T. whip scorpions

[TNeal]

Hello fellow Tailess Whiptail Scorpion Lovers

I keep a small colony of diadema. I find these animals to be truly fascinating. I particularly like the way they hang from something to shed.

I feed mine crickets, silworms and wax worms. I also raise roaches. Would roaches make a good addition to their diet?

My critters are a little over a year old. At what age do they mature and/or breed? I keep 1 male and 3 females in a 10 gallon tank. The substrate is spagnum moss. I also supply sticks for climbing. I keep the humidity bewteen 60 and 85%. They are kept in the lower 80's F during the day and lower 70's at night.

Any and all advise, articles and links would be appreciated. How does my set up sound so far? Please advise

Tom

 

[Wade]

I'd say their reputation for being communal is overstated. In a really big terrarium you may be able to keep groups, but IME in something the size of a 10 gallon eventually someone gets eaten. I think they leave each other alone under normal circumstances, but when one molts it's cage mates make take advantage of its weakened state. I usually keep them individually (except for breeding), although I know some people have constructed large elaborate cages for groups. Other than than, your set up sounds fine to me, although I like slabs of vertically-aligned cork bark over sticks.

Cockroach will be taken provided they are of suitable size and don't immediately bury themselves in the substrate.

There isn't a set age at which they mature, as it depends on largely food intake and temperature. It's usually easy to tell when the males are mature because their pedipalps are absurdly elongated at that point in comparison to the females. The pedipalps look bigger well before maturity, it just becomes much more obvious!

Wade

 

[Stylopidae]

Wade, would you describe your breeding setup?

I've just been told that if you keep them happy, you'll have babies but I have a feeling that most hobbiests breed them by accident.

 

[TNeal]

sexing them

Does anyone have any detailed/clear pics that can show the differences in sexes?

 

[Wade]

Wade, would you describe your breeding setup?

I've just been told that if you keep them happy, you'll have babies but I have a feeling that most hobbiests breed them by accident.

Since these are one of the few arachnids that molt after reaching maturity, I suspect that breeding/fertility is likely tied to the molt cycle as it is with tarantulas. I don't know that, of course, but I'm guessing that it is.

Other than that, though, it's pretty easy to get them to breed. I bred Damon several times in a tall sterilite "show off" contianer with several slabs of cork bark arranged vertically so there's lots of gaps for them to hide in. Males and females can safely cohabitate for weeks or months, provided no one molts. You will know mating has occured because you'll see little T shaped stalks stuck to the bark in various places. This is the remains of the males spermataphore, the male deposits these with a little sperm packet on the end and then guides the female over it and she takes it into her genital opening, leaving the stalk part behind.

I have, however had a hard time keeping the babies alive after they get off the moms back . My problem the first couple times the babies died was inadequate humidity, the babies seem to be VERY sensitive to dessication and need a lot more moisture than the adults seem to. More recently, I had a female who I had attempted breeding many months earlier, but I never saw the spermataphore stalks so I didn't think breeding had occured, but later I discovered dead babies on the bottom, and I never knew they were there! Very dissapointing! I tend to keep adults in moderately humid cages, but if I had known that mating had occured I would have kept here a lot more moist, not to mention kept an eye out for babies. The eggs are easy to miss if you're not looking for them as they are on her underside the whole time, but the babies are obvious but they must have hatched between feedings so I missed it.

I've successfully raised many of our native P. marginmaculata howver, and they seem virtually indestructible if kept damp. I've since switched my Damon to more continuously humid conditions, but my only male has since passed and now I'm back to the drawing board.

Wade

 

[Wade]

Does anyone have any detailed/clear pics that can show the differences in sexes?

I don't, but I'm guessing
that if you used the search function on this forum you would find pictures. Damon are rather popular, so it should be easy to find!

Wade

 

[TNeal]

Thanks all !!!!!!!!

All this information is helping me drastically. I wished I had know about their eating each other after molting before I posted here. I started with four now I am down to two. I found two empty molts and one body. It looked as it the dead body was partially eaten. Hard to tell though. I assume one was entirely eaten after a molt.

I keep the tank pretty humid. The glass is always moist. I am going to get another 10 gallon tank so I can seperate them. It will just have to wait a couple of weeks. Anyone out there have a few spare animals for this disabled guy. This <edit> is the only thing that keeps me sane as I am stuck in the apartment 24/7.

You are all livesavers

 

[Wade]

Glad I could help!

They don't necesarily need somethig as big as a ten, the Sterilite boxes I use are probably half that size, and include a plastic lid with latches that snap on. The lid is easily ventilated with a few drilled or burned holes.

No amblys to spare myself. I need another male so I can re-start the breeding program! Good luck with yours though! If you lucked out and ended up with a pair, you might not need anymore.

Wade

 

[TNeal]

wade,

I am not sure what type of container you have. Do you have a pic?

I really appreciate all of your help. These critters are fantastic

 

[FOOTBALL FAN]

I'm curious, :?
How do TWS's eat? I mean, how do they subdue their prey
as they have no stinger?

most Scorps dont use there stinger to subdue prey anyway

 

[TNeal]

They get/eat their prey by rushing it, grabbing it then eat it.

 

[Katronmaster]

Pretty much the same as everyone has said, just be mindful of the humidity but also make sure everything doesn't start growing mold. One I'd bought a while back but it died mid-moult most likely due to lack of hydration at the store I'd bought it from within a few days of purchase(They never misted or gave arachnids dishes)

Note to self, get another.

 

[Stylopidae]

Since these are one of the few arachnids that molt after reaching maturity, I suspect that breeding/fertility is likely tied to the molt cycle as it is with tarantulas. I don't know that, of course, but I'm guessing that it is.

Other than that, though, it's pretty easy to get them to breed. I bred Damon several times in a tall sterilite "show off" contianer with several slabs of cork bark arranged vertically so there's lots of gaps for them to hide in. Males and females can safely cohabitate for weeks or months, provided no one molts. You will know mating has occured because you'll see little T shaped stalks stuck to the bark in various places. This is the remains of the males spermataphore, the male deposits these with a little sperm packet on the end and then guides the female over it and she takes it into her genital opening, leaving the stalk part behind.

I have, however had a hard time keeping the babies alive after they get off the moms back . My problem the first couple times the babies died was inadequate humidity, the babies seem to be VERY sensitive to dessication and need a lot more moisture than the adults seem to. More recently, I had a female who I had attempted breeding many months earlier, but I never saw the spermataphore stalks so I didn't think breeding had occured, but later I discovered dead babies on the bottom, and I never knew they were there! Very dissapointing! I tend to keep adults in moderately humid cages, but if I had known that mating had occured I would have kept here a lot more moist, not to mention kept an eye out for babies. The eggs are easy to miss if you're not looking for them as they are on her underside the whole time, but the babies are obvious but they must have hatched between feedings so I missed it.

I've successfully raised many of our native P. marginmaculata howver, and they seem virtually indestructible if kept damp. I've since switched my Damon to more continuously humid conditions, but my only male has since passed and now I'm back to the drawing board.

Wade

So we're talking about young that can dessicate in hours?

Would hanging water dishes help?

Do you keep your phyrnus in the same setup?

 

[Wade]

I **THINK** they can dessicate very quickly in a dry cage, but if I had kept the substrate moist I think I would have had better luck. Also, babies seem to drown easily, so it might be best to rely on moist substrate over water bowls. I'm sure someone else here who has raised them can comment on this.

Phyrnus are much smaller, so I keep them in large deli tubs. I forget the oz, but the lids are 6" accross and they're about 5" tall. These are pre-punched cups from superior, and so ventilation is provided by the small holes. These tubs are big enough to house a breeding pair.

Wade

 

[Jeremy Huff]

The best way I have found to keep amblypygids are on a damp sand substrate with a piece of styrofoam. They seem to really like this, but I hated the way it looked. I used it in a pinch when I didn't have extra bark. I also really like broken and upside down clay flower pots. These are cool, damp shelters.

Jeremy