Question on substrate.

[P. Novak]

Can you put a scorpion that lives or has a caresheet saying sand on peatmoss or dirt of some kind? or is it better to keep it on sand? just wondering cause right now i have my H.trog on dry peatmoss and was wondering if i needed to go out and buy sand or can i leave him on it?

if i need sand, where is a good place to buy cheap/good sand??

THANKS alot in advance!

 

[fusion121]

In the wild Hadogenes spp. tend to spend most of their time on rocky surfaces (outcrops/cliffs etc.) so the harder the substrate the better, I think dry peatmoss would be fine with lots of rocks. Some scorpions have very specific adaptations for the substrate they live on, so it’s quite important to try and match the scorpion with the correct substrate if you want to replicate their natural burrowing (or just a scrape) behaviour.

 

[P. Novak]

ohhh alright, well ill just try and find some nice thin rocks to add them in there so he kind hide under between etc. thanks alot though!

 

[ReptileMan27]

The most important thing when housing H. trogs or pauciden is to make sure you have a bunch of thin rocks(slate, shale work best) that are stacked in such away to make cracks and crevices for the scorp to hide in. Make sure the rocks are secure and cant collapse on the scorpion . I use sand for my H. pauciden. Good luck

 

[fusion121]

ohhh alright, well ill just try and find some nice thin rocks to add them in there so he kind hide under between etc. thanks alot though!

Yes thats ideal, they are designed for living in very narrow rock crevices (they can fit in amazingly narrow gaps) like RM says slate is good.

 

[P. Novak]

where cna i find slates or shales???


oh and also where can i buy some good cheap sand??

thanks.

 

[Prymal]

Demonhunter-

The primary thing in regards to desertic species is that most come from deserts where the soil is alkaline in nature in comparison to many other soil types that are primarily acidic in nature (peat).
One of the best properties of tan peat is due to its acidic nature thereby; it retards and delays the decay and decomposition of animal material (e.g. prey remains).
If you can find it in your area, red slate makes for a very aesthetic appearing rock in vivarium set-ups. Another option is artificial flat rocks cast from resin and sold in many larger chain pet centers (e.g. Petco). These resin replicas are around 3/4" - 1" in thickness and weight less than the real thing (they're hollow). They look very similar to the real thing but I seriously doubt that the weight of one could harm a medium to large size scorp. The only drawback is that these resin rocks cost more than red or gray slate, which in my area goes for around $2.49-$2.99 per pound.
After constructing a nice rock structure, toss in a few handfuls of gravel and that should do. Good luck!

Luc

 

[P. Novak]

Demonhunter-

The primary thing in regards to desertic species is that most come from deserts where the soil is alkaline in nature in comparison to many other soil types that are primarily acidic in nature (peat).
One of the best properties of tan peat is due to its acidic nature thereby; it retards and delays the decay and decomposition of animal material (e.g. prey remains).
If you can find it in your area, red slate makes for a very aesthetic appearing rock in vivarium set-ups. Another option is artificial flat rocks cast from resin and sold in many larger chain pet centers (e.g. Petco). These resin replicas are around 3/4" - 1" in thickness and weight less than the real thing (they're hollow). They look very similar to the real thing but I seriously doubt that the weight of one could harm a medium to large size scorp. The only drawback is that these resin rocks cost more than red or gray slate, which in my area goes for around $2.49-$2.99 per pound.
After constructing a nice rock structure, toss in a few handfuls of gravel and that should do. Good luck!

Luc

THANKS ALOT!


although does anyone have pics of slates or there flatrock setups? it would help alooottt more with pics!

 

[Prymal]

DM-

If I had a camera I would but at the moment, no camera. Mine are a bit simplistic being used singularly or 2-4 pieces stacked for various scrape-making species and my fems E. flavicaudis.
Red slate has a very smooth surface and is a deep reddish-brown. Typical pieces are around 4" x 6" - 10" x 14" (in my area - these are the most common sizes carried) and around 3/8" - 3/4" in thickness. Unlike gray slate, which can be purchased in thin sheets up to 1/2" in thickness, red slate is heavier and a bit harder to find.
For lithophilic species such as Hadogenes spp. your best bet is the more commonly available, thinner, less weighty gray slate. Stack and configure various size pieces to create several narrow, horizontal spaces. To add structural security to the rockscape, use silicome or aquarium sealant to affix the pieces to each other. Good luck!

Luc

 

[Prymal]

Above should be "silicone"!

Luc

 

[P. Novak]

darn! oh well the info always helps!! thanks!! and so they should seel them at pet shops or what not? or am i wrong about this? do i just ask for slates?

 

[1/2]

Rocks and slates are easily found in a quarry or on a walk in the woods. But make sure that the rocks are clean, and dry before you put them in the enclosure. allso make sure they are secure and won't fall on the scorpions.

 

[P. Novak]

i dont have any quarrys or woods by where i live though so wheres a good place to buy them if you can!? and how about the sand!?

thanks.

 

[Nikos]

I use sand collected in any beach.
ANy kind of rocks will do.
I have success using both rocks collected in beaches and in mountains.

Mainthing is to give them some rocks that they can hide in between.

 

[Prymal]

DM-

As Vardoulas stated above, they can be any kind of rock, not just slate. The reason slate is so popular is because it's thin and lighter than most other rocks. If you wanted, you can go and buy several 6" - 8" diameter clay flower pots (the orange one's), break 'em up, and stack the fragments atop each other leaving some spaces between the fragments. Also, pieces of brick, concrete, etc. Just be imaginative! LOL

Luc

 

[P. Novak]

im liking the flower pot idea i think im gonna do that. thanks alot!!!!!


about the sand, i can use the sand i find outside???

 

[ReptileMan27]

I just bought a package of stacking rocks at petsmart for like $10 bucks and they work great. Good luck

 

[Prymal]

DM-

For the most part, sand is sand. I've used various types of sand and never noticed any behavioral changes in my scorps on any different type; be it play sand, red sand, construction grade sand, etc. It all works fine.
Clay plant pots are very convenient, inexpensive, available anywhere and everywhere, light in weight, and seem to look somewhat natural in arid and semi-arid set-ups (especially when used with red sand). This is my choice of "rock" in all of my L. quin. set-ups and my C. exilicauda set-ups. Good luck!

Luc

 

[P. Novak]

RM-
cool if i find some ill probably use them, what section of the store were they in, but most likely ill go with the pots.

BS-

haha nice! i love the idea of the flower pots! more then likely im going to use them, i can see it now.


THANKS!

 

[P. Novak]

oh oh and since were at it, whats good decor for an asian forest scorpion?
what would make it look like it was at home! thanks!!