looking for a new desert scorpion

JungleGuts

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
1,123
Well my only desert currently is a S. mesaensis and i love it, but im looking for another species. Something that would do well in a 5gal tank. Im looking for something on the small side(not big like a desert hairy). Any suggestions?
 

JungleGuts

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 7, 2006
Messages
1,123
cool, Vaejovis spinigerus looks cool....does anyone know good online sites to buy em? I noticed they like 50% humidity, would a water dish help for that? Im usta careing for dune scorp which HATES humidity
 

Crono

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 18, 2006
Messages
530
I know Botar has some, but you can also check in the classifieds on this site. There are some members that usually have them, or will even go out and get some for you.
 

Arachno Kid

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
225
*cough* P.boreus! *cough* do it *cough*


Nice scorpions I have a couple right now , desert species. they are seni-fossorial meaning they dont tunnel but they like their hides and stuff, they like tericotta ;)

TTYL
eli
 

JSN

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
683
cool, Vaejovis spinigerus looks cool....does anyone know good online sites to buy em? I noticed they like 50% humidity, would a water dish help for that? Im usta careing for dune scorp which HATES humidity
they don't need 50% humidity, just keep em dry like you do your Smeringurus mesaensis, maybe a little misting every now and again, but they get enough water from their food...
 

EAD063

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
1,415
I will have some vaejovis aviable shortly, in about a week. :)
 

Rigelus

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
235
they don't need 50% humidity, just keep em dry like you do your Smeringurus mesaensis, maybe a little misting every now and again, but they get enough water from their food...
Maybe they don't need it but i can assure you they appreciate it...:embarrassed:

I have 6 adults in a communal setup (sand/drypeat substrate 70%/30%) that have a small dish full of aquarium gravel which i fill with water every week. I usually spray a little water around the gravel dish onto the sand so that this also is slightly damp. The gravel dish and dampened area is only in one corner.

Whenever i spray onto the sand i will allways find the females in this area the following morning. Occasionally the males are also there, especially if i spray in a wider arch out from the corner than i usually do so that they can get into the area without having to get to close to the females.
 

EAD063

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
1,415
Maybe they don't need it but i can assure you they appreciate it...:embarrassed:

I have 6 adults in a communal setup (sand/drypeat substrate 70%/30%) that have a small dish full of aquarium gravel which i fill with water every week. I usually spray a little water around the gravel dish onto the sand so that this also is slightly damp. The gravel dish and dampened area is only in one corner.

Whenever i spray onto the sand i will allways find the females in this area the following morning. Occasionally the males are also there, especially if i spray in a wider arch out from the corner than i usually do so that they can get into the area without having to get to close to the females.

All living organisms appriciate water, but not all necessarilary need it. The area most vaejovis occupy is pretty dry, and the primary scorpion in the hobby, V spinigerus, absoutly fits that. The area where they are from (and coincidentally JSN backyard) averages percipatation only about 60-70 days throughout the entire year. And during this scorpions prevalent time, spring-fall, the region has an average temperature of 100 degrees, with july and august averaging between 101-105 degrees F with an avergae rainfall of .54 inches. Therefore the species doesn't need much water to survive, they're scrapes aren't very deep, with the opposite indicating they require more humidity, as an estimate, I can't imagine the space they occupy has a ground humidity of more than 15-30% and thats being extremely generous.
 

Rigelus

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
235
I don't dispute they can come from quite arid locations and are hardy with regards to humidity however i was simply offering the observation that at least my own V.spinigeris's certainly seem to appreciate being able to lay on reasonably freshly dampened sand once a week...;)

averages percipatation only about 60-70 days throughout the entire year
Hmmm, thats still approx 1.25 days a week
 

EAD063

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
1,415
I don't dispute they can come from quite arid locations and are hardy with regards to humidity however i was simply offering the observation that at least my own V.spinigeris's certainly seem to appreciate being able to lay on reasonably freshly dampened sand once a week...;)
Very well. Perhaps the areas which are miost are warmer than those dry areas, that'd make sense, I just try to not let it get too wet in all my vaejovis enclosures, it's hard to monitor it exactly as I don't keep any of my species communal. However there are deviations of all scorpion keeping, theres never an exact method. But nonetheless, humidity isn't needed and the species naturally indicates that. Especially this species, which is confined to a realitivly small area here in North America. As opposed to say V coahuliae which is spread out more than just in the desert, I would advise giving slight humidity to them, but not to worry for V s.

Hmmm, thats still approx 1.25 days a week

LOL Rig, 1.25 days a week, (5 times per month), with an average rainfall of .54 inches in the month, which is not so exciting when it rains, can't even splash in a puddle .1 cm deep {D , plus the sand is extremely permiable, rain or no rain wouldn't make a differnece for them in my opinion. Temperature is the big things with these guys.

Either way, we are getting to the same thing, a good 5 or 10-25% is fine, but humidity is not of any concern, a lot of peoples first scorpions are emperors and even concerning a new owner with humidity will likely cause them overboard. Almost everyone uses expandable bricks for peat also and once they mix with sand the substrate will be the perfect consistency. Heres to healthy vaejovis ;).
 

Mark Newton

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 9, 2007
Messages
400
Whenever i spray onto the sand i will allways find the females in this area the following morning. Occasionally the males are also there, especially if i spray in a wider arch out from the corner than i usually do so that they can get into the area without having to get to close to the females.
Water on the ground may not mean the humidity is higher in that area as air is fluid and the humidity should balance out above ground and be fairly much the same across the tank. Of course this wont be the case underneath objects where airflow is greatly reduced. What sorts of temperatures do you run?
 

JSN

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
683
Maybe they don't need it but i can assure you they appreciate it...:embarrassed:

I have 6 adults in a communal setup (sand/drypeat substrate 70%/30%) that have a small dish full of aquarium gravel which i fill with water every week. I usually spray a little water around the gravel dish onto the sand so that this also is slightly damp. The gravel dish and dampened area is only in one corner.

Whenever i spray onto the sand i will allways find the females in this area the following morning. Occasionally the males are also there, especially if i spray in a wider arch out from the corner than i usually do so that they can get into the area without having to get to close to the females.
hahah, I wish my scorpions appreciated me more;P , but joke aside I find these scorpions in very dry conditions, and we've had some bad droughts in AZ these last couple of years just to give you an idea of how dry, like I said I'll occasionally mist my v. spinigerus enclosure (houses about 16 at the moment, not including early instars), but it's still not necessary and I think putting a water dish is pretty much overkill...but hey, scorpion keeping is a matter of preference for the most part...
 

Rigelus

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2006
Messages
235
What sorts of temperatures do you run?
Actually my arachnoroom is affected by the seasons. During the colder months it usually tops out at 25-27c with a drop to 21-22c at night. However because of the good weather we have had of late i've got temperatures topping at around 33-36c with a drop not under 24c at night.
I'm expecting these sort of temperatures to carry on to august/september.

Very well. Perhaps the areas which are miost are warmer than those dry areas
Hmmm...hadn't thought of that...The slightly dampened corner is closest to the heat source (halogen)..........................However it's still only after i've dampened the sand that i find them there the following morning, any other morning of the week they'll be in their hides.

but it's still not necessary and I think putting a water dish is pretty much overkill
Thats a fair comment..I'll try and remove it and see if i can detect any difference in their behaviour.
 

EAD063

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 3, 2006
Messages
1,415
My female camped out in front of the heat lamp every single night for 5 months before she partuated. I have a bunch of I4 spinigerus and cohaulie and they never do. Dunno sex on them though.
 

ZoSoLp510

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 17, 2007
Messages
163
where to buy

cool, Vaejovis spinigerus looks cool....does anyone know good online sites to buy em? I noticed they like 50% humidity, would a water dish help for that? Im usta careing for dune scorp which HATES humidity
www.spiderpharm.com has them for $2.45 each plus shipping. I've got one arriving tomorrow or Friday.
 
Top