itchy needs help

cloud711 · Jul 12, 2005

i think you should change your substrate. cocofibre holds moisture very well.

Kazuki · Jul 13, 2005

hm...

what about potting soil? is that dangerous for scorpions? does it hold humidity?

i'm thinking if i a live plant in there, that might create some humidity... but i don't think those expand in hot water subtrate can hold a plant though.

fasciatum21 · Jul 13, 2005

well, after reading all of this, if you dont mind some suggestions
1 -

Use a plastic enclosure, glass doesnt hold humidity, get a steralite shoe box container, drill some holes in the top of the sides for ventilation, i use those and they seem to work quite well for me if you are housing single scorps and terrestial Ts ....if your are housing communal animals you should obvously use something larger than a shoe box container, depending on the amount of which your housing and the space requirements of the animal itself
2 - sand = :evil: the devil i try to stay away from sand as much as possible
3 - your set up sounds fine to me, although when giving them a "water bowl" use something shallow
4 - i dont know how much you would feed your emporers, but you should always have a good supply of prey items in your enclosure to prevent cannablism when having more than one scorp in a single enclosure

oh and mentioned in another post, potting soil works well, i use it alot

carpe scorpio · Jul 13, 2005

fasciatum21 said:
glass doesnt hold humidity

Wrong!, glass tanks are designed to house fish in most cases, with the correct plexiglass lid, they hold humidity perfectly. In fact, these are also used as terrariums by many people. Either material will hold humidity, it's all about lid-design. I actually don't use plastic, except in situations where the entire room is heated. Intense heat lamps and heat pads don't mix well with plastic, IMO. BTW, Welcome to Arachnoboards!.

carpe scorpio · Jul 13, 2005

Kazuki said:
this is not pretty. now scratchy is having spasms when it moves around. it doesn't look tired or exhausted, but its having spasms. what is going on??? is it bcoz the temperature or humidty not right?

........... :? http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=11336 :? ...........

Black Hawk · Jul 13, 2005

sorry matt i'm gonna have to go with carpe on that one, it's all about the lid design glass and plastic both hold humidity equally

fasciatum21 · Jul 13, 2005

well for the most part people use screen tops when using glass, which lets all the humidity out.

Black Hawk · Jul 13, 2005

i'll agree with you on that one. u need to use seran wrap, glass, or plexiglass for a top. screens are bad :evil: a cookie for u Matt

carpe scorpio · Jul 13, 2005

fasciatum21 said:
well for the most part people use screen tops when using glass, which lets all the humidity out.

Perhaps you mean for Hadrurus etc., but you really nead to click on the link provided in post#25 above.

Kazuki · Jul 13, 2005

emperor basic setup

i did read that sticky about emperor basic setup, and thats what i'm preparing to do when i get off work.

still i don't understand what is the layer of gravel for yet. but i already bought a whole bag of gravel already, and i'm puting 3-4 inches of potting soild, than maybe a bit of the old coconut barks on top for a very thin layer, just for for the look... or should i just simply dump the coconut bark?

Black Hawk · Jul 14, 2005

the gravel is incase u want to sink a PVC pipe down to that level so that you can add humidity by pouring water down to the gravel, that way you don't have to mist all the time. it seeps up.

Kazuki · Jul 14, 2005

new enclosure

ok this is what i just did today when i got off work.

the bottom is gravel. i know i overkilled it a bit, hope it doesn't effect it 2 much. potting soil in the middle, i firmed it up. and a very thin layer of coconut barks. and thats a real tropical plant i got in there too, hope that helps with humidity.

is the current setup improving or the previous simpler setup is better? i still need to get a top surface to keep the humidity from escaping 2 fast. the heat lamp is 60w, but it doesn't feel like its warm enough. and my humidity didn't even raised a bit even i'm starting to see water vapor on the side of the tank. scratchy seems to like to hide behind the plant instead of starting her usual burrow under the rock though.

here is the new setup picture. what do u guys think of it?

Black Hawk · Jul 14, 2005

it's an improvement :clap: what are u using for a lid btw :? havein something like seran wrap across most of the top or a plexiglass peice with holes will help keep the humidity in

NrthCstInverts · Jul 14, 2005

Well I think the set up on this is better then the first.....

But you need to get a lid on it. Your over half way up the tank with substrate, so I think an adult Emp could do a tail stand on the hide or water bowl and could possibly reach the edge.....

As far as humidity and temp go, do you have a hygrometer and thermometer? That way you know EXACTLY what your looking at as far as temp and humidity go?

Also is the scorpion still shaking? You havent mentioned it in a couple posts thats way im asking. I know you said you used soap in your tank. How much? If you use to much believe it or not no matter how good you rinse there could still be some residue in there. (Its more of a concern for a fishtank, but i thought i would bring it up).

Kazuki · Jul 14, 2005

twitchy

as for now, i don't see much of scratchy, she spends most of her time hiding. although i would prefer her to be more active, still.. it sounds like a better sign than itchy who completely gave up hiding n ending up passing away. i haven't notice scratchy twitchy anymore, but i haven't been around all the time, since these couple nites r my work shift for 2nd job.

lost of itchy left me a scar, now i'm afraid of doing anything that might even disturb them. i'm even afraid to turn on the lights.

come to think of lids, i've ran around n looks in many stores, but they just don't have any good lids around that perserve humidity... so i'm thinking of maybe just making one myself. on the other hand, i noticed some of the pictures in scorpion enclosure threads that some of their tanks r not using lids either, or did they just take it off for the picture?

fasciatum21 · Jul 14, 2005

Kazuki said:
as for now, i don't see much of scratchy, she spends most of her time hiding. although i would prefer her to be more active, still.. it sounds like a better sign than itchy who completely gave up hiding n ending up passing away. i haven't notice scratchy twitchy anymore, but i haven't been around all the time, since these couple nites r my work shift for 2nd job.

lost of itchy left me a scar, now i'm afraid of doing anything that might even disturb them. i'm even afraid to turn on the lights.

come to think of lids, i've ran around n looks in many stores, but they just don't have any good lids around that perserve humidity... so i'm thinking of maybe just making one myself. on the other hand, i noticed some of the pictures in scorpion enclosure threads that some of their tanks r not using lids either, or did they just take it off for the picture?

if you have to keep the screen top on for now, you could do one of two things
1 - like the other guys said, use seran wrap, wont even have to buy another top, just wrap about 3/4 of the thing up,
or
2 - its more of a pain but can work too, you take a damp towel and keep it over most of the screen top, problem being, for best results, you have to dampen the towel alot, which is just annoying

parabuthus · Jul 16, 2005

I am sure this has already been covered, but your tank -from the pic- looks WAY too dry. You need to wet that baby up, not soaking wet, but moist. You should be misting it twice everyday. And there should not be too much ventilation either, that might be how it is so dry even though you said you are misting it. A little ventilation yes, but not too much. It must stay humid.

My guess is that your scorps aren't happy because of a lack of moisture in the tank. They are from tropical Africa, Togo, Ghana...

Goodluck.

parabuthus · Jul 16, 2005

Also, I gaffar taped the lids on my plastic faunariums, because at first my set up was also losing moisture through the ventilation on the lid. Tape it up, that will sort the problem.

parabuthus · Jul 16, 2005

Holy shit, never saw the second pic. Somebody above mentioned that an adult Emperor could tail out of there, I'd keep an eye on that for sure...

Substrate still looks dry though. Change to a peat/soil substrate. Better for humidity and nicer for the scorp's soft underbelly, I'd imagine...

Kazuki · Jul 16, 2005

can't reach

yup, i've noticed they try to use their stingers to push themselves up. still, they're still at least 3 inches short even if they extend their tail to the extreme. so i'm not worry too much yet. besides, i'm hunting for new lid today, and getting my itchy 2nd. the new lid should discontinue the climbing threat.

and that is soil, i just put a bit of coconut barks so i don't waste the old stuff i bought expensively.

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