Striped Bark Scorpion Care

[nissan11]

Hello all, first time poster here.

I have never cared for insects or arachnids but very much appreciate them.
I did some research on this forum then aquired 6 striped bark scorpions. A lot of my initial questions have been answered during my research but I still have a few questions.

First, I went to petsmart and bought this terrarium. When I got home I was immediately scolded by my herp buddy for buying a terrarium with vent slits around the door which he says baby scorps will certainly escape through. He told me how to use tape, silicone, and a razor to keep silicone in those gaps that will seal when the door is shut. Hopefully that is the only issue with this setup.
1.Will baby scorpions be able to climb the factory glue line between the glass panes?

2. Is 6 adult scorpions too many for this enclosure, which I think is 10 gal?

3. For water, I have a shallow clam shell with about 1/4" of water in it. Will that be sufficient moisture or do I need to mist on a regular basis?

4. Some threads said meal worms may not be healthy for these to eat regularly. Do I need to feed crickets more often than meal worms?

5. They are in a room kept at 70* F. Should I get some sort of heat to part of the enclosure? If yes, what do you recommend? This terrarium does have a plastic bottom.
Thank you so much for the help. I am attaching photos of the setup and scorps if anyone can confirm these are in fact striped barks.

 

[darkness975]

Hello all, first time poster here.

I have never cared for insects or arachnids but very much appreciate them.
I did some research on this forum then aquired 6 striped bark scorpions. A lot of my initial questions have been answered during my research but I still have a few questions.

First, I went to petsmart and bought this terrarium. When I got home I was immediately scolded by my herp buddy for buying a terrarium with vent slits around the door which he says baby scorps will certainly escape through. He told me how to use tape, silicone, and a razor to keep silicone in those gaps that will seal when the door is shut. Hopefully that is the only issue with this setup.
1.Will baby scorpions be able to climb the factory glue line between the glass panes?

2. Is 6 adult scorpions too many for this enclosure, which I think is 10 gal?

3. For water, I have a shallow clam shell with about 1/4" of water in it. Will that be sufficient moisture or do I need to mist on a regular basis?

4. Some threads said meal worms may not be healthy for these to eat regularly. Do I need to feed crickets more often than meal worms?

5. They are in a room kept at 70* F. Should I get some sort of heat to part of the enclosure? If yes, what do you recommend? This terrarium does have a plastic bottom.
Thank you so much for the help. I am attaching photos of the setup and scorps if anyone can confirm these are in fact striped barks. View attachment 484290 View attachment 484291 View attachment 484292
View attachment 484295

Add a couple more flat pieces of bark.

Spray some water in a side area from time to time.

Crickets are better to use given that theu climb the bark. Especially banded crickets.

 

[nissan11]

Thanks.

Is it ok to just keep crickets in there all the time or will they over feed?

 

[MorbidArachnid]

Those are a lot bigger than babies, but 2i scorps can absolutely climb the silicone seal on the side of aquarium tanks. I would assume these can too for now, they also are very good at fitting into small gaps so covering any vent holes is a good idea. I wouldn't keep the crickets in there all the time, crickets are pretty vicious and can hurt your scorps, especially during molting, and they wont eat enough for that to be necessary. For communal set ups I actually throw in crickets for all of them minus one, so for your set up I'd put 5 crickets in there a week. My reasoning is if any are full or refusing food the hungrier ones will get the crickets first. Vittatus are pretty good eaters but you still might end up with live crickets the next day, I would remove any that are left. Size looks fine, agree with extra flats. Also if you got them as adults expect babies, I find it easier to remove
all the tank mates when one of my females has babies on her back and wait for them to molt to 2i, then immediately separate them. A gravid female may be more aggressive to her tank mates, if you can catch it early you might decide to isolate her before she gives birth. You could also just keep them all together in a truly communal set up, but expect cannibalism and be really mindful of small gaps.

 

[Brewser]

Centruroides vittatus - Striped bark, Commonly found in U.S. and Mexico.
2 to 2 1/2 inch or 5 to 6.33 cm.
Their sting with neurotoxic venom can be quite painful.

 

[nissan11]

Those are a lot bigger than babies, but 2i scorps can absolutely climb the silicone seal on the side of aquarium tanks. I would assume these can too for now, they also are very good at fitting into small gaps so covering any vent holes is a good idea. I wouldn't keep the crickets in there all the time, crickets are pretty vicious and can hurt your scorps, especially during molting, and they wont eat enough for that to be necessary. For communal set ups I actually throw in crickets for all of them minus one, so for your set up I'd put 5 crickets in there a week. My reasoning is if any are full or refusing food the hungrier ones will get the crickets first. Vittatus are pretty good eaters but you still might end up with live crickets the next day, I would remove any that are left. Size looks fine, agree with extra flats. Also if you got them as adults expect babies, I find it easier to remove
all the tank mates when one of my females has babies on her back and wait for them to molt to 2i, then immediately separate them. A gravid female may be more aggressive to her tank mates, if you can catch it early you might decide to isolate her before she gives birth. You could also just keep them all together in a truly communal set up, but expect cannibalism and be really mindful of small gaps.

Thanks. I assume the female will not eat while the babies are on her back?

As for the babies, will they eat before they molt? Immediately after?

 

[MorbidArachnid]

Thanks. I assume the female will not eat while the babies are on her back?

As for the babies, will they eat before they molt? Immediately after?

No, she typically wont. They need a few days to harden after their molt, basically they'll molt to 2i and then stay on her back for another day or so and slowly disperse, and a day or two after that you can feed them.

 

[CRX]

Centruroides vittatus - Striped bark, Commonly found in U.S. and Mexico.
2 to 2 1/2 inch or 5 to 6.33 cm.
Their sting with neurotoxic venom can be quite painful.

I did a little reading, apparently C vittatus is the most common scorpion in North America and responsible for thousands of stings a year, and only has ever been responsible for 2 recorded deaths.

Overall, its not really dangerous if you're an adult with basic common sense.

 

[nissan11]

Are babies capable of stinging immediately?

 

[CRX]

Are babies capable of stinging immediately?

Probly not, their exoskeleton isn't even formed yet. I suspect it is also like with baby cobras etc- they don't even know how to bite (sting) yet.

 

[CRX]

Also, the babies remain attached to the mother for however long it takes til their first molt, then they will begin to disperse and (sometimes) cannibalize. If you dont want to deal with a ton of baby scorpions, the cannibalization could be a good thing. Just like have 10 or a dozen of the robust ones.

 

[darkness975]

Thanks.

Is it ok to just keep crickets in there all the time or will they over feed?

Don't. That can cause a lot of different problems. Remove any un-eaten crickets in the morning.

 

[nissan11]

I added some more bark. They are are still hiding in pairs during the day.

 

[CRX]

I added some more bark. They are are still hiding in pairs during the day.

Honestly I would add some more bark, maybe some spaghnum moss too, I realize you may want it as a display piece, but scorpions ideal place to be is flattened out in a pitch dark area. I think it looks too much light still.

 

[nissan11]

I will add some more bark to cover the sides and top of the bark layers to make the hides more dark.

 

[CRX]

I will add some more bark to cover the sides and top of the bark layers to make the hides more dark.

Consider a little spagnum moss too, the dried organic kind sold for herps. Not alot just a little around the bottom the some extra humidity and cover.

edit: dried spanish mosh for pets would work too

 

[nissan11]

The scorps seem to be doing well. I have not done a head count in about three weeks but routinely see a couple of them out climbing in the morning when I turn on the light.

I have two more questions:
1. Do I need to start taking all the bark out to inspection every scorpion routinely to check for babies so I will know to feed them? Otherwise the babies will starve after a few days of me not detecting them, right?

2. The adults seem to prefer crickets to meal worms, as I have yet to find any leftover crickets in the morning but there are often leftover worms.
I dont want to raise crickets myself but am willing to buy them from the pet store if necessary. I do however have tons of camel crickets living under my house all year round. Is there any reason I can't feed them small camel crickets?

 

[Veno Manus]

It's not recomend to feed your presumably healthy critters with foreign foods from places unknown. They could have fed on dead things outside or have gotten into a pesticides of sorts. The only issue with haveing a group of scorps in a setup like this is its hard to manage everyone's needs. There most likly will be some deaths with the group being so close together in there and will cannibalize to some degree. Nature is nature at the end of the day. In hindsight, it would be smart to keep the female(s) that's gravid in a separate container to be able to monitor more closely and divi up the food to make a better chance of survival. Also invest in long tongs so you don't make the mistake of grabbing a peice of cork from the wrong end. Also a UV Light will become your best friend when searching for the young and the bigger ones. Just no long exposure with UV as it can become harmful to the scorp. A plastic tub with higher vent holes that are either meshed over can do wonders with a brood cause they can't escape and you won't have to worry at night thinking your set up is under prepared. Scorpion young typically hang out with mom for about a week and will molt into there first true molt i2. Once they are hardened up and feel more capable they will travel off and explore. This is an opertunity to either collect them or just let them be and drop in a couple of pinhead crickets to give a first meal. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled when spot cleaning and or just overall maintance with a group of many to watch that front door incase one decides it looks neat to wonder out of. No bottom heat either. Keep a low wattage heat mat on the side of the enclosure. Last thing you want is cooked scorpion and or melted plastic. Keep the humidity mild with suggested comments above. As for feeding it dosent hurt to at least attempt to get her to eat and distract her from her young. Not entirely sure how cannibalistic they are with young but, she could use a snack after the broods layed. Just keep up with husbandry and you should see a healthy bunch. Hope all helps and take the advice from everyone here! I don't claim anything i post is factual information just second hand nature from experience everyone handles this kinda stuff in many different ways and gets about the same results so take what you feel is in your upmost best judgment and keep the thread posted.

The scorps seem to be doing well. I have not done a head count in about three weeks but routinely see a couple of them out climbing in the morning when I turn on the light.

I have two more questions:
1. Do I need to start taking all the bark out to inspection every scorpion routinely to check for babies so I will know to feed them? Otherwise the babies will starve after a few days of me not detecting them, right?

2. The adults seem to prefer crickets to meal worms, as I have yet to find any leftover crickets in the morning but there are often leftover worms.
I dont want to raise crickets myself but am willing to buy them from the pet store if necessary. I do however have tons of camel crickets living under my house all year round. Is there any reason I can't feed them small camel crickets?

 

[CRX]

It's not recomend to feed your presumably healthy critters with foreign foods from places unknown. They could have fed on dead things outside or have gotten into a pesticides of sorts. The only issue with haveing a group of scorps in a setup like this is its hard to manage everyone's needs. There most likly will be some deaths with the group being so close together in there and will cannibalize to some degree. Nature is nature at the end of the day. In hindsight, it would be smart to keep the female(s) that's gravid in a separate container to be able to monitor more closely and divi up the food to make a better chance of survival. Also invest in long tongs so you don't make the mistake of grabbing a peice of cork from the wrong end. Also a UV Light will become your best friend when searching for the young and the bigger ones. Just no long exposure with UV as it can become harmful to the scorp. A plastic tub with higher vent holes that are either meshed over can do wonders with a brood cause they can't escape and you won't have to worry at night thinking your set up is under prepared. Scorpion young typically hang out with mom for about a week and will molt into there first true molt i2. Once they are hardened up and feel more capable they will travel off and explore. This is an opertunity to either collect them or just let them be and drop in a couple of pinhead crickets to give a first meal. You'll have to keep your eyes peeled when spot cleaning and or just overall maintance with a group of many to watch that front door incase one decides it looks neat to wonder out of. No bottom heat either. Keep a low wattage heat mat on the side of the enclosure. Last thing you want is cooked scorpion and or melted plastic. Keep the humidity mild with suggested comments above. As for feeding it dosent hurt to at least attempt to get her to eat and distract her from her young. Not entirely sure how cannibalistic they are with young but, she could use a snack after the broods layed. Just keep up with husbandry and you should see a healthy bunch. Hope all helps and take the advice from everyone here! I don't claim anything i post is factual information just second hand nature from experience everyone handles this kinda stuff in many different ways and gets about the same results so take what you feel is in your upmost best judgment and keep the thread posted.

Good thorough advice! Also when I mentioned the sphagnum or spanish moss, I meant it to be rinsed out and moistened with water first, not just put in dry I should've added that for anyone wondering. I assume this was clear but just making sure incase anyone got confused lol

 

[nissan11]

Thank you for the continued support.

I did not rinse the sphagnum before I put it in the enclosure. I did break it up in my hand and spray it with water until it got fluffy then lined about 1/3 the circumference of the enclose with it and have been spraying it every few days in addition to keeping a small amount of shallow water in the side down clam shell.

I will give them about another week with daily fresh meal worms and if they are still not eating I will see what my local Petsmart has for crickets.

I assume I should not put any of the meal worms beetles in the exclosure even though they look to be the correct size for scorpion feeders?