Questions about my first desert hairy

[Hiking Mike]

I plan on getting my first scorpion soon, and I've decided on a desert hairy. I've done a lot of research, but I still have a few questions.
Is a 20 gallon tank to big for one desert hairy, or should I get two?
I want to have about 6-8 inches of clay/sand mix substrate for burrowing, how do I know it will be sturdy enough and not collapse?
my apartment is normally around 75-78 year round, should I get additional heating for one end of the tank?
what kind of light can I use for night viewing long term (not blacklight)?

Mike

 

[ScorpionObsession]

20 gallon is to big for one, but you don't want to keep this species communally as it almost always ends in deaths. you get the substrate wet pat it down and let it dry for up to a week, that's how you Get good burrowing sand/clay. and I recommend getting an infrared heat light for night viewing as it doesn't bother the scorpions and allows night viewing, I use a 50watt IR bulb for my 10 gallon tank.

 

[Red Eunice]

Congratulations, a great species to keep for sure.
I agree w/h ScorpionObsession, way too big for one, even adult size, and they aren't a communal species.
Temperature wise, upper 70's is fine, do provide a water dish. I've caught mine taking the occasional drink from time to time.
Substrate depth, the more the better, some utilize all of it, others not so deep. It depends, each specimen is different. An excavator clay and sand mix seem to work best. Packed firmly and allowed to completely dry out is what most keepers do. They will dig out in the event of a collapse, rarely happens though.
As far as a light for viewing, you could buy a UV flashlight, cheaply at Walmart.

 

[darkness975]

Mine live where the temperatures in winter go from mid 70s in the daytime to mid 60s at night no issues.

 

[Smokehound714]

a 20 gallon tank would actually be fantastic for Hadrurus. the deeper the substrate, the better. for a full grown adult, youll want at least 10-11" of substrate depth.

 

[Stugy]

Since this is a thread about DHS' and I just got one, what kind of sand would be good for an adult female? I mean the grain size. I made the mistake of using pure Excavator for my DHS enclosure and so far she hasn't even dug. I currently have a nice size bag of sand (I think it is Reptisand, the really fine stuff that you would use for a Sicarius). How many inches deep should I keep the substrate?

 

[Stugy]

Since this is a thread about DHS' and I just got one, what kind of sand would be good for an adult female? I mean the grain size. I made the mistake of using pure Excavator for my DHS enclosure and so far she hasn't even dug. I currently have a nice size bag of sand (I think it is Reptisand, the really fine stuff that you would use for a Sicarius). How many inches deep should I keep the substrate?

Oops didn't see that the substrate level was already addressed. Would the ratio of sand and clay be good enough for a small P.schlecteri to dig in too?

 

[Hiking Mike]

Thank you guys for all the info! I divided the 20 gallon tank into two enclosures, each with 6 to 8 inches of clay/sand mix (30/70ish). I used All Living Things sand and ZoMed excavator clay, dried in layers. I also put a block in the middle of each enclosure so the tunnels would be against the glass. decorations and 2+ hides in each.