New to owning an emperor scorpion!

[artchic528]

I have just purchased Sting (an Emperor scorpion) tonight! Here are pictures of him/her! Can anyone tell me why Sting looks fat? His/her carapace seems to be rather big (for lack of a better word). And the skin between the segments seems rather stretched. Is that normal? I’m brand new to this. Also, I had bought a bigger enclosure but I found a crack so I’m keeping Sting in the smaller one until I can patch it up. And lastly, how do I tell if Sting is male or female?

EDIT: After doing some googling I’m definitely wondering if I just bought a gravid female?

 

[Scorpiobsession]

Is it wild caught? Can you add a picture of the underside of it. I don't know how to tell male vs. female but someone else might be able to from a picture of the underside. Also, remove the sponge from the water dish, it will grow bacteria.

 

[artchic528]

Is it wild caught? Can you add a picture of the underside of it. I don't know how to tell male vs. female but someone else might be able to from a picture of the underside. Also, remove the sponge from the water dish, it will grow bacteria.

I don’t know. I’ll bought him/her from the pet store I work at. I’ll try and check the label tomorrow on the tank they were keeping him/her in. I got some pictures of the underside through the plastic cup but it’s not the clearest. This was the best I could do.

 

[Beetles]

It could be female but it's not an adult so not gravid. Premolt or just fed well.

 

[Joey Spijkers]

Agree, not adult so not gravid.
Picture is not clear enough to tell the sex.

When they are close to molting, they swell up like this. Or just well fed, but to this extend, my guess is premolt.

 

[Joey Spijkers]

Is it wild caught? Can you add a picture of the underside of it. I don't know how to tell male vs. female but someone else might be able to from a picture of the underside. Also, remove the sponge from the water dish, it will grow bacteria.

An export ban was put in place for emperor scorpions years ago, so all that is legally available is captive bred.

 

[Dry Desert]

An export ban was put in place for emperor scorpions years ago, so all that is legally available is captive bred.

They are still available from importers with the correct paperwork. Probably captive farmed as opposed to wild caught.

 

[Joey Spijkers]

They are still available from importers with the correct paperwork. Probably captive farmed as opposed to wild caught.

Ah okay, I wasn’t aware. I only see captive bred being offered. Thanks for informing me!

 

[Thane1616]

If you look at the white color of the telson that means the scorpion is not an adult. Adult emps have a red color to the telson so my guess is the scorpion is premolt but I could be wrong.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Fat, usually scorpions are sexed by pectine count, but I don't know the numbers for emps

 

[Joey Spijkers]

Fat, usually scorpions are sexed by pectine count, but I don't know the numbers for emps

With species from the Scorpionidae family, like emperors, the best way of sexing is looking at the shape of the genital operculum, and sometimes the pectines themselves. The pectine teeth count often has a big overlap.

 

[Edan bandoot]

With species from the Scorpionidae family, like emperors, the best way of sexing is looking at the shape of the genital operculum, and sometimes the pectines themselves. The pectine teeth count often has a big overlap.

Well you'd have to see the shape to count em

 

[Dry Desert]

Well you'd have to see the shape to count em

What @Joey Spijkers is talking about are two separate means of sexing. The genital shape, and the pectines.

 

[Edan bandoot]

What @Joey Spijkers is talking about are two separate means of sexing. The genital shape, and the pectines.

I'm aware.