Found what killed my whip scorpion?

isaac123

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 21, 2023
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So back in september bought tailess whip scorpion, just wanted to take care of a cool pet. I couldnt really afford any tanks during the time, so i gave it an old betta tank at first, then a kritter keeper i made vertical. It only probably mysteriously ate once, where i knew due to colored poop and one of the crickets completely gone. After it did another poop that was white in color, it didnt eat any other crickets that week. Then i noticed it completely motionless today, and found it dead, with a couple of tiny mites. Do any of you know of any fatal diseases that they get that make them stop eating? Do the mites have anything to do? Very tiny white mites
 

isaac123

Arachnopeon
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Oct 21, 2023
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2
Also weird for a whip scorpion, was much more sedentary, so barely ever climbed, wasnt too active but still moved.
 

somebugnerd

Arachnopeon
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Aug 21, 2023
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10
How humid was your enclosure? Tailless whip scorpions generally appreciate high humidity, especially if they are already dehydrated from shipping and poor care at the pet shop. Most critter keeper enclosures have a lot of ventilation and dry out too quickly for amblypygids.
 

fcat

Arachnoangel
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Jan 1, 2023
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If they are moving it's possible the mites hitchhiked on the crickets, like grain mites... They are drawn to decaying matter so it's possible they didn't bother with him until he passed. Pictures would help... If you have a wild caught specimen it could be different.

Sorry for your loss.
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
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Aug 31, 2012
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6,103
So back in september bought tailess whip scorpion, just wanted to take care of a cool pet. I couldnt really afford any tanks during the time, so i gave it an old betta tank at first, then a kritter keeper i made vertical. It only probably mysteriously ate once, where i knew due to colored poop and one of the crickets completely gone. After it did another poop that was white in color, it didnt eat any other crickets that week. Then i noticed it completely motionless today, and found it dead, with a couple of tiny mites. Do any of you know of any fatal diseases that they get that make them stop eating? Do the mites have anything to do? Very tiny white mites
Mites would have shown themselves post mortem.

Sounds like it was too dry.

If it was not climbing arboreally then there was definitely something wrong.

Post pictures.
 

Dry Desert

Arachnoprince
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
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1,598
Mites would have shown themselves post mortem.

Sounds like it was too dry.

If it was not climbing arboreally then there was definitely something wrong.

Post pictures.
Agree with darkness975.

Also probably wild caught and not long for this world.
 

catboyeuthanasia

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 10, 2023
Messages
138
Another thing to add is that tailless whip scorpions like to go to the substrate when they are thirsty. I've seen one drink from damp moss on the ground, before climbing back up.

If you want to attempt another specimen, I recommend getting a tall plastic Tupperware, the kind you would store flour or dry beans in, and using that as your enclosure. Drill (or poke if your plastic is soft enough) small holes into opposite sides for ventilation, and add about 1-2 inches of coco fiber mixed with spaghnum. Make sure this substrate is moist and wet weekly by spraying/pouring water. Also throw in some large pieces of cork bark. Tailless whips like to hide between pieces of wood or in logs. Lots of good information on these forums about care and feeding.
 
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