breeding A. australis ?s

[CID143ti]

I’m considering setting up a breeding environment for A. australis. Are there certain months or time periods that I should introduce a male? Are any preferred methods of breeding them? Is there a minimal enclosure space requirement? I am aware that they are not very tolerant of neighbors so, should I allow the male to stay in the enclosure or should I should I introduce him for short time periods? Should I lower my daytime temp for a brief cooling period? Does A. australis breed through out the year or is there a usual breeding period? Should I follow and mimic African season changes or should I use my local season changes? Any information about breeding Androctonus spp would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

W. Smith

 

[XOskeletonRED]

I keep a male and female together in a ten gallon tank, but they don't stay anywhere near each other unless it's breeding time or they are on their way back to their burrows with dinner. I'm sure they would prefer a 20 long enclosure for the pair, but they can survive alongside each other as long as they are well fed and are fed food varieties. I allow temp drop at night with all scorpions and have never used any other methods, also noting a drop of temp even further for winter and cooler months. Commonly, scorpions tend to give birth, from what I have seen on wild caugh specimen which were already gravid, in the spring, early or late summer or fall. So, considering the gestation period, I would say A. australis commonly breeds during the spring and fall in their natural habitat. It's usually best to attempt as close to exact recreation of their natural environments. Upon introduction, they must be monitored to make sure they are not going to persistently fight. Different subspecies are prone to do this, in my experience and you don't want a male and female from the same breeding, so if they were purchased from the same person at the same time, they have quite a high chance of such. Supply them with smooth, dried wood, as well as a smooth stone so they have a harder ground to breed on (can be purchased at a pet store which had it brought in from the deserts and such). They also appear to prefer temps nearing the 90F range for giving birth and I have had them abort the young before while keeping the temp at the low to mid eighties. Just try out your own methods and see what works best for you. Take your time. There is no reason to be in a hurry and if you are, chances are, you will lose one of your scorps. You may also want to cross reference my material with the info from others and come up with a better idea that fits you better than either idea/s alone.

adios,
edw.

 

[CID143ti]

Thanks for sharing your information. Wow, I’m surprised that two can be kept in a ten gallon. I may try to introduce a male into the female’s enclosure. Yes, I do my best to recreate their natural habitat or as close to it as I can. Other than crickets, what prey items do you offer? My female A. australis still has not ventured out of her scrape. If it wasn’t those adventurous crickets, I don’t think she would eat. About the persistent fighting, what would you consider persistent fighting? I don’t think I’m a very accurate judge on this quality. I kept some H. spadix together and I lost one due to cannibalism and removed another due to a leg injury…I don’t think I had them together for a week. The A. australis enclosure already has a piece of bark and a couple large, smooth rocks. I’m really not in a rush; I just like doing research before starting a new project. I usually do a little of my own investigating before I ask for others opinions and tips. I like a little background info so I can start asking questions.
Thanks again,

W. Smith

 

[skinheaddave]

My experience with A.bicolor is that they need a smooth surface much bigger in proportion to their own body sizes than other scorpions to breed. I don't know if A.australis is the same way.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[XOskeletonRED]

Thanks Dave. I didn't mention the size of the wood and stone in the enclosure. I'll say this much though. From a ten gallon. there is between 1/3 and 1/2 of the sand surface showing and the rock covers quite a large portion, as well as the fact that I have quite a large piece of wood in there, which is also relatively flat, but with nice, smooth grooves. I offer wolf spiders more often than anything because I have them everywhere around me. I also offer the occasional moth, grasshoppers of two species, skinks, etc. First off, introduce the male to the female's enclosure, as seen with Ts (otherwise, the female will be stressed out). If the two go at fighting and do not break it up almost immediately, you can bet that the both of them are gonna be stubborn and wont back down too easy from each other. You'll want to monitor this instance. If they start fighting and you see stings become involved, you can separate them for a few days (I use an item to split the two of them enough so they can't attempt to sting each other and I keep an eye on reactions for a short while after). They have tendencies to settle down after their first few run ins, but you'll definitely want to make sure the fights are of a breeding nature. Fastest way to find out is whether the male grabs the female's pedipalps and attempts to lead her at any given time. This usually occurs very soon after the male is introduced to the female's enclosure (at least in my exp. with more potent desert scorpions).


adios,
edw.

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