# Scorpion People - I have to ask...  :)



## Kathy (May 11, 2009)

Are most of you biologists, scientists?  Your posts always seem so technical, you know the scientific names of all the scorpions and have so much knowledge about them.  I'm very curious, is this part of your career, or for the most part a hobby?  I picture most of you as biologists working in a lab with white coats......I'm really curious as to what you do for a "living".:?


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## bjaeger (May 11, 2009)

I'm not but I know that Mr. Mordax is a bio-engineer of some sort.


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## Miss Bianca (May 11, 2009)

In a word, _NO_, most of us are definitely not biologists... _but!_

a serious hobbyist knows their stuff!  

naw but seriously... I remember when I 1st started into Ts I questioned the need for the scientific names and terms... but in time it comes so natural... and it's necessary... and better... 

with the scorps too...


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## Triggerman73 (May 11, 2009)

kathy_in_arizon said:


> Are most of you biologists, scientists?  Your posts always seem so technical, you know the scientific names of all the scorpions and have so much knowledge about them.  I'm very curious, is this part of your career, or for the most part a hobby?  I picture most of you as biologists working in a lab with white coats......I'm really curious as to what you do for a "living".:?


im not a scorp keeper but i think it goes for most arachnid keepers, in order to own Ts or scorps, you must know what you are doing. Many people do research or are speaking from experience im a 13 yo boy and i know more about spiders than my science teacher...i did A LOT of research lol


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## Selket (May 11, 2009)

Although I am not an expert, like some people on here this is just a hobby to me. I am an electronic engineering student. I have only been in the hobby for almost 3 months, I have learned a lot from a lot of people on this forum. 

I have not had any science classes about insects or latin names, but I do know a whole bunch now. I just think that things that catch my attention, I learn things a lot better and faster. 

I am thankful to everyone on here for the knowledge you have passed on to me.


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## Kathy (May 11, 2009)

Interesting!  One poster mentioned that it is important to know the scientific names - why is that?  Yes, this site just has a wealth of information.  I came in here because I was stung by a bark scorpion, offended a bunch of people by thinking of them as a pest, but since then have gained such an appreciation - and a ton of knowledge about scorpions.  Now I guess I am learning about the people who love scorpions!


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## skippy (May 11, 2009)

scientific names are specific and organized. common names are misleading and confusing in most cases, for example: "birdeater"


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## DireWolf0384 (May 11, 2009)

I don't have any Scorpions yet, but I will next week hopefully! I used to work at a Pet Shop and have worked with Emperor Scorpions and Flat Rock Scorpions. But I still am not the expert yet! I want to use this site to gain more knowledge so when I DO get my Scorpions, I will know plenty on the subject to at least keep my Scorpions healthy.


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## saxman146 (May 11, 2009)

Most of these people just have a love for these animals. They are a piece of work and beautiful. As for me, I am just a high school band director that likes a not so common pet.


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## dairy (May 11, 2009)

My story is the same as a lot of other people that use these forums. I'm not a biologist, researcher or scientist. I'm just interested in these critters and willing to spend some time reading and asking questions. With the information and communication that the internet can provide it's fairly easy to get the basics down, like the scientific names of species, anatomy etc as well as finding answers to specific questions. I may not be a scorpionologist (is that even a word?) but there are people here I can direct questions to who are.

I also like how people react when I start throwing out latin and scientific terminology. It makes me sound all edumacated


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## grymblade (May 11, 2009)

its alot like an obsession to know more ;-D therefore you can keep more things successfully. 

just adding to what was said. scientific names give you an exact name of something where as some species that have multiple common names might get confused for something different. its just more organized and helpful to know exacly what you talking about leaves less of a margin for error :-D.


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## Aztek (May 12, 2009)

Hell no.
We just like scorpions.


As for the technicalities....

Very similar looking scorpions can be from a whole different family of scorpions.

We need to be technical to avoid confusion.

-Lol I just read the part about lab coats.

If you'd see me in the streets you'd just think I was some Mexican Gangbanger


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## Galapoheros (May 12, 2009)

I would say that most aren't scientists.  So many people know a lot info here though!  Some maybe 13 year old kids cutting and pasting scorpion care sheets. I think it's safe to say that there are some that read a question here then just go get the answer and info off the internet in less than a minute and then post that info while letting the readers think they've known it for years lol but, that's a way of learning information too.  I'm just saying that's it's easy for anybody to get a reader on the internet to assume they know more than they really do.  I try to mention experience and sources if I can remember.  But yeah, it's easy to remember stuff you're interested in and a lot of people here seem to know their hobby well.


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## radicaldementia (May 12, 2009)

I'm a computer scientist, and I study a lot of biology, but I'm not a formal biology student or researcher.  Though, I only got into scorpions after I graduated college, I think if I had been introduced to them earlier, I might have switched my major.

Personally, I've noticed that between T enthusiasts and scorp enthusiasts, the scorp community seems more technically focused.  Whereas T owners (I should mention that I do own more T's than scorps :} ) seem to treat them more as "pets", scorp owners treat them more as "specimens".  There's more overall focus on breeding projects and bringing new species into the hobby, probably because the scorpion hobby is not as well established as the T hobby.  

I think it's really exciting to be working hard to get new species and breed them.  I currently have 4 breeding projects of rare to semi-rare species in development (T. stigmurus, C. margaritatus, B. gigas, H. judaicus) and I'm really excited and proud to help increase their numbers in captivity.


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## pandinus (May 12, 2009)

to answer the shorter question of why get so technical with names etc.: Many scorpions though very unique from an evoluntionary and behavioral point of view, are all vaguely reminiscent of eachother, being some shade of black, brown, yellow, or a combination of these, and often inhabiting either bark and trees, rocks, sand, etc. the consequences are as follows: most people name an animal based on its description, or off of where it was found. for example, you see a scorpion on a list for sale that is labled as a "yellow sand scorpion" and has no picture. well, there are about a a thousand different scorpions that live on sand and are yellow colored, so the name is pretty much useless, add to that the fact that some of these species are harmless, but some could be potentially harmfull, and you can see why in the end it becomes easier and less confusing to just use scientific names.

Kathy, im going to venture a guess that less than 5% of us have any proffessional experience with scorpion research. for the most part we are all just avid hobbyists, and i think that even the age of many posters here would suprise you. there are members all the way from 10 year olds to senior citizens, with most of us being young adults. I myself am an ex biology student now going pre-vet, but there are many people here with little or no scientific background at all. You see scorpions arent cute. they arent cuddly. they dont fetch or roll over. theyre buglike, and in some cases potentially dangerous. even though there are a remarkable number of species with great differences and adaptations at an overglance, most of the ones commonly found by the general public seem pretty similar and drab. after reading the list, one might wonder what the appeal is, and thats where the science of it all comes in to play. the people that love scorpions appreciate what remarkable and amazing creatures they are in their scientific worth. to admire a dog a person sees that its cute affectionate and friendly. to admire a scorpion, one must consider the fact that the toxicity of some species venom has a molar value of more 10 times more than that of potassium cyanide, or that they are one of the first creatures to leave the sea and come onto land and have changed very little in all that time. scorpions live on every continent except the antarctic and are found in every type of ecosystem from the intertidal zone, all te way up to 15000 ft. in the himalayas and the andes mountains. they can slow their metabolism down to be lower than a carrot's, and i have heard accounts of scorpions being trapped in sealed containers with no air food or water for months and being just fine. some reproduce by essentially cloning themselves, they give birth to live young and care for their young like mammals do. they glow acid green under a blacklight, and even fossils 100000s of years old still glow to this day. they have been an important icon in many of earths civilizations throughout history. there are some species longer than your hand, and some that you could fit ten of on one pinky nail. its the science of scorpions and watching their remarkable behavior that makes them amazing pets, and the more you learn about them from a scientific standpoint the more amazing they become. the majority of us arent scientists, but the more you research and learn the more fascinating these animals become. 
its been a real treat having you here with us on the boards kathy. there are fewer things that warm my heart than a person with genuine curriosity and a desire to expand their horizons and learn, especially when it comes to my passions. you have been nothing but polite, even if sometimes understandably bewildered, and have never come across as even remotely ethnocentric. there is nothing more rewarding than helping someone to overcome a phobia or misconception through education and it is even more phenominal to see it become a complete 180 to turn from fear and disgust to curriosity and appreciation. in a way this whole board was created with people like you in mind, it is a place for people to come who have no idea what to do or think and to be able to ask questions and learn, so it has been a lot of fun having you here, and i hope that we have had some sort of positive impact on you.



regards,
John Doornbos


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## Alakdan (May 12, 2009)

I'm not a biologist or any type of scientist.  I was kinda forced to learn all the scientific terms when I joined this forum.  Since I was so into inverts it wasn't really hard to remember all the jargon.  Example, if you are a car enthusiast, you get to remember al the car models, manufacturers, engine specs, materials etc. even if you are not an engineer or a mechanic.


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## Amenagerie (May 12, 2009)

I only keep Emperor scorpions (Pandinus imperator), but I can give you an easy answer to the question. 
I ordered 2 Stripeknee tarantulas, I got 2 totally different spiders. One is actually what I ordered, an A. seemani, the other is in the middle of turmoil over it's scientific name. Bottom line is, I can't breed them. They're not the same species. Had I ordered 2 A. seemani from a reputable person, I'd have a breeder pair now. The "odd" spider is also called a Chestnut Stripeknee by some, so I technically got what I ordered. 
It's sort of like a zip code (common name) will get you in the right area, but the physical street address (scientific name) will get you right to the doorstep.


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## Aztek (May 12, 2009)

Man, where did you all come from?


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## Miss Bianca (May 12, 2009)

Aztek said:


> Man, where did you all come from?



rofl-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l.....


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## cacoseraph (May 12, 2009)

as pandinus said, i think once you start to learn about scorps (or any bugs or animals or anything) you find a whole new world to explore. P did a good job hitting some of the highlights of facts that individually make scorpions fascinating and together make them unique


also, as you increase your facility and ability with the scientific terms you can describe (or read descriptions of things) much more concisely and accurately. for instance i could say "on the second leg from the front on the right hand side, on the first long leg section closest to the body, on the part of that segment FARTHEST from the body" or i could say "the right hand side leg II, distal femur". i am not particularly good at the scientific lingo, but i can get by enough to read a good amount of the scientific papers out there. and like most "languages" it is easier for me to read it than write it or speak it


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## Warren Bautista (May 12, 2009)

Aztek said:


> Man, where did you all come from?


I don't know 'bout you all, but I came from my mom. 

To answer the OP, yes, I am a pre-teen arachno-biologist who is studying for a major in entomology right now.


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## Widowman10 (May 12, 2009)

i have my bachelor's degree in biology, and am going soon for a master's in entomology, arachnology, zoology, or whatever  



so, to answer the OP's question, YES!!


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## Kathy (May 12, 2009)

*Wow!*

I just got home from work and the first thing I did was log in here and read through all the posts.  So interesting!!!  Such a variety of backgrounds and knowledge.  What all of you said makes sense about knowing the scientific names - especially when you want to breed. 

P - thank you for all the background information about scorpions, amazing how they are able to survive in so many different environments.  As many of you stated, the more you read and learn about them the more fascinating they become to learn about.  

Myself, I'm a high school computer teacher _without_ a scientific bone in my body - I guess that is why this site fascinates me so much??  It is the exact opposite of anything I have ever learned about.  Summer vacation starts in two weeks, I guess that will be a good time to start learning technical terms.   

Thanks to all of you for sharing a little about yourself.  :razz:


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## skippy (May 12, 2009)

i work on a charter boat which does not strain my mental faculties much so, i enjoy having a hobby that can always teach me new things. i also enjoy herpetology and mycology and dabble in the occasional physics or astronomy magazine when the mood takes me.

when you have an almost purely physical job it's nice to work out the grey muscle on occasion as well:}


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## BreakTheWindows (May 12, 2009)

I'm just another 16 year-old teenager attending high school without any special degrees or majors in anything. I was also first confused as hell and kind of freaked out at all the knowledge people on this forum commit themselves to, but as time passed by... scientific names kinda become a part of my common vocab (granted, i don't know ALL scientific names just the common specimens in the pet trade)


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## Mack&Cass (May 12, 2009)

My girlfriend and I are both into the hobby of all arachnids, I'm in school for freshwater biology and she's going into entomology and herptology in a few years. It's crazy because we've only been living together 5 months now...and she wasn't into arachnids before we did, and now 5 months later she knows all the latin names for most arachnids (excluding true spiders...we're working on those) and learned it all super fast. She made a good point...when it's something that interests you, you're going to remember everything about, no matter how much you learn about it.


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## Aztek (May 12, 2009)

Miss Bianca said:


> rofl-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l.....


Seriously, I never seen half the people that posted here:?


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## ~Abyss~ (May 13, 2009)

I was just about to point out how a lot of other invert people came in to scorpion section for once.


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## Miss Bianca (May 13, 2009)

Aztek said:


> Seriously, I never seen half the people that posted here:?


Posting ever? Or here in the scorp section?? 
(My original response in my head was '_and?_' LOL..)



~Abyss~ said:


> I was just about to point out how a lot of other invert people came in to scorpion section for once.


Well granted.. I personally only own 3 scorps... 
something I _never_ thought I'd venture into.. 
but I think it applies whether you're a T-freak or a Scorp-freak...  
(meaning the original questions and/or discussions apply to arachnids, if you will...)..

I mean I think so...


I loved having something new to research when I got them,
(thanks Abyss for all your help) and yes I did feel it necessary to 
_do my homework_ on'm, or on any new specimen...

and also, Pandinus... _ loveeee_ your input...


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## ~Abyss~ (May 13, 2009)

I'm just teasing. I haven't been here much myself.


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## T.ass-mephisto (May 16, 2009)

First of all ...wow pandinus you have a way with words i wish i could muster sometimes  lol. 

But kathy most of us are just regular joe shmoes. Me, i make pizzas for a living(i'm hoping thats temporary lol) some of us are just passive hobbyists like me. I have one tank with 4 scorpions in it. Then you some folks here who have ROOMS dedicated to their pets(i have seen photos,wall to wall tanks) but some people do work in the hobby they love. We all study and learn all the specifics because it is a passion, as well as care for scorpions vary so much for specie to specie that studying is almost a must for proper care, like pandinus said they live in almost every climate and habitat. 
I always find myself drawn to your questions Kathy because you came here with a "pest" problem and your natural curiosity has turned it into an interest, which i should add usually turns into becoming a hobbyist .


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## jasen&crystal (May 17, 2009)

most of use just take great pride in our hobby pluss scorpion fans are the smartest people in the world lol


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## pandinus (May 17, 2009)

jasen&crystal said:


> most of use just take great pride in our hobby pluss scorpion fans are the smartest people in the world lol


and modest, too!


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## skips (May 17, 2009)

I'm just a biology student in college.  I'm sorry I havn't read all the posts so I don't know if this has been said.  Knowing common names is only relevant for things like mammals.  Our genetics are pretty fixed so we can't hybridize with other organisms, thus making the term human distinct.  Once you get down to almost any invertebrate their are so many common names for one thing its pointless to know them.  Getting into plants, its almost pointless to know scientific names.  They can all self fertilize and hybridize with so many other species and genus's that by some definitions of "species", of which there are many, there's really no such thing as a species.  I'm stretching that to make a point.

Does anybody know (and by know, I mean hard fact) if I had, say, two hadrurus species, could they interbreed to generate fecund offspring?


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## Kathy (May 17, 2009)

*Saved*

I want all of you to be very proud of me.  I just did something yesterday that I never dreamed I would do.....

I got up last night to get a drink of water (with my slippers on of course) and sure enough, another bark scorpion...oh, I still need to get the scientific name for that...was running across my kitchen floor.  Rather than stomping on it like I usually do, I got some kitchen tongs, put it in a mason jar, and this morning released it when I went for a walk FAR FAR AWAY from my house in a field.  I felt like an idiot walking through the neighborhood carrying a mason jar with a scorpion in it.

But don't get me wrong.....next week I am still paying $1,000 to have every nook and cranny in my house sealed.  I think most of you would agree that keeping them in tanks as pets is one thing, having them run freely around the house on the wall, floors, towels, sofa, kitchen sink, and in the shoes is not fun.  Having already been stung three times...not to mention I am so afraid my cat will get stung and with his weakened immune system it will surely kill him...It must be done....

But hey, this is progress right??   

It has _really been interesting _to read about all your backgrounds - thank you for sharing.  :clap:


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## DireWolf0384 (May 17, 2009)

This site has given me the confidence I needed to get into this hobby. I can't wait to get my Scorpions in next week!


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## Aztek (May 17, 2009)

kathy_in_arizona said:


> I want all of you to be very proud of me.  I just did something yesterday that I never dreamed I would do.....
> 
> I got up last night to get a drink of water (with my slippers on of course) and sure enough, another bark scorpion...oh, I still need to get the scientific name for that...was running across my kitchen floor.  Rather than stomping on it like I usually do, I got some kitchen tongs, put it in a mason jar, and this morning released it when I went for a walk FAR FAR AWAY from my house in a field.  I felt like an idiot walking through the neighborhood carrying a mason jar with a scorpion in it.
> 
> ...


That's cool.
And yes, we understand scorpions are pests.


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## pandinus (May 17, 2009)

kathy_in_arizona said:


> I want all of you to be very proud of me.  I just did something yesterday that I never dreamed I would do.....
> 
> I got up last night to get a drink of water (with my slippers on of course) and sure enough, another bark scorpion...oh, I still need to get the scientific name for that...was running across my kitchen floor.  Rather than stomping on it like I usually do, I got some kitchen tongs, put it in a mason jar, and this morning released it when I went for a walk FAR FAR AWAY from my house in a field.  I felt like an idiot walking through the neighborhood carrying a mason jar with a scorpion in it.
> 
> ...


good for ypu Kathy, that's great news, and im glad to hear youre getting the place sealed up. the scientific name of the arizona bark scorpion has been a subject of heated debate in recent years, some claiming it to be the same species as _Centruroides exilicauda_, a species found in the region of southern california, and others believing it to be a closely related, yet still distinct species. Currently the latter theory has prevailed, and the species is currently known as _Centruroides sculpturatus_.




John


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## cacoseraph (May 17, 2009)

pandinus said:


> a species found in the region of southern california,
> 
> 
> John


what part of SoCA would that be?


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## pandinus (May 17, 2009)

cacoseraph said:


> what part of SoCA would that be?


any bark scorpion in SoCA is thought to be exilicauda from the way i understand it, though i may be wrong.



John


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## T.ass-mephisto (May 17, 2009)

kathy_in_arizona said:


> I want all of you to be very proud of me.  I just did something yesterday that I never dreamed I would do.....
> 
> I got up last night to get a drink of water (with my slippers on of course) and sure enough, another bark scorpion...oh, I still need to get the scientific name for that...was running across my kitchen floor.  Rather than stomping on it like I usually do, I got some kitchen tongs, put it in a mason jar, and this morning released it when I went for a walk FAR FAR AWAY from my house in a field.  I felt like an idiot walking through the neighborhood carrying a mason jar with a scorpion in it.
> 
> ...


your right, and I for one am proud of this step you have made. but like aztek said they are pests especially if they are running around your home. I agree that sealing your home is a very good idea,better safe than sorry right? keep posting kathy, it's always great to hear a different point of view.


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## tabor (May 17, 2009)

i wasnt allowed to have dogs or cats growing up so i got my first emp in the 7th grade, since then ive had a pretty deep infatuation with them (more so than T's), at one point I had over 70 unique species of scorpion. i liked breeding something that is pretty rare in the wild, even rarer in captivity (some times not even in the US hobby) and selling it at a reasonable price to US hobbiests. 

i get my biggest thrill out of breeding a new species and speading it throughout the US hobby. 

In my opinion scorpions (other than the beginner species) tend to represent a bit of a slightly older crowd than T's. You can be 14 and easily own 50+ species of T's with another 200+ available to you in the US hobby alone. The scorpion hobby is much more limited than that. Save for a few beginner and intermediate species, the venom level of scorpions tends to shoot up (not saying they are deadly, just more dangerous than the average T). There are also a bunch of really cool looking scorps that are VERY tough to find. You can't go to anyone website and load up on 50 different species of scorpion, most carry 10 tops. Therefore a lot more work has to go into acquiring new species, and once you do, there is a lot of focus on breeding them if you wish to continue to own said species. This detracts from the sort of "pokemon" gotta catch 'em all attitude you some times see in the tarantula hobby.

we aren't any smarter, it's just the things that others have mentioned. plus, when you cant spend every second buying scorpions or looking for deals like you can with T's, a lot of your online time goes to reading updates of a fairly technical nature of a species you may not own.

having said that, you can still be a complete moron and own all the scorpions you want :clap:


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## Aztek (May 17, 2009)

Scorpions are the "rare pokemon" of the invert world.


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## skips (May 17, 2009)

A slightly related question.  Do you guys keep anything beside inverts? I assume a lot of reptiles which are completely non-technical being that it's all about morphs of the same species.  Like, people who keep dart frogs tend to talk like they're rocket scientists.


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## tabor (May 17, 2009)

skips said:


> A slightly related question.  Do you guys keep anything beside inverts? I assume a lot of reptiles which are completely non-technical being that it's all about morphs of the same species.  Like, people who keep dart frogs tend to talk like they're rocket scientists.


i've kept everything at some point, started with snakes and chameleons. Bearded dragons at some point. Frogs too. Now i've got a decent collection of crested geckos. Through out all these though I always kept inverts, and inverts have been the most constant and all time fav. I never owned like 20 snakes at once, or even cared about morphs or anything.

heck, the only scientific names i know are of inverts.


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## Aztek (May 17, 2009)

skips said:


> A slightly related question.  Do you guys keep anything beside inverts? I assume a lot of reptiles which are completely non-technical being that it's all about morphs of the same species.  Like, people who keep dart frogs tend to talk like they're rocket scientists.


First was scorpions.
But then I branched out to snakes since they where one of my favorite creatures too.
Now I've had a couple of different types of snakes.... a B.Dragon and a monitor.

I only memorize Latin names of scorpions though.
Herps are known by common names.


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## Amenagerie (May 18, 2009)

skips said:


> A slightly related question.  Do you guys keep anything beside inverts? I assume a lot of reptiles which are completely non-technical being that it's all about morphs of the same species.  Like, people who keep dart frogs tend to talk like they're rocket scientists.


I only have a few extra pets:

17 dogs, 4 cats, 3 macaws, 2 yellow naped amazons, 1 cockatiel, Horses: 5 full sized, 2 mini-horses, and 2 ponies, 1 niger uromastyx, 1 leopard gecko, 1 anole, 1 pacman frog, 4 roach colonies, 1 african trapdoor spider, many true spiders, 12 tarantulas, 5 hermit crabs, 1 coatimundi, and 22 emperor scorpions. 
And I probably forgot something. 
There's also 3 more puppies that got dumped off, but I _forgot_ them because I haven't caught them yet. They're still small enough they might get a home quickly, so hopefully the 17 won't change.


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## Kathy (May 18, 2009)

WOW, you must really love all creatures big and small.    If you weren't so far away I might have taken one of those puppies.  Bless you for helping give all these animals a home.


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## T.ass-mephisto (May 18, 2009)

Amenagerie said:


> I only have a few extra pets:
> 
> 17 dogs, 4 cats, 3 macaws, 2 yellow naped amazons, 1 cockatiel, Horses: 5 full sized, 2 mini-horses, and 2 ponies, 1 niger uromastyx, 1 leopard gecko, 1 anole, 1 pacman frog, 4 roach colonies, 1 african trapdoor spider, many true spiders, 12 tarantulas, 5 hermit crabs, 1 coatimundi, and 22 emperor scorpions.
> And I probably forgot something.
> There's also 3 more puppies that got dumped off, but I _forgot_ them because I haven't caught them yet. They're still small enough they might get a home quickly, so hopefully the 17 won't change.


are you an animal rescue?? and wow you must go hungry trying to feed all those! not sure about the cost of all the inverts but horses cost in the thousands to keep dont they?


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## Amenagerie (May 18, 2009)

Yes, I definitely go without. I don't care about myself though. All I need is the love they give me to know that I can't do anything else. I wouldn't know what to do with any money I'd save by NOT helping the animals. They're my life. 
I'm not a rescue exactly. Most of the dogs were dumped off by callous owners. I live in a rural area over a mile from the main road on a dirt road. They sneak back here and drop off dogs, cats, and trash. We also catch them occasionally doing some drugs in their cars. 
If there's a dog who is hungry, I have no choice but to feed them. If I can catch them, then I put them in kennels so they don't reproduce. The ones I can't catch, I leave food for daily. 
Some of the horses were also dumped on me. They're problem horses and ponies. Wild and mean. We have to get help to come in and do their necessary upkeep. It's normally a bad day for everyone involved, humans and horses. And yes, it costs us thousands for their upkeep as well. One load of hay is over a thousand, and they're given grain daily. They have hay available 24/7. 
The coati was also a rescue of sorts. I bought him very cheap because his owner didn't have a clue and he was sick.  
But I'm nothing special, I just love animals. All creatures big and small except fleas, ticks, mites, and mosquitoes. I'd squash 'em all w/o a second thought.  
I certainly wish you were close enough to take a pup. I have so many who need homes but I have to be sooooooo careful. There are pit bull fighters in the neighborhood and they steal dogs to use as baiters. I can't just give these dogs to anybody who says, "I'll take one". But there are probably plenty of homeless, unwanted, unloved dogs in your area that would love a safe shelter and a hug or two.


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## Kathy (May 18, 2009)

Yes, I would also have a lot of money if I wasn't always helping animals, but the reward is twofold.   I kind of feel bad that you said you keep the dogs in kennels though?  Do they get to run and play?  Is there a vet in your neighborhood or animal rescue that could give you a low price on spay and neuter?  Yes, dog fighting is HUGE in Phoenix, so I know what you mean.  People can be so cruel.


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## Amenagerie (May 18, 2009)

kathy_in_arizona said:


> Yes, I would also have a lot of money if I wasn't always helping animals, but the reward is twofold.   I kind of feel bad that you said you keep the dogs in kennels though?  Do they get to run and play?  Is there a vet in your neighborhood or animal rescue that could give you a low price on spay and neuter?  Yes, dog fighting is HUGE in Phoenix, so I know what you mean.  People can be so cruel.


Oh yes, they definitely get to run and play. They have free reign IF I'm at home and they're not in heat. I have 20 acres in the middle of nowhere. When they're in heat, they don't get to come out. I'm afraid it's the best I can do at this point, as there's been NO help from any of the so-called vets around here. They won't help in any way. When the dogs are coming in several at a time and I can only manage to spay one every couple months, I'm afraid I can't possibly keep up on my own.  
They're happy pups though. Nobody lives in a kennel alone. I supply different types of toys constantly, they get treats daily. I'm usually at home, so they're out often. They don't have it too bad, but they'd be much happier in a normal household where they could be the ONLY dog and not have to share the attention.


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## The Emperor (May 18, 2009)

I am not a entomologist or a scientist, But I do go to various places to teach people about scorpions, tarantulas and reptiles. 

I'll take different scorps and snakes to places, One of my specialty's is venomous snakes. Such as puff adders. Like gaboons,rhino vipers etc.


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## Tleilaxu (Jun 15, 2009)

Well being a former scorp owner here I can say one of the reasons of knowing the scientific names is to prevent interbreeding between various species, as someone mentioned the scorpions in the genus Heterometrus (Or forest scorpion in common toungue) can possibly inter breed with other species in the genus and make a mess of genetic bloodlones, making positive ID even more difficult as most species with in this genus look very similar.

Well thats the reason I like knowing the scientific names, as I dont want to interbreed two different species together.


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## DireWolf0384 (Jun 15, 2009)

The Emperor said:


> I am not a entomologist or a scientist, But I do go to various places to teach people about scorpions, tarantulas and reptiles.
> 
> I'll take different scorps and snakes to places, One of my specialty's is venomous snakes. Such as puff adders. Like gaboons,rhino vipers etc.


I'm no expert in Scorpions and such, but that kind of work has really interested me. I'm no expert in Scorpions either, not by a long shot. I'm just someone very fascinated in them.


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## Nomadinexile (Jun 15, 2009)

*Me*

Good question/thread starter kathy!  I am a hs dropout that got ged and has recently got a couple of cc semesters done.  I would like to get at least an arachnid heavy biology degree, or a p.h.d. in arachnology.  :O)  why not?
But the reason I really want the education is so that when I dive in the jungle and the deserts both nationally and internationally, I am as useful and productive as possible.  This is my photo bucket with a lot of my scorp pics that I have a heck of a time loading on here, so they aren't here, there there.    But I added a couple pics of me out scorpion hunting so you could see me too.  I have bald head and no facial hair right now, but as you will see if you look, that is not always the case.   :O)   Ryan

http://s619.photobucket.com/albums/tt279/Nomadinexile/


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## Moose9 (Jun 15, 2009)

Wow, allot of interesting reading in this thread. I myself am just a hobbiest who loves his arachnids, reptiles, etc. I have learned so much more since joining this forum. Learning the scientific names has been fun and challenging as well. I have a total of 4 scorpions so far along with multiple tarantulas, reptiles and other inverts. I always enjoyed the hobby since I was a kid, and always well. It's fun, educational, and passes the time away for me.


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## Kathy (Jun 16, 2009)

Great pictures, nomad and video, moose!  I had to shut off the snake video though.  I had a pet rat, and I know it's the food chain and all...I just don't want to see it.    That is quite a collection you have.  Wow!  And nomad you sure like to go from one extreme to the other - unibomber lookalike to all clean cut!  :razz:

I just went through and reread all the posts in this thread.  Now that I have been on the board for a bit and have even sent some of you scorpions, it was nice to connect "who" you are and what you do with your name.


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## Nomadinexile (Jun 17, 2009)

*Unibormber?*

lol, I don't take a whole lot of stock in my physical appearance kathy.  Society and media do enough of that for me!  I live in a place where I get treated by how I act and what I do.  I like it like that.  I don't have to shave if I don't feel like it.  My g/f partner doesn't care, so I don't usually in the winter.  In the summer, zip, off it goes.  I may look a little scary to people who don't me sometimes, but it really is irrelevant.  I am the first person to help those around me.  People who know me like me.  :O)


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## reverendsterlin (Jun 17, 2009)

kathy_in_arizona said:


> I want all of you to be very proud of me.  I just did something yesterday that I never dreamed I would do.....
> 
> I got up last night to get a drink of water (with my slippers on of course) and sure enough, another bark scorpion...oh, I still need to get the scientific name for that...was running across my kitchen floor.  Rather than stomping on it like I usually do, I got some kitchen tongs, put it in a mason jar, and this morning released it when I went for a walk FAR FAR AWAY from my house in a field.  I felt like an idiot walking through the neighborhood carrying a mason jar with a scorpion in it.
> 
> ...


pretty soon you'll be skipping the tongs and just pinching the tail like I do (misplaced my 12" tongs lol). Nearly every night during the warm season I find 2-5 in the house and another 2-10 in the yard (without flipping rocks lol). I have collected over a 3 acre plot for a good while now and see as many today as I did the first day. As for background I grew up seeing wild T's, scorps, and snakes. I am older than most (48 in August), have a Master's in Ed, double BA (sociology/psychology), I am a real reverend. I use the latin names for my plants, T's, scorps, and snakes just because it does not leave room for confusion. I specialize in Old World T's because I love the attitude and hate itching from hairs. I keep rare (for me)'hot' scorps, breed those and the common (for me) ones I find here. I usually trade with folks that find my common scorp rare to them, for things they find common but are rare to me. I have read more research papers then I can remember on scorps, T's, snakes, and plants (peer reviewed). I keep venomous snakes (bred Bitis gabonica before my heart attack) just for fun. My wife prefers dogs and cats lol. I figure most of us are just a touch different from average lol, some like me way out there. It is fun seeing what a mixed bag we are.


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## DireWolf0384 (Jun 18, 2009)

I am a 24, almost 25 year old male that's disabled and only took a few classes in a Community College. I can't find work I can do so my hobbies are pretty much all I have to keep me out of trouble. I worked for a Pet Shop for a while and instantly wanted Scorpions when I saw them get some Emps in. Now, I have an addiction that I cannot shake! Getting Scorpions in is so exciting for me. I'm far from being a expert but I am constantly learning. I don't know if I'll make it a profession, but it'll always be a hobby!(I hope)


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## Kathy (Jun 18, 2009)

Nomadinexile said:


> lol, I don't take a whole lot of stock in my physical appearance kathy.  Society and media do enough of that for me!  I live in a place where I get treated by how I act and what I do.  I like it like that.  I don't have to shave if I don't feel like it.  My g/f partner doesn't care, so I don't usually in the winter.  In the summer, zip, off it goes.  I may look a little scary to people who don't me sometimes, but it really is irrelevant.  I am the first person to help those around me.  People who know me like me.  :O)


Sounds like the perfect life to me!  I'm jealous!  I can see on this board how helpful you are to everyone, no wonder everyone likes you.


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