# Hottentotta judaicus - Communal Setup



## Fauxshow (Jan 28, 2008)

This is my first attempt at an honest-to-goodness enclosure.  I still have a lot to learn, any suggestions re: this species or other desert species would be greatly appreciated!

16 Hottentotta judaicus (unsexed, but 1-2 appear to be gravid)
122x46x33 cm (48x18x13 in) acrylic
4 x 100W IR bulbs (w/ intensity control)
28/33C (82/92F) night/day w/ photo-period
1.5 cm peat, 2 cm sand top-layer





































Female?


















*Feeding:*






This one prefers dark meat, I guess:






Dunked:






*Crowding:* (not an issue, apparently)













*Spermatophores:* (found 4 in one night)


















I've learned a lot in the past 2 months.  A HUGE pound-pound to all my scorpion nerds!


----------



## bluefrogtat2 (Jan 28, 2008)

*awesome*

great pics,jealous,one of my favorite scorps
andy


----------



## kupo969 (Jan 28, 2008)

You have an AWESOME setup, can't be any better. So far it looks like they're doing more than fine. Good luck!


----------



## ThrillKill (Jan 28, 2008)

Wow, that is a crazy setup, I'm jealous!!!


----------



## Mr. Quick (Jan 28, 2008)

Your pics are so good, it looks like your scorpions actually pose for the camera....


----------



## evilarachnid (Jan 28, 2008)

Very,Very Nice set up!!!!:clap: :clap: great pics also:worship:


----------



## Fauxshow (Jan 28, 2008)

Thanks for all the comments!!!  I haven't been in the hobby long enough to have a favorite species but these guys have set the bar pretty high.  Even my wife is down with them...and she used to HATE scorpions.  Besides something nice to look at, the goal is to get babies, babies, and more babies!


----------



## Trexer (Jan 28, 2008)

Thats totally awesome mate , lovely set ups and nice scorpions , i wish my emperor was a bit more active, i never see him unless i lift up the peice of cork he lives under lol


----------



## mitchell allen (Jan 28, 2008)

great set-up and beautiful scorp's, do u keep those lights on 24/7 ?


----------



## Fauxshow (Jan 28, 2008)

mitchell allen said:


> great set-up and beautiful scorp's, do u keep those lights on 24/7 ?


Thanks man!  The 2 outer lights switch off at night.  They tend to follow the heat...in this case, right over the flat-rock at night **wink wink** ... if you get my drift.


----------



## ~Abyss~ (Jan 28, 2008)

Nice set-up I cant see them on this computer but I took a look at them from school earlier. Awesome species. I admit I am a bit jealous.
Eddy


----------



## P_e_a_R (Jan 29, 2008)

Gorgeous!

It's amazing that setup!


----------



## mkieff (Jan 29, 2008)

Amazing setup...   I really like it, wish I had the space for something like that.


----------



## R.W. (Jan 29, 2008)

I want one!:drool: :drool: :drool: 

Do you happen to have slighlty more detailed list of materials. If you don't mind I might try to build something like this. With all the credit for the idea going to you of course.


----------



## Fauxshow (Jan 30, 2008)

abyss_X3 said:


> Nice set-up I cant see them on this computer but I took a look at them from school earlier. Awesome species. I admit I am a bit jealous.
> Eddy


Whatever!  Well I'm just glad a SoCal scorp-magnate like yourself approves :worship:

-Chris


----------



## Fauxshow (Jan 30, 2008)

R.W. said:


> I want one!:drool: :drool: :drool:
> 
> Do you happen to have slighlty more detailed list of materials. If you don't mind I might try to build something like this. With all the credit for the idea going to you of course.


Something like this:
• 48x18x13" acrylic enclosure w/ mesh top, compliments of Big Apple Herp
• 35-40 lbs of red sand, some peat
• 24 flat rocks of varying size (BAHerp has a good price for a set)
• 9 small flower pots
• 1 saucer (used for flower pots)
• A set of fake rock barriers for gardening, coated with textured paint
• 4 100W bulbs (Ikea housings) with 2x dimmer switches
• A set of Ikea lights (w/ UV filter and dimmer switch)
• A couple of timers

It'd put the grand total (w/ tax & shipping) at ~$435-450.  Feel free to ask me anytime you have a question.

-Chris


----------



## Choobaine (Jan 30, 2008)

This is pretty incredible, nice work. I'm keeping a mental record in my head of your setup so when I have time, money and access to the species I can steal it  if that's allright by you. And it's not like me to steal ideas showing how nice yours is!


----------



## Brendan (Jan 30, 2008)

That, without a question, is the BEST setup I've ever seen.

VERY PROFESSIONAL! 

I'm sure your scorps are just LOVING their home.


----------



## Zdravko (Jan 30, 2008)

The setup looks amazing:worship: 
Beautiful and suitable for the scorpions:clap: 
For some time i'm interested in scorps and just want to ask, in such communal how it's possible to know if some of the animals do not feed regularly.
You just put some crickets in?  I suppose so... but I'm not  sure The scorpions know what they have to do to survive. But however, am I on the right path?:?


----------



## Fauxshow (Jan 31, 2008)

Zdravko said:


> The setup looks amazing:worship:
> Beautiful and suitable for the scorpions:clap:
> For some time i'm interested in scorps and just want to ask, in such communal how it's possible to know if some of the animals do not feed regularly.
> You just put some crickets in?  I suppose so... but I'm not  sure The scorpions know what they have to do to survive. But however, am I on the right path?:?


Thanks Zdravko!  Its not something you can closely monitor as you do with scorplings.  I usually drop 12-14 crickets in at night and VOILA.  No more crickets in the morning.  From time to time, a crick manages to delay the inevitable by squeezing in between flat rock but its only matter of time until a scorp finds him.

Anyway, my experience is that feed distribution works itself out just fine.  Perhaps if you did single out an under-nourished specimen, you could tong-feed?


----------



## Nich (Apr 21, 2008)

Hows the "colony" going? Im looking into these guys, and was wondering about canabalism with molts?


----------



## ~Abyss~ (Apr 21, 2008)

fauxshow said:


> Whatever!  Well I'm just glad a SoCal scorp-magnate like yourself approves :worship:
> 
> -Chris


Hehe, I just read this...i feel special now.
-Eddy


----------



## Fauxshow (Apr 22, 2008)

Nich said:


> Hows the "colony" going? Im looking into these guys, and was wondering about canabalism with molts?


Funny you ask  






The story:  I moved 6 gravid females to a separate enclosure, several of which were probably very hungry.  I haven't been home much - I neglected to feed them.  It turns out one of the "gravid" females was really in pre-molt.  A case of bad timing....

Anyway, somewhat atypical circumstances.  I've kept as many as 23 in a 23"x18"x13" enclosure with no issues.

-Chris


----------



## Tobarnis (Apr 22, 2008)

That's a really sweet setup.


----------



## Athlon2k2 (Apr 22, 2008)

I can't believe I just saw this post. Beautiful setup. I myself enjoy building elabrate enclosure not just "functional" ones. Sorry to here about your lose but like you said it was to be expected given the circumstance. 

-Dustin


----------



## Nich (Apr 22, 2008)

Talk about timing....sheesh


----------



## Dr Livingston (Jun 2, 2008)

What species are yours exactly and what species do yall think would be good for a beginners first colony? I really like your set up but do I need a 55gallon tank or can I use a smaller tank if I want a smaller colony?


----------

