Is my scorpion too fat?

Is she too fat?


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    7

Ti1220

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
53
I put my heat pad on the one of the narrow sides of the enclosure for my heterometrius. I chose to put it on the opposite side of the water dish so the heat wouldn't evaporate the water in the dish as fast. This also made a dryer spot on the side with the heat pad to offer more humidity options. So hot and dry on one side and a little cooler and moist on the other. Not sure if this is best but it's the recommendation I have.
I got a 10-20 gallon heat pad from amazon with an electronic thermometer regulator so it doesn't get too hot. I've noticed the heat pad heats the enclosure to about 5 degrees (give or take) above the outside temperature. I have 2 thermometers to measure this, one in the enclosure and one just outside of it. You don't need to do that, it's just the set up I have.
My humidity is at 90% which I feel is high. I got a custom cut acrylic lid with a vent hole above the water dish. I might swap for a normal grated lid and cut down the acrylic to cover half the enclosure to get the humidity down just a bit.
You set up is darling <3 I really like the temple area you put in for your scorpion. I bet she can scramble in there and find a good hiding spot. You heat and humidity look good. Soil and peat for your substrate are definitely better than just creature soil. I only use creature soil to put on top of areas that i want to stay dry or wick away moisture. Creature soil is sandy and dry so it doesn't make good substrate by itself.
If you want to add another layer of humidity you can get another piece of cork bark and burry it partially in the substrate (like half in and half out at a diagonal angle) to create a burrow that has access to the deeper parts of substrate that are more moist. This also provides opportunity for digging which is good enrichment for you scorpion.
I recommend watchin Biodude's videos on his terra aranea substrates on youtube. It's made for inverts and burrowers. When he sets up the enclosures he gives a lot of good details about how to offer humidity levels for your inverts. You don't need to buy the substrate to utilize his techniques.
Hope that helps <3

Edit *to answer your original question*: Your scorp definitely looks like she's in pre-molt 👍 not fat.
Thank you so much yea im new to the scorpion thing and I've had her a year so when she stopped showing up and hiding I was scared and im glad I found this place yall are so helpful I would have never figured out I had some stuff wrong and yes she loves climbing up in the temple with that being said should I move my water dish to the temple side and put the pad on the opposite end of the temple or will she leave the temple if she gets too hot? And thank you really for all this info I want her to live her best and happiest life I can give her.
 

KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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Dec 2, 2021
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Hmmmm. I think it would be depend on if she goes to the temple to get cooler or not. Warmth might encourage her to hide in it more. I noticed with my heat pad, my scorpion chooses his burrow in the middle of the enclosure over the deadwood I have by the heat pad. I would say try it out and see. Most heat pads have a good reusable stickiness to them so you can move it later if you notice her avoiding the hot spot. It might even encourage her to hide there more because of the warmth. My biggest thing was keeping the water dish away from the heat source so the water wouldn't evaporate fast. I think it's your enclosure so you do what works best for you and your pet <3 She seems happy and health and ready to get ready for molting ^^
 

Ti1220

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
53
Hmmmm. I think it would be depend on if she goes to the temple to get cooler or not. Warmth might encourage her to hide in it more. I noticed with my heat pad, my scorpion chooses his burrow in the middle of the enclosure over the deadwood I have by the heat pad. I would say try it out and see. Most heat pads have a good reusable stickiness to them so you can move it later if you notice her avoiding the hot spot. It might even encourage her to hide there more because of the warmth. My biggest thing was keeping the water dish away from the heat source so the water wouldn't evaporate fast. I think it's your enclosure so you do what works best for you and your pet <3 She seems happy and health and ready to get ready for molting ^^
Alright I will and I went and bought everything for her today even ended up buying another baby and can you tell the gender when they are young or not?
 

KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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Dec 2, 2021
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Ooooooo!! Another baby x3 How exciting!! It depends on how old they are. Juveniles I think are the smallest you can determine by but I'm no expert on sexing scorpions. I have 2 that I'm pretty sure are males but still get mixed answers on. Did you get another of the same species?
 

Ti1220

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
53
Ooooooo!! Another baby x3 How exciting!! It depends on how old they are. Juveniles I think are the smallest you can determine by but I'm no expert on sexing scorpions. I have 2 that I'm pretty sure are males but still get mixed answers on. Did you get another of the same species?
Yes I did but I separated them in different enclosers because of the size difference I didn't plan on getting him/her but when I saw they had almost nothing needed for the scorpion I couldn't let them sell it to someone and it die they had nothing for it no bedding or anything I told them that they didn't have nothing for it and the only reason I got it is because I had some extra supplies at home and knew I could take care of it. Petsmart is really disappointing lately. I'll post pictures here shortly of the baby.
 

KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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Dec 2, 2021
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Petsmart does the absolute bare minimum in most cases and it makes me so sad. I don't know how they get away with it. Well I'm glad you have the supplies to give them a better home and a chance at survival <3
 

Ti1220

Arachnosquire
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Dec 30, 2021
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53
Petsmart does the absolute bare minimum in most cases and it makes me so sad. I don't know how they get away with it. Well I'm glad you have the supplies to give them a better home and a chance at survival <3
This Is a temp set up it's way better then what they had it in but im ordering more bedding to mix into the bedding to hold a burrow better it's maybe 2 inches long idk if that's a baby or juveniles. Also getting some leaf litter as well.
 

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KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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Oh what cute little bab x3 Leafe litter is always a good choice. I recommend some sphagnum moss for humidity as well if the substrate isn't very deep. Here's my big boy's set-up right now. He's got a lot of leaf litter and i gave him a high side and a low side you can't really see.
 

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Ti1220

Arachnosquire
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Dec 30, 2021
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53
Oh what cute little bab x3 Leafe litter is always a good choice. I recommend some sphagnum moss for humidity as well if the substrate isn't very deep. Here's my big boy's set-up right now. He's got a lot of leaf litter and i gave him a high side and a low side you can't really see.
I have moss just in case but I don't know how to use it wisely like what
Oh what cute little bab x3 Leafe litter is always a good choice. I recommend some sphagnum moss for humidity as well if the substrate isn't very deep. Here's my big boy's set-up right now. He's got a lot of leaf litter and i gave him a high side and a low side you can't really see.
I have that exact moss already just didn't know how to use it I guess I'll put some down and just try to make it look as wild as possible in both enclosers im going to order leaf litter as soon as possible
 

KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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I wet mine a little, wring it out so it's moist not dripping, and then lay a stack of it in a corner of the enclosure. As long as it's not entirely covering the enclosure you should be fine.
 

Ti1220

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Dec 30, 2021
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53
I wet mine a little, wring it out so it's moist not dripping, and then lay a stack of it in a corner of the enclosure. As long as it's not entirely covering the enclosure you should be fine.
I changed it up a little when I added the moss and put the log in the ground like it was recommended all thats left is leaf little for the bigger cage and smaller dude doesn't need but will have upgrades here soon.
 

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KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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Woooooow ❤ that looks lovely. I have the same water dish xD My guy likes to splash around in it some times but mostly for scrambling reasons. Your dedication to your animal's well being certainly shows.
Oh I just noticed your heat mat. It might be sitting a little low. I have the bottom edge of mine resting 1 to 2 inches below the substrate layer and the rest above it to disperse more heat. I know it's not recommended to put the heat under the tank for burrowing reasons so I applied that to placing it on the side as well by giving the dirt below the heat mat a little space to be cooler. But that's not a rule, just what my judgement led me to do.
 

Ti1220

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Dec 30, 2021
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Woooooow ❤ that looks lovely. I have the same water dish xD My guy likes to splash around in it some times but mostly for scrambling reasons. Your dedication to your animal's well being certainly shows.
Oh I just noticed your heat mat. It might be sitting a little low. I have the bottom edge of mine resting 1 to 2 inches below the substrate layer and the rest above it to disperse more heat. I know it's not recommended to put the heat under the tank for burrowing reasons so I applied that to placing it on the side as well by giving the dirt below the heat mat a little space to be cooler. But that's not a rule, just what my judgement led me to do.
I am moving it as I type and yea im pretty dedicated towards her having a good life I want it to seem as natural as possible with the exception of her temple she just loves it too much I've also started 2 dig spots for her to choose which she wants to burrow in the log or the temple if im betting I think she will choose the temple the day I bought it she automatically just ditched the log I think I care for her more then my siblings xD but I do appreciate the help and I will post updates on my scorpions as they mature or molt and do you know if she will get any bigger because she's already past the 5 inch mark pet smart says
 

KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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Hmmmm. I'd need to see a picture of her with something to compare he size to. I'm not certain. She does look small still but that could be the angle.
 

Ti1220

Arachnosquire
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Dec 30, 2021
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Hmmmm. I'd need to see a picture of her with something to compare he size to. I'm not certain. She does look small still but that could be the angle.
Only 2 inches long and that's being generous
 

CRX

Arachnoangel
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Dec 28, 2008
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OP, I am so happy you were able to rescue a scorp! You are a genuinely good person, and the world is better with you in it. I hate Petsmart too, the local one here actually ALSO had a little baby ASF! It makes me so mad to see it on plain dry bark chips. I wasn't able to get it at the time, but if I get some money soon I'm probably going to go back and get it if its still there. I can only hope if someone else buys it, they do the proper research.
 

KenEnd

Arachnopeon
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The dry bark chips T^T
The lack of hiding space
The over exposure to bright lights
Seeing those poor creatures in those Petsmart enclosures breaks my heart. On one hand I'm excited you can get larger scorpions for cheap from them but on the other hand I can only imagine how miserable they are in those paltry conditions. I got my biggest lad from a Petsmart up north and as soon as I got him in a new moist enclosure, he sat his butt in the water dish and didn't move for almost a whole day. It's so dry in those conditions.
Side note, has anyone here read the care sheet from Petsmart regarding invertebrate care? My partner likes to quote it mockingly out loud like scripture and then correct all the misinformation in it on the regular. Like "Ooooh did you know you need to feed your tarantula and/or scorpion DAILY??? The pamphlet proclaims it!" Suuuuuuuuuper inaccurate stuff in there. I can only wonder, is it because they did literally no research when writing the pamphlet or is it because they actually want to kill your pet so you get another one?
 

Ti1220

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 30, 2021
Messages
53
OP, I am so happy you were able to rescue a scorp! You are a genuinely good person, and the world is better with you in it. I hate Petsmart too, the local one here actually ALSO had a little baby ASF! It makes me so mad to see it on plain dry bark chips. I wasn't able to get it at the time, but if I get some money soon I'm probably going to go back and get it if its still there. I can only hope if someone else buys it, they do the proper research.
Yall are the only reason my set up is proper now and I know all this new stuff about her.
 
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