# is loud noise harmful to scorpions??



## Metallicaman999 (Jul 7, 2007)

im just wondering because  i listen to music a lot at high volumes  and the speakers are like 5 feet away from my two emps enclosure.


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## nikesh (Jul 7, 2007)

well i play my music loud all the time and my enclosure is right near my speakers and the scorps i have dont seem to be too fussed...i asked the guy at the placei bought em at and he goes they dnt hear well they feel vibrations...


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## Jaffster (Jul 7, 2007)

Metallicaman999 said:


> im just wondering because  i listen to music a lot at high volumes  and the speakers are like 5 feet away from my two emps enclosure.


If it's Metallica I wouldn't play it near your scorpions ;P


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## Metallicaman999 (Jul 7, 2007)

ha thanks well i guess i'll just leave it on full blast


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## dogeatdog (Jul 7, 2007)

I dont think theres a problem unless your music is shaking up his enclosure


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## Roxs (Jul 8, 2007)

The only senses scorpions have are touch (feeling vibrations) and a very good hearing (TheBigZoo.com see Emperor care sheet). Regular noise might not disturb them because an over all or distant noise doesn’t say danger. 
Have been looking around but cant find any thing else on how their hearing works. 

Mine doesnt seem to react to loud music either..


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## skinheaddave (Jul 8, 2007)

To understand a scorpion's "hearing" you need to consider what our hearing is.  In humans, vibrations enter the ear and cause little hairs in the cochlea to vibrate.  Depending on the frequency, different hairs are involved and the brain interprets this as sound.  Most of the time, these waves are transmitted through the air, but can be transmitted through water (when we are underwater) or, in the case of fairly low frequencies, through solid objects.  The ability of low frequencies to travel through solids so well is why you can stick your subwoofer anywhere in a room, but you need your higher frequency speakers to be pointing at you.

A scorpion doesn't have hearing in this same sort of sense -- but as you can see upon examining them, they do have a lot of "hairs".  These actually aren't hairs, of course, but are sensory structures that allow the scorpion to sense vibration.  There are also small slits called slit sensila that allow the scorpion to detect mechanical strain.  Using these sensory components, scorpions are incredibly adept at detecting vibrations coming through the ground.  They can even determine the direction by comparing wave timing among legs.  They are also sensitive to airborne vibrations.  Using their trichobothria (the much longer sensory hairs concentrated on their pedipalps), it is documented that they can catch prey in mid-flight by picking up on the airborne vibrations they cause.  So if you still insist on trying to catagorize scorpion senses based on the human model, the closest comparison would be to say that they have their inner ear spread out across the outside of their body.

Now what does this have to do with Metallica?  First off, there is no doubt that your scorpion percieves the music.  Unless you have its cage well isolated from the surface it is on, it probably picks up your footsteps when you enter the room, never mind ground-shaking bass.  Furthermore, there is no doubt that music that loud is going to cause vibrations in the glass of the enclosure and that will cause vibrations inside the tank.  So your scorpion is definitely going to be getting not only the bass (which is all your snakes might pick up) but also the trebble.

Fortunately, there is a thing called habituation.  People who live near train tracks quickly stop hearing the train.  Likewise, your scorpion probably quickly stopped interpreting the noise as a source of danger.  That being said, you have to realize that while you are playing the music that loud the scorpion cannot hunt properly and is gong to be severely inhibited when it comes to navigation.  All the little subtle signals it uses to go about its regular life are going to be completely lost.  Compare it to someone sticking an incredibly bright light in your face.  It will blind you completely, even if after hours and hours the initial discomfort goes away and you can focus on other things.  Eventually, when the light is turned off you should go through a recovery period and then be back to normal.  If the light is too bright, there may actually be damage and you may become permenently blind or otherwise impared.

Whether or not your music causes any permenent damage (possible, but nobody studies this sort of thing), it definitely is going to cause some stress to your scorpion.

It is up to you to determine the balance between the wellbeing of your charges and the other aspects of your life.  Recently, the scorpions on my desk have been subjected to Spoiler NYC at elevated volumes, but the bulk of my collection is at the other side of the house.

Cheers,
Dave

Reactions: Like 3


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## edesign (Jul 10, 2007)

well...I was going to say the same thing Dave did but not in nearly as much depth lol (good job Dave!). Move your scorpions away from your speakers, preferably away from high vibration areas, as it may cause undue stress. But yeah...what Dave said


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## ~Abyss~ (Jul 10, 2007)

yeah i was gonna post an answer until i read daves take on things then didn't bother. Anything else is just gonna sound like crap after that. Bravo Dave, Bravo.


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## BadBikaDamo (Jul 10, 2007)

If you are concerned, don't do it!


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## Metallicaman999 (Jul 12, 2007)

skinheaddave said:


> To understand a scorpion's "hearing" you need to consider what our hearing is.  In humans, vibrations enter the ear and cause little hairs in the cochlea to vibrate.  Depending on the frequency, different hairs are involved and the brain interprets this as sound.  Most of the time, these waves are transmitted through the air, but can be transmitted through water (when we are underwater) or, in the case of fairly low frequencies, through solid objects.  The ability of low frequencies to travel through solids so well is why you can stick your subwoofer anywhere in a room, but you need your higher frequency speakers to be pointing at you.
> 
> A scorpion doesn't have hearing in this same sort of sense -- but as you can see upon examining them, they do have a lot of "hairs".  These actually aren't hairs, of course, but are sensory structures that allow the scorpion to sense vibration.  There are also small slits called slit sensila that allow the scorpion to detect mechanical strain.  Using these sensory components, scorpions are incredibly adept at detecting vibrations coming through the ground.  They can even determine the direction by comparing wave timing among legs.  They are also sensitive to airborne vibrations.  Using their trichobothria (the much longer sensory hairs concentrated on their pedipalps), it is documented that they can catch prey in mid-flight by picking up on the airborne vibrations they cause.  So if you still insist on trying to catagorize scorpion senses based on the human model, the closest comparison would be to say that they have their inner ear spread out across the outside of their body.
> 
> ...


wow. thanks


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## John Bokma (Jul 12, 2007)

> it is documented that they can catch prey in mid-flight by picking up on the airborne vibrations they cause.


http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2006/06/18/centruroides-gracilis-eating-a-moth.html :-D


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## skinheaddave (Jul 12, 2007)

John Bokma said:


> http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2006/06/18/centruroides-gracilis-eating-a-moth.html :-D


Gracias, senior.  Now the next time you see a moth in an enclosure, throw in some Metallica and you have a paired trial.  

Cheers,
Dave


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## John Bokma (Jul 12, 2007)

Next time I wait a before I brush my teeth and put a camera on a tripod in front of the enclosure.


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## kellysaxez (Jun 4, 2014)

Well, that has to be one of the more well informed and thought out responses I've read yet. I am so glad you posted this, SkinheadDave :_)


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## Nightshades555 (Dec 31, 2021)

Just play everything up to the Black Album and they should be Ok. Sorry I had to say it,  (..and move em away from the speakers so they can actually take in the essence of Metallica in the thrash era)


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## Outpost31Survivor (Dec 31, 2021)

Nightshades555 said:


> Just play everything up to the Black Album and they should be Ok. Sorry I had to say it,  (..and move em away from the speakers so they can actually take in the essence of Metallica in the thrash era)


This thread is 14 and half years old.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Introvertebrate (Dec 31, 2021)

Justin Beiber at any volume has been known to kill scorpions.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 2


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## Craig73 (Jan 18, 2022)

I only have one and doesn’t mind Milli Vanilli as long as the track doesn't get stuck in and endless loop. 

I don’t watch a lot of tv or music without headphones.  I’d be more concerned about my snoring than anything else to be honest. Between me and the dog I sometimes question if it is truly nocturnal or if we keep it awake.

Reactions: Funny 1


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