Scorpions having "personality" "preferences" and "feelings"

Connerl8k

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Ok so I actually spotted a thread about this on another forum, there was a lot of debate about it with some spouting the scorpions nervous system being too simple for them to have a personality or preferences or even having the ability to "feel" emotion.

However it quickly turned derogatory as children often do when faced with differing opinions and the safety of being behind a computer screen however I thought this would be a great question to pose here with a far more social and intelligent community.

So without further ado what is your opinion on the complexity of scorpion intelligence/personality etc
 

Smokehound714

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scorpions do not have a simple nervous system.. they actually have a pretty large brain in relation to their body, like many arthropods. not quite as advanced as a spider's, but well-developed nonetheless, and they all display very complex behaviors.. they definitely have their own personalities. I have three H arizonensis, and they all act different. the largest is completely placid and gently takes mealworms from my fingers. He knows i'm not food or foe.
 

Connerl8k

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I thought this was possible as mine seems to have a routine and placed he "prefers" sitting.

Although he often tries to
Climb up towards the lid he doesn't ever learn that his attempts to escape are futile and that he cannot lift the lid. Which makes me think he is a little dim.
 

Tleilaxu

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I had two different emperors, my biggest female, once she settled in, quickly dropped any pretense of defense, even after she had her babies, she was never stressed with me around.

My second emperor was slightly more nervous and would hide or try to run if I ever got too close.

And well my Paravaejovis spinigerus is quite the pansy and flees at the slightest disturbance, getting feeding videos is an impossibility right now, kinda sad when compared to others of it's species whom have their enclosures greatly disturbed and still eat without a care.

And finally my Deathstalker would trip over it's own feet trying to get into a defensive posture at the slightest disturbance.
 

RTTB

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Definitely they have their own unique traits and disposition.
 

Connerl8k

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It's hard to tell with my afs cause mostly his just aggressive whenever I bother him.
 
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Connerl8k

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Ya see blackie (my afs) doesn't seem
To hate me...he doesn't go at me as such but his definitely an angry lil guy in general and doesn't want anyone to mess around in his enclosure but if you frighten him he will run faster than usain bolt back to his burrow so I think it's partly a bluff party a hatred of all things not
Him.
 

TheScorpionMan

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Some of my scorpions just sit around and dont even get bothered by my presence. However some like my Franzwerneri go straight into stinging position when i walk by them. My community tank of arizona barks are pretty active but i've never seen them defense posture at me. They are all interesting little creatures! :)
 

darkness975

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And finally my Deathstalker would trip over it's own feet trying to get into a defensive posture at the slightest disturbance.
That happens with some of my Scorps too. It is like they cannot possibly stretch that telson of theirs any higher and they get unstable and start wobbling.
Kind of similar to P. murinus when they get super annoyed (not hard to do) and get so worked up in their threat posture that they actually fall backwards.
 

Scorpusvonpork

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If they are observed closely enough over a long period of time it becomes evident they are individuals at some level. What mental abilities they may have are seemingly capable of developing along different lines from their tank mates. One thing I have noticed is how reactive scorpions are to being fooled with. They very much have their own ideas about personal space and handling they deem out of bounds. Tarantulas in my opinion , and I have kept many of them, seem more on the programmed end of things whereas the scorpions are just more in the moment and highly unpredictable.
 

Connerl8k

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If they are observed closely enough over a long period of time it becomes evident they are individuals at some level. What mental abilities they may have are seemingly capable of developing along different lines from their tank mates. One thing I have noticed is how reactive scorpions are to being fooled with. They very much have their own ideas about personal space and handling they deem out of bounds. Tarantulas in my opinion , and I have kept many of them, seem more on the programmed end of things whereas the scorpions are just more in the moment and highly unpredictable.
precisely how I feel, I feel it is less about life experience and more about there personality because as far as concerned blackie hasn't had any negative experiences with people his
Never been harmed he has all his legs and everything and simply doesn't trust or like anyone to get too close.
 

Stugy

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Just going to make an example by using my 3 Grosphus grandidieri. They are all still rather young but they show personality very well. Gonna call them by GG1 GG2 and GG3 for now until I can think of names for them. GG1 is extremely skittish while GG3 attacks almost anything that moves. GG2 is very active but she is the more unpredictable of the 3 as she'll either run or defend herself unlike the other two who have only 1 mode.
 

Connerl8k

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My chap is more like CG3 as in depending on how his feeling he will either become defensive and angry or run away straight to his burrow and hide for the next several hours!
 

Cheyenne Exotics

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I have my own adult Bark scorpion and she is docile as can be, but every single one i have found is extremely docile. Is this normal behavior for them?
 

Extensionofgreen

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I feel as though scorpions certainly don't plan ahead, don't have long memories, don't have complex communication methods or social hierarchies, and aren't always even that great at recognizing food.
On the other hand, I think the mating routine is pretty fantastic and elaborate, and while it may be instinct-driven, it is still a marvel of nature. I also not differences in temperament from individual to individual and species to species. I think other behaviors, such as choosing the same spot or showing a preference for different areas of the enclosure, prey, or substrates are instinct based and associated with their perceived needs.

I am happy with them being less intellectual beasts, as this makes keeping them in smaller enclosures possible and preventing escapes/stings, and other aspects of husbandry simpler.
 

Jason Brantley

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Apr 26, 2011
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I just see them as neat little killing machines. More instinctive than intelligent. I hope they don't get so smart as to start f*ing with me, you know like hiding the remote or putting salt where the sugar should go so when I eat Crispix in the morning my cereals don't taste like salt. Or adding a sock to my laundry so they make me think that I'm always missing one but I'm not...
 
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