Good evening. Oh wait, it's morning...we have lost 2 beautiful scorpions tonight/this morning. An emperor & a desert hairy female. Our other scorpions seem to be pretty bloated. Can crickets that are ill cause this in scorpions & tarantulas for that matter? The 1st three pictures are of the ones we lost, the other pictures are of the ones showing the bloat. My apologies for posting the ones we lost but im just looking for some help & any type of explanation. I will be devastated if I loose anyone else. Their our kids. I really love this site & you guys are my go to for help. I appreciate any help & advice. Thank you kindly
Scorpion Bloat
- Thread starter Sissy1114
- Start date
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 6,141
That enclosure is way too dry for a rainforest species such as an emperor or Asian forest scorpion. They need moist humid substrate.
The desert hairy is not on the proper substrate. They need several inches of a 70 / 30 mixture of sand / excavator clay for digging and burrowing as they are obligate burrowers. That one looks like it might have possibly been due to molt which would have made the burrowing and moisture gradient requirements even more important.
Wood chips are also a health risk as sharp pieces can stab the animal.
Joey Spijkers
Arachnoprince
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2019
- Messages
- 1,175
Agree with everything @darkness975 said.
Hadrurus arizonensis are prone to dying right before or during a molt if they aren’t provided with a substrate that holds burrows and provides a vertical humidity gradient. Could very well be the case here.
The emperor is very likely a case of dehydration. The substrate needs to be damp throughout and again deep enough to burrow.
All the ‘bloated’ scorpions are simply in premolt. Nothing to worry about, but make sure the conditions are suitable so that they’re actually able to molt properly.
Hadrurus arizonensis are prone to dying right before or during a molt if they aren’t provided with a substrate that holds burrows and provides a vertical humidity gradient. Could very well be the case here.
The emperor is very likely a case of dehydration. The substrate needs to be damp throughout and again deep enough to burrow.
All the ‘bloated’ scorpions are simply in premolt. Nothing to worry about, but make sure the conditions are suitable so that they’re actually able to molt properly.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2008
- Messages
- 1,150
I cannot add much, but the very first pic is red flaggish to me. Bone dry water dish with no water in it, and WOOD CHIPS... wood chips are one thing you should never ever use with an arachnid. They contain caustic oils, and they also can stab the animal.
FWIW- the desert hairy does look premolt to me. Which is why I am not surprised it died. Everyone suggests these for beginners, but thats simply wrong. They need a (relatively) complex very deep setup in order to be able to molt, it takes about a month for the substrate to harden, so most lazy keepers aren't going to do this and thats why these die so often as here, because you think you can be lazy and put it on goddamn woodchips when its a deep desert burrowing species.
FWIW- the desert hairy does look premolt to me. Which is why I am not surprised it died. Everyone suggests these for beginners, but thats simply wrong. They need a (relatively) complex very deep setup in order to be able to molt, it takes about a month for the substrate to harden, so most lazy keepers aren't going to do this and thats why these die so often as here, because you think you can be lazy and put it on goddamn woodchips when its a deep desert burrowing species.
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2012
- Messages
- 6,141
It's a result of the factors listed by myself and others. The timing is aligned but only by luck.
Please search up threads on here about care by species so in the future you can set up an environment for them that will encourage them to thrive.
Ignore "care sheets" you might find. They are death traps for invertebrates.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2008
- Messages
- 1,150
Also, he has what looks to be chunks of fertilizer in pic 2 and 3... sometimes I'm just left speechless at these people. Complete, utter idiocy. This fool probably poisoned his animals.
Joey Spijkers
Arachnoprince
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2019
- Messages
- 1,175
That’s perlite. Harmless. The dryness is the problem here.
On another note, fertilizer won’t poison a scorpion, because it wouldn’t eat it, and all the compounds released (nitrate, phosphate, potassium) get released into the soil in solution. Not in gas form or anything. Also these compounds naturally occur in soil.
- Joined
- Dec 28, 2008
- Messages
- 1,150
Good info man!
Thank, thank you, thank you to everyone for their help. I'm waiting to hear back from the local pet shop if their distributor is gut loading their crickets. Hmm, things the pet shop should know, you would think huh...?? I am working on their enclosures as well & really do appreciate everyone kind helpful guidance
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2020
- Messages
- 5,539
I really don’t see the feeders as the issue I see the incorrect set ups and incorrect moisture levels as the issue in the deaths