Urodacus elongatus (Flinders Range Scorpion) Molting questions.

[Siseris]

Hey there Aracnofriends!

Just a few questions:
1) My scorp is entering its molting phase as he/she is burring themselves and blocking off their burrow. I am however worried that the space they have given themselves might be a bit small to molt in. Is this something I should be worried about?

2) Flowing from question one is it okay to take my scorp and place them in an airtight vial type container with most soil for the duration of their molt time (Could be month(s)), The Green Scorpion uses this practice. Is this something that is recommended?

Thank you all a bunch.

 

[pannaking22]

The scorpion will likely figure out a way to make it work. By this point a disturbance might be more detrimental than anything.

 

[ArachnoDrew]

If the scorpion dug its own burrow. It will know to adapt to its enclosure to properly molt.. you could try that method but like stated.. you will greatly disturb it.. stress it into having to re settle and potentiality prolonging the molt... some scorpions that molt in burrows need that gradient in temperature and totaly security... but i personally have not cared for these

 

[AusBugKid]

Hey there, sorry I didn't see this till just now, but can help. Any pictures of enclosure would help greatly, so I can check out the provided environment.

As said above, don't disturb it, once it's closed in, it's very susceptible to stress. Lost a couple scorps this way when I was younger and less experienced.

Anyway, elongatus are good at caring for themselves, though when mine seals itself off I cover most of the air holes on the tank with glad wrap (or tape, depending on hole) to maintain humidity. Mine moults over winter each year, and so I try to replicate a South Australian winter. In the wild they live in very deep (1m plus) burrows to regulate humidity, but in an enclosure cannot do this, so I keep humidity higher than other times. I don't like hygrometers because they are super inaccurate, but just estimate a little more moisture than the rest of the year.

 

[Danger Daiman]

How long is the whole molt period from burying itself, molting and finally hardening? It’s been about a week and I’m sure best thing to do is leave it but just enquiring

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

How long is the whole molt period from burying itself, molting and finally hardening? It’s been about a week and I’m sure best thing to do is leave it but just enquiring

Burrowing can last upwards of a couple to a few months. The sclerotization of freshly molted scorpion takes 10-14 days.