considering getting a scorpion

Drmedic

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
3
As suggested I've done a fair amount of research on keeping a scorpion as a pet, how ever there still certain things I have a bit of trouble finding answers for, amoung others things. my main concern at this point is the feeding, keeping the feed alive easy? how often would you need to go out and buy the crickets or meal worms, how many would you get at one time.... ect. sure I can ask the people at the store but Imagine I'd prolly get better answers from people who own scorpions.

as suggested I've decided to search for an emperor scorpion. So I'm pretty much planning the habitat according to what people have suggest. My only concern however, the heat in my apartment isn't all that great, lot of the sources for information I've looked at say heating pads and lamps aren't required, room temp is fine, my apartment can get into the high 50s -mid sixties on a bad day so I feel a heating pad would be mandatory in this case considering the suggested temps, is the temp in my apartment going to be a serious problem? or will a heating pad compensate well enough.
 

Drmedic

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
3
right one more kinda dumb question i guess when misting the habitat.... take the scorpion out of the tank or is it safe to mist while the scorpion is still inside...
 

the toe cutter

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 20, 2010
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424
As for the food question, there are 2 ways to go about that! Either buying crickets weekly or setting up a breeding group/colony of crickets or roaches. Now an Emp is a pretty large scorp so crickets are fine, but a larger prey item may be a little better for him. And thats why I personally like roaches! The main issue you may have, and most do, is the concern of having roaches in your home! Also for just one scorpion its probably not the most efficient means of keeping food on the table.
So crickets are probably your best bet. You could buy a half dozen a week and that would be more than enough to suffice.
For the heat question, it sounds like you will more than likely need a heat source. And a heat pad will suffice pretty well, thats what I use for all of my scorps. Its generally a good idea to keep them between 75-85F and humidity of 70-80% I believe. A small water dish is also a good idea. Just make sure you get a heating element that can be controlled with a thermostat or other control device.
I hear that scorpions get very stressed when you mist them. Perhaps this is the case but I always felt removing them from the cage is far more stressful than a few squirts from a misting device. And usually I only mist them when they are under a hide anyway, so its not much of an issue really.
I hope that helps and I'm sure quite a few others will chime in as well with some experience.
 

Vfox

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 1, 2007
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I'd agree with much of what Toe said. For me I prefer roaches as feeders as well but then again I keep like 9 species of roach as pets and feeders alike. I guess is boils down to what is easier. Is it running to the pet store once a week, or is it changing the fruit in a tank of Blaptica dubia roaches?

To me emps are easy to care for and good fun...but once they are comfortable be prepared to only see them once in a while. Mine burrow quite often under their hides and I only see them 1-2 times a week. They normally take the roaches and drag them in the hide with them too.

I honestly think I like my Hadogenes paucidens more because he is more visible and active. Granted he isn't as large or hardy as an emp, he is easily handled and docile. (don't tail a flatrock, they are delicate)
 

John Bokma

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
May 31, 2005
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486
I feed my emps mostly "superworms". They are extremely easy to keep, don't stink and I use them to "recycle" apple cores {D. Note that I recommend to cut of the heads of the "worms" (to avoid them disappearing into the substrate and/or eating a molting scorpion [1]).

Now and then I buy crickets to feed to my emps.


[1] I am quite sure they can do this, at least with small scorpions.
 

Drmedic

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 3, 2010
Messages
3
going out once a week to get the crickets shouldn't be that bad, maybe once I get use to it I'll look into other options, Thanks a lot for the advice =D, as far as the emperor getting comfortable and not really seeing him that much, I'm actually ok with that, least I'll know he's comfortable and I'm doing it right <I guess?>
 

MadDawg

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 27, 2010
Messages
3
Scorpion Info

Well emperor scorpions must be kept in 80-90 degrees and have humidity higher than 70%. I feed my scorpions mealworms, which are real easy to keep alive and cheap. Also I usually buy 40 large crickets, which will last 3-4 weeks. But with crickets they have to have a seperate place to live. Also you need to feed them. It is really cheap to do all that for your scorpion food (crickets and mealworms).
 

gromgrom

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
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Well emperor scorpions must be kept in 80-90 degrees and have humidity higher than 70%. I feed my scorpions mealworms, which are real easy to keep alive and cheap. Also I usually buy 40 large crickets, which will last 3-4 weeks. But with crickets they have to have a seperate place to live. Also you need to feed them. It is really cheap to do all that for your scorpion food (crickets and mealworms).
they can be kept cooler. and 90 is close to cooking them. hell i keep my androtunus at 70 degrees, sometimes 80 if i can stand it that hot in my room.
 

Vfox

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
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Sep 1, 2007
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they can be kept cooler. and 90 is close to cooking them. hell i keep my androtunus at 70 degrees, sometimes 80 if i can stand it that hot in my room.
I agree, I've never kept any of my scorpions at 90 degrees. A lot of people say it's best to keep them hot and humid but mine have never had an issue at like 70-80 and moderately humid. I used to use a false bottom tank but it promoted growth of unwanted molds in the substrate.

I keep everything I have under heat lamps and mist all but my desert species daily with a light mist. Right now my hottest tank are my emps and they are right around 78 or so. Everything else is about 72, my house is kept cool, around 66 so without the heatlamps my guys would be quite uncomfortable.

Just a note about day and night fluctuations however. If you want to know true temps find out where your invert is from and watch the weather morning noon evening and late night to get a good idea of how they should really be kept.
 
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