Heterometrus spp. burrowing deep

[Matt1987]

Badly written comment of mine to be fair! they are often misidentified. What I meant is that it’s a bit concerning for people to be selling AFS and not knowing what they are.

Joey,

It's not a case of hostility or rudeness, it's a case of constant frustration.

I , like yourself, have been on the forum for quite a while.

However, if you look back ,even 5 years, how many " old posters " are still around ??

The case of frustration is even more wide spread in the reptile world.

If you look on other forums, European, due to the high cost of energy many people are having to give up their pets.

Then we have the hundreds that " rescue " them without a clue on their husbandry or well being.

Then of course, rather than carry out even basic research,or looking at the many " stickies" on forums, will post multiple questions, because it's easier than doing research.

So once again, we stop what we are doing, find time to reply etc. and in many cases the poster never replies or returns with any updates.

I still maintain that any tropic species ,not just scorpions, when kept way to cold, even " around " 74 is the bottom end of the required temperature range. Will try and find a heat source,that will include Burrowing especially if the surface is cold.

PS.

Joey,
I admire your continual calm manner, I like others don't have your patience.

I now have to go onto another forum and try an convince another very old timer, not to leave, as he has had enough, and he's been on forums longer than me.

You really sound like a bit of a tit to be honest. Because you have been on this forum longer than others, that automatically means you have more experience? Or can leave nippy comments for others? What frustrates me is when people leave arrogant and defensive posts and their information isn’t even accurate.

1. No scorpion ever burrows to find heat. They burrow to escape the heat.

2. AFS usually are recommended to be kept at temperatures of 24-28°c. Although I do agree 24 seems to be on the cold end.

I don't know anything about them so this is a legit question and not a 'questioning' question, but wouldn't they burrow to escape the heat? It seems counterintuitive to burrow to find warmth.

yes they do burrow to escape the heat. But they will also hide away during the day. Do you just use a heat mat or do you have any lighting? Your scorpion may be burrowing away if you are using white light during the day.

 

[darkness975]

I've had an AFS for about 3 months, I'm unsure of the exact species of Heterometrus he is. When I first got him he was out in the open pretty regularly, but one day he just decided to burrow under his hide. He went down on an angle. Hit the bottom, then a wall, dug to the corner turned and went halfway down to the next corner. Then he stayed there. He was too deep to even offer food, and I didn't want to let crickets loose if he's gonna molt.

I figured he was in premolt so I left him be. Flash to about a month later, my dogs knock down his aquarium and it breaks. He looks to be fine, but I keep him in a critter keeper with wet paper towels and a hide to observe for a couple days to make sure he's not injured. (No molt yet.)

I put together a new enclosure and put him in. Instantly he's in the hide and burrowing by nightfall. I gave him less substrate this time but still enough to dig because it's what he wants to do, and ends up shallow enough I know I can coax him to the entrance with food. I still figure he's in premolt. He stays in there for another couple weeks still rejecting food. Untill a couple days ago when I was able to coax him to the entrance to his burrow and he takes 2 crickets, and still no molt.

Now none of this is really alarming to me. He's just fine down in his burrow and I know that, but everywhere I look I hear that they don't tend to dig that often, so I worry I'm doing something wrong. Temps were about 74°F in my climate controlled cabinet, and he's been out of there because I thought he might've been too warm hence the digging.. Average temps are about 68°F in the room. I wake up late at night all the time and regularly check up on my inverts and I've never caught him out. I keep a full water bowl and overflow it about once a week, misting the top of the substrate when I do. The cheap hygrometer I had in his first enclosure usually read around 70-80% but I don't know how much I trust it.

The room he's in is pretty quiet for the most part, and he's on a solid foundation so there shouldn't be much in the way of vibration. Is this just winter time behavior? Or do I just have the wrong idea about Heterometrus SPP.? Is there a particular species that burrows more than others? I'm more versed in tarantula care so I'm still learning, but I feel like I've hit most of the obvious care points. So I believe in my heart he's fine, and it may just be an individual quirk. Thoughts and criticisms would be wonderful.

I sent you a PM