Cannibalism?

[JacenBeers]

My roommate has had two Emperors (P imperator) living together for quite a long time. The other day he woke up to find that the larger of the two had killed the one that was a bit smaller and started eating it. He left it in there and by the end of the day the smaller beast was all gone except for its telson and its legs and claws.

Why did this happen?

 

[skinheaddave]

Could be several reasons including overcrowding, hunger etc. The minds of scorpions aren't exactly accessable to us, though, and often canabalism will occur in ideal conditions regardless of our best efforts. I went through two additional H.spinifer before I realized that my one female was killing them whenever she got gravid. From now on, she will be left in with just the male. Ultimately, it pays to remember that canabalism is the rule and cohabitation is the exception. While some species are very much exceptions, they don't entirely leave behind their predatory instincts.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[JacenBeers]

That is basically what I was thinking. I knew it could happen. I think that the smaller one was a male and that they mated and she killed him.

 

[Henry Kane]

Yep, like it's been said a hundred times, housing ANY invert communally is always a risk. It's always a shame when an invert suffers being eaten in proof of this.
Just curious, what led you to think they might have mated? That would be pretty neat if they did. Most c/b Emp offspring are the result of "already gravid" w/c specimens, no?


Atrax