Feeding Heterometrus sp Adult

zeeman

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May 12, 2011
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I've read that you only need to feed these guys once every one to two weeks and standard prey options for insectivores is the menu.

In my case, I was hoping to feed off some of my excess male dubias from my breeding colony. Based on this I was going to favor an every other week feeding to start.

I've heard some people have issues getting their scorps onto Dubias. Is there any trick or method to increase this chance? I know supposedly Dubia are the best nutritionally.

I also assume I should offer food at night when the scorpion is naturally out hunting. Is this correct?
 

Joey Spijkers

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They will eat dubia’s when they’re hungry. They just aren’t always hungry haha, sometimes they go on hunger strike for a while. With bigger Heterometrus, I feed them dubias with tweezers, so that the dubia doesn’t play dead or bury itself.
 

Spoodfood

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Yes Heterometrus do go on hunger strikes. Both of mine are currently. They will eat crickets, dubias, or superworms when they are hungry though. Dubias do like to play dead. You can crush their head a bit so they won’t burrow, same with superworms.

edit: you can feed them at any time of day or night that is convenient for you really. I’ve seen no noticeable difference in time of day correlating with weather they will accept prey.
 

zeeman

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Thanks for the replies.

I'm happy to hear they will in fact eat them, if hungry. I havent fed my new arrival yet. I figured I'd give him a week to settle in before offering food.

How long do these strikes last, weeks or months?

Does the scorp show any difference in behavior when hungry or as ready to eat?

If I try to feed by tweezers ( I have wooden ones which I understand are safer for tong feeding) how do I know he'll respond out of hunger and not just an intruder to kill?

Final question or comment rather. I've always wondered if arachnids respond to weather change or barometric pressure, etc for behavioral or physical changes such as feeding, molting, etc. I only have a small collection of T's and not enough time with a scorpion, but I've seen multiple molts within a matter of a day or two across multiple species at various stages of growth. This has happened a couple times, but not every time and seems too coincidental.

Thanks.
 

Spoodfood

Feeder of Spoods
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Thanks for the replies.

I'm happy to hear they will in fact eat them, if hungry. I havent fed my new arrival yet. I figured I'd give him a week to settle in before offering food.

How long do these strikes last, weeks or months?

Does the scorp show any difference in behavior when hungry or as ready to eat?

If I try to feed by tweezers ( I have wooden ones which I understand are safer for tong feeding) how do I know he'll respond out of hunger and not just an intruder to kill?

Final question or comment rather. I've always wondered if arachnids respond to weather change or barometric pressure, etc for behavioral or physical changes such as feeding, molting, etc. I only have a small collection of T's and not enough time with a scorpion, but I've seen multiple molts within a matter of a day or two across multiple species at various stages of growth. This has happened a couple times, but not every time and seems too coincidental.

Thanks.
They can last months easily. Especially if they’re in premolt. My big female Heterometrus silenus hasn’t eaten in probably 2 months. She will go into a threat/strike pose when I try to feed her but will not take food. I also have a large one I suspect is a male, that was very chunky when I got him who hasn’t eaten in a couple weeks. Try not to worry about it, as it’s normal behavior. If they’re hungry, they will take the food, sting it more than likely, then eat it. If they aren’t, they may go into a threat posture with their claws and tail up, but they usually won’t pinch it or take it.

Sometimes they will kill a loose roach or cricket just because it’s there, but from my experience with them so far, they will just leave it if they aren’t hungry. Even to the point of letting it crawl all over them and ignoring it. If this happens just remove the prey item.

I believe they do respond to heat, since the growth rate typically increases with higher temperatures they in turn tend to eat more. As far as Ts, I’ve had 6 Ts molt within the past week and a half. Probably due to the temperature increase as summer is approaching.
 

Joey Spijkers

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I have a male Heterometrus swammerdami that I bought in December 2019, and he has only eaten about 2 times, and he doesn’t even look very thin. He is the most extreme case I’ve ever had, and was like this ever since I got him. It usually isn’t that bad though, but a few months aren’t rare.

They will definitely respond to weather changes. To temperature very heavily, scorps like it warm. Barometric pressure wouldn’t surprise me, many animals are sensitive to it, even though we are not.
 

darkness975

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I've read that you only need to feed these guys once every one to two weeks and standard prey options for insectivores is the menu.

In my case, I was hoping to feed off some of my excess male dubias from my breeding colony. Based on this I was going to favor an every other week feeding to start.

I've heard some people have issues getting their scorps onto Dubias. Is there any trick or method to increase this chance? I know supposedly Dubia are the best nutritionally.

I also assume I should offer food at night when the scorpion is naturally out hunting. Is this correct?
When they are hungry they will eat.
 
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