Baby Emp question

scorpionguy77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
45
My Emp brood just molted to second instars, some made it some didnt. The ones that did are very active. some stay on mom, some stay off mom. Now, I think they can eat at this stage but how do I go about it when they stay close to the mother who wont let me within a millimeter of them. I broke my butt to ensure they made it this far, I would hate to lose more of them to starvation when I have bought small crickets just for them to eat. Some have said the mother will kill for them, but I have seen no instance of this and she is a hog, lol. I even took a small cricket and put let it touch one of the baby's claws and its mouth and the baby just bee-lined up mommy's back. Any advice? Or will they still be okay til the next molt?
 

Roblicious

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 2, 2011
Messages
671
Just put a larger cricket or 2 in front of mom and see if she feeds them. She could just be hungry
 

scorpionguy77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
45
The only reason I haven't put a couple adult crickets in is because I know they will attack molting scorpions. But now that they are pretty much all molted out, is it safe to put a couple in and see what happens or are the babies still in danger, since some are more apt to wander the tank?
 

llamastick

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
155
You can feed them adult crickets with the heads crushed, or just pull off the limbs and mandibles. They'll eat recently-killed prey when young.
 

John Bokma

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 31, 2005
Messages
486
Yup, I recommend the same: kill the crickets. Even adults, in my experience, eat pre-killed if it's fresh. You can flick your finger against the head. It's not a fun thing to do (I still hate it), but it's either that, or starvation of your pets.
 

PitViper

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
201
When mine molted to second instar, they weren't hanging around the mother, so I took the mother out of the tank and removed all the babies, I think that would be your best bet.
 

Bayushi

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
1,236
In the past i have kept An brood of P imps in the same enclosure as the mother up to 4th instar. It was a small brood of 9 and i didn't lose a single baby to predation by crickets or each other during moults. I did pre kill crickets for them when they were 2i but from 3i on they hunted down their food.
 

scorpionguy77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
45
When mine molted to second instar, they weren't hanging around the mother, so I took the mother out of the tank and removed all the babies, I think that would be your best bet.

yeah, all but two are still on the mama. But I think this may be the avenue I go down tomorrow. I put in two live crickets about an hour ago, I will see how the mother acts or if there is any change. I would rather have them stay in with her as long as possible, but will not lose any to something I can prevent. The brood was 15 I think but I lost about 6 to bad molts and one just crawled off and died on its own still as a first instar.
 

PitViper

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
201
Yeah, I think I got 23 or so after they left the mom, last count 20 are left, one didn't make first instar to second and the other probably got cannibalized, they are catching food and all living in the same enclosure, its pretty cool when you look into their burrow and theres just 20 scorps in there.
 

scorpionguy77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
45
well I separated them from mom today, into individual containers. I used those take out 16 oz food containers since i work in a restaurant and they are easy access. They love it! BUT I used water bottle caps to ensure they had water and one of the babies fell in and couldnt get out. He is still alive I am assuming since his sting is still erect and I can see him slowly working his claws. I am keeping an eye on him. Will they usually survive something like this even if they seem to be lethargic after rescuing them? I would hate to go through all these flaming hoops to make sure I kept as many alive as possible and one die because I made a dumb mistake. I am making flavorless gelatin now for them to get water from to prevent this again.
 

llamastick

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 8, 2011
Messages
155
You don't need to use gel; just place a couple pebbles in the water dish. I doubt that 2i even need a dish, though. Just soak the substrate.
 

PitViper

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 1, 2009
Messages
201
Yeah I don't use gel, I have a decent sized water bowl in there tank for humidity, no pebbles or anything in it, haven't had any drown, have seen them drinking out of it, they also drink off the sides of the dish and the enclosure when I mist.
 
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