Emperor not eating

[Boss-D]

Hi. I am a NOOB. Just got new emperor scorpion 2 days ago. Pet store owner said he ate a few days before. But he does not hunt down or eat the cricket in his tank at night. I took out the cricket next morning. Scorpion is kind of big, and cricket small. I heard its normal for Emperor scorpon to sometimes not eat for a while after moving to a new home. How long until its a problem?
My tank: 50cm by 30cm. 70% humidity, temp 25C. Coconut husk subsrate. He has hiding space as well. Thanks.

 

[Mr. Mordax]

These guys can fast for months. No worries.

Mine ate the day I got them, but they didn't get settled in for about a week or so. Now they rarely eat.

Good luck with your new buddy, and welcome to the boards!

 

[Thaedion]

I'd bump up the temps to around 30° and humidity up to high 80%. Is the tank covered? Keeping it covered with Plexiglas or cellophane wrap will keep the humidity in and high. Is your substrate deep? The deeper the substrate the better, they like to burrow, 10 CM ± is a good depth.

As far as not eating don't worry too much, raising the temps and humidity will help. Their metabolism is regulated by heat. Also they can go several months without eating / refusing food. They should eat when they are hungry. Make sure to remove any crix and crix parts from the tank so carrion mites do not accumulate.

 

[JungleGuts]

its common dont worry about it...as long as your temps/humidity are in the 80's your fine.

 

[Xie]

My scorp wouldn't eat for about 2 weeks after I brought her home from the pet store. Even after that she only fed once a week for about 2 months, then started voraciously pigging out on everything I put in her enclosure. Including a mouse. A week after her big meal, "last night" she gave birth. I've talked to a few people who got there scorps from a pet store and quite a few got ones who were already preggers. I don't know if yours could be or not, but I figured from one noob to the next I'd share with you what happened in my case.


And yes my scorp took out a mouse it was cool to watch. (not totally full grown) The odd thing was that my scorp just devoured it's head and left the rest.... I'm not sure if thats normal or not. But I feed mine crickets, baby mice and worms. I'd say just keep offering food and it'll eat once its hungry. Or else may be try feeding it with a tweezers.

 

[Boss-D]

Thanks

thanks for the useful. I might slightly raise the temp/humidity a little.
My substrate is about 3cms deep. Might increase the depth a little next time I clean out the tank. I have a lid on the tank, but with many holes.
I will get a small heat pad to put on the side (cover just half of the tank to create gradient). He is active at night and still looks healthy.
Will give him another gut loaded cricket in a day or 2.
Thanks! Will post pics soon.
D

 

[~Abyss~]

3cm is nothing. Emperors like to burrow, I have mine in about 7 inches.

 

[mrbonzai211]

make sure to not over feed him. they get really fat really quickly

 

[JungleGuts]

3cm is nothing. Emperors like to burrow, I have mine in about 7 inches.

i wish i could see my emps burrow...they always use their hide

 

[~Abyss~]

i wish i could see my emps burrow...they always use their hide

I hate them burrowing makes it hard for those two times a year I actually clean up. I made a few man made burrows that I can access my self if I need to remove the scorpions. I just recently redecorated my tank (and cleaned it) I'll post some pics whenever I get home. I use the store bought logs and angled it into the ground lined in the substrate so that it stays even more humid down there as oppose to the ground level. And also dug two holes and angled some flat rocks into the dirt creating another hide/burrow. It works great there not burrowing any more and I can access them for whatever reason. It also has made a lot more active, before I would only see them out at night occasionally but now they all roam every night. Might be due to the fact that their burrows entries are now big enough to enter and leave whenever instead of their old ones where only one could fit at a time. So if the one near the entry felt like staying home they would all stay home.

 

[emmille]

hmmm...

mine too is not eating 3 weeks already & i'm kind of worried but they said it's normal...wish us luck....

 

[~Abyss~]

NORMAL. don't worry these scorps are know to fast for long periods of time.

 

[Thaedion]

mine too is not eating 3 weeks already & i'm kind of worried but they said it's normal...wish us luck....

All of my Pandinus and Heterometrus fasted over the winter for 3 to 4 months (12 to 16 weeks) they went with refusing food. I got to the point where I didn't even bother to buy crickets until the one had babies in Feb/Mar area

 

[beetleman]

my emps and malaysian forests always eat,i guess being in fla it's warm all the time,so they are always fired up,but if and when they do fast i know it's a normal thing that they do.pregnant etc.

 

[Boss-D]

substrate

Thanks for the tips. I increased the depth of the substrate. Little more humid too. He is still active at night and seems fine. I guess he will eat when he wants to. D

 

[Boss-D]

ate

hey all. Just letting you know, that my emperor scorpion just ate a cricket today So all is well. Will take pics soon.
D

 

[beetleman]

:clap: good deal!

 

[emmille]

All of my Pandinus and Heterometrus fasted over the winter for 3 to 4 months (12 to 16 weeks) they went with refusing food. I got to the point where I didn't even bother to buy crickets until the one had babies in Feb/Mar area

wow, that's nice. my heterometrus haven't gone fasting. they are really voracious eaters. i just hope my emp is like them because it's really thin....:?

@ Boss-D
Congratulations!!! :clap: :clap: :clap: