Smeringurus mesaensis

[Sillver]

So I've been thinking of getting one of these scorpions and was wondering what the care was like.

I'm a bit confused when it come to its substrate. Some of the care sheets I've read says that they need loose sand as a substrate other say they need alot of substrate so they can burrow, they need a mix of coconut fiber and sand.

Also some places of red said they do fine at room temperature other care sheets say that they need a high heat.

I know they don't need a water dish but if anyone can help me out by answering my questions that would be great.

 

[darkness975]

Loose sand is fine

Give it a water dish

Temps of 70 - 80 F are good , but they can tolerate temps in the 60s.

Give it a hide.

 

[Sillver]

Loose sand is fine

Give it a water dish

Temps of 70 - 80 F are good , but they can tolerate temps in the 60s.

Give it a hide.

Will fine aquarium sand be ok?

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

Will fine aquarium sand be ok?

Might be, but I usually go to home depot and pick up some play sand used for Kids' sandboxes. It is very safe. Just a word of caution, do NOT use any calcium sand you find. Don't think you were going to, but just making sure

I owned one of these, and it starved to death and died. I believe it was because of the heat, as my house is often low seventies. IMO, a red heat light that provides a little heat probably helps them a lot. As for a water dish, I would provide a tiny one, just to make sure it has water. Make sure it has a hide or two, and it should be fine. Hope yours does better than mine did

 

[Smokehound714]

Might be, but I usually go to home depot and pick up some play sand used for Kids' sandboxes. It is very safe. Just a word of caution, do NOT use any calcium sand you find. Don't think you were going to, but just making sure

I owned one of these, and it starved to death and died. I believe it was because of the heat, as my house is often low seventies. IMO, a red heat light that provides a little heat probably helps them a lot. As for a water dish, I would provide a tiny one, just to make sure it has water. Make sure it has a hide or two, and it should be fine. Hope yours does better than mine did

sounds more like a dehydrated scorpion to me, they cannot function properly as they pump hemolymph into appendages to use them. smeringurus naturally encounter freezing temps. in that case, try dabbing a bit of water on its chelicerae.

 

[darkness975]

Will fine aquarium sand be ok?

Regular play sand is better

 

[Blackwind]

Most of the information I had read said that they do like to burrow. I use a 2/3 playground sand 1/3 excavator clay combination. Wet it slightly, mix it together and pat it down lightly in the tank then let it dry before introducing your scorpion. Smeringurus mesaensis and Hadrurus arizonensis seem to enjoy running around and digging burrows everywhere at night. I usually keep my temps around 80 - to almost 90F some days if it's hot outside, down to low 70's at night. Humidity varies from low 40' to mid 50's at night. All of my scorpions seem to enjoy it. Also I'd add a small water dish, I was never sure before but, I saw my desert hairy using it for the first time yesterday, so that was new for me. A for night heat lamp, I don't use one anymore, as my power went out once turning all the lighting off at night, and within 5 minutes all of my scorpions were out and about. So, from my experience even with a heat lamp, they do still notice the light coming from it

 

[Sillver]

Ok thank I will pick up some play sand this weekend, i was going to use it in my aquarium anyways. Also my room is always around 75ish(give or take a degree or two) would this be ok?

 

[Bob Lee]

Ok thank I will pick up some play sand this weekend, i was going to use it in my aquarium anyways. Also my room is always around 75ish(give or take a degree or two) would this be ok?

As long as it's F and not C then yes . You might want to bump it up a little bit during the day and lower it a little bit during the night but that's just personal prefrence.

 

[Smokehound714]

Like their close relatives, paruroctonus, they never excavate permanent burrows- they arent obligate burrowers and can be found hundreds of feet from their burrows. A simple flat cork bark hide over loose sand will suffice.