Isopods eat scorplings!!!!!!

[rustym3talh3ad]

OK so, for the longest time ive been trying to figure out how some of my scorpions where dying. it was like they would molt and then the next day my isopods would be taking care of the carcass. i thought nothing of this becuz i assumed they had died in the molt. then when a few more happened i was like what the hell??? well, i as of this evening found out a pretty good culprit. i was doing some normal cage maintenance and i lifted up my P. imperator hide to find that my mom had finally (after TWO YEARS OF TRYING!) had babies. i should have been ecstatic but i was horrified to see that some of the scorplings were being eaten alive while on the moms back by isopods. i flipped out, scurried around and began prepping a new cage for mom and babies to go free of isopods. i was stung in the process of putting her in the new enclosure and as of now i dont think she will allow the babies to live due to the stress i had to cause.

im so friggin pissed that this is happening. i have tried and waited and wished for TWO YEARS that i would get one batch of truly captive bred emperor scorpions and i finally have success that may or may not make it all becuz of some stupid pill bugs.

just thought i would share my horror story and warn everyone that if u are using isopods make sure they are not in with your scorpions that have not reached mature size becuz they WILL eat the freshly molted scorps both big and small.

 

[Jorpion]

I am so sorry to hear about what happened! I've been wondering about the very situation that just happened to you. I've had some scorplings go "missing" in setups where cannibalism was a non-issue, and in all cases there were FAT isopods running around. Thanks for the heads-up!

Jeff

 

[Dessicaria]

Very sad to hear that! I've got roly-polies in my emperor tank. When I get a pregnant female, I will be sure to remove her before she gives birth. Thanks for the info, but sorry that it came at such a high price!

 

[NevularScorpion]

I was planning to put some Isopods on my Orthochirus scrobiculosus negebensis since they are small, they can eat the small babies of the isopods but now that you mention it, it might be the other way around especially if they give birth. thanks for the info

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

yep. its sad to see that happen, but at least we can all learn from it. the rest of the babies look to be doing good, but im not out of the woods yet. i will keep updates on here to let others know how my awesome 2 year breeding project turned out lol. thanks for your condolences.

 

[NevularScorpion]

you can separate them with the mother if the mom decides to eat or abandon them, just keep them in a moist paper towel. some members here did that and got great success

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

you can separate them with the mother if the mom decides to eat or abandon them, just keep them in a moist paper towel. some members here did that and got great success

well, so far she neglected one which im raising solo. the little bugger is doing pretty well. i dont know how it will survive but im gonna do my best. ive raised many of scorplings on the moms back, and i know how she takes care of them with the feeding and such. so im mimicking what i have seen done before in hopes it will take to the idea. if it survives im naming it something cool and im going to raise it. the rest on moms back are doing ok. it was a small brood, only about 15 or so. i tried feeding her this evening and she seems to be eating, i dont know if she will share or not. either way its fine by me cuz she eats big healthy roaches and that should fill her to the point where she wont wanna eat her young. Whats funny is that ive bred and produced Isometrus maculatus, LQ's, C. vitattus, and B. jacksoni and i feel like this is like my most rewarding brood thus far. fingers crossed.

 

[Roy]

Yup, I understand what you're talking about as the gestation period for Emps is so long (give or take a year) as opposed to Centruroides or B jacksoni which take months only.

Hope all turns out well for you.

 

[Redneck]

Hey man.. I recieved 3 baby emps a while back.. They were still really young when I got them.. Still white.. I believe they were 3 or 4 days old when shipped to me.. I think the guy said the momma was eating the babies & he saved the three he sent me..

Anyways.. I had them in a small little container.. Moist sub.. Blah blah blah.. They all survived for me.. Just be sure to offer prekilled..

All of this I am sure you know.. But I just wanted to share that I had very good luck with the babies I had received.. Best of luck with yours.. Hope they do well for you..

Congrats as well..

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

thanks tommy, apparently when it comes to scorpions i got the hang of things. ive been able to produce scorplings left and right. T's....not so much :wall::wall::wall:

 

[signinsimple]

strange. I keep some H. Longimanus scorplings in a small critter keeper with isopods and they've made it all the way to 4th instar already with no issues molting right next to those scavengers. How big were those isopods?

Either way I'm taking those rolly pollies out before the next one molts. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Galapoheros]

Were the isopods the fast ones that can't roll up that were eating the babies?, and not the slower "pill bugs"?

 

[venomglide]

Hello

Does rolly polly help on cleaning the remains of food from the scorpion tank? And what are the other benefits of having roly poly on the scorpion tank?

Thanks (just curious).

 

[ZergFront]

Hello

Does rolly polly help on cleaning the remains of food from the scorpion tank? And what are the other benefits of having roly poly on the scorpion tank?

Thanks (just curious).

They help keep tarantula cages clean so I would assume if it's a forest scorpion (isopods must be kept moist to survive) they would serve the same purpose. However..just wow, I never would have imagined isopods would be picking off LIVE scorplings. Thanks for the heads up. I'm also curious what spp. these isopods were. You have pics of them?

 

[rustym3talh3ad]

They help keep tarantula cages clean so I would assume if it's a forest scorpion (isopods must be kept moist to survive) they would serve the same purpose. However..just wow, I never would have imagined isopods would be picking off LIVE scorplings. Thanks for the heads up. I'm also curious what spp. these isopods were. You have pics of them?

i can get pics but they were the grey iso's and orange ones. the grey ones were the culprit. i however did let the colony get a tad outta control in my emperor tank. there were probably well over a hundred adults in there, with who knows how many babies. but ive also as i stated had the C. gracilis and one B. jacksoni turn up missing. i thought it was a death during molt, but now i question that.

 

[Galapoheros]

The fast light gray ones are aggressive opportunists, not so much the slow pill bugs(Armadillidium, the ones that can ball up). I don't like the fast gray ones either. I have to redo some cages because of those. Also, I've fed dubia nymphs to young inverts, just dropped them in. If they don't get eaten, when the roaches get hungry and the small scorpling is molting, they may start eating it, I've seen that happen.

 

[H. laoticus]

The fast light gray ones are aggressive opportunists, not so much the slow pill bugs(Armadillidium, the ones that can ball up). I don't like the fast gray ones either. I have to redo some cages because of those. Also, I've fed dubia nymphs to young inverts, just dropped them in. If they don't get eaten, when the roaches get hungry and the small scorpling is molting, they may start eating it, I've seen that happen.

I'm with you, those gray ones are more aggressive. They can grow pretty large, too.