Scorpion spasming

Slon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
27
My scorpion is spasming. He was spasming in place yesterday and moving a little bit. Now, he doesn't react when things touch him and his tail was moving up and down as if in a stinging motion. Now, his is on his side with his walking legs spasming a bit, as if in a curl. No other scorpion in the tank is showing this kind of behavior. What is going on?


It is an emperor scorpion that is not young.
 
Last edited:

Bayushi

Arachnoprince
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Mar 26, 2005
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1,236
there is a high chance said scorpion is about to shuffle off the mortal coil.
 

Rosenkreuz

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Jul 18, 2007
Messages
252
It could be anything. Scorpions are afflicted in the same way any other animal is.

Alittle more information might help us give you some advice. What's the enclosure like? Temp, humidity, environment, etc.? How old is the scorpion? Have you noticed any mold or unusual conditions in the tank up to this point? Has the scorpion shown any other odd behaviour previous to this?

The more info you can give us, the better. Do you have a video camera, or even a digital that will take videos? Maybe even grabbing and posting a video of the scorpions behaviour will allow someone here to better make an informed advisory.
 

Slon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
27
It could be anything. Scorpions are afflicted in the same way any other animal is.

Alittle more information might help us give you some advice. What's the enclosure like?
30 gallon long, if I remember correctly.
Temp, humidity, environment, etc.?
Temps around 85F. I keep it closed up and wet. Environment is regular soil with some enclosures and a water bowl, although it's wet enough to drink off the glass.
How old is the scorpion?
No idea. Bought it from a store. Has never molted while I had it.
Have you noticed any mold or unusual conditions in the tank up to this point?
There was some mold a long time ago. Tank also hasn't been cleaned in a long while due to presence of smaller scorps that were born.
Has the scorpion shown any other odd behaviour previous to this?
No, just more of the same yesterday, when he was walking around in a weird way.
The more info you can give us, the better. Do you have a video camera, or even a digital that will take videos? Maybe even grabbing and posting a video of the scorpions behaviour will allow someone here to better make an informed advisory.
I don't have one available right now.

It's like he's partly brain dead. He is spasming and sometimes reacting to an object touching him, but not the way a normal scorp would. A normal one would retreat at first, and eventually start using the claws. This one doesn't retreat, does not seem to react when flipped or tipped over, and simply keeps moving the tail back and forth as thought attacking, but randomly as opposed to accurately. Can scorpions have strokes?
 

Ted

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
1,187
maybe it's pining?

ok..sorry about the monte python humor..

i sympathize with you on this..and am not sure either.
i just had two of mine do that..conditions were fine..all else seemed fine.

sucks!
 

Slon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
27
maybe it's pining?

ok..sorry about the monte python humor..

i sympathize with you on this..and am not sure either.
i just had two of mine do that..conditions were fine..all else seemed fine.

sucks!
Did they live?
 

Ted

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
1,187
Did they live?
sadly...no.
have no idea whats the matter.
were acting a tad funny before then.
would make bizzarre movements and motions when i opened the lid to feed.
 

Mr. Mordax

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
2,301
If you got your scorp from a store and it's never molted, there stands a good chance that it's an old wild-caught adult. That's the trouble with petstore scorps . . . you never know how long they have left.

I had a cute little H. laoticus that died less than a month after I bought him. He seemed fine one day, and was dead the next.

:(
 

ArachnoYak

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
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Jul 12, 2007
Messages
224
possible problems

I'd check it closely for mites, should be visible with the naked eye.
 

ArachnoYak

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 12, 2007
Messages
224
mite id

they will resemble moving grey specks that should stand out against the black exoskeleton of Pandinus
 

Drachenjager

Arachnoemperor
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Jan 23, 2006
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3,509
maybe it's pining?

ok..sorry about the monte python humor..

i sympathize with you on this..and am not sure either.
i just had two of mine do that..conditions were fine..all else seemed fine.

sucks!
EEEETsss not pIIInnig its bleeding deceased, its an ex parrot...

oh wait were talking about a scorp.Sorry
i have never heard of a scorp doing that. almost sounds like insceticide got it
 

Slon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
27
EEEETsss not pIIInnig its bleeding deceased, its an ex parrot...

oh wait were talking about a scorp.Sorry
i have never heard of a scorp doing that. almost sounds like insceticide got it
I do sometimes feed wild-caught bugs, but this only happened to this scorpion. I somehow doubt that the bug could survive it with no side effects while the scorp that ate the bug started spasming. In any case, I don't treat my property with any chemicals. And these were freshly molted creatures that came up from the ground on my property.
 

Slon

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 22, 2007
Messages
27
He's definitely dying. Now he is trying as hard as he can to not only straighten his tail, but also bend it in the other direction. And he is barely moving.
 
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