# Sick Emperor?



## ccarrion83 (Dec 2, 2007)

Hello new to the board.. I recently purchased an emperor 2 weeks ago and have not witnessed him eat crickets. He just lets them walk over him. Today he is not very active and his or her tail is completely limp. I lift it up and the tail falls right back down. Abdomen looks very swollen like the exoskeloton is spreading apart. Any thoughts?


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## tin man (Dec 2, 2007)

My emporer did the same thing when I first got it, try pre killing the cricket(smashing its head), than hand feed it to the scorpion using tongs of some sort, feed it head first so that the scorpion can feel the crickets head liquids (or whatever you want to call it). that seemed to work for me.


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## K3jser (Dec 2, 2007)

Chould be a molt coming on.. are you sure you got a full grown emp?


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## Cyris69 (Dec 2, 2007)

Still, if it is un reactive to you handling and its "limp" its not a good sign. Could be a molt in which case don't mess with it.

If the bulbous part the stinger attached to is white then is not adult if its a dark red/brown color its an adult.

A picture would really help.

Just don't mess with is at all.
Take the food out and try in a  week or two.
Emperors and other scorpions are know for fasting for very long preiods of time.


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## K3jser (Dec 2, 2007)

Yeah a picture whould be awsome.. what "stats" do you keep your scorp at..


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## Thaedion (Dec 2, 2007)

If it is moulting make sure that the temps and humidity are up to the high 80°F and 90%+ to help its exo stay pliable. And if it does moult take out the crix as they may feed on it being helpless.


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## Galapoheros (Dec 2, 2007)

The limp tail is not a good sign IMO, could be a blockage.  Sometimes the tail will start rotting but the scorp will walk around like there's no problem.  So you might want to check with your nose too.  Hope it makes it.  I think Emps are cool, common or not.  Big black shiny icon scorps!  Good luck with it.


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## Cyris69 (Dec 2, 2007)

Also, scorps poo from the endish of the tail. usually lay it out flat when doing so. But if it keeps it like that all the time its reaching the end.


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## Mr. Mordax (Dec 3, 2007)

ccarrion83 said:


> have not witnessed him eat crickets . . . lets them walk over him . . . not very active . . . tail is completely limp . . . tail falls right back down


Sounds kinda sorta dead to me.


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## Cyris69 (Dec 3, 2007)

Might be a parasitic worm causing him to expand. If his tail is completely limp he is most likely dead, if you touch him and he doesn't budge he is dead. Try picking him up by his tail to see if you can get a reaction.

If there is barely any movement I mean kinda like twitching his is going to be dead.

Thats all the signs this pretty dead juvie at petco which had severe mycosis the 2 others in there with him had it bad but were still active.

So I'd just help the process; put him in a zip lock baggy and put him down using the freezer. It's humane and if I was the emp I'd want to be put out.

Sorry for your loss.


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## Choobaine (Dec 3, 2007)

I wouldn't kill it, give it some time. See how it's going first. I mean what if it's gonna molt? You'd be kicking yourself


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## Cyris69 (Dec 3, 2007)

It's not going to molt.
That doesn't take days.
Once they start they don't stop unless you disturb them in which case after a bit when they feel safe they start up again.

I know I asked this earlier.
What color is the telson? The bulbous looking thing the stinger is attached to? If its white its a juvie/sub-adult if its a redish brown its an adult.

When my scorps are going into premolt they don't go into a temp coma. They get into their position whether it be in a scrape or on something vertical. Then once comfortable they begin the molt process which can take an hour to a few hours to all night. They don't go limp then magically their finished, it actually looks painful and stressful and I'm SO glad I'm not a scorpion or something that molts.

I'll give him/her a 10% chance that it's feigning and will come out of it.

Another possibility is that it was gravid and was being stressed so much for being bothered or something that it actually wouldn't pop and died. The baby scorps still were growing but died because they couldn't get out. I really don't  find this likely and don't know if they still could grow if the mother died I'd assume not.

If it was going to molt IF it was a juvie and had been stress a lot it may have died due to stress and a failed molt which came from stress.

If you really want to check, smell it. Yeah, you wouldn't think it would smell but I know dead tarantulas smell awful, scorpions should have that unmistakable smell when dead. 

These are just my opinions, feel free to destroy each one


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