# Gravid emperor scorpion....



## J.huff23 (Dec 5, 2008)

I just got a very large P.Imperator. Its was purchased from a pet store. It is mighty fat and its last body segment (or whatever its called) is bulging out majorly. And it looks like there is something orange in it. I know its female because there is a large gap between the pectines.

My question is, if it is gravid, how do I see the embryos from its side?


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## Vidaro (Dec 5, 2008)

ull just c shapes u wont c a detailed embryo.
is last plate drifting away from the rest making the skin benith visible?


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## J.huff23 (Dec 5, 2008)

Vidaro said:


> ull just c shapes u wont c a detailed embryo.
> is last plate drifting away from the rest making the skin benith visible?


Yes,. ANd its just stickingout too. I shined a flashlight at its sides and can see little orange blob things (or so it looks).


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## calum (Dec 5, 2008)

depends on what you mean by "sticking out", is it like a random bulge? if so, this may be something else. pics would help a ton.


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## Vidaro (Dec 5, 2008)

dont know about the orange blobs but from my experience when the plates start drifting apart in an asymetrical way the emp usualy dies (old age) but could be wrong.
would help alot if u could post a pic


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## Galapoheros (Dec 5, 2008)

I think there's a good chance it's gravid if it's wild caught.  You can't see the embryos with emps.  It could be just fat but if it's wild caught probably gravid.  I would just make sure she has a warm, humid place to go to and you might see babies within some months or earlier.  On the other hand, it would be a better sign if her whole body was distended and not just one area.  Pics would really help.


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## J.huff23 (Dec 5, 2008)

Vidaro said:


> dont know about the orange blobs but from my experience when the plates start drifting apart in an asymetrical way the emp usualy dies (old age) but could be wrong.
> would help alot if u could post a pic


This is what happened with my one of my other emperors. Its body segments or whatever were spread apart. This emp was huge to. My friend bought me the emp in my OP to be a cagemate with it. My old emp was found dead when I went to introduce them. So now Im down to three P.Imperator.


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## J.huff23 (Dec 5, 2008)

Pictures will be posted tomorrow or monday hopefully. It is only one random bulge that looks like it has something orange in it. Im pretty sure that it was wild caught since it was from a pet store. 

But like I said, pictures will come soon.


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## dairy (Dec 5, 2008)

When a scorp shows pleural membrane between all tergites you're looking at pre-molt bulge or gravid or a fatty that's been stuffing its face. If its telson is reddish then it's mature and you can rule out pre-molt. If its been cramming its pie hole full of crickets it should thin out if you back off the feeding. If its gravid you can really only wait and see.

If there is a separation between two or three tergites but not others you've probably got a week or two before your scorp heads to the great big Kritter Keeper in the sky.

There are some pictures in this thread that show the latter scenario. Curly (shown in the photos) died shortly after that post.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=135865&highlight=bulging+abdomen


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## J.huff23 (Dec 6, 2008)

dairy said:


> When a scorp shows pleural membrane between all tergites you're looking at pre-molt bulge or gravid or a fatty that's been stuffing its face. If its telson is reddish then it's mature and you can rule out pre-molt. If its been cramming its pie hole full of crickets it should thin out if you back off the feeding. If its gravid you can really only wait and see.
> 
> If there is a separation between two or three tergites but not others you've probably got a week or two before your scorp heads to the great big Kritter Keeper in the sky.
> 
> ...


Whats a telson? It hasnt eaten yet. And whats a tergite? I am going to get a picture with my cell phone today. It might not be too clear but its the best I can do at the moment.


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## Vidaro (Dec 6, 2008)

telson is the last part on the tail that holds the stinger and tergite are the plates or segments as u call them along the scorpions body.
If ur gonna use ur phone for a picture try to get good lighting and get ur emp of the dark soil so we can actually see it


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## J.huff23 (Dec 6, 2008)

Ok so not the best picture (cell phone quality.) but you can clearly seee the bulge that Im talking about.


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## Vidaro (Dec 6, 2008)

dont wanna dissapoint u but it looks like its on his way to the fase dairy discribed. theres not much u can do but keep checking on it. if dairy is right this could go on for a couple of weeks, usualy he will start to drink alot of water and then he will start dragging its tail. look for those symptoms.

Hope im wrong but that the problem  with buying adult scorps, u dont reallty know how old they are, or what they have been through


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## J.huff23 (Dec 6, 2008)

Vidaro said:


> dont wanna dissapoint u but it looks like its on his way to the fase dairy discribed. theres not much u can do but keep checking on it. if dairy is right this could go on for a couple of weeks, usualy he will start to drink alot of water and then he will start dragging its tail. look for those symptoms.
> 
> Hope im wrong but that the problem  with buying adult scorps, u dont reallty know how old they are, or what they have been through


Ok. I will keep an eye on her.


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## calum (Dec 6, 2008)

sorry dude, I agree, dairy had this problem recently, as well as a bunch of other people, and the scorps have died a few days - to a few weeks later. 


sorry man. BUT, you never know. if I were to hazard a  guess I'd say perhaps it is an impaction.


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## J.huff23 (Dec 6, 2008)

Whats an impaction?


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## calum (Dec 6, 2008)

It's when an animal eats a bit of substrate or something else that can't pass through the system,, blocks it up, and kills the animal.


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## dairy (Dec 7, 2008)

That does look similar to what I saw on Curly.

An impaction is not always fatal. I have no idea what the chances of passing an impaction are or what could affect those chances but it can be passed. The only thing I can recommend is try not to disturb her and cross your fingers. 

Best of luck


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## J.huff23 (Dec 7, 2008)

Thanks guys.


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