Question about scorpion terrqrium lighting

[iyrsw0122]

Hi

Its iyrsw0122

I'm keeping an A autalis in a terrarium with some cactus in it

And I'm wondering if I should use some heat lamp to save the cactus and heat up the terrarium

(im keeping it in a completly dark environment)

im curious about how long that i need to turn the light on

And what kind of lamp should i use

P S the terrarium 20x20x20 anf made of glass

 

[snippy]

A cactus is a plant, so it needs light to live! Not heat, light.

Regards
Finn

 

[iyrsw0122]

A cactus is a plant, so it needs light to live! Not heat, light.

Regards
Finn

I m gonna turn on a basking spot lamp for 10hours a day. will it be ok?

 

[Bayushi]

Just out of curiosity, why would you put a plant in with a scorpion that comes from an area where the type of plant does not exist?

I see this a potential hazard to the scorpion as it might become injured by the spines of the cactus if it crawls over it. Also cactus need to be watered and have good drainage. With improper drainage the cactus will get root rot and die.

Personally I would read up on the ecosystem your scorpion comes from and use plants native to it, or use artificial plants.

just my 2 cents

 

[nickianderson]

Plants need UVB which can be potentially dangerous to your scorpion. A heat lamp will NOT keep the plant alive, you need a UVB lamp, but you need to make sure your scorp has a way to get out of the UVB

 

[snippy]

Right, the spectrum of an incandescent lamp is not too useful to plants. You should be fine using a common compact fluorescent lamp, however. The amounts of UV-light should be okey for the scorpion, if it just runs during the day.

Regards
Finn

 

[MarkmD]

You don't even need a heat lamp, i use a fan heater that does the job very well, they are cheap and maintain the proper heat.

 

[snippy]

A fan heater? Sounds like a rather silly idea to be frank. Scorpions are highly sensitive towards air currents and flee or cower on overstimulation (blowing directly on them, spraying them with water etc.). So a fan in the tank will freak them out unnecessarily!

Regards
Finn

 

[MarkmD]

I mean a ceramic/fan one for heating the entire room, I should have said that, it's probably one of the most natural heat sources you can get, as in the wild every T and scorp are subjected to the sun heating the ground and air, so with daylight from my windows and the heater if needed works fine.

 

[snippy]

Ah okey, I thought a little one for the tank

Regards
Finn

 

[VictorHernandez]

Yeah lol a fan in the tanks seems really foolish. But I was also thinking of getting a fan heater for my room, as it is cold, and my only home heater we can use is a wood stove.

 

[MarkmD]

Go for it VictorHernandez, its winter in the UK just now so getting cold, the heater is perfect for raising the temps in the morning's and all year round.

 

[BAM1082]

Adding two compact florescents one in the blue spectrum generally called "Cool White" (~4000 Kelvins) and another in the red specturm, generally called "Warm White" (~3000 Kelvins) will get that cactus to live... maybe even a low wattage HID ... like a 70W High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide. (Could be used to heat the room.... but pretty unpractical imo)

The basking lamps for heating reptile tanks generally do not contain enough light in the correct spectrum to grow a living plant... most are incandescent or halogen bulbs which give lots of heat, but very little usable light for plants.

As for UV risk.... its a Androctonus spp.... they live in hot climates close to the equator.... I see little risk of any lamp tossing out more UV than it would get in the wild...... besides they are hardlt ever our during the day... atleast mine aren't.


Just my thoughts...
Bammer

 

[iyrsw0122]

Right, the spectrum of an incandescent lamp is not too useful to plants. You should be fine using a common compact fluorescent lamp, however. The amounts of UV-light should be okey for the scorpion, if it just runs during the day.

Regards
Finn

Hmm doesn't cactus do photosynthesis with the spectrum of 680~700nm? I ve learnt like that..

Anyways I ve turned up the spot lamp (Its moring in korea plus its very cold here)

And the scorp. Seems to like it but the temp. is getting sky-high at the moment

Wont lighting it for daytime will heat the scorp. to death?

 

[iyrsw0122]

Adding two compact florescents one in the blue spectrum generally called "Cool White" (~4000 Kelvins) and another in the red specturm, generally called "Warm White" (~3000 Kelvins) will get that cactus to live... maybe even a low wattage HID ... like a 70W High Pressure Sodium or Metal Halide. (Could be used to heat the room.... but pretty unpractical imo)

The basking lamps for heating reptile tanks generally do not contain enough light in the correct spectrum to grow a living plant... most are incandescent or halogen bulbs which give lots of heat, but very little usable light for plants.

As for UV risk.... its a Androctonus spp.... they live in hot climates close to the equator.... I see little risk of any lamp tossing out more UV than it would get in the wild...... besides they are hardlt ever our during the day... atleast mine aren't.


Just my thoughts...
Bammer

this is how i m keeping it.

 

[BAM1082]

You should have enough substrate so your scorpion can bury under stones or logs.... or use a medium that can hold a burrow such as a sand/clay mix.... then make a predug tunnel.

Anyway you do it, your scorpion should be able to burrow to avoid heat...
One of the key benefits to heating with a lamp is the heat is coming from the top... so the bottom substrate will be quite cool in comparison.


Edit After Above post :

Look like you have plenty of shady spots for them to hide, shouldnt be a problem

 

[iyrsw0122]

You should have enough substrate so your scorpion can bury under stones or logs.... or use a medium that can hold a burrow such as a sand/clay mix.... then make a predug tunnel.

Anyway you do it, your scorpion should be able to burrow to avoid heat...
One of the key benefits to heating with a lamp is the heat is coming from the top... so the bottom substrate will be quite cool in comparison.


Edit After Above post :

Look like you have plenty of shady spots for them to hide, shouldnt be a problem

So... will it be ok if I just keep 'em like that?