# my scorpion.. is it overfed, or gravid?



## voltdomingo (Dec 10, 2008)

gravid friends?


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## T.ass-mephisto (Dec 10, 2008)

that looks about to explode!! i would guess gravid from the look. however there is a lot else to consider. has behavior changed? also what kind of substrate are use using? it looks dry if yours is an emp(it looks that way to me but i'm not an expert)you want a very moist substrate with room to burrow. i also didn't see any hides. are they not in the shot?

i forgot to ask how much do you feed it? that is important in the fat or preggers ?

Reactions: Like 1


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## Arachtis (Dec 10, 2008)

It certainly looks gravid, and I hope it is! 

If the scorpion is that fat due to feeding, you need to seriously cut back, "overfed" is an understatement.

I hate to sound like I am nitpicking, but I kind of agree with the above poster, your setup appears to be on the dry side, and you don't have anything for the scorpion to hide under. Where did you get it from?


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## calum (Dec 10, 2008)

almost certainly gravid. she looks like she is gonna pop real soon....  


anyway, I agree with above, you need to give her a hide, and bump up the humidity. no shelter + low humidity = stressed scorpion. and If  when it pops, there is a chance it will eat all the young due to the stressful conditions. also, when she does pop, leave her alone for a week or two.

what do you feed her and how much?


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## dairy (Dec 10, 2008)

That's not an Emp. Maybe a Het. species? 

You definitely want to keep the humidity up though. Scorplings from subtropical species like it moist. And providing a hide is pretty much a must, especially for a gravid female. You don't want Mom to eat her babies 

GL and enjoy your brood


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## calum (Dec 10, 2008)

I know it ain't an Emp; looks like Het. spinifer or longimanus. 


either way, humidty and hide.


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## marvs08 (Dec 10, 2008)

calum said:


> I know it ain't an Emp; looks like Het. spinifer or longimanus.
> 
> 
> either way, humidty and hide.


Yup! I agree! It aint an emp... Where and who have you bought it from? If i may ask...


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## kbekker (Dec 10, 2008)

How big is it?  Could it be about to molt?


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## straywolf (Dec 11, 2008)

most certain its just a fatty. probably on premolt.


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## Alakdan (Dec 11, 2008)

How big is it?

I'm leaning towards a pre-molt H. longimanus than a gravid one.

Althought the substrate looks dry, humidity is not much of a problem.  I believe volt is also from the Philippines.  Our humidity doesn't go below 70%.  It should be fine provided there is always a waterdish within reach.


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## voltdomingo (Dec 11, 2008)

the substrate i use is cocopeat. and the hide is just around the other edge of the tank.. i feed it crickets, every other day. i spray the inside of the tank with water, and it has a water cap filled with water everyday. 

i do hope its gravid!


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## voltdomingo (Dec 11, 2008)

bro marvs, bro alakdan, im from quezon city. 

got it from brian (cracker) around 4inches.. het spinifer.


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## InfestedGoat (Dec 11, 2008)

voltdomingo said:


> the substrate i use is cocopeat. and the hide is just around the other edge of the tank.. i feed it crickets, every other day. i spray the inside of the tank with water, and it has a water cap filled with water everyday.
> 
> i do hope its gravid!



A Water cap? Put a large dish in there and mabe a rock or two so it can get out. (If this is an emp or related species) They like to bathe themeselves, and certainly need more water than a water cap!

And put alot more substrait in there, and just dumb some water on it to keep the humidity up, forget spraying!


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## rustym3talh3ad (Dec 11, 2008)

well one way u can tell is get urself a deli cup or something clear, and take her into a dark room (saying we KNOW its a her) and then shine a strong light up under her and see if u cant see any egg sacks. if u can gravid if not then well...we have a "flat rock" scorpion (forgive me for not knowing the latin on that one) in our store that looks just like this, we thought for sure it was gravid but it was just overfed, we have it on a strict diet right now lol its loosing weight pretty good while still looking healthy.


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## RoachGirlRen (Dec 11, 2008)

If it's both being offered AND eating a cricket every other day, my vote is with overfed.
I also agree with the sentiments of deeper, damper substrate and a larger bowl if possible. I have some H. spinifer and both digging and bathing are a routine part of their behavior.


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## calum (Dec 11, 2008)

yeah,  a cricket every other day is ALOT.


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## T.ass-mephisto (Dec 11, 2008)

rustym3talh3ad said:


> well one way u can tell is get urself a deli cup or something clear, and take her into a dark room (saying we KNOW its a her) and then shine a strong light up under her and see if u cant see any egg sacks.


i have heard that doesn't work with p.imps is that true?


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## Warren Bautista (Dec 11, 2008)

Wooo! Pinoy Power!


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## ~Abyss~ (Dec 12, 2008)

My vote is for premolt....and fat. Doesnt look gravid...but I have been wrong before. Either way get it into a tropical setup. Pour some water on that substrate and get a lot more substrate in there.


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## Euronymous (Dec 12, 2008)

It looks like a Hadogenes paucidens to me. I have one, and they like it one dry. I mist the rocks that I stacked once every other week. Amazing yours is eating that much. Mine looks like the one in the pic below. I could be wrong but either way, keep her away from anything sharp!
Like I said I could be wrong on the species, look at the tail and the back plates


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## ~Abyss~ (Dec 12, 2008)

Euronymous said:


> It looks like a Hadogenes paucidens to me. I have one, and they like it one dry. I mist the rocks that I stacked once every other week. Amazing yours is eating that much. Mine looks like the one in the pic below. I could be wrong but either way, keep her away from anything sharp!
> Like I said I could be wrong on the species, look at the tail and the back plates


Umm....no its 100 percent not a Hadogenes species at all. It doesnt even look like one. Keep it moist please it's defiantly a tropical species.


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## ~Androctonus~ (Dec 12, 2008)

This one is look like overfed. i'm pretty sure that creatur isn't gravid.
Cheers, dave.


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## voltdomingo (Dec 13, 2008)

thanks for the inputs, i already added another inch of substrate, total substrate is around 2-2.5inches. i still havent purchased a new water dish for it, but i will replace as soon as possible.


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## ~Abyss~ (Dec 15, 2008)

I suggest 7 inches of substrate. Here 
http://scorpionforum.darkbb.com/car...ometrus-spp-tropical-forest-scorpions-t38.htm


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## pnshmntMMA (Dec 16, 2008)

looks like a heterometrus spinifer to me because of the head. a HUGE one at that


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## deadly_elegance (Dec 22, 2008)

Alakdan said:


> How big is it?
> 
> I'm leaning towards a pre-molt H. longimanus than a gravid one.
> 
> Althought the substrate looks dry, humidity is not much of a problem.  I believe volt is also from the Philippines.  Our humidity doesn't go below 70%.  It should be fine provided there is always a waterdish within reach.


+100 on this


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## Langgamboi (May 9, 2020)

Is it even possible for scorpions to be overfed?


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## Dr SkyTower (May 10, 2020)

Langgamboi said:


> Is it even possible for scorpions to be overfed?


Not really... they don't eat like cats and dogs so they can't become obese like a cat/dog. Scorpions just ignore extra prey when they're fully fed. Young scorpions eat more than adult scorpions though. I have heard of some species of scorpion capturing prey (like winged termites), stinging them and stuffing dozens of the paralyzed termites into special larder burrows to feed on at a later time.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Langgamboi (May 10, 2020)

Dr SkyTower said:


> Not really... they don't eat like cats and dogs so they can't become obese like a cat/dog. Scorpions just ignore extra prey when they're fully fed. Young scorpions eat more than adult scorpions though. I have heard of some species of scorpion capturing prey (like winged termites), stinging them and stuffing dozens of the paralyzed termites into special larder burrows to feed on at a later time.


Thank you, that's nice to know.

Reactions: Thanks 1


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## Lubed Tweezer (May 10, 2020)

Langgamboi said:


> Is it even possible for scorpions to be overfed?


No, scorpions just stop eating.
Their intestines can take in a certain amount of food, once it gets filled up their pleural membrane stretches out and the scales on their back separate.
Humans or any other mammals are different, they have the advantage of being able to eat food and turn it into fat and store it as fat in their bodies for later use.
Scorpions don't turn their food into fat and store it. Most mammals can't control their rate/speed of metabolism like a scorpion can.
Exercise/work governs the rate of metabolism in mammals, in scorpions the rate of metabolism seems to be very temperature dependent.


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## Langgamboi (May 10, 2020)

Lubed Tweezer said:


> No, scorpions just stop eating.
> Their intestines can take in a certain amount of food, once it gets filled up their pleural membrane stretches out and the scales on their back separate.
> Humans or any other mammals are different, they have the advantage of being able to eat food and turn it into fat and store it as fat in their bodies for later use.
> Scorpions don't turn their food into fat and store it. Most mammals can't control their rate/speed of metabolism like a scorpion can.
> Exercise/work governs the rate of metabolism in mammals, in scorpions the rate of metabolism seems to be very temperature dependent.


That's very interesting, I'm new to the hobby so thank you.

Reactions: Like 1


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