how can you tell if an emperor scorpion is going to molt?

[Chelsea matthews]

Okay i know this is way long ago, but i recently just got a emp scorpion hes about 3 and a half inches from stinger to head, i noticed today that all day hes laying flat stinger and all, but he'll get up every now and then and walk around, then go right back to laying flat, this is my first time owning a scorpion ever. So im not quite sure how to tell if hes molting or dying i dont wanna mess with him too much ether way cause i dont want to hurt him. But i blew on him and poked him lightly and he reacts, but he hasnt been eating, i fed him a week ago and i tried feeding him yesterday but he wasnt having it. He doesnt having any swelling or look bigger then normal, is he just about to molt or could he be dying?

 

[darkness975]

That may not be true Pandinus imperator but rather a Heterometrus. In any case, laying with the telson flat back like that is usually a bad sign. Tell us everything you can about your scorpion and its set up. Temperature, humidity, type of substrate, food, size of tank, etc.

 

[Chelsea matthews]

Shortly after i posted this i went to check on him, and he wasnt responding when id blow on him so i opened his cage and sadly he had passed... I'm very upset. But i had him at normal room temputre, and i fed him crickets, he ate really well he always did, up until two days ago, then yesterday when i woke up and went to change his water out he was laying flat and being really lethargic. And his substrate was the stuff that the petshop had in. But he was doing competely fine for the longest time until yesterday. I dont know what happened. Or what i did wrong

 

[Chelsea matthews]

This was his tank

 

[darkness975]

That tank has multiple issues.
That tank appears to be a critter keeper which are bad choices for humid species unless you restrict the ventilation in the lid. They need several inches of moist substrate like Coco fiber to burrow in. The hiding-place should be buried in the substrate to simulate a burrow and those wood ones will mold.
Temperature should be in the high 70s - low 80s and the humidity should be 70 - 80%.
@Chelsea matthews

Read this: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/basic-emperor-scorpion-p-imperator-care.11336/

Never listen to pet stores. They know nothing about invertebrate care.

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

Hi. Is my scorpion in premolt or dying

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

 

[Lubed Tweezer]

It looks pretty glazy, could be near a molt.
What makes you ask this question ?
Is it behaving different ? When did it eat last time ?

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

I had her for 4 weeks now and she didint eat once

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

And she is lazy and does not walk alot enymore and she lying in the open from yesterday and if she moves it looks like a seeturtle buring the eggs under the sand

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

she is my first scorpion. So i dont know theme that much

 

[Lubed Tweezer]

Might be pre molt, might be dying.
Both have very similar symptoms.
They are known to sit right in the open just before molting, but the same goes for a scorpion that is dying.
A thing to watch for is the tail, when the tail is straight and down onto the substrate then that would indicate 'dying'.
If that is the case you will also see the legs sort of curl up underneath the scorpion, it means 'the end' is near....
If the tail remains in a normal healthy curled upwards position then it is very likely just a molt coming up.
Let's just hope for a molt !
What temperature and humidity are you keeping in the enclosure ?

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

Her tail was flat yesterday and this morning but every time i touch her she moves and her legs are not underneath her. I dont know the temp and the humid but her substrate is 3.5 cm deep i mist the cage every day and thow in a red runner she has moss in the encloser .

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

Is there a way to help her maybe she is been cool and i dont know much i started this year with snakes, tarantulas and the one scorpion

 

[Lubed Tweezer]

Tail flat is not good.
Advice that might come too late : https://arachnoboards.com/threads/basic-emperor-scorpion-p-imperator-care.11336/
You have a burrowing scorpion, 3.5cm is just not enough.
This scorpion requires a minimum temperature together with a higher relative humidity.
They have been known to die at temperatures of 18°C or less for extended periods of time, they really need 26°C+ minimum during daytime.
These scorpions also require a minimum relative humidity of 65%, between 70 and 90% is best.
So if your temperatures have been low for the past few days/weeks, immediately add more heat.
Misting a enclosure is often not enough, better is to have a good amount of substrate of 8-12cm that you can water is if you were watering a plant.

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

This is her lying down now

 

[Lubed Tweezer]

Doesn't look like a healthy posture.
When they are out and about they normally have the claws extended to use a feelers.
In your picture the claws are inward used to protect its face.
All you can do now is maintain correct temperature and humidity and wait....
Let's hope it will soon molt, but that tail laying flat tells a different story.....
Meanwhile, let's see what other users say/think about your situation.

 

[Michaelgamer1444]

Thank you for your help ill give an update if things turn out for the best
Here in south afrika not alot of people will help you so im very great full for your support

 

[Dr SkyTower]

They often look like fat little sausages before a molt so its a bit hard to tell with this one. It could be too dry in the enclosure. Misting is often ineffective because it just evaporates and doesn't go into the substrate like it should. And like Lubed Tweezer said, the scorpion is a burrower and should have more substrate in there to burrow, plus a hide pushed right down so it's just above the substrate (tight and snug, so it can burrow from in there). This species also likes a water bowl to bathe its whole body in so it should be the same size as the scorpion.