Impulse bought a scorpion...

[Collin Clary]

If you can take clear pictures of the carapace, chela, 5th metasomal segment, and (if possible) pectines, I can ID it for you.

Regardless, care is simple: at least 4-6 inches of moist substrate suitable for burrowing (e.g., coco fiber, topsoil, etc.), a large water dish, and a piece of bark to hide under.

As for how to pick up a scorpion...

You can coax it into a container, or you can pick it up by the metasoma using a pair of forceps.

 

[Stugy]

That's a shame- maybe try buying a nymph online? That's what I did; beginner species are pretty easy to keep, just need to clean up after them and mist as needed, and feed them when their abdomens look small. They're a lot more hands-on than scorpions or Ts, too- I like interacting with them, but it's not necessary.

The thing is, every mantis I have ever caught are considered beginner species. From Asian giant(?) mantises to Chinese mantises. Looks like my problem was not misting enough. Back in Japan I never really had to mist since it was so humid there (Okinawa btw). I'll probably try to find another mantis since I'd rather not spend money on a mantis that will more than likely die on me prematurely. Plus I like saving my money for my scorpions lol

 

[Goodlukwitthat]

Agreed! The biggest husbandry mistake people make is not recognizing the difference between a docile animal and a lethargic one. I'm sure your scorpion will perk up in the right conditions Anything bought from a pet shop, I always assume it's lethargic due to unfavorable conditions.

Reminds me of when I got my adult frilled dragon from someone on Craigslist. Dude was all "Yeah, he's SUPER tame!" When I got there and saw what he was living in, and he clearly hadn't had a meal in a LONG time, I bought him right away just to rescue him. He wasn't tame, he was DYING!

D: Was it able to survive??????

 

[Devin B]

I almost did the same thing at the reptile expo last weekend. Lol. Then i suddenly remembered that I don't know a damn thing about scorpions and I just started keeping T's in september (a birthday present to myself). I do plan on getting one eventually and my girlfriend really wants us to get a tailless whip scorpion (I know is not the same as a scorpion). So heres hoping that getting my first scorpion will come sooner rather than later.

 

[GingerC]

If anyone is interested in an update, the new scorp's doing great. I got her to eat a cricket last night, and she's mostly been hiding out in her log. I've noticed she's definitely a lot more prone to showing me the insides of her claws now that she's settled in to her new home, but compared to some videos I've seen where people poke their forest scorpions, she's still an absolute kitten.

She also hasn't shown any desire to burrow, but it may be because of the hidey hole?? She spends most of her time there, so I guess it's enough for the time being.

 

[Venom1080]

Please don't waste your time and money buying guages or any sort for any invert. They are all useless. Some people like to give advice on topics they are not experienced with.

I keep my 14 Heterometrus on deep damp peat moss/ eco Earth, a hide and a water dish. Just eco Earth molds like all hell I find. Temps 70-77

 

[GingerC]

Please don't waste your time and money buying guages or any sort for any invert. They are all useless. Some people like to give advice on topics they are not experienced with.

I keep my 14 Heterometrus on deep damp peat moss/ eco Earth, a hide and a water dish. Just eco Earth molds like all hell I find. Temps 70-77

Hoo boy, does it ever! I have a spider (Phidippus regius) who used to live in a cookie jar with eco earth on the bottom, and it was an absolute disaster. No matter how much spot cleaning, replacing, and removing I did, I could not stop the mold. I even had grass growing in there at some point. My mantis lived in an identical cage with a much better lid, and had no mold or plants growing there. My mantis is still living a happy and mold free life on eco earth, but I had to switch to paper towels for the spider. As for the scorpion... the cage I bought is nicely ventilated, so I'm confident I won't have mold problems... but in the event that I do, I'll be sure to take your advice!

As for the guages: personally, I like to know all the details about everything I do, and I think I'd benefit from some humidity guages even if they aren't a necessity. It certainly would have saved me a lot of trouble with my mantis nymphs (two bad molts from bad humidity) in the beginning, although I did figure things out through trial and error pretty soon. I'm a paranoid pet owner for sure, but that's a pretty good way not to mess up.

 

[Venom1080]

As for the guages: personally, I like to know all the details about everything I do, and I think I'd benefit from some humidity guages even if they aren't a necessity. It certainly would have saved me a lot of trouble with my mantis nymphs (two bad molts from bad humidity) in the beginning, although I did figure things out through trial and error pretty soon. I'm a paranoid pet owner for sure, but that's a pretty good way not to mess up.

i get mold even in my best vented cages, but for some reason not in my low vent L sp borneo black cage..

its not just that theyre unnecessary, they lead beginners to add way too much water, pretty much leading to a swamp. trust me, if the substrates damp, its fine. all that magic humidity number stuff is garbage.

 

[Anoplogaster]

D: Was it able to survive??????

Yup!! First thing was to get him hydrated and fed. Then built him a custom arboreal enclosure, complete with light and heat fixtures, and a water dripper (which he likes to sit under and let the water drip on his head). Now, he actually acts like a frilly should..... like a hissy, lightning fast little devil! Next project is to build a running waterfall with a filtration system, so he can always have clean water running

Anyways, this is off topic now