Urodacus in the UK/US?

[AusBugKid]

So I have seen Urodacus mentioned a couple times by keepers in the UK, and maybe US?
While I realise that some undoubtedly get over illegally by enterprising folks willing to break the law, is there another way they get there? Is there a breeding population of a few species left over from a batch taken over before Australia illegalised export? Someone must know some history of Urodacus in the hobby.

 

[callum b]

I've never seen them in the UK. It wouldn't surprise me if they are or have been kept by a few over in mainland Europe, but again I've never seen them offered for sale.

Many species in the hobby have been introduced via keepers going abroad and bringing stuff back in their suitcases. Depending on where they're from and what country they visit I guess this act varies from a grey area legally to straight up breaking the law. And obviously it's certainly the latter in regards to doing this with Aussie scorpions.

Interestingly, just the other day I was reading about the Spider Shop (the UK's largest invert trader) legally importing Australian tarantulas as a one off several years ago. Goodness knows how they managed to get permission to do it.

Is Aussie customs (airport and mail) seriously thorough? For such a visited country it is surprising that those 'enterprising' folk you mention haven't introduced any Urodacus or other Australian species into the hobby.

 

[AusBugKid]

It is quite thorough. Some states have fruit dogs, so not only do they smell for drugs being imported, but any sort of fruit. There is also a screening process for most of our luggage, not just carry on, and that will pick up on anything untoward. I didn't know any airports screened checked luggage until I got picked up for a few spent rounds of ammunition in my suitcase.

 

[Jason Brantley]

Nothing in the U.S. about any Australian scorpions. I keep tabs on most of the scorpions breeders here. I don't claim to know all of them, but I have a pretty good foundation of breeders. If they were here in the US:

1. They would probably be sold out in 5 minutes
2. They would probably cost like $200 Well, maybe not that much but expensive none the less.
3. There could be an explosion of sketchy dealers claiming that they have them
4. You would definitely start hearing a lot more about them in forums and on the internet somewhere.
5. Who knows, maybe they were here, I once swiped 5 Deathsalkers from an online dealer after he posted them for sale in less than an hour. I know how rare they are and I was like Yoink! lol.
Also, if you found a dealer that has them, did the dealer get them to his country legally or illegally? You might be in trouble also if he gives up your name if you bought them from him.

 

[Luke0227a]

Nothing in the U.S. about any Australian scorpions. I keep tabs on most of the scorpions breeders here. I don't claim to know all of them, but I have a pretty good foundation of breeders. If they were here in the US:

1. They would probably be sold out in 5 minutes
2. They would probably cost like $200 Well, maybe not that much but expensive none the less.
3. There could be an explosion of sketchy dealers claiming that they have them
4. You would definitely start hearing a lot more about them in forums and on the internet somewhere.
5. Who knows, maybe they were here, I once swiped 5 Deathsalkers from an online dealer after he posted them for sale in less than an hour. I know how rare they are and I was like Yoink! lol.
Also, if you found a dealer that has them, did the dealer get them to his country legally or illegally? You might be in trouble also if he gives up your name if you bought them from him.

I was in Australia earlier this year and was inquiring and looking into the legal prosedures to have some urodacus elongatus imported into the uk, there is licences that can be granted under special situations but to gain one is unbelievably difficult and you would have to be some kind of scientist or something, i was cut of dead at the first mention of export so i think finding someone to even bother going through the prosses of granting you a licence with be the toughest part

 

[AusBugKid]

I was in Australia earlier this year and was inquiring and looking into the legal prosedures to have some urodacus elongatus imported into the uk, there is licences that can be granted under special situations but to gain one is unbelievably difficult and you would have to be some kind of scientist or something, i was cut of dead at the first mention of export so i think finding someone to even bother going through the prosses of granting you a licence with be the toughest part

Yeah I know our export laws are tough. So that seems to be a no from most people.
@Rik Cuddy do you know the origin of your U. novaehollandiae?

 

[Rik Cuddy]

Yeah I know our export laws are tough. So that seems to be a no from most people.
@Rik Cuddy do you know the origin of your U. novaehollandiae?

Just the pet shop here in England. Called Southern Aquatics in Poole. Not sure who supplied them, but they contacted the supplier directly for me to answer some care questions....

 

[Rik Cuddy]

 

[Rik Cuddy]

Those are the only pictures I have at the min. Haven't wanted to disturb him too much as haven't had him all that long. Only been out a couple of times at night. Feeds well though.

 

[Luke0227a]

Yeh there not great pictures but from what i can see i dont think its urodacus or any sp, more rounded shape of the chelia, the presence of what look to be "teeth" on the tarsus and the rounded shape of the caudal segments isnt realy characteristics of urodacus, in all honestly it looks to be Opistophthalmus to me from those pictures but again there not great, understandibly you dont want to mess with him to much but if you can at some point grab afew more in day light and we can get a better look at it,

 

[Rik Cuddy]

 

[Rik Cuddy]

So I got my wife to phone the pet shop today and ask about the burrowing scorpions they were selling. The person she spoke to wasn't sure on the species, but came back to her a minute later and said it was an African Burrowing Scorpion. He also said the invert guy wasn't in work today.... From what you were saying, coupled with the fact that they didn't seem sure, I'm going with the option that is not Australian and infact is African. I'm sure you'll be able to assist better with the pictures. I've changed the setup and moved the scorp into a new enclosure, more suited to the latter species. Slightly hotter and obviously drier. Any more info / advice is appreciated. Thanks

 

[Luke0227a]

Yeh mate looks like Opistophthalmus glabifrons to me, still an awesome scorp to keep! These like alot of other arid species burrow in a spiral to give them selves a humidity gradient but this can be hard to replicate in captivity, keep it dry but have a shallow water dish in at all times so i can get any water it needs as it needs, i had a whalberghi for years that was kept quite basicaly as described, wish i never sold it

 

[AusBugKid]

Yeh mate looks like Opistophthalmus glabifrons to me, still an awesome scorp to keep! These like alot of other arid species burrow in a spiral to give them selves a humidity gradient but this can be hard to replicate in captivity, keep it dry but have a shallow water dish in at all times so i can get any water it needs as it needs, i had a whalberghi for years that was kept quite basicaly as described, wish i never sold it

Seconded. Definitely not U. novaehollandiae in those pics. Sorry to bring about that knowledge via this thread, but better for the scorp to have an enclosure specifically for it's species.

 

[keks]

The scorpions are beautiful, I like them. Have them on my list ^^.

 

[Mila]

The only way you can legally export out of Australia is with a science licence. Spidershop likely got hold of the T's by knowing someone with a licence who didn't want them killed after the research or just wanted a cash.

People won't smuggle out of Australia as they have laws that apply to blanket smuggling of which animals are enforced. You can either receive a heavy fine and a ban from re entering or even jail time aka not worth the risk

 

[SingaporeB]

The only way you can legally export out of Australia is with a science licence. Spidershop likely got hold of the T's by knowing someone with a licence who didn't want them killed after the research or just wanted a cash.

People won't smuggle out of Australia as they have laws that apply to blanket smuggling of which animals are enforced. You can either receive a heavy fine and a ban from re entering or even jail time aka not worth the risk

Anyone can mail spiders out of Australia anytime they want provided they are not a special kind of stupid who declares on the outside of the package that there are spiders inside.

 

[Mila]

Anyone can mail spiders out of Australia anytime they want provided they are not a special kind of stupid who declares on the outside of the package that there are spiders inside.

australia loves its x-ray

 

[SingaporeB]

australia loves its x-ray

An x-ray would not show anything. Perhaps you wasn't to tell us that they use MRI machines?

Again, a special kind of stupid.

 

[Mila]

An x-ray would not show anything. Perhaps you wasn't to tell us that they use MRI machines?

Again, a special kind of stupid.

erm yes it would. maybe you should learn how an airport x-ray machine works before you start being rude