New Scorpion Adoption: Centruroides gracilis

[kitty_b]

so i'm up to my eyeballs in Centruroides exilicauda (37 babies that just won't grow fast enough, so i don't want to sell them off yet), and my last Vaejovis spinigerus died last month (group of WCs).

i get a call from a friend who's moving and doesn't want to take along his scorpion (he's more of a reptile lover anyway). just says "florida bark scorpion," no gender or age. i assume he got it while down in florida on a snake hunt last summer.

anyway, s/he's now here. obviously, i need to rehouse immediately, but i wanted to snap a few shots first. any guesses on gender? i don't want to upset it more by flipping it over and looking under its skirt, but i had read that size can be a reliable indicator of gender.

anyway, voila! the newest addition to the "this might as well be a zoo" household!

 

[brandontmyers]

I want some of these bad....hopefully next time i get paid i can find someone with some for sale...

 

[EAD063]

I think the bulbous paws are suspect of a female***, but I'm not entirely sure. Very nice though, I've also wanted one of these for a while (especially florida type, the more southern ones are all over but you don't see FL natives often. :clap:

 

[kitty_b]

well, i've moved her into a medium kritter keeper with deep, semi-damp peat moss, a cave made with a piece of slate rock, a dish of water crystals, and a sprig of fake ivy to help her (*wishful thinking*) feel secure.

amusingly, all she wants to do is climb the ivy, which quickly falls over and she lands on her back.

 

[EAD063]

Wait for another input before you drop all those "she" bombs , I don't want to be embarassed too bad. :8o

 

[Bayushi]

the tail makes me say it's a female. the segments don't seem to be long enough for it to be a male

 

[kitty_b]

Wait for another input before you drop all those "she" bombs , I don't want to be embarassed too bad. :8o

don't worry, i've been calling it a she anyway. i hate calling 'em "its"

 

[Scorpfanatic]

can some one enlighten me the difference withj gracillis and margaritatis?

cos this scorp here looks different with mine gracillis, mnine seems to have lighter color legs!

 

[xVOWx]

can some one enlighten me the difference withj gracillis and margaritatis?

cos this scorp here looks different with mine gracillis, mnine seems to have lighter color legs!

C. gracilis is supposed to have many different color variations. I have two adults that are a dark brown (as opposed to the one in the pics that looks closer to black) with dark red legs, I also have some slings from a different bloodline that have orange/red "arms", I'm hoping the two that this feature is most prominent in turn out to be opposite genders .

 

[Raan_Jodus]

looks like you have a female C. Gracilis there. Like most/all Centruroides they are dimorphic in their tail segments. The segments of a males tail make them look extra long, while females have shorter, more normal looking tails. In comparison to my pictures I'm pretty sure yours is a female. Its usually not to tell when you have them side by side.



Also, C. Margaritatus Morenoi (male)

Typically a bit brighter in colouration than Gracilis, at least all the ones I've seen.

My Female Gracilis, bought as a Honduran Bark Scorpion, I have no idea of her true location. (and male mating)

Here is the male I got of Mushito, colouring is very similar and shows the yellow legs. I personally always thought this was a dimorphic trait amongst Gracilis, but I'm probably wrong.

 

[kitty_b]

looks like you have a female C. Gracilis there. Like most/all Centruroides they are dimorphic in their tail segments. The segments of a males tail make them look extra long, while females have shorter, more normal looking tails. In comparison to my pictures I'm pretty sure yours is a female. Its usually not to tell when you have them side by side.

the tail segmentation was my guess too. that's how i tell my Centruroides exilicauda apart.

i really like this girl. she didn't take to the "burrow" i made (and i really think she'd like a bit more space to roam), so there may be another rehousing in the near future. she also seems to love climbing, so i may take that into consideration. i may also look into getting a boyfriend.

 

[H. cyaneus]

can some one enlighten me the difference withj gracillis and margaritatis?

cos this scorp here looks different with mine gracillis, mnine seems to have lighter color legs!

Hey Walton,

The main difference between gracilis and margariatis is the denticle rows on the fixed finger. If there is 7 it is gracilis, If 8 it is C margariatitis.

Mike

 

[drapion]

she wont take to the burrow you made at all!!!! shes a climber.Thats where they get the term "Bark Scorpion" Give her a few pieces of vertical cork bark to climb on..kritter keepers aren't good for C.gracilis either you need some thing that will retain humidity between 60-80% with temps between 78-86F

 

[Scorpfanatic]

ah thanks guys, now a better picture is painted, thansk h.cyaneus

 

[kitty_b]

she wont take to the burrow you made at all!!!! shes a climber.Thats where they get the term "Bark Scorpion" Give her a few pieces of vertical cork bark to climb on..kritter keepers aren't good for C.gracilis either you need some thing that will retain humidity between 60-80% with temps between 78-86F

like i said, i'm working on short notice. she'll have appropriate housing by this weekend. (she came in a clear deli display cup with pine shavings and sat there for 2 days before i could get her. )

 

[John Bokma]

You're sure the scorpion is an adult? If so I would say female, but "she" doesn't look adult to me (but I am not an expert although I keep some C. gracilis).

As for how to keep them, I have found C. gracilis in quite dry places (open grasslands, under stones) and very wet places (mango groves). In my opinion they can handle quite a lot of different habitats (in Mexico that is) very well. I keep them on fine, dark sand or sand with organic material mixed. As for hiding: they hide under river stones, lava rock, etc. Haven't found them under pieces of wood yet, but in two set ups I use pieces of wood.

Make sure they have a water source, and now and then spray the enclosure. Often when I do the latter I see the scorpion take a "bath" afterwards (it grooms itself with liquids)

BTW: the lowest temperature I've had in the house was around 11 C and the scorpions don't seem to have a problem with that. Note however that it only has been that low for a few days, then the temperature goes up to around 16C.

IMO easy to keep species, a bit more skittish and secretive compared to the C. flavopictus flavopictus I keep (again in my experience).

Was able to let two mate last week (will post pictures soon).

 

[H. cyaneus]

Hey John,

It sounds like you're saying you've caught C. gracilis in Mexico? They aren't native to Mexico, so maybe you are talking about a different species?

Mike

 

[John Bokma]

Nope, C. gracilis. They seem to have been introduced into Mexico (well, that's what I read somewhere) and from what I've seen they are very successful, they can be found in several states. Some time ago I went to Chiapas, found one scorpion, and I have the feeling it's also C. gracilis (not 100% sure though).

 

[John Bokma]

I am quite sure that this one is as well C. gracilis:
http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2007/05/04/scorpion-enclosure-centruroides-species.html

More photos:
http://johnbokma.com/mexit/2007/05/04/photos-scorpion-chiapas-mexico.html

 

[xVOWx]

If that is a C.gracilis, though it may be adaptable to a drier climate, it would do best in a tropical/arboreal setup.