[buthus] needing some help please!

[P_e_a_R]

hi guys. I'm Pedro from Portugal.
I’ve saw that fórum when i’ve been googling and i decide to register.

All my doubts are about a scorpion I have and i need to know more about him .
He is a buthus occitanus (or ibericus? what's the difference?) W.C.
His cage is a 30*20*15 cm box aprox. The substract is sand that i’ve collected where i’ve found the scorp.
I’ve been gave him to eat meal worms (tenebrio). I’ve saw him eating only one time, but the fact is that the mealworms desapear.

some questions:
>the cage is apropriate??
>the substract is correct?
>how frequenci may I spray the terrarium whit watter?
>how scorp drinks?
>the scorpion are constantly making holles on the susbtract... Is it normal?

I’ve more questions to do, but i will wait for answers to make the other questions.

I've also a snake, an 80cm pantherophis guttatus since about two years ago .

I hope I'll enjoy here.

Sorry my english! and thanks

 

[Ryan C.]

Hi Pedro,

I don't know the differences between B. occitanus and B. ibericus. But since the only reported sp. from Portugal is B. ibericus thats what your scorp should be.

>the cage is apropriate??
>the substract is correct?
>how frequenci may I spray the terrarium whit watter?
>how scorp drinks?

The enclosure size sounds fine, if anything it might be a little big. The sand is fine since that is what is was found on in the wild. As far as humidity, just replicate what the conditions are where it was found. You may provide a small bottle cap for it to drink.

>the scorpion are constantly making holles on the susbtract... Is it normal?

This sounds like burrowing behavior, which would be perfectly normal. Although you may want to pack down the substrate to make it stable enough to hold a burrow.


Cheers,
Ryan

 

[P_e_a_R]

Thanks for the answers, Ryan!

I've allready packed down the substract. He had made 3 holles. One under the bark and the other two, he made them on the corners os the box...

Ok, so, the humidity what you say if i spray the terrariun whenever rains outdoor?

When I could I'll put some shoots here of the scorp.

Need one opinion. What you think "babycurus jacksoni" for beginers?

 

[Ryan C.]

Hey Pedro,

No problem bro, I'm here to help.

The hole under the bark sounds like he is making a scrape. The other ones in the corners is him just rearranging his enclosure most likely.

You don't have to spray when it rains, I was just saying that try to keep the humidity in the tank the same as outside.

By the way, how big is he?


About B. jacksoni; They are a pretty hardy species that are not hard to take care of. Even though people don't usually recommend B. jacksoni to beginners, I think you will be fine. Just use common sense.


Cheers,
Ryan

 

[P_e_a_R]

Ok. I've hunderstanded.

So, the scorp I think that is maybe an adult, cause he's got about 6 or 7 centimeters...

Near to the place I've caught that, I've found today more two scorps and there are nearly the same size of mine.

Moderatelly understood portuguese people recommends me the B. jacksoni... But, are you any sugestions of species? (i dont like huge scorps like p. imperator. I like much more the kind of desert scorps)

Another question: Why can I know the sex of the scorpion?

really thanks for the help

 

[Ryan C.]

Hi Pedro,

Buthus ibericus get 6.5cm, so yours are adults.

The only way I know how to sex them would be by counting the pectinal teeth.

Males: 25-29
Females: 22-24


I'm not too great at suggestions. But I'm a huge fan of Hottentotta spp. which are extremely easy to care for, not to big(Most average around 5-6.5cm), and most are very nice looking IMO.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

[P_e_a_R]

Tks!

Ok, so, how can I count that teeth? I cant hold the scorp cause I'm afraid to be bitten... And it is very agressive... :S

I've found more 2 scorps but I dont care them to home! And that Buthus i have whit me, maybe I'll let him free when I buy another one (but CB), cause cautching animals in nature is not a good ideia cause of destruction of the habitats. In Portugal, every year, the forests are burnt anda that is so bad that the population of all anymal are decrease day after day :'( and I dont want to contribute to extinction of the species!

Maybe I'f I could reproduce this species I'll mantain them, reproduce and let they free, but I think that reproducing scorps are not so easy. I'm right?

Thanks for the help, and one more time, sorry my english!

PS: Certainly, I'll buy a 3cm baby of Babycurus Jacksoni. What food may I gave to him? Tenebrio?

PS2: My scorp are now eating a tenebrio under his bark

 

[SOAD]

Ola, tenebrios não são o alimento ideal, compre grilos(crickets) e os crie, vai ter melhores resultados, escorpioes preferem grilos.

 

[Rigelus]

Ok, so, how can I count that teeth? I cant hold the scorp cause I'm afraid to be bitten... And it is very agressive... :S

One of the simplest ways is to simply put the scorpion on a sheet of clean glass, place a container over it (to stop it running around) and then lift the glass up while you look at the bottom of the scorpion.
However counting pectine teeth can still be difficult like this, especially if the scorpion doesn't want top stay still.
Therefore the best thing to do (if you have a digital camera!) is to take a picture at a high resolution so that you can look at the enlarged picture on your computer. As long as the picture is sharp you shouldn't have any problems counting their teeth.

BTW.....B.ibericus is not that hard to breed and if you discover your scorpion is an adult female then theres a good chance that she already is gravid..

 

[P_e_a_R]

SOAD: Obrigado pela resposta. Ja tinha ideia que eles preferiam grilos, mas neste momento tenho uma cultura de tenebrios, e os grilos, quando comprados em algumas quantidades, sao dificeis de criar, existindo mesmo actos de canabalismo que acaba por arruinar a colonia, e o meu objectivo seria criar o alimento em casa! De qualquer das formas, é sempre uma ideia para por em practica com a aquisiçao de um novo escorpiao, e uma vez que este será libertado onde o encontrei e esta-se a alimentar muito bem com tenebrios (esta a comer duas larvas por semana (ainda so o tenho a duas semanas)), vou continuar com esta colonia. Anyway, sera que eles nao aceitam tambem bem as baratas? é mais facil de criar. Obrigado pela resposta!

Rigelus: I'll try to discover the sex os that scorp whe i've the opurtunity! thanks for the help!
If that ia a female, and, if they were gravid, how can I feed the scorplings?

 

[Rigelus]

If that ia a female, and, if they were gravid, how can I feed the scorplings?

One thing at a time mate.....................but for future reference, small scorpions= small food items, simple eh!

 

[Mr. Mordax]

PS: Certainly, I'll buy a 3cm baby of Babycurus Jacksoni. What food may I gave to him? Tenebrio?

Someone may have answered this in Portuguese, but I have 5 B. jacksoni and they love Tenebrio larvae (see my avatar). One is getting ready to molt right now.

 

[P_e_a_R]

Ola, tenebrios não são o alimento ideal, compre grilos(crickets) e os crie, vai ter melhores resultados, escorpioes preferem grilos.

translating for english:

Hi, tenebrio are not the ideal food, buy crickets and reproduce them, you'll have better results, scops prefere crickets!.

IHeartMantids: how big are your B. Jacksoni? I think they dont dislake tenebrio cause the buthus I mantain, is WC and feeds very good on tenebrio!

Riguelus: So, I can gave the scorplings small tenebrio larvae?

thanks you all for the help!

 

[P_e_a_R]

IHeartMantids: Your scorps are VERY beautifull!

 

[Mr. Mordax]

translating for english:

"Hi, tenebrio are not the ideal food, buy crickets and reproduce them, you'll have better results, scops prefere crickets!."

I have a hard time breeding crickets and they smell bad. I prefer tenebrio for small scorps and cockroaches for big scorps.

IHeartMantids: how big are your B. Jacksoni? I think they dont dislake tenebrio cause the buthus I mantain, is WC and feeds very good on tenebrio!

I have some 2nd and 3rd instar, and one will molt soon into 4th instar. Mine are CB. I also have a native WC scorp who likes tenebrio and crickets both.

IHeartMantids: Your scorps are VERY beautifull!

Thank you!

 

[P_e_a_R]

Tanks U guys. You are the best.

What is the temperature of terrarium that B. Jacksoni requires? May I ned heatment fonts?

 

[P_e_a_R]

Like I promisse, here are some pics of the Buthus Ibericus I mantain.

he's about 6/7cm.

 

[Rigelus]

I notice you call it a "he" despite not knowing it's sex. However judging by those pictures i would say that it is indeed a male.

Just look at those bulbous chelae..!

 

[P_e_a_R]

maybe, but I'll take the truth soon