Hadurus Arizonesis = most boringest scorp evr?

HufnPuf

Arachnosquire
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May 30, 2007
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i have two Emps already.

the male used to come out. then i got him a mate. now i dont see either of them.

ever.

in hopes of getting a scorp that was an exciting feeder or fun to watch, i got a Giant Hairy Desert scorp.

now i have two enclosures and two pet holes.

when "Harry" comes out at night i try to *ever so gently* open the top of the critter keeper to lob a cricket in so i can watch the fun.

he senses the vibrations and ZOOM! down into his burrow he goes.

i don't like just throwing crickets in there without knowing he is chomping them because they cheep all night. and the next day. and until whenever they happen to bump into him.

for the love of god, can anyone recommend a scorp that is not afraid of it's own shadow?
 

Uroctonus

Arachnopeon
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Aug 7, 2007
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Scorpions are solitary creatures for the most part. Females of some species spend upwards of 90% of their life inside their burrow. This can make it rather difficult to watch them feed. In my experience Hadrurus species fed well and stung their prey a good deal of the time. The Pandinus species I have kept I had had for probably a year before I first actually saw them eat. If you do feed them its best to do it at night and other than putting the food in not to disturb them. It also could be that the scorpions is stressed or the temperature of the cage isn't warm enough and doesn't want to eat so it ignores the prey. Best of luck man, and don't give up quite yet on hairy scorpions, they are actually pretty interesting to watch when they are eating or burrowing :eek:
 

Brian S

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If they are hiding then you are doing something right. If you want an active animal a dog might be to your liking LOL
 

skinheaddave

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You already have two species that can be really interesting to observe -- you just have them set up in an unobservable way. I'd recommend switching around your hadrurus enclosure. Get a deep enclosure and put something in it to block excavation in all but the front 2" or so of the enclosure. Then fill it with a good burrowing substrate (do a search for these, the recipes are endless) past the level of the obstical. While you're doing this, create a hide and the beginning of a burrow at the front of the enclosure. Then, cover the front of the enclosure below the substrate line with something dark (paper, cloth, stand a book up against it ... whatever). Give it a while to burrow in and then you can observe it through the glass.

Cheers,
Dave
 

HufnPuf

Arachnosquire
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lol-don't worry Uroctonus-i do like my Hairy :) and i will give it time...i love scorps anyways...

Brian S.- {D i wish i could get a dog but i work 8-9 hours a day and am single :( i couldn't justify leaving the poor creature alone for that long due to my selfish wants (and i'm not a cat guy either).

skinheaddave- thank you man...your input is invaluable to this site...i have learned so much form your posts...cheers mate!
 

Brian S

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Brian S.- {D i wish i could get a dog but i work 8-9 hours a day and am single :( i couldn't justify leaving the poor creature alone for that long due to my selfish wants (and i'm not a cat guy either).
I also work 8-10 hrs a day. It makes them appreciate you more ;)
 

muse

Arachnopeon
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Jul 24, 2007
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what kind of temperatures are you keeping the HA at? after reading another board, it seems like they can be a little more active at lower temperature ranges, such as 70-78 degrees F.
 

HufnPuf

Arachnosquire
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LOL @ Brian S. {D

muse: hmm-i always thought higher temp=more active...:confused:

maybe not in this case?

the temp is between 80 and 85...

i don't have a hydrometer in there but i am certain the humidity is below 50%...(very arid here)

i believe this sp. is susceptible to mycosis so i am careful to only lightly mist once a month...
 

muse

Arachnopeon
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Jul 24, 2007
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over on the boards at venomlist, one of the posters there talked about some extensive experiments and observation he did with hadrurus (including arizonensis, spadix, and pallidus). he noticed increased activity when the temperatures were in the 70-78 F range, and he could even drop the temperature as low as 50 F periodically with no ill effects. he also mentioned some experiments with dry substrate and moist substrate, and that hadrurus usually prefer to burrow in moist substrate if it's available.

basically, the gist of the post was that many enthusiasts may be misinformed on the conditions that hadrurus really thrive in. it's a pretty informative and interesting post, if you have a chance to check it out. (sorry, no linky.)
 

JSN

Arachnodemon
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Apr 16, 2006
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Hadrurus (spadix and arizonensis) are my favorite scorpions, even after years of keeping them...in my experience they are probably the more active among my collection, always burrowing and rearranging their enclosures and feeding them is always something to behold...to each his own I guess...
 

Selenops

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Dec 13, 2006
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C.Vitattus;)
Ditto. These are spunky lil buggers and have quite a bite to their venom. I know, I have been stung by them. Quite active.

I haven't had many Hadrurus species but the individuals I did have were quite entertaining a handable H. pallidus (as tame as a puppy, now under my nephew's care) and a notably high strung H. arizonensis with scurry every waking minute around with tail and rear abdomen curled up. Very impressive fella because that one was ready to kill prey on a dime.
 

HufnPuf

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i've recently tried the mixed substrate 6-8" deep for burrowing and made a partition so that the scorp would burrow in the front of the terrarium, but i must have done something wrong with the sand/peat ratio as the scorp never burrowed and the terrarium was little more than a big baked brick.

it was ugly, ungodly heavy, dusty and nasty-i hated it.

i now have Harry in a nice new and clean critter keeper (one of the "shallow ones) with play sand (2") a few rocks and a cork hide.

i was trying to think of a way to set up artificial burrows using Habitrail hamster tubes lit with switchable red LED lighting (just one or two) but the task proved too daunting and now my setup is very simple.
 
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