Please Help

[DTinney21]

My scorpion (female Heterometrus petersii) does this weird behavior when I try feeding her sometimes. first she'll grab her food and fling it across the enclosure. If I try feeding her again, she starts this weird thing where she either bends inward or she bends her butt all the way around to her head and doesb a front flip and then she lays on her back and I have to help her get back on her feet. I don't have any type of spray around her enclosure. I only feed her live food from the petstores. I make sure her enclosure is nice and warm and humid. I'm not sure what this behavior is. Can anybody help me?

 

[Lubed Tweezer]

The scorpion is laying on its back ? That is not normal behavior for a petersii.
Some species go upside down during molting but I've not seen any petersii do that.
Can you tell us more about husbandry and/or show some pictures of the enclosure and scorpion ?

 

[DTinney21]

here are some pictures of the enclosure and of her. I tried to upload the video I have of her doing the weird behavior but it says the file os too large...:/. but yes after she goes into a full circle, she'll keep bending to where she flips over on her back. and I'm sure she can help herself up but I'm always there to lend a helping hand. this behavior only happens during the time I try feeding her.

 

[Lubed Tweezer]

Setup looks fine, moist enough and good amount of substrate.
I don't see any damage on the scorpion, don't see any mites or molds...
I don't know, really not sure whats wrong.
I hope another member can be of help here !

 

[DTinney21]

I checked her up and down for mites. also keep the temp around 70-80°F with the humidity no lower than 70% at all times. even blocked some of the screen top and put a false bottom with a heat pad to help with keeping it humid for her. everything is spot on and she seems super healthy except that.

Setup looks fine, moist enough and good amount of substrate.
I don't see any damage on the scorpion, don't see any mites or molds...
I don't know, really not sure whats wrong.
I hope another member can be of help here !

 

[Tarantuland]

Is that a heatlight? You don't need one for a scorpion. Can you try a different feeder? It's hard to tell but it looks like it might be too moist. Try keeping one side a little drier.

 

[DTinney21]

I need that heatlight at least during the day. it gets cold in my house and I don't want her temperature to drop below 70. the substrate isn't really that moist. it's just dark colored because it's Reptisoil.

 

[Tarantuland]

As long as it doesn't get below like 65 I think it'll be fine, but be careful. I don't think it should get over 80 Farenheit. Hope someone else can be more help. Best of luck

 

[DTinney21]

the highest it ever gets is like 80-82. some people like to have them warmer than that (some up to 100) but I think that's much too hot. her cold side is usually 70-80 at all times. never below 70.

 

[DTinney21]

thank you for the advice!

As long as it doesn't get below like 65 I think it'll be fine, but be careful. I don't think it should get over 80 Farenheit. Hope someone else can be more help. Best of luck

 

[Dr SkyTower]

is the heat mat on the bottom of her enclosure? Put it on the side of the enclosure (not the bottom - they burrow down into the substrate to get away from the heat). Aside from that everything else seems fine! She looks like a healthy scorpion, I don't see any impaction in her abdomen (swelling that causes the plueral membrane to bulge out). She could have an internal parasite but I'm not sure.

 

[DTinney21]

I have the heat mat under the rocks for my false bottom to keep the humidity up and evaporate some water and to keep the soil warm. I'd be very impressed if she dug all the way through those rocks lol. Is there a way to test for parasites without causing damage to her? and I was thinking it could be DKS. I was reading about impaction too and I noticed she hasn't pooped in a while (at least from what I can see.) maybe some warm water can clear her up?

is the heat mat on the bottom of her enclosure? Put it on the side of the enclosure (not the bottom - they burrow down into the substrate to get away from the heat). Aside from that everything else seems fine! She looks like a healthy scorpion, I don't see any impaction in her abdomen (swelling that causes the plueral membrane to bulge out). She could have an internal parasite but I'm not sure.

 

[Dr SkyTower]

I saw your video on facebook and I'm wondering if the problem is in her tail. It seems to be putting her in quite a bit of pain... it could be impaction in the intestine along her tail to her anus but I'm really not sure! if you were to put her an isolation enclosure with damp paper towels, a water bowl and a hide and see if she continues having those spasms, then it could be the substrate she's in that's the issue. I'm kind of hoping that's the problem and it's not internal parasites/impaction.

 

[DTinney21]

can I soak her in warm water like when tarantulas have impaction?

I saw your video on facebook and I'm wondering if the problem is in her tail. It seems to be putting her in quite a bit of pain... it could be impaction in the intestine along her tail to her anus but I'm really not sure! if you were to put her an isolation enclosure with damp paper towels, a water bowl and a hide and see if she continues having those spasms, then it could be the substrate she's in that's the issue. I'm kind of hoping that's the problem and it's not internal parasites/impaction.

 

[Dr SkyTower]

I don't think she'll like that at all... unless there is something in the substrate/on the decorations causing her to have those spasms, I'd just let her use her water bowl normally. Is the white things (the anal structures) at the end of her tail before her telson inflamed? They sometimes swell before they poop. That might indicate an impaction problem.

 

[DTinney21]

nothing is inflamed as far as I can see. I let her dry out overnight and she seems to be doing a little better but still gets those spasms once in a while. do you think it could be something neurological?

I don't think she'll like that at all... unless there is something in the substrate/on the decorations causing her to have those spasms, I'd just let her use her water bowl normally. Is the white things (the anal structures) at the end of her tail before her telson inflamed? They sometimes swell before they poop. That might indicate an impaction problem.

 

[Dr SkyTower]

if she's doing those spasms occasionally, then it could very well be a neurological issue. If she does it after she's eaten a meal, then reduce her meals to once a week (or less).