Unusual Daytime Behavior Wild Caught H. Arizonensis

[Poffypoffa]

I have a wild-caught H. arizonensis in a 10-gallon enclosure with a heat lamp warming one side to the low/mid 80s, clay-based substrate, and a shallow water dish that I fill at night (it goes bone dry during the day). I have had the scorpion for several months and it has been active, tunneling regularly, and eating well. There are three BDFBs as well, and they all get along fine.

Today I noticed the scorpion outside of its hide, directly in the basking lamp, standing with its butt up in the air (not just its tail raised--it was pointing its butt upward). I nudged it to make sure it was OK and it was reactive and quick moving, and eventually I bothered it enough that it went back in its den. 10 minutes later it's back outside basking, though flat this time.

I searched the forums for H. arizonensis being out during the day, basking, sticking its butt in the air, and I didn't see anything relevant. It has been looking a bit thick around the middle to me, but I'm a tarantula person and very inexperienced with scorpions. If anyone has experienced anything similar your thoughts are appreciated. Here's some photos as well.

 

[Charliemum]

It's called stilting it's how they regulate their body temp t's do this as well
Very cute scorp btw

 

[Poffypoffa]

It's called stilting it's how they regulate their body temp t's do this as well
Very cute scorp btw

Thank you so much! This is the first time I had seen them do anything like this--or even be out of their burrows during the day. Maybe it was cooler than normal yesterday.

 

[Charliemum]

Thank you so much! This is the first time I had seen them do anything like this--or even be out of their burrows during the day. Maybe it was cooler than normal yesterday.

Probably, either way it's nothing to worry about just your cute little one doing scorp stuff

 

[Matt Man]

Probably, either way it's nothing to worry about just your cute little one doing scorp stuff

just getting some air flow on the under carriage

 

[Diao]

Keep in mind that where they are from that the majority of the year it hits 100F+ during the day. When I lived in Phoenix there was a week where it hit 125F every day. Its hot. 80F is nothing, its probably out wandering because its cool enough for it to do so, and then its stopping to bask a bit under the heat lamp, as well as get some air flow around it like Matt Man said. All normal behavior.

As it gets closer to summer in the USA I would recommend you consider bumping the heat up for it during the day, try to have at least a basking spot that is 100F, so long as they have a burrow they can retreat down into that is considerably cooler.