I need info on Parabuthis traansvalicus

[TNeal]

I have a freind who is a pet shop owner. Someone gave her a Parabuthis traansvalicus about a year ago. She is deathly afraid of it and asked me if I wanted it. I told her I would take it.

I know it is a desert species and it is considered a hot species. Would experienced keepers please give me a little detail on it's husbantry and an idea on how hot it actually is.

Thanks a million,

Tom

 

[Brian S]

Get the next issue of Invertebrates Magazine. There will be an article on husbandry breeding etc. written by yours truly

 

[Alakdan]

I keep mine using the same set-up for my H. hottentotta.

 

[TNeal]

Brian,

Where do I get the invert magazine?

Tom

 

[Thiscordia]

http://visualadvance.com/invertcare/caresheets/scorpions/Parabuthus/Parabuthustransvaalicus.html <--Caresheet.

 

[Brian S]

Brian,

Where do I get the invert magazine?

Tom

Click this banner

 

[TNeal]

I have had my scorp now a few days. I really like him/her. It was really abused by the previouse owner. It had not been fed in over 5 months. The poor thing. She had it for over 2 years and at the most just fed it 10 times or so. I don't see how it has grown. According to her it has tripled in size. Right now it's arounf 3 inches or so long. This poor creature has never even been kept at the right temperature.

I have a few questions.

1) What is the optimal daytime/nighttime temperature for this creature? I understand it is a desert species. I have set his enclosure up very simply. Flat pieces of slate as a hide. They are arranged so he can crawl under it. The substrate looks to be dry sphagnum moss. I could be wrong. He has been on this for the two year period. I added an incandescent bulb which brings the temperature up to about 100F during the day. It is on a 12 hour timer and at night the temperature drops to the mid 70's F.

2) How often should it be fed? When I got it home and set it up I fed it 2 almost adult cockroaches. (Blaptica dubia) It killed and ate them immediatly. The poor thing was starved. Today I fed him about 7 - 1/4 inch crickets. I don't know if he has eaten any yet. I will find out tomorrow. Would a diet of cockroaches, crickets and wax worms be a good diet?

3) How much and how often should they be watered? Do they get all of the moisture they need from their food? If they do require watering then what is the best way. I tried giving a tiny bowl of water to it, but due to the dry conditions and the heat it dried up within minutes. Would water chrystals work? The kind I water my crickets with.

4) How do I sex this animal? I understand they can be kept in male/female pairs. Is this correct? I want to get one of the opposit sex. Can anyone out there help me out with this? This poor creature has had such a rotten life I would just like to make it happy. If anyone would like to give/lend me another one to keep mine company I would be more then happy to split the young, when and if I get any, with the owner/contribitor.

I can use all of the information I can get on this critter. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. I would like to know where it is foind in nature and what it's habitat is like.

Why do people get animals that they can't/won't take care of properly? Just because this is just a "bug" is no reason to neglect it.

I look forward to reading the replies to this post. Thanks in advance for all of the help.

Tom

 

[Brian S]

hmmmm many questions you have there. I only have a few minutes so I'll answer what I have time for.

1. Keep 80-85F

2. Feed as often as it will eat. They will stop feeding when they have had enough

3. About once a month provide a bottle cap with water

4. As adults you can sex by the chela (claws)
Male

Female

This is another method of sexing some Parabuthus spp. There is a lobe at the base of the female's pectine. This is absent in males.