G. swammerdami new digs

[AldenDressler]

Got this 5.5 gallon made for the 2i Gigantometrus swammerdami I’ll be getting next week. Very overkill for the time being, but it should grow into this and be comfortable for a while.

Proud of this substrate mix too. Peat, charcoal, sand, clay, orchid bark, sphagnum, leaves, mycorrhizae, and some extra calcium straight into the blend. Should have my two springtail species added by tomorrow.

Did my best to maximize space in here. The cork is hollow and I carved out a burrow space beneath it and the water dish. Hoping the leaf litter keeps it feeling safe and willing to explore. All I’m really waiting on is my room heater to keep the ambient temp comfortable and to saran wrap half the screen. Anything else to fine tune before then?

 

[l4nsky]

I don't have much experience with scorpions in general, but I'll just say you're probably putting the cart before the horse here. A 2i scorpling, even one that will grow to be the largest species in the world, is at most an inch long.

In such a large, well planted vivarium with botanicals and a deep substrate, you're going to lose track of that scorpling the minute you put it in there. You'll have no idea whether it's successfully feeding, molting, or is even still alive as time goes on.

A much better approach would be to keep it in a smaller deli cup or enclosure so you can ensure it's thriving, feeding, and growing while letting it's future bioactive home mature and grow in. Once it's a few inches long, then the 5.5g seems like an ideal home for a bit until it starts getting to adult sizes.

 

[adam james]

Very nice looking setup!
Maybe if you just removed all of the leaf litter on the surface, so it only has a couple hides that way you can track it down when you need to?

 

[CRX]

Its a very nice setup, and good job on the substrate mix. But the others are correct, 2i is TEENY and you're going to need to be able to observe them. They're going to get lost from you in this thing.

 

[AldenDressler]

Thanks for the feedback y’all. I really don’t think I can go smaller than this though, it’s just a matter of heat. My room gets cold, so the tank has to be large enough to have a heat source and this was as small as I could go with a heat mat.

I’ll wait until I see the scorpion in person before adding it. If it’s small enough that I’d worry about not finding it, I’ll see if Tupperware can withstand the heat mat as a temporary solution.

 

[l4nsky]

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tips-on-keeping-slings-warm.370481/post-3425892

 

[CRX]

Thanks for the feedback y’all. I really don’t think I can go smaller than this though, it’s just a matter of heat. My room gets cold, so the tank has to be large enough to have a heat source and this was as small as I could go with a heat mat.

I’ll wait until I see the scorpion in person before adding it. If it’s small enough that I’d worry about not finding it, I’ll see if Tupperware can withstand the heat mat as a temporary solution.

FWIW, I have a smaller container and I use a heatmat fine for my little AFS. You don't have to stick the whole thing to it. Does it look ugly? Sure, but its only for me not anyone else. So being ugly doesn't matter. Scorpions are not display animals.

 

[AldenDressler]

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tips-on-keeping-slings-warm.370481/post-3425892

So pretty much exactly what I'm doing. My new space heater won't be getting set above 74°F and I make a gradient from there with a heat mat. I still have to sleep in the room, so the space heater is to compensate for my trashy AC/heating system. Heat mat will be necessary to hit the 80°F mark that I'm aiming for.

 

[AldenDressler]

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tips-on-keeping-slings-warm.370481/post-3425892

So pretty much exactly what I'm doing. My new space heater won't be getting set above 74°F and I make a gradient from there with a heat mat. I still have to sleep in the room, so the heater is to compensate for my trashy AC/heating system.

FWIW, I have a smaller container and I use a heatmat fine for my little AFS. You don't have to stick the whole thing to it. Does it look ugly? Sure, but its only for me not anyone else. So being ugly doesn't matter. Scorpions are not display animals.
View attachment 489294

This looks more doable.

 

[Glorfindel]

another idea could be placing the smaller enclosure inside the larger heated enclosure

 

[Diao]

Definitely agree that although it is a fantastic setup for a larger individual, a 2i swammer is going to be difficult to care for in there. At that size I almost always let my swammerdami scavenge pre-killed prey, and a tank that size is going to be difficult to ensure the little one is finding food. Even if it's smack in front of their face don't expect them to find it, scorpions can display some odd feeding behaviors that might seem counter intuitive from time to time, not too mention everything else weird they do, so simplicity is your friend when it comes to those first few instars. Also, they'll want a hide that is somewhat limiting or compact in space at 2i, even something completely flat they will find their way under. If they want more room you'll see them kicking and scraping dirt out from under it, but give them the option to hide under something that really makes them feel snug. Their hide is their security, they want to feel completely protected and that nothing will be able to find them or get to them in it. Plus, it's easier to help them eat when you know they're smug in a hide you can just place something pre- liked right under it with them for the best chance of them finding and eating it, haha.

 

[CRX]

Definitely agree that although it is a fantastic setup for a larger individual, a 2i swammer is going to be difficult to care for in there. At that size I almost always let my swammerdami scavenge pre-killed prey, and a tank that size is going to be difficult to ensure the little one is finding food. Even if it's smack in front of their face don't expect them to find it, scorpions can display some odd feeding behaviors that might seem counter intuitive from time to time, not too mention everything else weird they do, so simplicity is your friend when it comes to those first few instars. Also, they'll want a hide that is somewhat limiting or compact in space at 2i, even something completely flat they will find their way under. If they want more room you'll see them kicking and scraping dirt out from under it, but give them the option to hide under something that really makes them feel snug. Their hide is their security, they want to feel completely protected and that nothing will be able to find them or get to them in it. Plus, it's easier to help them eat when you know they're smug in a hide you can just place something pre- liked right under it with them for the best chance of them finding and eating it, haha.

Piggybacking on this, i've had my AFS for like 3 years now, he's still pretty small and he still eats prekilled prey. I've done live prey, and he eats it, but I figure why make it harder for him?

 

[AldenDressler]

Definitely agree that although it is a fantastic setup for a larger individual, a 2i swammer is going to be difficult to care for in there. At that size I almost always let my swammerdami scavenge pre-killed prey, and a tank that size is going to be difficult to ensure the little one is finding food. Even if it's smack in front of their face don't expect them to find it, scorpions can display some odd feeding behaviors that might seem counter intuitive from time to time, not too mention everything else weird they do, so simplicity is your friend when it comes to those first few instars. Also, they'll want a hide that is somewhat limiting or compact in space at 2i, even something completely flat they will find their way under. If they want more room you'll see them kicking and scraping dirt out from under it, but give them the option to hide under something that really makes them feel snug. Their hide is their security, they want to feel completely protected and that nothing will be able to find them or get to them in it. Plus, it's easier to help them eat when you know they're smug in a hide you can just place something pre- liked right under it with them for the best chance of them finding and eating it, haha.

Ended up reusing an arboreal acrylic setup I grew out an old Centruroides with. Works well on its back and is a comfortable gallon or so. I’ll have it set atop the middle of my snake cage so the ambient heat can get the tank to an even 80 degrees. Kind of glad the 5 gallon has time to grow in actually, I put grass in there and would love to see it get established.