Stilting behavior

[Evilmorgan]

Hi guys,
I have read that scorpions stilt as a form of Temperature control, what i cant figure out is whether they do it to warm up or to cool down?

I have several Brachistosternus sp from chile that all do this as soon as the heating comes on in the mornings, they start stilting at about 70° and temps dont go much higher than this, im keeping them in open topped enclosures and under an open window so they have a nice cool airflow at all times.

often they will climb up to the highest point of the enclosure or on top of a piece of bark and stilt there.

What are your thoughts on this, are they to hot?

A couple of bad pics

 

[gromgrom]

it means they need it cooler in there

 

[Michiel]

it means they need it cooler in there

Because...........................????

PS. Btw, what you are saying is not necessarily true. It depends on how the enclosure is heated. If there is bottom heating, and the animals are always in the highest place as possible, then you are right. If it is heated from above, by bulbs and such, then they take advantage of the heat. The former scenario is not good, and needs to be adjusted, the latter scenario needs no adjusting.

 

[Evilmorgan]

Im not using any mats or bulbs just central heating (radiator) which is a good 15ft away from the scorps.

Many years ago i cooked a desert hairy to death with an under tank heat mat (great advice from the local petshop), i remember it showing clear signs of distress before it died :8o hopefully these wont reach that stage.

Another interesting thing that ive seen is them positioned head down in their burrows with their arse and tail sticking strait up like little flags do they have no fear of natural predators in the wild lol.

 

[snappleWhiteTea]

what is being used as substrate? and how are you measuring temperature?

 

[NevularScorpion]

so under tank heater is bad for scorps ?

 

[Michiel]

so under tank heater is bad for scorps ?

Yes, the scorpions natural reaction to heat is to dig down in burrows/ shelters. With underheating, this will result in a scorpion digging down, where it is even warmer. Then they will dehydrate quicker.
In tropical enclosure it dries the substrate out too fast, so for me, undertank heating does not work. Other people should decide for themselves.

 

[NevularScorpion]

do you put heat lamp on your desert species ? how do you keep them to higher temps ? my room is only 77-80 so i need to use something like heat pad to raise the temps up

 

[Michiel]

do you put heat lamp on your desert species ? how do you keep them to higher temps ? my room is only 77-80 so i need to use something like heat pad to raise the temps up

Hi,

you can use lightbulbs to heat from above, or you could place a mat, or heatcables to the backside. I made simple cupboards for the enclosures and used special tape to attach the heatcables to the backside of the cupboards, works like a charm.

Heat pads and -mats suck in my opinion. Stick to bulbs or cables....can be used in more ways than pads, hotrocks etc etc....