Everything arizona desert hairy (hadrurus arizonensis)heating lighting,etc...

[superuglyllc]

i keep a male in exo terra 12x12x12 . everything is good with the scorp but i was just wondering about how to keep the heat pad. i have mine on the bottom probably covers half the tank . i used escavating sand and made a second floor incase it was too hot. just feels warm to touch. anybody on here heard of heat pad on bottom is bad for them or should it always be on the side? they usually dig to escape the heat right? i also use 25w day lights on during day . red lamp25w from 8-12pm the moonlight 15w(very weak) .During the day and red light time its about 80 -85 degree at night about 70 75degree. i use only 1 light at a time ,at all times. very healthy and active , eats anytime i feed him. i just hope the heat pad aint to much on the bottom(i might start unplugging it at night) any thoughts anyone?

 

[AzJohn]

The heat pad will cause problems at the bottom of a tank. Scorpions will dig when they get to hot. If the mat is at the bottom they'll end up right next to it and could die of over heating. I'd put it on the side of the tank. If the surface temps are around 85 then you probably don't need the heat mat.

 

[superuglyllc]

i unplugged the heat pad on bottom and now he is chilling near the red lamp on second story getting heat . usually he is on the floor when the heat pad is turned on but not today. like i said the heat pad just warms tank. i should try and take a pic so u can see how my tank is layed out

 

[superuglyllc]

i put heat pad on the side on exoterra 12x12x12 . hes doing good , just gonna keep checking on his behavoir. azjohn my temp is almost 80 with heat pad and red light. im in newyork , not to warm in newyork right now but the house stays around 70 at all times. thanks for the post

 

[AzJohn]

That sounds good. They are a very cool species. The best way to figure out the temps they need is to check the temperatures on the AZ desert. The heat pad on the side sould allow it to go were it is comfortable. This time a year it's not really hot.

Good luck

John

 

[superuglyllc]

whats your take on handling your scorps? u think it stresses them too much if u take them out say; once a month?

---------- Post added 10-30-2011 at 09:23 PM ----------

anyone reading this post please leave your expirience with your desert hairy scorp. personality , tank setup, how active and how often, any kind of education about this species etc...............................

 

[superuglyllc]

my terrarium

under red light

 

[superuglyllc]

terrarium

under black light shot.

 

[superuglyllc]

i added molding clay to the backround so he can get closer to the red light and climb the walls a little bit. he likes the water and then heating it off with the red light.. weird but he seems to enjoy being clean i guess. 5 bedrooms 2story home.(i never use blacklight ,it was just for the photo)

 

[Roblicious]

yeah all i use is a 25w red party bulb from home depot for my haddy, give it liek 5+ inches of hard packed sand and it will make tunnels gallore.

Id tossed that night-glo bulb though, theres been endless discussions on how that can be bad for your scorpion, you can leave the red bulb on 24 hours or you can simmulate night time temps by just leaving it off at night, surprisingly it does it get really cold in the desert so it is used to it

 

[High_Rolling_T]

I'd be careful with that water bowl in there. Where these guys come from they really don't need water. In fact, if the humidity is about 60% and higher in there, Hadrurus arizonensis can easily get mycosis(a fungal infection) that will spread on it and become deadly. I have a lid from a gallon plastic tea container in my H. arizonensis 10 gallon tank that I fill maybe twice a week. It evaporates rather quickly from the heat lamp, and the tank is ventilated extremely well(the top is completely screen) so it never really reaches a high level of ambient humidity.

 

[superuglyllc]

its cricket quencher , i dont let humidity go past 30-35 but its usually around 25. in my tank exoterra has a backround i added onto with escavating hard rock sand after its wet and dried, he is able to climb to top near red light where he drys off if ever wet and the scorp takes advantage, hes very easy as far as taking care of himself,he does that pretty good. im suprised how smart these things are.

 

[Roblicious]

i wouldnt even use that stuff either, pure water sparingly is fine

 

[superuglyllc]

why? i see him drink it. unless it has bacteria then id probably stop using it

 

[Roblicious]

bacteria, they rarely drink, since you just got him, that is prolly the reason why you saw him drink, he prolly wont drink for a few more months, mine has drank once in the 9 months that ive owned him

 

[superuglyllc]

i had him for 2 years now rob , but i loved to see your desert hairy setup .. you got a pic? post it

---------- Post added 10-31-2011 at 11:14 PM ----------

maybe i can pick up a few pointers

 

[Nanotrev]

I'd trust Rob on this. Even as I tried to recreate the conditions for my female to molt in, I never gave her a water dish nor any cricket quencher. They're adapted to live with very little water and chances are desert animals will take it whenever they can get it to where they feel satisfied but it might not be very good for them. It might seem nice to offer them water all the time but chances are it's best to offer them the conditions they would normally live in and only offer water during their rainy season.

 

[superuglyllc]

nano i hear ya, the heat in my house would make the humidity to 0%(baseboard) . i was told 20-30 percent is fine for these species. i had him for over 2 years now ,never sick or anything so i go what works. if i took the cricket quencher out now and left him without any humidity and he died id wind up kicking myself in the ass because i listen to somebody that hasnt been housing my scorpion and told me so on a forum and not through the expirience of my own home conditions. But i should keep an eye on the weather a bit more on where he comes from though thanks nano

---------- Post added 11-01-2011 at 02:24 AM ----------

when i first got him i went with the barrons book info on the water dish choice . when i had my androctonus i didnt use dish just the wetness off the crickets (i lightly sprayed crickets with distilled water before i dumped them in the tank) that worked good for them and had luck with that method.

 

[Roblicious]

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?216853-My-Scorpion-collection-(pic-heavy)

have not updated in a little bit, bit has changed

mine is just 4 inches of sub with a greek pot i got at the store, hes buried himself for the winter, i put a few onces where the entrance used to be once a month just for some moisture

I give my desert species a water once every 2 weeks and they drink time to time

 

[Bayushi]

Okay, here's the deal... Cricket quencher is craptastic for your scorp. it's calcium enriched and totally a waste. Scorpions don't need calcium suppliments.

While your scorpion does come from a desert, it is an obligat burrower. This species is known for digging extensive burrows with varying humidity gradients from an RH in the low teens or less to ones well in excess of 50%. They choose the humidity they need when they need it.

The average house, even with the heater on and depending on where you live, runs between 20 to 30% RH.

You are free to do as you wish, but many of the people who reply on this forum have experience with the topics they reply to. Rob and I both keep haddies in about the same way and neither of us have lost one due to dessication from lack of humidity. Heck Rob's has even pulled thru from a severe case of mycosis.

Its advice from fellow hobbiest not word of law, but in some cases the advice is rock solid and time tested.

Again, it is just an opinion, and do with it as you please, but my advice is pitch the flukers quencher and add a water dish you fill weekly to bi- weekly.