paruroctonus becki questions

[thebugfreak]

i had a gravid female that just decided to have its babies yesterday. but when i took a peek, the babies didnt seem to be mature enough to be born and they did not climb onto the mother's back.

i've had gravid scorpions give birth, but this is the first time i've ever seen this. i think i can safely assume that the babies are dead. but is there any explanation for this?

the weird thing is, she still seems to be protecting it and in fact, shes holding it with her legs underneath her.


any ideas?

 

[AzJohn]

This happen from time to time. All kinds of reasons can cause it, I usually see it in wild caught C. sculpturatus and Hadrurus arizonensis. I believe in these cases it has to do with the scorpion not getting enough heat to properly develop the babies. I'm sure there are a ton of other reasons as well. Usually mom ends up eating the aborted embryos.

JOhn

 

[thebugfreak]

thanks. what a bummer. my reptile/arachnid room is set at a warm temp. but i had to leave for three weeks so i had to give it to my friends to take care of. i guess it was too cold in my friend's house.

oh well... are they parthenogenic? i got that as a freebie with a purchase i made a while ago, and when i had it it was skinny. and really skinny. but then i fattened her up and then she got gravid.

 

[Michiel]

No, they are not parthenogenetic..She was already gravid when you got her..
Animals do not get pregnant by eating, stop being silly..
If that was the case, the United States was the most crowded country of the planet, LOL....

 

[llamastick]

Scorpions can have extremely long gestation periods, which could give the impression of asexual reproduction; my first emp gave birth nearly 10 months after I'd bought her. There are a handful of species capable of parthenogenesis, but those are pretty well-known.