First time scorpion owner, encouraging natural behavior, and other questions?

[Emperor Scorpion]

Alright so I'm a new scorpion keeper. I own an emperor scorpion thats a female and is one molt away to being fully grown max size. I dont know her age and i would like to know how to encourage her to make a burrow. Her substrate is about 2 inches thick on the low side and 3inches to 3.5 inches on the high sides she made one burrow under one of her hides the one thats not like a tunnel. Will i need to make her substrate more compact and tight in order for her to want to borrow in another location?


Her substrate is bio dude terra fauna i believe mixed with bio shot and sphagnum moss i got with her.

Will a heat mat work on her terrarium its a plastic breeding box by exoterra . Or should i use a heat bulb i have a strong feeling a heat mat will work best since her terrarium are these dimensions
16.3” x 10.4” x 5.8”

Link to the enclosure i bought her.
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/breeding_box_terrariums.php.

Ive had her for 3 days, when should she be situated and when should i start feeding her? What feeders will be best? I have in mind dubia roaches and dark beetles. Im not the biggest fan of crickets because they are too noisy.

Also, my pet store said to mist her enclosure few times a week. Should i do this 3 times a weel like they said or once every other day to maintain some humidity?

Any other advice you would give me as a first time scorpion keeper. Thanks~

 

[AnimalNewbie]

Can you show a side shot of the setup?
They don’t need any heat sources.
Honestly exo terra don’t offer a lot of room for burrowing but try to give it 4-5 inches of substrate compacted

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

Can you show a side shot of the setup?
They don’t need any heat sources.
Honestly exo terra don’t offer a lot of room for burrowing but try to give it 4-5 inches of substrate compacted

Its 5.5 inches tall isnt 3.5 inches tall enough? Well she made one burrow and its her go to but it would be nice to see her make another burrow. Or to do other natural behavior then her trying to walk upside down on the lid or just sleeping. For sure give me a second

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

Its 5.5 inches tall isnt 3.5 inches tall enough? Well she made one burrow and its her go to but it would be nice to see her make another burrow. Or to do other natural behavior then her trying to walk upside down on the lid or just sleeping. For sure give me a second

Edit* meant to say the high part where she has one of her burrows is 3.5 inches tall and she burrowed behind a corck barj so it made like her own secret entrance.

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

Can you show a side shot of the setup?
They don’t need any heat sources.
Honestly exo terra don’t offer a lot of room for burrowing but try to give it 4-5 inches of substrate compacted

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

On the very left side is where she likes to hide and sleep its where the smaller hide is and the other hide on the lower side the 2 inch side.

 

[darkness975]

The specimen looks adult already.

The substrate looks dry.

Some burrow , some make half wit attempts at burrowing. Either way they need a hide so that they always have a place to go.

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

I said shes almost full grown as in shes already an adult. And one molt away. She has hides. Also question if they dont need heat source is it alright if her tank outside feels cold. I have my room at room temp but the ac is always on which cools the room. Should i get a heat mat in case and will heat mat burn the plastic?

The specimen looks adult already.

The substrate looks dry.

Some burrow , some make half wit attempts at burrowing. Either way they need a hide so that they always have a place to go.

 

[darkness975]

I said shes almost full grown as in shes already an adult. And one molt away. She has hides. Also question if they dont need heat source is it alright if her tank outside feels cold. I have my room at room temp but the ac is always on which cools the room. Should i get a heat mat in case and will heat mat burn the plastic?

The telson color looks adult with no more molts in that image.

Temperature in the enclosure should be 75 - 82 degrees. If it is consistently colder then supplemental heating will be necessary.

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

The telson color looks adult with no more molts in that image.

Temperature in the enclosure should be 75 - 82 degrees. If it is consistently colder then supplemental heating will be necessary.

I clocked i her enclosure being lowest 72 and highest 73 sometimes 74. And bought a head pad should i put that on the side that is not her burrow?

 

[AnimalNewbie]

I clocked i her enclosure being lowest 72 and highest 73 sometimes 74. And bought a head pad should i put that on the side that is not her burrow?

as long as its in the 70s you don't need heat

 

[darkness975]

I clocked i her enclosure being lowest 72 and highest 73 sometimes 74. And bought a head pad should i put that on the side that is not her burrow?

72 at the lowest is the low end of their range but it'll be fine. Especially given that it's not a baby. Young ones are more sensitive to temps

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

72 at the lowest is the low end of their range but it'll be fine. Especially given that it's not a baby. Young ones are more sensitive to temps

Alright, but i feel like adding heat will create better humidity. Where should heating be place?

 

[AnimalNewbie]

Alright, but i feel like adding heat will create better humidity. Where should heating be place?

Humidity isn’t that relevant as the substrate being moist is more important than the air type of humidity and the heat pad will just dry out the substrate making it less humid

 

[Emperor Scorpion]

I checked her tank again and it was 70. Shes about to molt soon I believe. Also, i already bought a heat pad. My house gets really cold from time to time and i would want her to at least have some sort of heat source

 

[darkness975]

I checked her tank again and it was 70. Shes about to molt soon I believe. Also, i already bought a heat pad. My house gets really cold from time to time and i would want her to at least have some sort of heat source

If you use a heat pad just make sure you stick in on the side/back , not underneath the tank.

Humidity is irrelevant so long as the substrate is moist (not saturated, they don't live in swamps). Cover half the lid with saran wrap to keep more of it in.

 

[PeteysPizza]

I usually either start it's burrow for it (just dig a little hole about an inch), or if that doesn't work then I would put an appropriately-sized cork bark tube stuck into the dirt (with no dirt in it so its like a little tunnel about 2 inches deep) like the start of the burrow and she would probably use that. Starting it for her is nice because you get to choose where you want it to be.