hi,just wondered if anyone can help me,for about 2 months ive kept an emperor which i beleive was an adult size,all seemed to be going well untill a few days ago i found it laying on its back,i picked it up and it had died.i had followed all the care sheets i had read and cant think of anything i did wrong.i went back to the shop where i purchased it and spoke to a couple of people who gave mixed answers,one said they only go on their backs when they are shedding so may have died while doing this,the other said it would have been old age as they cant garantee the age of large scorpions,i enjoyed watching the creature and would hate for this to put me off getting another,but before i do id like to get some idea of why this happened..any info will be much appreciated,thanks.
reason for emperor death?
- Thread starter kevscor
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Greetings, and welcome to the boards.
Old age is the best answer, since you gave no other variables, a large store bought emp is probably a WC (wild caught) specimen, adults don't molt and emps don't flip over to do it. How was its enclosure? Temperatures, humidity, substrate?
If you go to purchase another one try the Classifieds here at AB. I've seen only 2 juveniles in a pet store in the whole 2.5 years I've been keeping scorps.
Old age is the best answer, since you gave no other variables, a large store bought emp is probably a WC (wild caught) specimen, adults don't molt and emps don't flip over to do it. How was its enclosure? Temperatures, humidity, substrate?
If you go to purchase another one try the Classifieds here at AB. I've seen only 2 juveniles in a pet store in the whole 2.5 years I've been keeping scorps.
hi thanks for the reply,i kept it in a glass tank with bark substrate,,,an under tank heat mat,furnished with a cave hide ,peice of wood ,water dish,i misted everyday and the scorpion seemed happy hiding during the day and venturing out at night,and always fed well (crickets)..im thinking it probably was old age but just found it strange it was on its back.also that the day before it seemed just as lively as usual.
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I had a one die while drinking, I looked in one day a he was face down in the dish.
The bark substrate isn't conducive for burrowing and I would change it out for cocofiber, peatmoss or organic soil, before you get another.
If you want to get away from misting daily, you could set up a false bottom tank or flood the substrate. If you choose to do either of those there is plenty of info to search.
The bark substrate isn't conducive for burrowing and I would change it out for cocofiber, peatmoss or organic soil, before you get another.
If you want to get away from misting daily, you could set up a false bottom tank or flood the substrate. If you choose to do either of those there is plenty of info to search.
yes i think i will research into my set up before i continue with anymore,and search for a juvinile.any ideas why he would of flipped over on to his back though,ever known of this before?
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The only time i have ever found a scorp dead on it's back was because it had fallen over while trying to climb. was it close to the wall of the tank?
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On the topic of a scorpion on it's back....I've seen some photos here on the boards of people holding scorpions upside down (on their back)...especially when shown for sexing purposes...are said scorpions dead?
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hmmmm i think you should put the heat mat on the side of the tank or ontop of it because if it did dig under which it can't it will get hotter any way so my guess it died of old age or to warm
i'm not that good with scorps but thats what i think hope it helps
i'm not that good with scorps but thats what i think hope it helps
well it was close to the side but wouldnt it need to fall from some height to cause death?
well it always seemed to prefer spending most of its time on the part of the tank which had the mat underneath,and didnt seem to have tried digging,i think i will just have to put it down to old age ,just really frustrating finding it like that and not knowing why,thanks for the info though,i see your in lincoln,i live in chesterfield,do you know of any scorpion breeders around this area?
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hmmmm can't think of any i want to find a breeder too but hard to find in england since not many scorps are from here
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It happens to a lot of us on here -- I had an awesome Vietnamese forest scorpion (Heterometrus laoticus) that died about a month after I got it. 
Don't get discouraged, though! You can usually find baby emps on the classifieds, and a lot of people on the boards have broods popping up every now and then. My first scorps were a pair of emps and they really got me into this hobby.
Good luck with future scorps, and welcome to AB!
Edit: Thaedion always has good advice, too. He's the master of forest scorpions. :worship:
Don't get discouraged, though! You can usually find baby emps on the classifieds, and a lot of people on the boards have broods popping up every now and then. My first scorps were a pair of emps and they really got me into this hobby.
Good luck with future scorps, and welcome to AB!
Edit: Thaedion always has good advice, too. He's the master of forest scorpions. :worship: