# Signs of Pregnancy



## JacenBeers (Dec 6, 2002)

I purchased my roommate Chris an Emperor Scorpion so he can keep a second one with his other one and this one was wild caught and it is massive. It is that fattest thing ever. How can I tell if it is pregnant or not?


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## AlbinoDragon829 (Dec 6, 2002)

Distended pleural membranes, and the underside of the scorpion will turn whiter over time up until birth.


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## JacenBeers (Dec 6, 2002)

WHat is a pleural membrane>?


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## AlbinoDragon829 (Dec 7, 2002)

They're kind of like the scales on the back.  They will extend a little bit and you will begin to see a little bit of white space.


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## skinheaddave (Dec 7, 2002)

Jacen,

In the end, with emps all you will see is that they get incredibly fat vs. how fat they should be from eating.  With some of the lighter species you can actualy see the young in the later stages of gravidity. 

Cheers,
Dave


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## JacenBeers (Dec 7, 2002)

I wonder if it is pregnant. It is huge and you can see white spaces.


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## skinheaddave (Dec 7, 2002)

Jacen,

How often has your roommate been feeding it?  If it hasn't been overfed then yes, it is probably gravid.  Have you checked to make sure it is a female?  That's often cited as a factor in pregnancy.

Incidentaly, most WC emperor females are caught gravid as a result of their long gestation period.

Cheers,
Dave


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## kellygirl (Dec 7, 2002)

> _Originally posted by skinheaddave _
> * Have you checked to make sure it is a female?  That's often cited as a factor in pregnancy.*


LOL  =D =D =D

but yeah, i was wondering the same thing as i saw a rather bloated emp scorp the other day at the pet store.  not that i feel ready for one scorpion, much less many!  but it never hurts to learn, right?

that is so cool about being able to see the young in the lighter species of scorpion... so does the 'white space' thing happen with them too or is there some other way of telling if they're gravid?

kellygirl


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## skinheaddave (Dec 8, 2002)

Kellygirl,

You know you want a scorpion.  Well, maybe you don't know it yet -- but keep talking to me and I guarantee I'll sell you on it. 

As for what a gravid scorpion looks like, check out the Barbamama thread.  You can see the solid plates of chitin and the much more flexible membranes.  The colour of that membrane will vary somewhat,  from gray through to pretty much white on some species.   

Cheers,
Dave


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## Gillian (Dec 8, 2002)

> _Originally posted by skinheaddave _
> *Kellygirl,
> 
> You know you want a scorpion.  Well, maybe you don't know it yet -- but keep talking to me and I guarantee I'll sell you on it.
> ...


He knows what he's talking about, Kelly. It worked for me. And then, I got a Desert Hairy from mebebrez...


Peace,
Gillian


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## AlbinoDragon829 (Dec 8, 2002)

> _Originally posted by skinheaddave _
> *You know you want a scorpion.  Well, maybe you don't know it yet -- but keep talking to me and I guarantee I'll sell you on it. *


Same here, but for pedes ;P 

Oh, and if/when you get a scorpion, don't get an emperor unless you are a patient person.  Although since you have tarantulas, you may yet have some patience instilled in you already.  I had an emperor and it bored me because it would just sit there and wait for it's prey unlike other species of scorpions...  Plus emperors are not big fans of using their telson.


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## kellygirl (Dec 12, 2002)

> _Originally posted by AlbinoDragon829 _
> *They're kind of like the scales on the back.  They will extend a little bit and you will begin to see a little bit of white space. *



i was in the pet store today and they have 3 emp scorpions in together and one of em is DEFINITELY gravid.  i debated buying her but then i thought "nah, scorpions still creep me out!"

kellygirl


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## JacenBeers (Dec 12, 2002)

Chris doesnt feed his scorpions that much because he doesnt want them to get bloated. The really fat one is wild caught and we are sure it is female. I hope he gets lots of babies cause then he said he would give them to me.


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## skinheaddave (Dec 13, 2002)

> _Originally posted by kellygirl _
> *"nah, scorpions still creep me out!*


Kelly, Kelly, Kelly.  That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  Scorpions are the coolest of God's creatures by far.  You ought to check them out.

Cheers,
Dave


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## kellygirl (Dec 13, 2002)

but is starting with a gravid one a good idea?  ugh... i'm so scared of them!!!  i'm really trying.  really i am.

kellygirl


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## kellygirl (Dec 13, 2002)

> _Originally posted by skinheaddave _
> *Kelly, Kelly, Kelly.  That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  Scorpions are the coolest of God's creatures by far.  You ought to check them out.
> 
> Cheers,
> Dave *


hey wait a sec!  you acknowledged God!  you even capitalized His Name--a sign of respect!    just teasing, shd.

kellygirl


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## skinheaddave (Dec 13, 2002)

Hehehehe.  I like being civil -- once a year.   Twice this year, but I've resolved not to be civil at all next year.

Starting with a gravid one may or may not be a good idea.  Raising the young isn't that hard and it is one of the more facinating aspects of scorpion biology.  Plus, you can always trade the young for something else.  On the other hand, if they are going to creep you out, then it may not be the way to go.

Cheers,
Dave


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