# Androctonus australis



## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

Hello
What happen when somebody gets sting by a androctonus australis?
Is it dangerous altough you're in good shape?
Dom


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## Fergrim (Jul 5, 2004)

I'd say it's a guaranteed hospital trip even for the healthiest of men.  A. Australis is the number one man killing scorp in the world.


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## ArNT1 (Jul 5, 2004)

If you keep one the only reason if you get stung is if you are careless or underestimating the scorp.


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

Yes, but always make sure to tell the medical staff that you were stung while visiting a friend who just got back from traveling to North Africa. "It must have been in one of the suitcases, nurse."


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## Brian S (Jul 5, 2004)

I read that a sting can kill an adult human in a few hours.


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## Mr. X (Jul 5, 2004)

carpe scorpio said:
			
		

> Yes, but always make sure to tell the medical staff that you were stung while visiting a friend who just got back from traveling to North Africa. "It must have been in one of the suitcases, nurse."


  Yes cause a trip to the hospital due to a scorpion sting could be disastrous for the futur of the hobby here in canada  

Dont take it personal leiurus but i think that those kind of scorpions (Androctonus spp, Deathstalker, etc..) should'nt be sold to people under 18. 

It's just commonsense

xav


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

Yes I understand. There are a lot of species even more interesting and active like hadrurus sp. (they're not dangerous too).
You're right Mr. X, this species is too dangerous for a kid or a teen like me. 
I can't imagine going to hospital and even dead by a scorpion. That's scary  
Dom


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## Mr. X (Jul 5, 2004)

I'm happy that you understand. But by the time you'll reach 18 you'll be one of the youngest experienced person there is...i know your 14 years old and i dont know anybody who started so young. 

And like you said, there's a lot of non-lethal scorpions that are also interesting like Desert hairies, Hottentotta spp. (wich are hot but not even close to A. australis), Centruroides spp, Vaejovis spp, Babycurus Jacksoni, etc...

peace

xav


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## pandinus (Jul 5, 2004)

i'm 16, but i have to get special authorization from my dad before i can get any buthid, and i am forbidden to keep old world buthids.


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

I'll wait until I reach 20 years old. I don't think age matters to keep scorpions but keeping hot ones, this is another thing.
Dom


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## PIter (Jul 5, 2004)

Mr. X said:
			
		

> I'm happy that you understand. But by the time you'll reach 18 you'll be one of the youngest experienced person there is...i know your 14 years old and i dont know anybody who started so young.
> 
> And like you said, there's a lot of non-lethal scorpions that are also interesting like Desert hairies, Hottentotta spp. (wich are hot but not even close to A. australis), Centruroides spp, Vaejovis spp, Babycurus Jacksoni, etc...
> 
> ...


Just for the record, I started when I was 14. But so far I've only kept one emp and 4 tiny V spinigerus. I'll probably never get the A australis over 18 or not. As for who should be aloud to keep them, I'd say people over 18 preferably with some extra pounds on their frame.


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

Hey Mr. X!
 Which species did you begin with?
You seem to like hot scorpions.
Dom


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## pandinus (Jul 5, 2004)

leiurus said:
			
		

> Hey Mr. X!
> Which species did you begin with?
> You seem to like hot scorpions.
> Dom


who doesn't? just because we don't all have them does not mean we don't all LOOOVE them right?


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## Fergrim (Jul 5, 2004)

I can't wait to get a P. Trans.. that'll be hot enough for me for a longggg time


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## dotdman (Jul 5, 2004)

Fergrim said:
			
		

> I can't wait to get a P. Trans.. that'll be hot enough for me for a longggg time


They're nice scorps, fairly active and they grow to a good size as adults.  Mine is one of the most voracious eaters I've ever seen.  I fed it one of my multitude of pet Latrodectus mactans last night.


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## Mr. X (Jul 5, 2004)

leiurus said:
			
		

> Hey Mr. X!
> Which species did you begin with?
> You seem to like hot scorpions.
> Dom


Like about 98% of everybody in the hobby, I started with an Emp, he died so i bought my second Emp then i got my first buthid and one of my favorite scorpion...Hottentotta trilineatus. From that day i felt in love with buthids.

xav


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

Mr. X said:
			
		

> Like about 98% of everybody in the hobby, I started with an Emp, he died so i bought my second Emp then i got my first buthid and one of my favorite scorpion...Hottentotta trilineatus. From that day i felt in love with buthids.
> 
> xav


Your experience pretty much mirrors my own with regard to buthids, they just have a different attitude. It's like the difference between John Candy and Charles Manson. LOL


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## Mr. X (Jul 5, 2004)

Could'nt make a better comparison.

Buthids ROCKS !!! ;P 

Peace

xav


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

They are such incredable predators... I saw a video which features the feeding of a leiurus quinquestriatus. Very nice!
I can give you the link if you want but watch out! Its in french!
Dom


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

Was this video online?.


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

Yes, this the link. 
membres.lycos.fr/scorpionspassions/


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

Excellent, thanks a bunch.


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

Seems gone now, maybe you can post an active link?.


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

You're welcome.
They are so fast those leiurus.


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

I know, I almost got stung by one.


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## leiurus (Jul 5, 2004)

??? It still working
I wouldn't like to get stung by this specie


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## Mr. X (Jul 5, 2004)

carpe scorpio said:
			
		

> Seems gone now, maybe you can post an active link?.


you have to click on the video link on the left of the screen. Then you have to slide the scroll bar at the botom to the right and there you go !!

By the way, AWESOME video   

Never get tired of watching the way scorpions kill their prey. That's the reason why I like them so much.

enjoy

xav


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 5, 2004)

Thanks, I'll try it again.


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 6, 2004)

I found the forum, and even looked at all their photos, but still can't find the video, help.


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## NYbirdEater (Jul 6, 2004)

carpe scorpio said:
			
		

> Yes, but always make sure to tell the medical staff that you were stung while visiting a friend who just got back from traveling to North Africa. "It must have been in one of the suitcases, nurse."


ROFL carpe!   Is this from experience?


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## NYbirdEater (Jul 6, 2004)

dotdman said:
			
		

> They're nice scorps, fairly active and they grow to a good size as adults.  Mine is one of the most voracious eaters I've ever seen.  I fed it one of my multitude of pet Latrodectus mactans last night.


That's one wicked scorp. I will probably get one once I get my own house, and my son grows up and I have a room for my pets and tall tanks with locks! Seems like with most animals, the more attractive (to humans) the more venomoous or dangerous they are.


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 6, 2004)

NYbirdEater said:
			
		

> ROFL carpe!   Is this from experience?


No, for the survival of our hobby this is what to tell them at the hospital. It will stop anyone from passing legislation.


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## NYbirdEater (Jul 6, 2004)

carpe scorpio said:
			
		

> No, for the survival of our hobby this is what to tell them at the hospital. It will stop anyone from passing legislation.


good point. I think drunks and junkies use this tactic, although in a slightly different manner. I can see why you love the androctonus genus. The only thing keeping me from them is the HOTness


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 6, 2004)

I just think of them like deactivating landmines, you aren't allowed any mistakes.


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## dotdman (Jul 6, 2004)

NYbirdEater said:
			
		

> That's one wicked scorp. I will probably get one once I get my own house, and my son grows up and I have a room for my pets and tall tanks with locks! Seems like with most animals, the more attractive (to humans) the more venomoous or dangerous they are.


Yeah, she's a real cutie.  I don't think the P. transies are particularly 'hot' when it comes down to such things (having an LD50 of around 4.25 if I'm not mistaken... the three scorps I have coming in tomorrow have LD50's that are considerably lower...), but from what I hear they pack quite a whallop as far as pain goes.  I just consider it a great animal and an even better excuse should I really really not want to go to work some day..  

I'm considering getting locks for my Androctonus and Leirus cages, I don't want to come home someday after work to find my sis has gotten curious and stuck her hand in to pet the pretty scorpion.  As small as she is, I shudder to imagine what a sting from a full grown Leirus quin would do.  In any case, it's always 'safety first' when it comes to keeping buthids.


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## PIter (Jul 6, 2004)

dotdman said:
			
		

> the three scorps I have coming in tomorrow have LD50's that are considerably lower...),
> 
> I'm considering getting locks for my Androctonus and Leirus cages, I don't want to come home someday after work to find my sis has gotten curious and stuck her hand in to pet the pretty scorpion.  As small as she is, I shudder to imagine what a sting from a full grown Leirus quin would do.  In any case, it's always 'safety first' when it comes to keeping buthids.


Damn strait, how old is you're sister?
Btw can you post some pictures? Other peoples set-ups are always interesting. Cool video, that was one nice set-up!


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## dotdman (Jul 6, 2004)

PIter said:
			
		

> Damn strait, how old is you're sister?
> Btw can you post some pictures? Other peoples set-ups are always interesting...


My sister is 9, but she is incredibly small framed and doesn't weight terribly much more than she did when she was around 6 or so (she's not unhealthy, just incredibly active).  I'll see if I can get some nice pics of my setups at the moment and will definately have pics of my three scorps that are coming in tomorrow as soon as they arrive.

Kindest,

Kevin P.


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## Mr. X (Jul 6, 2004)

carpe scorpio said:
			
		

> I found the forum, and even looked at all their photos, but still can't find the video, help.


The link ''video'' is the next one just under the photo's link. When you clik on it, you only see script written in french but on have to slide de scroll bar (the one at the bottom of the page) to the right then you'll see 2 pics. One of an emp and one of a Deathstalker...clik on the pics and ther you go.

hope you'll find it...the DS video is great.

Xav


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## Frank (Jul 6, 2004)

To piss you off folks, I got my first invert at 13  It was a T, then I got my first scorp, a H. arizonensis when I was 15 (or 14? don't remember exactly :S), then an emp, then a bunch of other species, including buthids. Got a A. australis at 17, which I now know that I was too young for this species, even though I bought it because I *read* that it was active but the two I kept for a while (now only have one, which has been sold, but not delivered yet) weren't active at all.

Now, I sold all the species I didn't want anymore to stick within the Centruroides genus; I own C. gracilis (central-american) and C. vittatus, kick ass scorps!


Frank


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## NYbirdEater (Jul 6, 2004)

dotdman said:
			
		

> Yeah, she's a real cutie.  I don't think the P. transies are particularly 'hot' when it comes down to such things (having an LD50 of around 4.25 if I'm not mistaken... the three scorps I have coming in tomorrow have LD50's that are considerably lower...), but from what I hear they pack quite a whallop as far as pain goes.  I just consider it a great animal and an even better excuse should I really really not want to go to work some day..
> 
> I'm considering getting locks for my Androctonus and Leirus cages, I don't want to come home someday after work to find my sis has gotten curious and stuck her hand in to pet the pretty scorpion.  As small as she is, I shudder to imagine what a sting from a full grown Leirus quin would do.  In any case, it's always 'safety first' when it comes to keeping buthids.


It will kill kill her or make her deathly ill. You should keep them out of reach and locked securely if you can. Stop considering, and just get them. a $2 lock could save your sisters life!! 

there was a thread posted recently, where someone was stung by a baby death stalker I think, and within seconds he was getting all sorts of symptoms. A 9 year old could easily die. You better start beng extra careful. If she get's stung most likely it will not be one of those "I'm sorry it won't happen again" moments


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## leiurus (Jul 6, 2004)

I had my first invertebrate when i was 13. 
 ;P I started with a hadrurus spadix  the best species ever
Dom


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## dotdman (Jul 6, 2004)

NYbirdEater said:
			
		

> It will kill kill her or make her deathly ill. You should keep them out of reach and locked securely if you can. Stop considering, and just get them. a $2 lock could save your sisters life!!
> 
> there was a thread posted recently, where someone was stung by a baby death stalker I think, and within seconds he was getting all sorts of symptoms. A 9 year old could easily die. You better start beng extra careful. If she get's stung most likely it will not be one of those "I'm sorry it won't happen again" moments


All of my inverts are kept where they won't be bothered, and my room is locked the vast majority of the time I'm not home.  My sis knows better than to open any of the cages I have.  Don't take my use of the word 'considering' as a sign of apathy.  I'm currently taking every precaution to ensure my new arrivals are safe and secure, as well as my fellow family members.

Kindest,

Kevin P.


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## NYbirdEater (Jul 6, 2004)

dotdman said:
			
		

> All of my inverts are kept where they won't be bothered, and my room is locked the vast majority of the time I'm not home.  My sis knows better than to open any of the cages I have.  Don't take my use of the word 'considering' as a sign of apathy.  I'm currently taking every precaution to ensure my new arrivals are safe and secure, as well as my fellow family members.
> 
> Kindest,
> 
> Kevin P.


I'm not trying to put you down, I'm saying your scorps are like loaded guns. Notice how you said "majority" meaning sometimes you leave it open. Any kid at some point will disobey the rules, and why not? That's what we all did, but the one time you leave it open is the time she can get stung. And taking every precaution would mean you would have already gone and bought locks. Plus if the tank is high up, you may want to attach it to where it's sitting or place a belt around it attached to something to avoid falls. Evry precaution really means going out of your way so that only a very rare freak accident might enable the scorp to get out or someone to get in. Thats just my opinion, but it's also the reason I won;t get HOT species with a 5 year old in the house. Even though my son is younger, and I am very precautious with my current pets, I won't risk his life just to have a deadly pet. To me that is the opitome of taking every precaution, of course not getting one. Not trying to preach, just don't want to flick on the news and see you standing there with your sister being carried out of the house dead.


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## errit (Jul 7, 2004)

I have read that somebody has fed His parabuthus T. with a black widow spider. Isn´t that dangerous for the scorpion as well?


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## PIter (Jul 7, 2004)

errit said:
			
		

> I have read that somebody has fed His parabuthus T. with a black widow spider. Isn´t that dangerous for the scorpion as well?


Thats a quite large scorpion vs a small spider, it might be dangerous but the scorpion would kill with out a problem in nearly every case.
But it The scorpion get tangled up in a web.. Thats a different ball game.


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## G. Carnell (Jul 7, 2004)

yea, u could rest a pencil on a bw web!
so damn strong


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## dotdman (Jul 7, 2004)

NYbirdEater said:
			
		

> I'm not trying to put you down, I'm saying your scorps are like loaded guns. Notice how you said "majority" meaning sometimes you leave it open. Any kid at some point will disobey the rules, and why not? That's what we all did, but the one time you leave it open is the time she can get stung. And taking every precaution would mean you would have already gone and bought locks. Plus if the tank is high up, you may want to attach it to where it's sitting or place a belt around it attached to something to avoid falls. Evry precaution really means going out of your way so that only a very rare freak accident might enable the scorp to get out or someone to get in. Thats just my opinion, but it's also the reason I won;t get HOT species with a 5 year old in the house. Even though my son is younger, and I am very precautious with my current pets, I won't risk his life just to have a deadly pet. To me that is the opitome of taking every precaution, of course not getting one. Not trying to preach, just don't want to flick on the news and see you standing there with your sister being carried out of the house dead.


The only time my door is actually unlocked an open is when I know my sister aren't going to be home.  My cages are all securely shut, though I dare not say escape proof (I think they're as close as I can come at the moment, but I'm sure the appropriate set of circumstances could randomly come into play and prove me wrong).  I take precaution with all of my inverts, as I'm used to keeping things that I and my family members would really rather not be bitten or stung by.  I take special precautions with my hot scorps, as they are by far the most venomous and potentially life threatening animals I have ever possessed.  

Loaded guns require respect, precaution, and locked cabinets.  You won't see me keeping a Leirus quin under my pillow for easy reach either.  As for my tanks, mine (with the exception of my current enclosure for my Parabuthis transvaalicus) weigh no less than thirty to forty pounds a piece.  They're loaded to say the least.  That doesn't keep me from being sure that there isn't a risk of them falling from their current positions (ie: on my desk, nightstands, etc.).  The lids are all very secure and don't have any openings large enough to be taken advantage of by a scorp of the size I'm currently keeping.  To put it bluntly, when I'm in bed, I have a Leirus quin to my left and an Androctonus australis to the right.  My A. amoreuxi is sitting on my hardwood computer desk.  My P. transi, the least venomous scorp currently in my possession, resides in a smaller round glass tank on my dresser.  In other words, I'm surrounded by dangerous animals (I'm not taking into account the multitudes of Latrodectus mactans I keep during the warmer months of the year).  And I'm mortified of being stung by any of them.  With the two most venomous scorpions in existence residing roughly two feet from my head while I sleep, I'm not to keen on the idea of lax cage security.

In short, they won't be getting out of their tanks unless I give them the opportunity to.  After all, a loaded gun can't shoot anyone all by itself.

And I know you weren't trying to put me down.  Everyone needs to be reminded of the possibilities involved when keeping hot scorp species every now and again.  I actually really appreciate the concern (I don't want to give a hobby I've been in for most of my life a bad name, and I sure as hell don't want a family member to die because of my indiscretion).  I also understand your decision not to keep any hot species with a five year old son around. *Insert Murphy's law here...*  My sis knows better than to open any of the cages I have, but I'm not giving her the option either way.

Kindest regards,

Kevin P.

_edited for continuity error_


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## dotdman (Jul 7, 2004)

errit said:
			
		

> I have read that somebody has fed His parabuthus T. with a black widow spider. Isn´t that dangerous for the scorpion as well?


 My P. transi had no problem taking down a black widow, as it was considerably smaller than the scorp and wasn't web bound.  But you won't see me putting my P. transi in a Lat mac cage full of webbing to feed it lunch.


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## dotdman (Jul 7, 2004)

George Carnell said:
			
		

> yea, u could rest a pencil on a bw web!
> so damn strong


 We have black widows to no end around here, so I always keep several of them every year (I've been keeping them since I was 6 and they still manage to amaze me...).  I'd say that some of the webs I've seen could hold up quite a bit more than a pencil.  And speaking of webs, I was walking through the woods last summer and found a rather largish female Lat mac with a web roughly a foot in height, three feet wide, and four feet long.  I had never seen anything like it in my life.  I don't know how practical it was for the spider, but it impressed me.

Kindest regards,

Kevin P.


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## Stormcrow (Jul 22, 2004)

I experienced a similar problem with A.australis and A.bicolor, both weren't completely inactive or a pet rock so to say, being nocturnal they were active late at night but as soon as I turned on a light, the scorpions were gone like greased lightning back under their scrapes. Daylight hours, forget about it, they are truly pet rocks that hid under the bark throughout the whole day. 

Leiurus quinquestriatus is entirely different manner, I have tapped the glass, shown flashlights on it, even removed the lids a few occassions without causing it to get flighty. Of the Old World Buthids of Africa, the least shy species I have ever owned were Lq and Parabuthus transvaalicus, that's not taking into account Hottentotta. But Leiurus quinquestriatus are a pure joy once their nocturnal behavior kicks in. Not the least bit shy and put on a great show.

Scorpions and Widow schematic:

Scorpion vs Widow sans Cobweb= Not a chance, scorpion entree!

Scorpion vs Widow in Cobweb= Not a chance, Widow slurp bag!


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## leiurus (Jul 23, 2004)

I tought A. australis were active scorpions :? . My Hadrurus spadix is always out of its burrow, its amazing! I've never tried to feed it a spider. 

Dom


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## Cooper (Jul 24, 2004)

I don't usually tell many people around here this(for obvious reasons), but I am 14(almost 15) and own an A. Bicolor. I take all the precautions possible(locks, etc.) and have tremendous respect for the animal.


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## carpe scorpio (Jul 24, 2004)

Cooper said:
			
		

> I am 14(almost 15) and own an A. Bicolor. I take all the precautions and have tremendous respect for the animal.


To hear that someone as young as you are, is that serious about safety, gives me hope for the future of our hobby.


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## Stormcrow (Jul 24, 2004)

At one time I had just under a dozen A.australis, they're nocturnally active all right, but any slight disturbance sends they fleeing back to their scrapes. Most notably switching on the light in the room in which they were kept, nonetheless they would be at the entrance of the burrow, but until that lamp went back off, no more nocturnal meanderings for the rest of the evening. Androctonus in fact are the most flighty scorpion species I have ever kept.


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## Nazgul (Jul 24, 2004)

Stormcrow said:
			
		

> Scorpions and Widow schematic:
> 
> Scorpion vs Widow sans Cobweb= Not a chance, scorpion entree!
> 
> Scorpion vs Widow in Cobweb= Not a chance, Widow slurp bag!


Hi,

here´s a nice picture of a proof of this schematic: http://www.geocities.com/calwolf24/images/research/widow_scorp1.jpg

Greetings
Alex


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## fusion121 (Jul 24, 2004)

Stormcrow said:
			
		

> At one time I had just under a dozen A.australis, they're nocturnally active all right, but any slight disturbance sends they fleeing back to their scrapes. Most notably switching on the light in the room in which they were kept, nonetheless they would be at the entrance of the burrow, but until that lamp went back off, no more nocturnal meanderings for the rest of the evening. Androctonus in fact are the most flighty scorpion species I have ever kept.


Very much so, its impossible to watch my young A.Australis unless you sit patiently for hours making no move with the lights off, its interesting that they seem to memorise the location of hiding places, four in my 45cmx20cm, and will always scramble to the closest one.


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## Stormcrow (Jul 24, 2004)

Thanks for sharing that awesome pic Alex. Yesterday afternoon on the National Geographic Channel, they have a  program called Nature's Nightmares (which usually focuses on predators, pests, nocturnal creatures, creepy crawlies, etc) had a episode called "Micro Monsters". I had missed the first 20 minutes or so, but I had flipped the channel at a most opportune moment because they were discussing true spiders and all the adaptations the aranae developed silk. Well it eventually focused mainly on the comb-footed order of spiders and show a clip of a Black Widow snaring and fatally envenomating a small-medium sized Old World Buthidae.  Fantastic footage!

Ditto Fusion, I have even rearranged my collection so the Androctonus were as far away from the lamp as possible and it helped in small insignificant ways. Mainly due to the fact once a A.australis detects a foreign presence, it is basically gone from sight instantly.


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## Chase (Aug 2, 2004)

Well, I'd like to say that some people should definatly not have 'hot' invertebrates. When I was 13, I was breeding P. transvaalivus, and Androctonus sp. For these species, I had seperate enclosures, made out of plastic - with a locked lid and decent sized wholes on the lid (Slid in/out). This gave me the insurance, if you will, that if this enclosure took a fall, it would not break. It would not be unlocked without my permission, and the dangerous species inside would not be able to escape without myself unlocking it. It was about 1' by 1' and ran me around $50 - but it was and still is a great investment. I am now almost 16 and am going to start collecting these animals within a month, right in time for the move into the new house. 

Cheers,
Chase


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## alex (Aug 2, 2004)

Keeping hot at an age of 13! I don't understand how your parents letting you have such venomous species.


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## Cooper (Aug 2, 2004)

I can understand, so long as you are responsible, know what you are doing and take all the possible safety problems and then some, you 'should' be fine. There is always a risk.


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