defensive.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Good looking specimens although one has a missing pectine (male). I got 1 female and 2 males. I am keeping them separate for now.

 

[Galapoheros]

I had pictures posted showing differences but they got hijacked by photobucket, I'll try to dig them up. You can't rely on color between the two.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

I had pictures posted showing differences but they got hijacked by photobucket, I'll try to dig them up. You can't rely on color between the two.

I didn't think so. I feel the telsons may be different in color between them but these guys literally have the full plump claws and maroon telson just like all imperators I am used to. Its been a while but i wouldnt be able to say these were anything else. I am curious if these got smuggled through europe and then to the US. France?

 

[Galapoheros]

You may be able to go here, the fourth page of my photobucket to look at differences between imperator and dictator http://s146.photobucket.com/user/galapoheros/library/?sort=3&page=4 I don't know if it will work, Photobucket is a basket case now.

I think I managed to download some of my pics from basketcase, may post later.

 

[Galapoheros]

Here are a few pics I managed to grab.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

Looks like dictator to me. Your thoughts?

 

[Galapoheros]

No that looks like imperator to me, I was surprised when I saw the images. That is P. imperator.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

They are spunky but my original thoughts were imperator. Its hard to tell. Well then... I wonder if they were legally farmed or smuggled through europe / france. Let me try for better images for you... I trust your judgement... But I thought dictator had a sharper ridge on the claws too. These claws are smooth.

 

[Galapoheros]

There are breeders in the US. I have several imperators that are all captive born from parents I obtained before the export ban. I happened to be in a store when an importer came in trying to sell a snake to the store. He said they were going to stop exporting imperators and everything else from the Ghana export in two years. It was then that I grabbed the biggest imperators in that store because there was no reason for him to lie to me, absolutely none. Sure enough, in approx. 2 years, that ban happened. I couldn't get anybody to take me seriously, I was trying to encourage people to buy imperators and breed them. Where did you get yours in general, a pet store, online store or from an individual? Why are you suspicious? If it was an online store or local pet store, I wouldn't question it, "who cares" kind of thing, just have it. I would tend to question it more if it came from an individual but I think yours is CB because I remember the wild caught specimens usually have red dirt on them from Africa, yours is too clean. Europe/France?, possible but I doubt it, there are breeders here in the US just as there are over there, so to bring them in from Europe or France, it just doesn't make sense and would be stupid, imo, to risk that. Maybe they are breeding them more in EU, I don't keep up. I haven't checked the availability of them here in the US because I have mine haha.

 

[Daniel Edwards]

There are breeders in the US. I have several imperators that are all captive born from parents I obtained before the export ban. I happened to be in a store when an importer came in trying to sell a snake to the store. He said they were going to stop exporting imperators and everything else from the Ghana export in two years. It was then that I grabbed the biggest imperators in that store because there was no reason for him to lie to me, absolutely none. Sure enough, in approx. 2 years, that ban happened. I couldn't get anybody to take me seriously, I was trying to encourage people to buy imperators and breed them. Where did you get yours in general, a pet store, online store or from an individual? Why are you suspicious? If it was an online store or local pet store, I wouldn't question it, "who cares" kind of thing, just have it. I would tend to question it more if it came from an individual but I think yours is CB because I remember the wild caught specimens usually have red dirt on them from Africa, yours is too clean. Europe/France?, possible but I doubt it, there are breeders here in the US just as there are over there, so to bring them in from Europe or France, it just doesn't make sense and would be stupid, imo, to risk that. Maybe they are breeding them more in EU, I don't keep up. I haven't checked the availability of them here in the US because I have mine haha.

Gotcha, gotcha. Well the fact one is damaged makes me think "close quarters" during shipment and #2 they are under weight. I worked pet retail for 9 years and my manager job was to control livestock and I dealt with dozens of breeders and wholesalers. These individuals were from www.lllreptile.com .... I have had good results with them. I used to order from Strictly Reptiles, J P Pets wholesale, and Cal Zoo in my pet shop days along with smaller companies here and there such as Wilcox Tropicals, and I would personally travel to reptile expos from Pennsylvania to South Carolina for our shop I ran here in Richmond, VA. Mine are NOT dirty no, but they can all be cleaned up. IF they are indeed captive or farmed then I feel better about it. I am however thrilled to own big specimens and I hope to get this female gravid and get babies! This is a goal i've been after for a while. I was active in the pet trade from 2000 to 2009. I am now a licensed vet technician in the veterinary profession. Getting back to a hobby I left behind years ago.