Heterophrynus batesii (Giant Peruvian Tailless Whip Scorpion)

[MrCrackerpants]

I was housing my mature male (for breeding purposes) with my mature female and he molted. I found her eating him. I am assuming I should have kept his with her for a shorter time and then moved him out. This would decrease the possibility that he would molt while with her. Any other suggestions?

 

[MrCrackerpants]

 

[MrCrackerpants]

I have been feeding my Heterophrynus batesii (Giant Peruvian Tailless Whip Scorpion) red runners and crickets. I decided to try Blaptica dubia (Guyana Spotted Roach) nymphs and the Heterophrynus batesii would not touch them.

Has anyone had this experience with Heterophrynus batesii not eating Blaptica dubia?

What are some other types of roaches that your Heterophrynus batesii have eaten?

Thanks!!

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

I was housing my mature male (for breeding purposes) with my mature female and he molted. I found her eating him. I am assuming I should have kept his with her for a shorter time and then moved him out. This would decrease the possibility that he would molt while with her. Any other suggestions?

I've tried to put young adult males with big monster fat females a few times and they pretty much eat the male straight away, no molt needed. I realize now the first time wasn't a fluke.

 

[Ranitomeya]

In my experience, dubia are generally too inactive to be easily picked up as prey and are a bit tougher for whip scorpions to handle due to their thicker exoskeleton and wider bodies. Their tendency flatten against surfaces and to burrow into substrate and hide also doesn't help at all. I have similar experiences--I can toss in some red runners and their higher activity gets my whip scorpions on them pretty quickly while the dubia are ignored until I remove them.

 

[wizentrop]

I have a slightly different experience with H. batesii. They will eat anything that does not burrow, and size does not seem to matter too much. Crickets? sure. Caterpillars? you bet. But lately I have been experimenting with mealworm pupae and roaches. I give both a light crush with tweezers (this is especially important to prevent some glass-climbing roaches from escaping), the whip spiders are attracted to the wounded insects, and grab them (even *gently* grab them, I'd say).

I any case it seems that they prefer adult roaches as opposed to nymphs.

 

[MrCrackerpants]

I've tried to put young adult males with big monster fat females a few times and they pretty much eat the male straight away, no molt needed. I realize now the first time wasn't a fluke.

OK. That is REALLY good to know, Orin. So you wait till the males have molted a few times and are pretty good size or do you need to wait till the males are the same size at the females (i.e., big monster fat male)? Thanks in advance!!

 

[MrCrackerpants]

I have a slightly different experience with H. batesii. They will eat anything that does not burrow, and size does not seem to matter too much. Crickets? sure. Caterpillars? you bet. But lately I have been experimenting with mealworm pupae and roaches. I give both a light crush with tweezers (this is especially important to prevent some glass-climbing roaches from escaping), the whip spiders are attracted to the wounded insects, and grab them (even *gently* grab them, I'd say).

I any case it seems that they prefer adult roaches as opposed to nymphs.

Interesting...so you give a light crush to dubia roaches and then they eat them? What species of roaches have you gotten them to eat? Thanks!

 

[MrCrackerpants]

In my experience, dubia are generally too inactive to be easily picked up as prey and are a bit tougher for whip scorpions to handle due to their thicker exoskeleton and wider bodies. Their tendency flatten against surfaces and to burrow into substrate and hide also doesn't help at all. I have similar experiences--I can toss in some red runners and their higher activity gets my whip scorpions on them pretty quickly while the dubia are ignored until I remove them.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[wizentrop]

so you give a light crush to dubia roaches and then they eat them? What species of roaches have you gotten them to eat?

I do not have dubia roaches, but it works with Panchlora and Parcoblatta. True, these are the soft active species that whip spiders will go after anyway. But what I am suggesting is that they go after inactive prey as well. It really is amazing to see them lifting beetle pupae. Those pupae have a hard exoskeleton!

 

[MrCrackerpants]

I do not have dubia roaches, but it works with Panchlora and Parcoblatta. True, these are the soft active species that whip spiders will go after anyway. But what I am suggesting is that they go after inactive prey as well. It really is amazing to see them lifting beetle pupae. Those pupae have a hard exoskeleton!

Ok. That makes sense...Thanks for the clarification!

I will try those species.

 

[Elytra and Antenna]

OK. That is REALLY good to know, Orin. So you wait till the males have molted a few times and are pretty good size or do you need to wait till the males are the same size at the females (i.e., big monster fat male)? Thanks in advance!!

The males mated with other smaller females before being eaten by the big females. I'd say if they're not close in size don't try it.

 

[MrCrackerpants]

The males mated with other smaller females before being eaten by the big females. I'd say if they're not close in size don't try it.

OK. Thanks for the clarification and the advise.

 

[pannaking22]

@MrCrackerpants any updates with these?

 

[21Grams]

I'm curious too. Of all the species I've kept over the years I would kill for another Heterophrynus Batesii.

 

[KevinsWither]

That's amazing!