Probably mites on Heterometrus petersii.

[Lorenzo Benevento]

Hi everyone,
I wrote on this forum just once because my scorpion wasn't eating for over a month and an half, quick and usefull replies, so thank you all again.
Now she is eating everytime I offer a prey, so problem is solved.
However, there is another potential problem.
I can see a little white/yellow creature walking on my Heterometrus petersii, everytime I check it, is there, just apparentely walking. Seems like there isn't anything like this on scorpion's joints.
Can't take pictures, I'm talking about something probably smaller then an half millimeter.
What do you think it is? Mites? Am I supposed to change/sterilize the whole cage? Buy some predator mites?

P.S.: It doesn't match this thread, but instead of open a new one... Do offering adult Tenebrio molitor (so, coleoptera) to some Euscorpius Italicus is a good idea?

Thanks in advance, apologizing for my bad English.
Lorenzo Benevento.

 

[darkness975]

Sounds like Grain Mites.

Do they appear to be irritating the Scorpion at all? Or are they just present in the Enclosure?

 

[WeightedAbyss75]

IME, if they are grain mites, then they are not too bad so long as they are not on the joints or mouthparts of the scorp. My centipede had these when I fed it crix, and I worried about it all the time. Turns out it eats fine and is doing pretty well. The problem, from what I hear, is when they get too high a population in the terrarium and start to climb on the scorp and bother it. If you want to get rid of them, I would rehouse. Usually, you would dry the cage out and they would all die, but that isn't really an option for a Heterometerus sp. Not really had a problem with them in my tanks (probably will still rehouse when I move). So long as it eats and acts normally, I wouldn't stress over it too much Also, don't see why feeding T. molitor would be a bad thing. May want to try it, and if they eat it then keep feeding it

 

[darkness975]

Do offering adult Tenebrio molitor (so, coleoptera) to some Euscorpius Italicus is a good idea?

I wouldn't

 

[Lorenzo Benevento]

Do they appear to be irritating the Scorpion at all? Or are they just present in the Enclosure?

Don't know if they are irritating the scorpion. The only thing I can say is that I saw just once (but can't believe there is just one) and just on the scorpion.
Yesterday night she was trying to climb the wall of the cage, maybe more then usually, but not for sure.

I wouldn't

You wouldn't because they are too hard or some other reasons? Anyway, it doesn't look like it is a good idea also to me. But don't know why.

Anyway, what should I look at to know the situation better? Something on which I should put my attention particularly?

EDIT: I red that against mites you should put acid stuff in the cage like bark, pine needles and sour peat. I have both sour peat and bark. Is this usefull? Sorry for the amount of questions.

 

[darkness975]

Don't know if they are irritating the scorpion. The only thing I can say is that I saw just once (but can't believe there is just one) and just on the scorpion.
Yesterday night she was trying to climb the wall of the cage, maybe more then usually, but not for sure.


You wouldn't because they are too hard or some other reasons? Anyway, it doesn't look like it is a good idea also to me. But don't know why.

Anyway, what should I look at to know the situation better? Something on which I should put my attention particularly?

EDIT: I red that against mites you should put acid stuff in the cage like bark, pine needles and sour peat. I have both sour peat and bark. Is this usefull? Sorry for the amount of questions.

Don't do that. If you put anything like that in the Enclosure that would be harmful to mites it would also be harmful to your Scorpion. They are all invertebrates and anything like that would affect them both. Unless there is a super huge number of mites that are clearly irritating the Scorpion you should not have to really do much of anything. Try to clean out any left over food pieces and such to minimize the mite's access to food.

Regarding feeding the adult beetles to the Scorpion - I would not recommend it because of how hard their exoskeleton is as well as their ability to fight back with their mandibles. Sure you could try crushing the heads and what not but it's not really worth the effort or the risk. It would have to try and sting through the Exoskeleton which could probably be done eventually but why risk it I say.

For feeding, stick with crickets, roaches, mealworms (larvae) etc. It avoids issues

 

[ArachnoDrew]

Regarding feeding the adult beetles to the Scorpion - I would not recommend it because of how hard their exoskeleton is as well as their ability to fight back with their mandibles. Sure you could try crushing the heads and what not but it's not really worth the effort or the risk. It would have to try and sting through the Exoskeleton which could probably be done eventually but why risk it I say.

For feeding, stick with crickets, roaches, mealworms (larvae) etc. It avoids issues

I've offered a few of my scorps these guys whenever 1 randomly pops up in my mealworm tub. I've even found a few living in my red runner roach colony for long periods of time . I would imagine an adult dubias is much harder to get to than the beetle, yes they can put up a minor fight back. But depending on the scorp your feeding it too.... it would very very very unlikely the beetle would win a fight or do damage

 

[darkness975]

I've offered a few of my scorps these guys whenever 1 randomly pops up in my mealworm tub. I've even found a few living in my red runner roach colony for long periods of time . I would imagine an adult dubias is much harder to get to than the beetle, yes they can put up a minor fight back. But depending on the scorp your feeding it too.... it would very very very unlikely the beetle would win a fight or do damage

I go by the general guideline of "better safe than sorry" is all.

 

[Lorenzo Benevento]

Actually breeding Tenebrio molitor, no problem to feed only larvae, cricket and stuff. No problem at all, it was just a curiosity, just to know what you, probably more expert then me, thinks.
Real problem is with mites! But it seems like I shouldn't be worried too much, just keep the situation under control and check it often. If it get worse I'll write here.
Thank you all guys, you save me, at least I know that I'll have support by someone if some situation will be worse then those.