Emps and water

[Kali]

I have an immature male scorpion who i've never seen even near his water dish, but my mature female likes to soak and even submerge herself in her water dish. I built a little plank of wood to overhang so she and the crickets don't drown, and i know she can get in and out easily. Also, she is really fat and has been since purchase. i do not powerfeed my inverts. the pet shop i bought her from is reputable, and suspects she is pregnant...how to know? her back plates are a little seperated, and her sides are bulgy. Any info= helpful, thanx!
Kristin:?

 

[Reitz]

Do a search of this forum for pregnant emps. The short version is that you can't tell, but you can feed them a lot and change the conditions around to promote birth if she is in fact pregnant and ready to drop.

As for the water, she might be humidity deprived and nearing a molt. What is the humidity like in the enclosure?

 

[skinheaddave]

I thought I'd add for the the less experienced among us that both of Reitz's suggestions are good possibilities, but that they are mutualy exclusive. Scorpions only moult until they are sexualy mature and then that is it. So if she is gravid (pregnant) then she will not be getting ready to moult.

Kristin,

What are the conditions like in your enclosure?

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Reitz]

Dave is absolutely correct,

Chris

 

[Kali]

she is on a spagnum peat/vermiculite mix in a 5-gal aquarium with a partially covered lid. the enclosure is misted every other day, and is moist but not wet to the touch. same area of my home as my well-adjusted tarantulas. her enclosure has a rock retreat, room to burrow, and a coconut shell burrow with a little door cut into it.

kristin

 

[skinheaddave]

Kristen,

Sounds like a good start but you didn't mention temperatures or humidity. Both should be a minimum of 80 (80F/80%) and I like to make them both approach 100 in at least one area of the tank.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Midwest Art]

Emperors

The majority of emperors are wild caught and by the time they reach the US are dehydrated. Water is essential. I use the top of a peanut jar and watch as they "dive in" Cool.

N-Joy
Art

 

[chau0046]

I read about some fish in africa that eats Emporers as a natural food in its freshwater environment. For a fish to eat it it must play deep enough in the river shores. I like to flood my tank a little bit every once in a while. They get very active and eat like pigs.

Mat

 

[XOskeletonRED]

I have only seen my emps submerge themselves in their water dish once and they were only in it momentarily. Humidity levels had dropped a little more than they prefered while I was in the field and upon my return, they were surfing through the water dish. Minutes later, it resumed it's usually consistant 80% levels and I have yet to see them do it again.


adios,
edw.

 

[Reitz]

Mat,

The fish information is interesting. I stopped misting my emp tank a while ago and now I flood it with water. I started doing that because one day my spray bottle broke and I had to get the humidity up. I didn't have time to find another one, so I just poured some water in. When I came home the emps were all over the place. At first I thought I had disturbed them, but then I realized that their appitities had gone through the roof! Now I flood the tank about once a week and they're super active (well, as active as Emps can be!). It stands to reason, based on what your fish information suggests, that they usually hang out around river banks. I'm going to try feeding feeder fish to them on the same day that I flood the tank and see how that works out.

Peace,
Chris

 

[XOskeletonRED]

Now, I could just see someone standing over their scorpion enclosure, dropping in guppies and goldfish. *lol*


adios,
edw. =D

 

[Kugellager]

Yet another Gainesvillite...small world...I lived there for 9 years during college. Great place to go to school/grow up.

Do you know Vayu son?..he is on here too and goes to UF.

John
];')

 

[chau0046]

Anybody try the gold fish thing yet?

Well i will this week `cause my emp seemed to be fishing yesterday. It was completely submereged in the water searching all the corners.

Mat

 

[chau0046]

Well the minnows i put in its upgraded water dish(plastic rubbermaid) didn`t make it to the morning(temp). They also didn`t scavenge . I will try do upgrade tank a little more. By the way,,, My pissed off male struck at a light glove i was wearing to rear his grumpy a** up. He`s pretty defnsive and just dosen`t mess around.


Mat