My newest scorpion.
- Thread starter funk
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Looks like U yaschenkoi. Check the ungues (claws) on the rear feet, you should only see one claw on each foot. You MUST keep this species in an air tight container or it will die. Small amount of water in soil, just enough to saturate the atmosphere. Do not use water dishes, they take water up via osmosis from desert sand. They develop around -500kPa in accordance with haemolyph osmolality. 20-25C. Good luck.
Was likely sitting in the water dish because it was dehydrated.
Did you get it from a pet store? I picked up my U.yaschenkoi from a pet store. They sold it under the name 'desert scorpion', and as one would expect from a pet store, had it in a completely inadequate set-up. Mine spent it's time sitting on it's bottlecap also until I fixed up the tank.
Listen to Mark's advice, he knows what he's doing when it comes to these species
Nice to know of other Sydneysiders getting into scorps
Did you get it from a pet store? I picked up my U.yaschenkoi from a pet store. They sold it under the name 'desert scorpion', and as one would expect from a pet store, had it in a completely inadequate set-up. Mine spent it's time sitting on it's bottlecap also until I fixed up the tank.
Listen to Mark's advice, he knows what he's doing when it comes to these species
Nice to know of other Sydneysiders getting into scorps
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Desert burrower in hot dry conditions. They live in loose dune soils and dig to a depth where moisture reaches 1.5% by weight. They are a 'sit and wait' predator, they are rarely surface active, hence they are highly susceptible to water loss.
The mouth of their burrow acts as a trap....very clever. Similar to an ant-lion.
Mark has all sorts of information about them and their burrows at his website.
Generally desert, but they dig themselves deep spiralling burrows and arn't all that surface active. They avoid the heat of the desert by spending their time in their very humid burrows.
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Hi Ed
I dont consider any scorpions I keep as 'fun' species, I guess because for me it's the science in it that takes my interest rather then the pet idea. I was studying scorpions long before I ever decided to keep them alive in captivity. Whenever I found a scorpion once upon a time it would end up in CH3CH2-OH.....
But....this species can be interesting to keep, I just dont set up situations where they can burrow...well, I do with some for experimental reasons. If the container they are in is sealed the humidity reaches that of their burrows >95% and this can be achieved with only a very small amount of water in the soil as is the case in the desert environment. So, as far as the scorpion is concerned it is already in its burrow. Scorpions only burrow to reach favourable environmental conditions. I havent been doing the keeping in captivity thing all that long, nearly 7 years now I guess.Very interesting, have you seen the behaviour in captivity? or do they just treat the whole enclosure as a burrow?
Read you last post, have ever managed to achieve a burrow in captivity?
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Yeah...new exactly what you meant by fun..some species are more interesting to keep than others, that's for sure. For me, I guess Urodacus elongatus would be the best 'keeper' scorpion. Big and entertaining.You know what I meant by fun, haha, why do you think I put it in quotations.
I get a big kick out of understanding what animals do in the wild.
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Yes...I first observed closeup the action of removing dirt from the burrow through glass and then realised exactly how the patella sand combs work. If you set up a tank with an open top they will burrow and form the trapping mouth to the burrow. I have one in this situation at present and it has blocked the burrow mouth off to reduce water loss and increase humidity inside the burrow...as the sand dries out. I have pipes to add water to the base though, so it can be sucked back up into the sand. They only treat the whole enclosure as a burrow if the humidity is very high.
Both shots of the burrow mouth taken in the wild. The sand in the mouth is kept very loose and steep such that anything walking into it has a great deal of difficulty getting out, which then makes it much easier for the scorpion. I have witnessed centipedes at the mouth though...eating the scorpion.
You could always move to Australia? Your dollar is worth heaps here
! Ps. Scorp seems to be going well.. from what I can see, I hope how I have him set up is ok?