# Scorpion behavior -- Tail wagging?



## CALovett (Aug 4, 2014)

Howdy all.

So, I recently got in a batch of 7 _Hoffmannius spinigerus_, and I love them all. 3 males, 4 females. 

Anyway, I've noticed a behavior during feeding that I haven't seen in any of my other scorps, (C. sculpturatus, L. quinquestriatus) where they hold their tail up like a question mark and wag it side-to-side. They do this as soon as they see the cricket, but it's sometimes a few minutes before they actually nab the helpless insect. 

What is the purpose of this behavior? I'm curious.


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## remainpositive (Aug 4, 2014)

I've seen it before but with each other, in the end the ended up mating which obviously it was mating display but could be territorial aggression? They're known to be pretty tempermental, at least mine are.


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## CALovett (Aug 4, 2014)

Ha, yeah, they're feisty little buggers. I have no problems with that, though. Surprisingly my _C. sculpturatus_ are actually the most chill. 

I'm hoping to get a Giant Desert Hairy soon, too. They're also a bit on the mean side. 

I never really feel the need to handle my scorps, I just love watching them, so these hotheaded little fellas don't bother me. 

Another thing, since I'm not too used to this species. When are they old enough to mate? I have a breeding population, but unlike my Arizona Barks, which you just kind of throw together and wait, these guys do not really like each other.


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## remainpositive (Aug 4, 2014)

CALovett said:


> Ha, yeah, they're feisty little buggers. I have no problems with that, though. Surprisingly my _C. sculpturatus_ are actually the most chill.
> 
> I'm hoping to get a Giant Desert Hairy soon, too. They're also a bit on the mean side.
> 
> ...


I have a couple H. Arizonensis! They make amazing tunnels and burrow and are aggressive feeders but laid back overall! Yea, C. sculps explode with babies 24/7 my colonies were getting to big so I let them free in a low populated place! With H. spinigerus, they aren't to good communally because of their temper but you can easily tell if they're at their final instars being that they only get at most 3 inches, if they're ok with living together they'll breed sooner or later, make sure you have a lot of hides and really thick substrate for them to burrow and avoid cannibalism.

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## CALovett (Aug 4, 2014)

Good to know! I have the biggest one who is probably about 2 inches if he stretched himself out in a 5 gallon. He was roaming around a lot a few minutes ago so I held a mealworm pupa out in front of him since it was the only thing I had on hand. He took it. Right now he's eating it alive. Hasn't stung it.

Are you going to breed your _H. arizonensis_? I'd love to grab one off your hands, lol.


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## remainpositive (Aug 4, 2014)

CALovett said:


> Good to know! I have the biggest one who is probably about 2 inches if he stretched himself out in a 5 gallon. He was roaming around a lot a few minutes ago so I held a mealworm pupa out in front of him since it was the only thing I had on hand. He took it. Right now he's eating it alive. Hasn't stung it.
> 
> Are you going to breed your _H. arizonensis_? I'd love to grab one off your hands, lol.


Mine are always taking prey, careful, they like to feed and overfeeding is always bad! And sadly I only have two males so I am not breeding them but I'm looking for a female to do that, I'm sure you can find great deals on them here on this forum in the classifieds!


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## CALovett (Aug 4, 2014)

It's been about 2 weeks since he ate. He was looking pretty thin. He's rather pleased with himself, though. That mealworm pupa is still struggling, and he just... doesn't care.

I'm still waiting to get one locally, since paying 40 bucks for shipping is not high on my list of things I want to do. 

Thanks anyway, appreciate the responses!


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## remainpositive (Aug 4, 2014)

No problemo! Good look in the amazing hobby of scorpion keeping!

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## Patcho (Aug 5, 2014)

If you haven't seen this video I made last year, check it out.

[video=youtube;xijAoprTMcQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xijAoprTMcQ[/video]

It did this when I rehoused it. Since then, I've only ever seen it do this twice. It even waves its pectines while it moves its tail.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Smokehound714 (Aug 8, 2014)

I've seen really calm docile desert hairy scorps, same with Smeringerus and paruroctonus, though all three are considered ornery lol


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## Olsin (Aug 9, 2014)

Smokehound714 said:


> I've seen really calm docile desert hairy scorps, same with Smeringerus and paruroctonus, though all three are considered ornery lol


Some species of scorpion do settle in after a period, especially if they are kept well without to much fuss/traffic and in shaded or semi shaded locations....observing relaxed scorpions though doesn't mean that entire species is relaxed. It just means those scorpions were.
Adult males are also usually more adventerous than females...Observing just males could also give a incorrect overall impression of that species.
Dehydrated scorpions can initially seem inquisitive/active (they're looking for moisture) then become relaxed/lethargic as the dehydration kicks in. This behaviour can stretch over days/weeks....observing scorps at this time and not knowing of the dehydration problem could also give an incorrect impression.
Hungry scorpions are also usually more aggressive than well fed specimens so again, another behavioural aspect that could be different from scorpion to scorpion within the same specie at any given time.
I guess there's loads more examples but i'll finish with something that i bet most of you have seen or experienced. If you have a scorpion that is relaxed and showy and you rehouse it....is it still relaxed and showy after the rehousing!?


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## remainpositive (Aug 9, 2014)

Well it seems like no one has ever seen species like centruroides and even pandinus do this "tail wagging" I wonder if it's only in certain desert species?


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## Olsin (Aug 9, 2014)

remainpositive said:


> Well it seems like no one has ever seen species like centruroides and even pandinus do this "tail wagging" I wonder if it's only in certain desert species?


No one, ever! ... Not true...I've seen centruroides do it as well as just about every other scorpion specie i've ever owned...Any type of repetitious movement by any scorpion regardless of specie can be thought of as a form of communication.
They usually do it when first introduced to a new enclosure or when unknown scorps are put together...Wandering males will also do it although it has nothing to do with adults. All instars do this.
What they are saying is anyone's guess but it's probably along the lines of threat/introduction as in don't come near me or check me out girls, i'm the one you want....
There doesn't have to be other scorpions in the enclosure for them to do this. Whether it's because they pick up pheromones from other scorps in the scorp room or whether it's just a precautionary measure is again unknown.
This behaviour is both normal and common and can be expected to be practised by all scorpions at some time in their life.

Edit ... Almost forgot to mention. Scorpions trying to relieve themselves of a persistent faeces might also wag their tail or rub it up against a surface in a repetitive movement as do some scorpions in late pre moult where they appear to apparently be trying to loosen their old exoskeleton...These kinds of movements will have nothing to do with communication.

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## remainpositive (Aug 9, 2014)

Olsin said:


> No one, ever! ... Not true...I've seen centruroides do it as well as just about every other scorpion specie i've ever owned...Any type of repetitious movement by any scorpion regardless of specie can be thought of as a form of communication.
> They usually do it when first introduced to a new enclosure or when unknown scorps are put together...Wandering males will also do it although it has nothing to do with adults. All instars do this.
> What they are saying is anyone's guess but it's probably along the lines of threat/introduction as in don't come near me or check me out girls, i'm the one you want....
> There doesn't have to be other scorpions in the enclosure for them to do this. Whether it's because they pick up pheromones from other scorps in the scorp room or whether it's just a precautionary measure is again unknown.
> ...


Centruroides? I've never once seen that and I've had multiple if not a room full of colonies of sculps and gracillis. I must really not pay attention then...


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## Olsin (Aug 9, 2014)

Chuckles........you said it


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## Smokehound714 (Aug 10, 2014)

ALL scorpions do this.  It's not often witnessed, as they only do it when they're undisturbed.  

  I have no idea why they do it, every scorpion ive owned did it.


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## Galapoheros (Aug 11, 2014)

I have some theories.  I've seen species tolerant of each other do this right after capturing prey, kind of looks like a "leave me alone, this is mine" message to any others that might be close by.  I've also occasionally seen all the species I've had do this when prey is dropped in, when they obviously don't know "what is there" yet.  So they might be waiving their tail around to say something like, "hey, is that a fellow scorpion over there?"  The Patcho vid makes me think that scorpion is trying to attract something, maybe a prey item that is common in it's natural habitat, something like a spider that would attack the tail hoping it was a beetle or something and then get taken by the scorpion.  Then there is the obvious wagging around others, def communication of some kind there, esp. done during mating.  But yeah, who knows....


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## Dovey (Sep 20, 2016)

My spinigerus just crack me all up! They dart all over the place in these mini-bursts of running or stalking and practically jump out of their exoskeletons if another scorp or bug is there when they stop. They are like hyper little cartoon characters...the animaniacs! And the tail wagging is so energetic, like they are just DELIGHTED it's dinner time! Seriously, they look like little golden retriever pups, their whole hind ends are wagging so enthusiastically. This is not a twitch, it's a big ol' wag! I haven't seen smaller scorps do it to larger, only the other way around, so maybe it's a dominance thing or spreading some pheromone or the like. Whatever, it's darned entertaining! Oh dear, I feel the C-word coming on...spinigerus are _CUTE_ AS A BUG'S EAR.

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