# Is scorpion sensitive to light?



## C0kaCoLa (Dec 14, 2006)

If i place my scorpion in my room where i switch the light on and off frequently, will they be disturbed by it?


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## Andre2 (Dec 14, 2006)

Yes, I think there's some disturbance factor, but I don't think it is as much a problem as f.e. heavy traffic vibrations, or a newyears fireworks! This always freaks scorpions out in my experience and on several occasion my females have eaten young during fireworks....

The way a scorpion sees is a very difficult matter and I doubt if it is totally understood yet by science.. At least not by me, haha..

When i work f.e. with a very small and fast scorpling like Uroplectes vittatus I need light to see them. They always run away in panic, so that's stress..
But I think they panic a little bit more in nature, what do you think? However this is a very nervous species

I think you should keep a female close to birth, in the dark. Especially a Pandinus sp.


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## Bayushi (Dec 14, 2006)

i have my gravid female in the living room, she is rarely out during the day, since by nature all scorpions are primarily nocturnal. I doubt keeping her in a dark room would be any more beneficial, seeing this will be her second brood in my care and there was no cannibalization with her first brood.   Also keep in mind I have a small child in the house who is extremely active and with all the thumping and jumping he does, i have yet to see any ill effects from it with my scorps.

  I short though, Yes scorpions are light sensitive but only to certain spectrums.
I keep a red light on all the time and they don't notice it all.   Naturally the boards contain people more in the know of what colour spectrums they react too and what ones they don't, so my info is purely from first hand experience.


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## skinheaddave (Dec 14, 2006)

Scorpions show sensitivity to light from the UV range of the spectrum towards red, at which point they stop reacting -- showing absolutely no negative phototaxis to IR light.  Whether they exhibit negative phototaxis to visible red light is something I haven't seen studied in a conclusive fashion but conventional wisdom (i.e. extensive anecdotal reports + my own observations) say they either don't care or acclimatize very quickly and very well.

Scorpions have some of the most sensitive light receptors in the animal kingdom in their lateral + medial eyes (particularly the former).  Although they can't form images overly well, they can pick up very very low light levels.  It has also been shown that some (but not all) scorpions have an extraoccular light sense -- which is to say that they percieve light other than with their eyes.  In some scorpions, this seems to be somewhat localized, in others more general.  The gist of it, though, is that they will sense the light directly through their cuticle.  

So what of it?  Well, there are basically going to be two potential concequences of lights going on all the time.  First off, scorpions don't like light.  When exposed to it they move away.  The other thing is that scorpions use light to help entrain their circadian rhythm -- basically meaning that regular light cycles help to keep their "internal clock" on a fixed night/day cycle.  There is a large period of time during the "day" in which extra signals do not throw them off -- but at "night" it is quite possible that lots of extra light signals might throw them off their cycle.  Basically, you risk giving your scorpions jetlag.  

Are either of these things a big deal?  Likely not.  They certainly shouldn't adversely affect their lifespan or whatnot -- though it is not inconcievable that constant stress and messed up rhythms might interfere with breeding.  Ultimately, we don't know -- so if you can possibly avoid exposing them to those conditions I would advise you do so.  If you can't then I don't see that you should worry too much.

Cheers,
Dave


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## Charlie_Scorp (Dec 14, 2006)

Hehe..I thought you'd like this topic Dave, bearing in mind your post from a few days ago. I dont have much time to write now but I may add something a bit later. Its a very interesting subject that's for sure including arthropod circadium rhythms which Ive been studying recently. There's some quite funny experiments that have been done...

Charlie


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## skinheaddave (Dec 14, 2006)

Charlie,

I look forward to hearing what you have to say on the subject.  My undergraduate thesis was on the effect of thermal zeitgebers on the scorpion circadian clock.  I did a bit of follow-up after graduation as well.  The net result of all my work is that I now have more questions than I started with.   Right now I am doing a bit of diversionary work, but I am also working on a building which, once complete, will afford me a bit of lab space to get back into circadian matters.

Cheers,
Dave


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## EAD063 (Dec 14, 2006)

I use a red light thats on for about 20 hours a day... No affects on eating or activity so far.   I actually get more activity out of the tank with a heat mat.  As for the overhead light I'd suggest not doing that.. My fem ate her babies immedately after being switched into such a location.


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## OneSickPuppy (Dec 15, 2006)

i keep everything on a normal day/night cycle and i see some active during all times. more often at night though for sure.


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## EAD063 (Dec 15, 2006)

EAD063 said:


> I use a red light thats on for about 20 hours a day... No affects on eating or activity so far.   I actually get more activity out of the tank with a heat mat.  As for the overhead light I'd suggest not doing that.. My fem ate her babies immedately after being switched into such a location.


I'm sorry, what I meant to say is I get more activity out of my lighted cage than the one with the heat mat.


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## C0kaCoLa (Dec 15, 2006)

do they even see??? I think that they are blind like bats.. I have a cricket right in front of my emp and with its pincers opening, it didnt even give a <edit>... it just laze around in the hole i made..and the day before that, the cricket is sleeping next to it.. just like good ol frens


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## dthbhk (Dec 15, 2006)

I have four in my living room three emps and a red claw it doesn't seem to stress them out much just don't have anyone jumping up and down on the floor that cause uneses in the tanks as far as light if you're worried about it switch from the main light to a lamp then not so bright or switch to red incandecent yourself


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## EAD063 (Dec 15, 2006)

You need to do some research... and yes they see... quite well actually seeings that have 2 sets of eyes.. LOL   The cricket was probaly biting it rather than "sleeping" with it.


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