also worried about my AFS

[d cain]

I'm new to keeping scorpions and tarantulas because I had recently adopted two into my home. The tarantula I had was a pink toe tarantula and she ended up dying after contracting what seemed like a parasitic infection. I don't have pictures of what she looked like and we never figured out what she exactly had but she lost a leg during a molt, refused to eat for weeks, couldn't walk evenly, and most notably her eyes appeared extremely swollen and red/pinkish which i couldn't find any photos online that even closely replicated that within the same species.

As I'm sure you'd be able to tell, i'm very scared that since I got the scorpion from the same person he might have whatever infection she had before she passed away. I tried keeping both of their environments perfect. steady humidity, temperature, keeping it clean from the shells of food they eat, etc. But i'm scared despite my best efforts he might also be sick.
It's possible I'm just paranoid but he seems very fat/swollen to me, can anyone tell me if he had any signs of illness or if i'm overfeeding him? I try to feed him once a week since that's what it was saying the minimum should be on the care sheets I was looking at but i'm not sure.
I'm not an expert as i'm sure most of you are so please be kind to me if i'm doing something wrong. I'm aware not all care sheets are correct but I tried to make sure I didn't take anything with petco level of credibility when it came to her/his care.
photos (note that they're taken with flash because of my poor lighting):

I will be stalking this thread. Feel free to ask any questions or ask for any photos. My closest exotic pet vet is over an hour and a half away. I'm willing to take him if anyone deems it necessary for him to get full recovery but if it's a common illness (or not an illness at all) i'd rather care for him myself.
Thank you for taking time to read/ help :"-)!

 

[cold blood]

The tarantula I had was a pink toe tarantula and she ended up dying after contracting what seemed like a parasitic infection. I don't have pictures of what she looked like and we never figured out what she exactly had but she lost a leg during a molt, refused to eat for weeks, couldn't walk evenly, and most notably her eyes appeared extremely swollen and red/pinkish

Well a t doesn't have the means for swelling...I have never heard anything like your description...pics would be vital.

I tried keeping both of their environments perfect. steady humidity

Well this is probably what did in your Avic. That steady humidity is a death trap for an avic...they need things predominantly dry with lots of ventilation....an AFS should be kept very differently than an Avicularia.

It's possible I'm just paranoid but he seems very fat/swollen to me,

Well it could be just ready to molt...but IMO that scorp looks gravid...I would expect little ones piled on her back at some point.

I'm aware not all care sheets are correct

No, all care sheets are INcorrect. Never read care sheets...like ever.

My closest exotic pet vet is over an hour and a half away.

A vet is useless with regards to arachnids...a vet isn't even something to consider IMO.

but if it's a common illness

Arachnids don't just get sick in the fashion that mammals do.

 

[d cain]

@cold blood Thank you so much for responding. I cant change back time to show you what she had looked like but she was in a very scary condition before she passed. Im really sad to hear that the humidity I tried to maintain for her probably just hurt her in the end but i have no plans on getting any tarantulas again after loosing her so soon. I guess that's what i get for trying to use a sheet :"-). Im not sure how she would have gotten pregnant because I was told she was housed alone but I wouldn't be surprised at this point if that was also wrong. I was told that she was a male but after looking up how to sex scorpions from their flaps it looks like you may have called her being a girl without even needing to see her belly.

I didn't realize online care sheets were also unreliable but where would i find good information on how to keep her comfortably? Also do you know any sources where i can learn about how to keep their environment when molting or pregnant? You don't have to dig for me if you don't feel like it or don't have the time I just figured I'd ask.
Also thank you so much in advanced for going through and telling me what was incorrect about my original post. I tried posting about them on a couple other sites but never got any helpful feedback and was advised to go to a vet. Im glad she doesn't look obviously malformed or sick though in your opinion other than the possibility of her being pregnant. Im just scared after what happened.

 

[cold blood]

I will let others with a ton more experience help you with the scorps, I am more of a t guy...I just keep a few scorps on the side, AFS being one of them...but if its gravid, just keep it warm and on damp sub with a hide and room to burrow...just like you normally would.

As for ts, they're much easier than your original attempt would suggest....in fact, had you done a whole lot less, it may still be here...maybe not if it was WC and carrying parasites. But give it another go, just go with one of the good beginner terrestrials, they're pretty much bulletproof. IMO ts are more interesting than scorps...but that isn't to say scorps aren't interesting.

 

[Scorpionluva]

I'd say your scorp looks relatively healthy but I'd also add if it is indeed Gravid it is along way off from birthing
the pleural membrane and tergites would be more noticeably stretched out if it were Gravid for sure but I can't confirm if it is in fact a male or female
pectine shots (flaps ) would greatly help determine that and I'm sure someone here can positively ID which species it is H petersii seems to be the most common AFS in the hobby anymore

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

No, all care sheets are INcorrect. Never read care sheets...like ever.

That's good advice. It oughta be included in a care sheet.

 

[darkness975]

@cold blood Thank you so much for responding. I cant change back time to show you what she had looked like but she was in a very scary condition before she passed. Im really sad to hear that the humidity I tried to maintain for her probably just hurt her in the end but i have no plans on getting any tarantulas again after loosing her so soon. I guess that's what i get for trying to use a sheet :"-). Im not sure how she would have gotten pregnant because I was told she was housed alone but I wouldn't be surprised at this point if that was also wrong. I was told that she was a male but after looking up how to sex scorpions from their flaps it looks like you may have called her being a girl without even needing to see her belly.

I didn't realize online care sheets were also unreliable but where would i find good information on how to keep her comfortably? Also do you know any sources where i can learn about how to keep their environment when molting or pregnant? You don't have to dig for me if you don't feel like it or don't have the time I just figured I'd ask.
Also thank you so much in advanced for going through and telling me what was incorrect about my original post. I tried posting about them on a couple other sites but never got any helpful feedback and was advised to go to a vet. Im glad she doesn't look obviously malformed or sick though in your opinion other than the possibility of her being pregnant. Im just scared after what happened.

If your Heterometrus spp. is indeed gravid you should refrain from taking it out of its Enclosure. Actually it's not good to do that anyway.

Keep it warm and humid and let it burrow to its heart's content.

Offer food weekly and remove it when not eaten.

Regarding your Avic spp. @cold blood is right in that a moist stuffy cage with stagnant air is a likely culprit in its demise.

 

[Scorpionluva]

IMO ts are more interesting than scorps...but that isn't to say scorps aren't interesting.

I find scorps more interesting but they always caught my interest before T's did and I only have 3 T's to base my opinion on also (3 C. versicolors)

I do love the colors on my C versicolors and their attack on a dubia but mostly they hide which is why they kinda don't grab my attention but I'm all ears for 1 that may get my attention more
I absolutely love how some scorps especially uroplectes olivaceus get so excited when eating they look like a tumbleweed rolling across the substrate with claws hooked in and telson still jammed down in its food lol

What other species do you keep besides an AFS ?

 

[cold blood]

I absolutely love how some scorps especially uroplectes olivaceus get so excited when eating they look like a tumbleweed rolling across the substrate with claws hooked in and telson still jammed down in its food lol

This pretty much describes the takedowns of hundreds of tarantula species....barrel rolling attacks and unbridled enthusiasm for prey.

What other species do you keep besides an AFS ?

Resized952016101595154829

• cold blood
• Oct 15, 2016
• 5

B jacksoni

20170516225841_IMG_3405

• cold blood
• May 18, 2017

Uronoctus sp.

I am terrible with their names...first was African, and super cool, the second is a species from California...it was boring and like a rose hair version of scorp.

I find scorps more interesting but they always caught my interest before T's

Same here...I always wanted scorps as a kid...never wanted a t, ever.....I based by opinion (and that's all it is) on my experiences with them both.

Like I said, scorps are pretty cool, especially when they give birth and all pile on mom...Its just my opinion that ts are more interesting overall.

 

[Scorpionluva]

This pretty much describes the takedowns of hundreds of tarantula species....barrel rolling attacks and unbridled enthusiasm for prey.

Resized952016101595154829

• cold blood
• Oct 15, 2016
• 5

B jacksoni

20170516225841_IMG_3405

• cold blood
• May 18, 2017

Uronoctus sp.

Like I said, scorps are pretty cool, especially when they give birth and all pile on mom...Its just my opinion that ts are more interesting overall.

Oh I wasn't calling you out for your opinion on T's being more interesting just merely trying to see what caught your interest more so with T's than scorps

id probably be more interested in T's also if i saw my T's do a takedown as you described ( mine just take off quick and CHOMP )
perhaps you can suggest a better choice than my versicolors just for that reason as I'd love to see a T have a rolling wrestling match with it's food lol

Your 1st pic appears to be babycurus Jacksoni ( really fun species especially when young) I love how they walk around wearing their food as a hat and many of them do the tumbleweed roll also at young instars

The 2nd pic I have no clue what species it is but I'm sure someone here could tell you if you really wanted to know

 

[cold blood]

Oh I wasn't calling you out for your opinion

I did not take it in that manner at all.

just merely trying to see what caught your interest more so with T's than scorps

That's all I was explaining.

perhaps you can suggest a better choice than my versicolors

Well arboreals can't really be that crazy with attacks as it would lead to falls...which wouldn't really be a good idea. But most of the larger faster growing terrestrials would apply...G. pulchripes, Nhandu species, geniculata, even some of the faster growing dwarves like N. incei and even P. scrofa are crazy enthusiastic with prey. Barrel roll attacks are almost common with faster prey items like crickets.

Your 1st pic appears to be babycurus Jacksoni

I do believe that is exactly what it was.

The 2nd pic I have no clue what species it is

It was believed to be a Pseodonoctorous (sp?)species...which one I would never pin down exactly....it was given to me as glimmemei, but I was told that may not have been correct. Sorry I likely butchered those spellings...lol.

 

[darkness975]

Hadrurus spp. , Androctonus spp., Leuirurus spp., all have fun prey takedowns

 

[Scorpionluva]

I did not take it in that manner at all.

That's all I was explaining.


Well arboreals can't really be that crazy with attacks as it would lead to falls...which wouldn't really be a good idea. But most of the larger faster growing terrestrials would apply...G. pulchripes, Nhandu species, geniculata, even some of the faster growing dwarves like N. incei and even P. scrofa are crazy enthusiastic with prey. Barrel roll attacks are almost common with faster prey items like crickets.

I do believe that is exactly what it was.
It was believed to be a Pseodonoctorous (sp?)species...which one I would never pin down exactly....it was given to me as glimmemei, but I was told that may not have been correct. Sorry I likely butchered those spellings...lol.

Cool
I Will definitely give 1 or more of the species you listed a try and if you ever want to expand your scorp collection I can always help ya with a specie that may help spark your interest more
I currently keep 20+ species of scorpions and most are because of their coloration , feisty attitude and liveliness or a combo of all 3 ( I'm not big on "pet hole" scorps myself ) lol