AFS social behavior

[MiaPow]

I know I read that AFS can be kept communal but some owners have mixed feelings about this. I have two Scorpling AFS in the same enclosure both with their own hides. When I introduced both of them to the enclosure each one ran to separate hides and the following day I observed both in the same hide excavating under the cork bark. One scorpling is now on guard duty at the mouth of entrance just under the cork bark blocking and anytime I observe their activities I’m met with a charging scorpling while the other one continues to dig and tidy up the hide. When they aren’t digging and guarding they are right next to each other. No aggression to one another yet but will that end as they get older? Is this normal behavior for AF scorplings to work together and not bicker? Do AFS retain this cohabitation into adulthood or is it inevitable that they will eventually need to be separated to avoid infighting? They are so interesting to watch working together and I’d hate to separate them now.

 

[cold blood]

People adamantly claim theyre communal and get mad if someone says they arent.....but i had 5 siblings and now only have 2 that live seperately....they werent even that large when they started eating one another.

Just my experience anyway.

 

[MiaPow]

Im setting up a second enclosure to rehouse them separately. When I checked on them they have been really busy I know they burrow and dig but I didn’t think they excavated so much they really work so well together and took advantage of all 5 inch of substrate. I overturned the hide and they weren’t even under the hide but underground. The most aggressive of the two guards the entrances now and the other one continues to expand the tunnel. Lol I’m going to feel so bad when I remove one of them but it’s probably going to be for the best .

 

[Collin Clary]

Many (perhaps even all) Heterometrus species exhibit advanced sub-social behavior.

That being said, ALL scorpions are somewhat cannibalistic, and therefore while cannibalism is not necessarily common with Heterometrus species, it does occur from time to time. Typically this occurs with younger instars, however it does occasionally happen with older animals as well.

That does not mean that they can't be kept communally. They typically do quite well in groups.

 

[MiaPow]

I just separated them today felt a little bad they were working well together but one was much more aggressive then the other and trying to feed the less aggressive one proved difficult. I could barely feed it because the other baby would always be in the way of the entrance. I didn’t want them to start fighting over food because I’m not able to reach the other guy.

 

[NMWAPBT]

I'd imagine you would have run into a problem when one of them molted first. The other may have taken advantage of the others vulnerability and eaten it. Probably best that you split them up.

 

[cold blood]

@newscorpionowner, you dislike that I shared my experiences???

 

[newscorpionowner]

@newscorpionowner, you dislike that I shared my experiences???

I was reading these earlier on mobile and must have by mistake . Sorry!