Pandinus Imperator 3i - Premolt?

[vjkk]

Picture taken 26th Jan, and I have not handled him since, left him alone in his terrarium apart from water changes and dropping a pre-killed cricket.

Last he ate if I am not mistaken was between 15 to 18th Jan over a week ago and he he is fine with fresh prekilled. He has a hide but chooses to be in a corner outside but beside the hide and does not move much.

Previously he would feed 2-3 times a week, his favorites are crickets, but I have also given him dubia and mealworms. He would also actively burrow around. He has molted previously from 2i to 3i between 26th to 28th Nov under my care.

Edit: Current setup, he lives in a 15 gallon exo terra, big for a 3i but am hoping he will eventually grow into it. Substrate is peat moss and the temperature is between 25-28c and humidty is always at 99RH - I live in a tropical country.

There is a water dish and I do not mist and soak the soil as I am already within range but there is some moisture in the substrate. Was wondering if there actually should be wetness and droplets all around the terrarium for the species.

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

Picture taken 26th Jan, and I have not handled him since, left him alone in his terrarium apart from water changes and dropping a pre-killed cricket.

Last he ate if I am not mistaken was between 15 to 18th Jan over a week ago and he he is fine with fresh prekilled. He has a hide but chooses to be in a corner outside but beside the hide and does not move much.

Previously he would feed 2-3 times a week, his favorites are crickets, but I have also given him dubia and mealworms. He would also actively burrow around. He has molted previously from 2i to 3i between 26th to 28th Nov under my care.

It could be near its premolt. They always fast during premolt, their coloration dulls, they become lethargic but will whip their tails with great agitation, and finally it will burrow or hide for weeks or months during which it will molt and sclerotize before emerging again.

 

[Dry Desert]

Picture taken 26th Jan, and I have not handled him since, left him alone in his terrarium apart from water changes and dropping a pre-killed cricket.

Last he ate if I am not mistaken was between 15 to 18th Jan over a week ago and he he is fine with fresh prekilled. He has a hide but chooses to be in a corner outside but beside the hide and does not move much.

Previously he would feed 2-3 times a week, his favorites are crickets, but I have also given him dubia and mealworms. He would also actively burrow around. He has molted previously from 2i to 3i between 26th to 28th Nov under my care.

Edit: Current setup, he lives in a 15 gallon exo terra, big for a 3i but am hoping he will eventually grow into it. Substrate is peat moss and the temperature is between 25-28c and humidty is always at 99RH - I live in a tropical country.

There is a water dish and I do not mist and soak the soil as I am already within range but there is some moisture in the substrate. Was wondering if there actually should be wetness and droplets all around the terrarium for the species.

As you live in Malaysia the RH maybe 99% but that will be the ambient humidity of the room.

If the temperature in the enclosure is around 28, which is okay, you'll probably find the substrate is quite dry.

Don't worry too much about actual humidity figures, take a good handful of substrate and squeeze hard, what you want is A VERY small amount of water to come out, not soaking wet.

You may find the substrate is quite dry.

Don't spray the enclosure for that species, pour water in slowly until it's nice and damp, but not wet.

Spraying the enclosure will only dampen the surface, momentarily.

 

[vjkk]

Thank you - I suppose there needs to be ongoing maintenance going into keeping the substrate moist as you mentioned droplets from squeezes. How frequent, I guess I would need to figure out myself as I go along. Should I do this now though while he is in this state or perhaps put a molting box. He has not even gone close to his water dish in last couple of days but always did before as far as I have noticed.

As you live in Malaysia the RH maybe 99% but that will be the ambient humidity of the room.

If the temperature in the enclosure is around 28, which is okay, you'll probably find the substrate is quite dry.

Don't worry too much about actual humidity figures, take a good handful of substrate and squeeze hard, what you want is A VERY small amount of water to come out, not soaking wet.

You may find the substrate is quite dry.

Don't spray the enclosure for that species, pour water in slowly until it's nice and damp, but not wet.

Spraying the enclosure will only dampen the surface, momentarily.

 

[Dry Desert]

Thank you - I suppose there needs to be ongoing maintenance going into keeping the substrate moist as you mentioned droplets from squeezes. How frequent, I guess I would need to figure out myself as I go along. Should I do this now though while he is in this state or perhaps put a molting box. He has not even gone close to his water dish in last couple of days but always did before as far as I have noticed.

Try and test the substrate without disturbing the scorpion. If it feels dry pour some water in the opposite corner to the scorpion, the water will then soak through the rest.

 

[vjkk]

Thank you all, just wanted to update that I have added water to the substrate as per the condition mentioned and positioned his terrarium changed to a darker/quieter corner in the room.

He finally molted yesterday night right after I moved him to the corner (come to think of it, his previous molt was in complete darkness in a cabinet). I will leave him alone and not feed him until a week later once he has harden; water will be kept fresh and filled regularly.

So happy to see him finally molted and moving like normal

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

Thank you all, just wanted to update that I have added water to the substrate as per the condition mentioned and positioned his terrarium changed to a darker/quieter corner in the room.

He finally molted yesterday night right after I moved him to the corner (come to think of it, his previous molt was in complete darkness in a cabinet). I will leave him alone and not feed him until a week later once he has harden; water will be kept fresh and filled regularly.

So happy to see him finally molted and moving like normal

Congrats!