grrrrr what can i do to make a more suitable burrowing substrate...

[neveragain]

for desert species? rigth now i was just using the wet/packed down sand method. but i just checked on my A. phaiodactylus (mafia scorpion) only to find out that its burrow collapsed, he didnt seem to happy when i had to dig him out!

anyway, what can i do to make it more stable? becuase now i am afraid that my h. arizonensis' burrow is goign to collapse.

thanks.

 

[Whitdadie]

Add a bit of peat moss to the sand. Mix it well. Then wet it down. Pack it in there. Then put heat lamps over it to dry it compleatly (it might take a few days because peat is a good moiture absorber). This should help a good deal. There is also clay addative you can get that is supposed to help but I cant find a place that sells it. I believe the clay addative is called Bentonite. Good luck and hope this helps.

 

[BugBoyX]

What I've done for my H.a. spadix is made a sort of mixture of substrates...almost like mixing cement....but not quite:? Anyways I started with wet sand and mixed in some small gravel and some pepples and them mixed in about 1/4 coconut fiber( you could used peat moss as well) and about half that amount of shredded cypress bark. I made it all nice and moist, not sobbing wet, almost like you were mixing cement, and then really packed it into the tank.....added small layers at a time, packing with each layer. Then I let it dry (didn't want to give "Spike" too much humidity) real well. The end result was a nice "dynamic" substrate that held its form when he dug through it. Now there has been a collaspe or two, mostly because he dug too close to the surface, but so far it's held up well.

Mix--------4 parts sand
2 parts gravel and pepples
1 part cocofiber or peat moss
1/2 part shredded cypress bark (you could aslo use aspen)

 

[neveragain]

thanks

 

[Reitz]

Just for the record (for those who care to know these annoying little details), there is no such scorpion as a H. a. spadix. Just H. arizonsis and H. spadix. Sometimes confused dealers don't know which one they're dealing with an call it by both names. As for the mix, sounds good to me. I just use a little peat with my sand.

Chris

 

[skinheaddave]

Bentonite is an aluminum silicate, I believe. It can be purchased at any pottery supply store, which may not actualy help out everyone. I am fortunate in that my grandfather is a potter and pointed me in the right direction. The stuff works great.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[neveragain]

update:

i redid the enclosure. i used a total of about 6 quarts of sand, 3 quarts of peat moss and 1 and a half quarts of small gravel. i packed it all into the enclosure very tight and put a very high wattage heat bulb on it to dry the substrate out. the light has been on for about 72 hours straight (left it on all night) and its still damp. i am becoming impatient waiting for this to finish so i can add the finish touchings and put the scoprion back in. :?

well here's a picture of it that i just took to get an idea of how it is. its about 6 inches in its highest point, and 4 inches on the other end.

i'll post pics when its completely done. hopefully it wont be too much longer.

 

[neveragain]

oh and by the way, that was for my h.arizonensis' enclosure. i am going to do the A. phaiodactylus enclsosure after this one is finished

 

[XOskeletonRED]

I go with whatever I find to be the natural substrate that they live on. The way I figure it, if they survive in nature as well as they do, they have a better chance than any if they are kept in captivity on the same. I hardly believe that anyone is better, or ever could get better, at taking care of critters than nature.

adios,
edw.

 

[neveragain]

i think the substrate is actually dry enough now, but i am going to wait to finish until tomorrow after work (short day, i get out at 3)

i cant wait! =D

 

[neveragain]

well here it is.

 

[neveragain]

and here's my scorp investigating

 

[XOskeletonRED]

Ahhh, yes. H. arizonensis pallidus is a great looking scorp! Great pics and the enclosure looks great to match!


adios,
edw.