Asian forest scorpion not moving

[Dlyexsia]

I just got my first scorpion and he seemed very defensive and active once I first got him. But it's been about a week and he spends most of his time in a hide, not moving even at night. He doesn't get as defensive when I open his terrarium, and seems lethargic. I've been keeping the humidity around 70%, and the temperature also hangs around 70, sometimes a bit colder. I was worried it was too cold so I've got a heating pad on the side of the enclosure but he doest seem to use it. Is it normal for him to be so chill?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Hiding a lot is not unusual, but there are a lot of issues with this enclosure that need to be addressed. As it stands, this is not appropriately set up for this animal, and that is very likely causing the animal a great deal of unnecessary stress.


1. CRITICAL: the substrate itself appears to be rocky and chunky - this is not good for burrowing or holding tunnels open. You'll need to replace the substrate. These animals need at least 4 inches (more is better) of deep packed soil or some mix of materials (like soil, coco coir, peat, etc) that can hold moisture well and will hold firm burrows without collapsing spontaneously. This substrate should be kept moist throughout at all times.
2. the plant pot you have in there is not an appropriate hide. These animals need to burrow down into the substrate where they can regulate their temperature and moisture, so any hides should be open at the bottom.
3. the wire mesh on the top should be partially covered to hold in moisture and reduce evaporation.

Your temperature is on the low end of their range but will not in itself cause problems in a healthy animal. The heat mat is fine and properly placed to create a temperature gradient. If the animal wants to be warmer, you will definitely see it staying on that side of the enclosure. It is best practice to have a thermometer placed between the glass and the heat mat or inside the enclosure against the glass where the heat mat touches it to ensure the contact surface doesn't get so hot that it will burn the animal.

 

[Dlyexsia]

Thank you for the quick reply! I will get the pot out of there and replace it with a piece of cork or wood. The substrate is actually lugarti tarantula substrate, which doesn't have any rocks but balls of dirt. Should I replace it with something else? It's about 2 inches deep right now, though I haven't seen him attempt to burrow, which may be due to the substrate. I've been keeping a hand towel covering half of the enclosures mesh top and spraying it with some water to keep up the humidity. Is the substrate and towel okay?

 

[Dlyexsia]

The lugarti blend has a "special blend of Sphagnum Peat Moss, extremely fine sand and Natural Clay". Is that okay? I'm also worried he could be stressed because I've handled him a few times. How often should I pick him up?

Thank you for the quick reply! I will get the pot out of there and replace it with a piece of cork or wood. The substrate is actually lugarti tarantula substrate, which doesn't have any rocks but balls of dirt. Should I replace it with something else? It's about 2 inches deep right now, though I haven't seen him attempt to burrow, which may be due to the substrate. I've been keeping a hand towel covering half of the enclosures mesh top and spraying it with some water to keep up the humidity. Is the substrate and towel okay?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Thank you for the quick reply! I will get the pot out of there and replace it with a piece of cork or wood. The substrate is actually lugarti tarantula substrate, which doesn't have any rocks but balls of dirt. Should I replace it with something else? It's about 2 inches deep right now, though I haven't seen him attempt to burrow, which may be due to the substrate. I've been keeping a hand towel covering half of the enclosures mesh top and spraying it with some water to keep up the humidity. Is the substrate and towel okay?

2 inches is not enough. If you mix in another 2-4 inches of regular topsoil or coco coir, and break up those lumps, then gently press the whole thing down, it should work better. You can make a starter burrow under a piece of cork bark to encourage it to burrow.

Towel covering the top is fine, that will help. Spraying is useless - it only moistens the top layer of substrate and quickly evaporates. Better off simply pouring water into the substrate to keep it moist. Most people just overflow the water dish a bunch to wet the substrate. An advantage of doing it that way (besides it being easy) is that the animal can choose to burrow closer or further from an area that is regularly moistened, which means you're giving it some choice that will allow it to self-regulate its conditions.

 

[Dlyexsia]

Thank you I will get him some additional topsoil. I'll also do that with his water dish. How often should I handle him without stressing him out?

2 inches is not enough. If you mix in another 2-4 inches of regular topsoil or coco coir, and break up those lumps, then gently press the whole thing down, it should work better. You can make a starter burrow under a piece of cork bark to encourage it to burrow.

Towel covering the top is fine, that will help. Spraying is useless - it only moistens the top layer of substrate and quickly evaporates. Better off simply pouring water into the substrate to keep it moist. Most people just overflow the water dish a bunch to wet the substrate. An advantage of doing it that way (besides it being easy) is that the animal can choose to burrow closer or further from an area that is regularly moistened, which means you're giving it some choice that will allow it to self-regulate its conditions.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Thank you I will get him some additional topsoil. I'll also do that with his water dish. How often should I handle him without stressing him out?

Honestly? Never. It’s always stressful for a scorpion to be handled. They don’t understand it, they don’t enjoy it, and it’s a threat to them. It’s your animal, so you must choose how you want to treat it, but if you ask most people who understand these animals, they’ll tell you that handling is never in the scorpion’s best interest.

 

[Dlyexsia]

Gotcha. I appreciate the help

Honestly? Never. It’s always stressful for a scorpion to be handled. They don’t understand it, they don’t enjoy it, and it’s a threat to them. It’s your animal, so you must choose how you want to treat it, but if you ask most people who understand these animals, they’ll tell you that handling is never in the scorpion’s best interest.

 

[krenemetcalfe]

Also, just to jump on th enclosure bandwagon, it an Asian Forest scorpion. So, think about what the encounter non an Asian forest floor. Google some photos and mimic that setting. It’s missing some leafy greenery, multiple cork bark hides and make just make it feel like “home.”

 

[Dlyexsia]

I took the advice you guys reccomened and filled his terrarium with more soil and gave him a large cork hide and gave some spots to burrow. He instantly is much more active! The soil is sitting right around 5-6 inches, and I plan on getting him some fake vegetation.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I took the advice you guys reccomened and filled his terrarium with more soil and gave him a large cork hide and gave some spots to burrow. He instantly is much more active! The soil is sitting right around 5-6 inches, and I plan on getting him some fake vegetation.

Much better. Keep it nice and moist and you should have a happy animal.

 

[The Snark]

Keep it nice and moist and you should have a happy animal.

I'm wondering if it would help if I moved a typical section of forest floor into a terrarium so people could see a cross section of AFS habitat?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I'm wondering if it would help if I moved a typical section of forest floor into a terrarium so people could see a cross section of AFS habitat?

Eh, I think you'll just confuse people, honestly. Conditions in nature aren't always possible or desirable to completely mimic in captivity, as you are well aware. Would be cool to see though