My Desert Hairy Scorpion sealed its burrow?

ScorpSarah

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Apr 24, 2016
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My Hadrurus Arizonensis seems to have buried himself deep in his substrate. At first he just sealed the entrance, that was 4 days ago, now he has put dirt at least 4 inches down his burrow entrance. I used to be able to see 4 inches into his burrow as it was against the glass for that part then sloped down towards the middle of the tank. (Which was cool to see him hiding in the back of the burrow when I decided to use a dim light to look if I could see him) now I can't see into that tunnel at all and he has literally trapped himself in a dirt cave. What if he doesn't get oxygen in there and dies? :arghh: Can that happen? I don't think he is molting, he ate a lot in the days leading up to this hideout. I did get 2 Blue Death Feigning beetles (which I saw mating today, but I read the young don't survive captivity), I hope he isn't afraid of the beetles and hiding from them lol :happy:

Anyways, is this normal? Should I be concerned at all?

image.jpeg
 

darkness975

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Should I be concerned at all?
No


H. arizonensis go through a "diapause" period in the colder months. Mine disappear around late October/early November and I do not see them again until late March / early April the following spring. Two of mine have sealed themselves off. The others have gone asunder.
 

ScorpSarah

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No


H. arizonensis go through a "diapause" period in the colder months. Mine disappear around late October/early November and I do not see them again until late March / early April the following spring. Two of mine have sealed themselves off. The others have gone asunder.
Thank you for your response. Is there anything special that I should do or know about during these colder months? I do have an infra-red heat lamp, should I turn that off completely?
 

darkness975

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@ScorpSarah I don't use any heating. Ambient temps in their room dont drop lower than the mid 60s at night in winter.

What is the ambient temperature in the room they are in in the coldest of winter ?
 

Brandy0716

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No


H. arizonensis go through a "diapause" period in the colder months. Mine disappear around late October/early November and I do not see them again until late March / early April the following spring. Two of mine have sealed themselves off. The others have gone asunder.

My desert hairy has been doing this exact same thing now for about 2 months now. I'm worried because I do think he was going into molt prior to this. How long before I check on him? I don't want to make things worse.
 

darkness975

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My desert hairy has been doing this exact same thing now for about 2 months now. I'm worried because I do think he was going into molt prior to this. How long before I check on him? I don't want to make things worse.
Are you able to see into the burrow at all? Either with the naked eye or with the help of a UV flashlight?
 

Smokehound714

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They make a sealed chamber for birthing or molting or if they deem conditions too hostile (unlikely).
 

Brandy0716

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Yeah the fact that maybe he was in fact a she had crossed my mind also. I just didn't know how long is appropriate before I investigate?
 

darkness975

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The photo of "him" in the enclosure is just before he went into the burrow.

The other photo is a bit older.
Looks healthy enough.

They can go a long time without food and yours looks quite well fed.
 

Brandy0716

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So I should probably just leave him be for now?

How long of not seeing him before I should look for him?
 
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