My newest scorpion.

[funk]

Its pounds over here, and Moving to australia is something I would love to do when i'm older.

That is what I meant, your pound is worth almost like 3 dollars here or something which is excellent.

 

[Mark Newton]

Do you think the centipedes deliberately prey upon these scorpions?
I am starting to hate this thread, an extremely interesting beautiful scorpion that the chances are i won't get my hands on!

I couldnt imagine living anywhere else to tell the truth, miles of open spaces to camp in wiithout a single person about to bother me.

I really dont know if pedes prey on them or not as I have only ever discovered this once in many years, so more than likely they dont, but its hard to say. Also, it may well be a size issue, maybe they are well matched, maybe the scorpion usually wins and I found a reversal to the norm, I really dont know.

 

[Mark Newton]

Ps. Scorp seems to be going well.. from what I can see, I hope how I have him set up is ok?

Describe in detail your setup and I'll give an opinion if you wish.

 

[funk]

Describe in detail your setup and I'll give an opinion if you wish.

The plastic tank is 26cmX16cm and ~22cm high.

I have approx 6cm of 'reptile sand' in there, about 1 - 2cm of the top sand is softer (i wet it a few days ago, if its still soft it still has some moisture?) then the sand under it.

I have glad wrap/cling wrap over the top to keep the tank 'air tight'.

Also, there appear to be a few deepish craters where the scorp has tried to burrow I assume? He hasn't been sitting in them or doing them when I wake up and see him.. would that be a bad indicater? Suggesting that the conditions aren't right and he is trying to burrow to better conditions etc?

 

[Aillith]

The plastic tank is 26cmX16cm and ~22cm high.

I have approx 6cm of 'reptile sand' in there, about 1 - 2cm of the top sand is softer (i wet it a few days ago, if its still soft it still has some moisture?) then the sand under it.

I have glad wrap/cling wrap over the top to keep the tank 'air tight'.

Also, there appear to be a few deepish craters where the scorp has tried to burrow I assume? He hasn't been sitting in them or doing them when I wake up and see him.. would that be a bad indicater? Suggesting that the conditions aren't right and he is trying to burrow to better conditions etc?

I'm not sure gladwrap would be 100% airtight?

 

[funk]

I'm not sure gladwrap would be 100% airtight?

Isn't that what it's used for when you cover food etc?

It is stuck to the sides of the tank and taped in some areas, anything else I could use other than that?

 

[Aillith]

Isn't that what it's used for when you cover food etc?

It is stuck to the sides of the tank and taped in some areas, anything else I could use other than that?

Well, gladwrap is used to keep food fresh for a bit longer, but it doesn't keep food 100% airtight. Put a sammich in it for a week and you'll find it won't last.

I know Mark uses small food/storage containers and sticky tape. Again, not all food containers are 100% airtight. You just gotta try one and watch the soil. if it dries out, try a different container.

Personally, I'm in the process of modifying a glass aquarium up to be as air-tight as possible. Not the cheapest method of doing it and a bit of a hassle and alot of experimentation. It would be much easier and cheaper to do it Marks way, I just have a thing for glass aquariums.

 

[Mark Newton]

I have approx 6cm of 'reptile sand' in there, about 1 - 2cm of the top sand is softer (i wet it a few days ago, if its still soft it still has some moisture?) then the sand under it.

Not a good idea to add water to the soil. Better to start again with a complete mix. I dont know what reptile sand is like, but its probably fairly coarse. I would add about 2% water by weight and see how it feels. If the tank is airtight and you feed the scorpion adlib you should be okay. But it MUST BE AIRTIGHT!

I have glad wrap/cling wrap over the top to keep the tank 'air tight'.

Hope it seals!

Also, there appear to be a few deepish craters where the scorp has tried to burrow I assume? He hasn't been sitting in them or doing them when I wake up and see him.. would that be a bad indicater? Suggesting that the conditions aren't right and he is trying to burrow to better conditions etc

It takes them a little while to become accustomed to the house lights, but once they settle they spend most time out of the burrow in my experience. Giving it something to hide under is also an option such as a piece of bark, may not use it though, they dont occupy scrapes, but sometimes will burrow under logs etc..

 

[funk]

Not a good idea to add water to the soil. Better to start again with a complete mix. I dont know what reptile sand is like, but its probably fairly coarse. I would add about 2% water by weight and see how it feels. If the tank is airtight and you feed the scorpion adlib you should be okay. But it MUST BE AIRTIGHT!


Hope it seals!

Ahh k, well what do you use and where could I possibly get it from? I am only new as you know and I really want to give the scorpion(s) the best environment to live and grow and be happy in.

I spoke to my dad and we are going to come up with something 'air tight' that is much better than gladwrap, for the moment I will just make re-inforcements to the gladwrap.

Atm there are 3 crickets in his enclosure.. one dead one (can that cause any sort of harm to the scorp? rotting etc? or anything like that) and 2 live ones which hopefully he starts eating.

It takes them a little while to become accustomed to the house lights, but once they settle they spend most time out of the burrow in my experience. Giving it something to hide under is also an option such as a piece of bark, may not use it though, they dont occupy scrapes, but sometimes will burrow under logs etc..

He has a rock in there to hide or burrow under (there is a pic of the enclosure on the previous page), but with the burrows/start of burrows he has made they are just deep holes in the sand and then it seems he got bored or something.. hopefully he settles in and is happy when I get everything perfect.

 

[Mark Newton]

Ahh k, well what do you use and where could I possibly get it from? I am only new as you know and I really want to give the scorpion(s) the best environment to live and grow and be happy in.

It should be alright, it's just that I'm not familiar with it. Is it fine or coarse? Is it as fine as beach sand? If its coarser than beach sand then add 2% water by weight and mix it thoroughly all the way through. If its finer than beach sand make it 1%-1.5%, but no more. Rocks are dangerous because they are heavy and scorpions can get caught between the glass (plastic) and the rock. If the rock is away from the walls and the substrate is deep such that the scorpion cant get wedged between the rock and the base of the tank you should be okay. Light stuff like bark is better.

Atm there are 3 crickets in his enclosure.. one dead one (can that cause any sort of harm to the scorp? rotting etc? or anything like that) and 2 live ones which hopefully he starts eating.

Good idea to only place one cricket in at a time. I wouldnt bother removing it if it doesnt get eaten in a tank that size. yaschenkoi have no problems dealing with crickets in my experience. Best to remove dead crickets too, or fungus grows on the body.


See how you go. A better sealing tank is what you really need...its imperative.

 

[Aillith]

The reptile sand he has is probably the same stuff sold to me under the same name.

It's pretty much similar to the desert sand you sent me, just the desert sand is a tiny bit finer.

 

[Mark Newton]

The reptile sand he has is probably the same stuff sold to me under the same name.

It's pretty much similar to the desert sand you sent me, just the desert sand is a tiny bit finer.

Sounds perfect.

 

[funk]

It should be alright, it's just that I'm not familiar with it. Is it fine or coarse? Is it as fine as beach sand? If its coarser than beach sand then add 2% water by weight and mix it thoroughly all the way through. If its finer than beach sand make it 1%-1.5%, but no more. Rocks are dangerous because they are heavy and scorpions can get caught between the glass (plastic) and the rock. If the rock is away from the walls and the substrate is deep such that the scorpion cant get wedged between the rock and the base of the tank you should be okay. Light stuff like bark is better.




Good idea to only place one cricket in at a time. I wouldnt bother removing it if it doesnt get eaten in a tank that size. yaschenkoi have no problems dealing with crickets in my experience. Best to remove dead crickets too, or fungus grows on the body.


See how you go. A better sealing tank is what you really need...its imperative.

Ok, well my plan for a sealed tank etc is some time down the track but for now I have moved him into a smaller contained with a lid that sits down on top, very similar to some of the ones you use Mark (the rectangle ones with the brown lids), and to make them 100% air tight I put glad wrap around the lid before I put it on so it is acting as a seal.

The sand is farely fine so I think it should be ok.

I removed the crickets (dead and extra one) when I moved him into the new container.

And I covered it with a towel for now so it is dark and hopefully will help reduce the stress the move would have caused him.

Hope I didn't mess up.

 

[Mark Newton]

Sounds Good To Me.....