My Emperor scorpion just had babies! What do I do??!!

[gambite]

I knew she was gravid, but I didnt think she would pop so soon! I was thinking maybe in a few more months. I even saw her tail sticking up last night and joking said "Oh no she is having the babies!" but then I woke up and she actually did! What do I do now? I feel so unprepared. Time to search the forums I guess.

EDIT:
Ok, I think she might still be having them. There are seven so far on her back, and she is wriggling around so I think more might be coming.

 

[dairy]

Grats!
Step one: Do your happy dance.
Step two: Do nothing. Wait for the molt until 2nd instar.
Step three: More happy dance :clap:

You really don't need to do anything. IF you feed mom I would suggest pre-killed prey items, but other than that, let them be. After the first molt you can start separation, but there's no rush. How many did you get? Average brood is 10 to 20 I think.

This post contains the basics of rearing Pandinus and Het. scorplings.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=69385

GL

 

[gambite]

There are seven right now. How many could she have total?


EDIT: Oh yeah, she also had a plastic under-ground cave in her tank, but, anticipating babies, I completely buried it while she was out and about. I was thinking that, if she is gonna have babies, I dont want any getting lost underground or getting buried or anything, and with her out in the open I can keep an eye on her better. This wont cause any problems, will it?

Here are some pics:

 

[inverts]

All you need to do is wait for the young to molt and come off the mother's back. Once they are roaming around, place them in another container and keep them the same as the adults, just use a smaller water dish and smaller prey items.

 

[dairy]

Average Brood 10 - 20

I've got some P. Imperators at 3rd instar right now. Their mom had 3 hides available to her, 1 on the surface, 2 underground and she spent 99% of her time in one of the underground burrows. She did accept food, although she probably didn't need it. I placed pre killed crickets near her burrow. I know that at least one 1st instar fell off her back and died, but after watching her enter and exit the burrow, I noticed she was careful not scrape them off her back on the "roof" of the burrow or when curling and dropping her tail on the way in. I've read that stressing the mother can cause her to eat the scorplings, so I'd recommend not disturbing the tank, adjusting hides etc. Keep your temps up, humidity up and wait for that first molt.

 

[gambite]

Ok, the next question is, who's the daddy? I have had this particular scorpion for about 8-10 months. I knew she was female, and she was fat when I got her. She had been kept communally at the pet shop, but I was not certain she was gravid yet so I kept her with a male for about a month, up until about 4 months ago. So, if the male I gave her was the daddy, then she would have gestated in only 5 months, right? So she must have been gravid when I got her, I am thinking. Right?

 

[calum]

yes, that's probably whap happened. it happened to me, as well.