WARNING: Wet deli cups

[skinheaddave]

I just figured out a little mystery of mine and though others could learn from my (STUPID, STUPID, STUPID) mistake. I traded Mat (Chau0046) for some of his C.gracilis young. I got seven, I have one left. Two of the ones that died very obviously got stuck in their moults. The others were a bit of a mystery, though. Everything was nice and wet -- almost too wet in that the bodies looked mushified.

I had them in deli cups with wet vermiculite and pieces of bark in the same container as my H.spinifer. The setup can be seen
here. Anyhow, what I think happened was that when the temperature dropped at night, water precipiated out and drowned the scorpions. Then, it evaporated back out when the temperature went back up, leaving drowned scorpions on dry land.

Well, I guess that is one more stupid mistake I won't make in the future -- though I really wish I hadn't lost those C.gracilis.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Reitz]

I'm very sorry to hear that.

I don't quite understand what happened though. Did the other four die during a molt, or was it just some random night? I ask because, as you know, I have 20 in my possession, and want to make sure they all survive. So far so good, but then again, they're only second instars.

Again, sorry to hear about your loss. I've still got a few to spare, so if you want a couple just let me know.

Chris

 

[skinheaddave]

Chris,

Unfortunately, getting things across the border is hastle or I'd take you up on your offer.

One of the seven is still alive. Two became stuck in their moult and four drowned, I think. It happened over a couple nights, but I didn't clue in to what was happening because I only checked during the day when the temps were higher and the water had evaporated.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Reitz]

well again, I'm very sorry to hear that. As for the border, we could hide the babies in coffee beans--I hear that confuses the scorpion sniffing dogs.

Kidding, of course. Good luck with the last one.

Chris

 

[Godzilla2000]

I don't know. Concerning Scorpions I always buy adults. I think babies are just way about my experience level. Scorpion molts are pretty different compared with Tarantula moltings. I'm just not confident enough to raise baby Scorpions.

 

[Sean]

Originally posted by Godzilla2000
I don't know. Concerning Scorpions I always buy adults. I think babies are just way about my experience level. Scorpion molts are pretty different compared with Tarantula moltings. I'm just not confident enough to raise baby Scorpions.

I feel the same way

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by Godzilla2000
I don't know. Concerning Scorpions I always buy adults. I think babies are just way about my experience level. Scorpion molts are pretty different compared with Tarantula moltings. I'm just not confident enough to raise baby Scorpions.

Ooops! I mean above not about. But you get the idea.

 

[chau0046]

Well i had one die...But i`m sure it was humidity. As you may notice Dave, i put the air holes on the top of these containers to keep humidity in the containers(paper towel wont hold moisture for long).With the lettering inprinted it still allowed the most minute amount of air in the deli cup.And after going on a fishing expedition for three days the container on the top of the stack was dried right out and held a dead third instar.

I beleive that it is easier with paper towel cause it doesn`t become saturated with water. I`ve noticed that after wetting the paper towel, leaving some dropplets on the side to drink, That four hours later it dropped to the botom and left enough water to almost stick the scorpling to it. It seemed to be drowning and i removed some moisture with more paper towel dabbing.A deep enough layer of peat can hold alot of water. All but one has moulted , even the one that died had moulted 5 days earlier.

Well Dave,

The GOOD news is that y female is looking just like she did the week she popped the last time. I mean huge gaps in between the tergites and hasn`t eaten in two days(She`ll be fed tommorow, again ).But last time she didn`t eat evry day she Poped out two days after!!! I`ll definately hook you up buddy!


I allow the humidity to vary cause ,,,I`m not 100% percent sure about the always moderately high humidity among this spp.

The C. exilcauda that you gave me are in preasently high humidity about 80-85% and they stay to the ground with the odd venture up the bark in their encloser. I`m guessing they don`t mind it , or i figure that they would try to climb the bark or plastic plants to try and escaped the moisture holding substrate.. What i`m trying to get at is that i beleive(and have read somewheresssss) about Centruroides being a spp. that is commonly found in many different climats. Forest and scrubland encloser were recomended in the same spp. for C. gracilis. I try to vary humidity and temps to see wich they find more comfortable . Being more active or just venturing out more in search of prey.


Also...? for Dave ;
what % humidity are your C. exilcauda in?

You told me avrg. room , soo i`m guessing 65%? I just wantt to know if there was a humidity factor that jumpstarts birth? Maybe this could be relevant to my C gracilis!!!!

Mat

and sorry `bout those little guys. I`m definately keeping the 5 i`ve got left to add to my colony.And if all goes well, i`ll have a bunch more. This time i`ll wait a day to see howmany get to her back, then remove her to a different encloser. Or maybe if she gets even a little bigger i`ll just remove her. She`s almost the size of my H. arizonensis.minus maybe half an inch!!

 

[skinheaddave]

Mat,

Good to hear that she's at it again.

My room humidity is actualy probably below 50%, though I do occasionaly flood the sand. The only births I have had happened in the autumn, not the spring, which has just struck me as odd.

In terms of different environments, this will certainly be somewhat true regarding microenvironments. The bigger factor, though, is likely the fact that they can probably tollerate high humidity a lot better than low humidity.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[chau0046]

Well after all this discussion ,,,,I lost another little feller last night due to drowning in over humidity!!!! Four left and i`m checking humidity 2-3 times daily.

Mat

 

[chau0046]

Well I decided to put them all(4) in a small critter keeper. 1/2 inch of coconut husk, a little bark and some drift wood. Bottle cap water dish filled with little stones. I threw in four med crickets upon intro and they all snatched one up in the first ten minutes. The funny thing is is that they ate the night before. I threw in more to try and evade canabalism. This morning when i checked on them they were eating fresh kills,,,again.And when i got home from work to night , 2 had half crickets in their mouths , so i put more crickets and they are, unbeleivably still eating!!:? :? :?

I`m afraid there going to pop, being the size they are. its at like 3-4 four crickets in the last 48 hours. Not little pin heads, their the same size as there meals. I`ve lowered there humidity to 70%. I haven`t seem any scuffles yet and hope it stays that way.

Mannnn.... they really grew since their last moult.=D

Their just over an inch maybe 1 1/4"!

Mat


Still waiting for big Momma to pop!!

 

[skinheaddave]

Well, of the 27 scorpion babies I had when I left the country, only three are alive. 2 H.spinifer and the last C.gracilis. He has moulted and is frikkin' huge! Glad to hear you have some too.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[chau0046]

well i found big momma on her back a week ago but, made up with an evergroing amount of baby emps. There was only like 10 and she ate a couple when i switched her tanks. But when i got back from my vacation and lifted her cocnut shell there was like
6-7 2nd instars on the ground and like maybe 10 of more 1st instars on her back still. Cant really get a good count but they started popping on the 19th and at day 15 there getting removed. i hope they have all shed by then, `cause she don`t mess around when she`s stressed and will hop all over any reason to eat her young, this is what i can tell from my previous moving experience with her.

Only one adult C. gracilis and two 4th instars,and I own one 3.5 instar. The poor little bugger just couldn`t get fully out of his moult. his chela and like 1/2 his legs are stuck. he can sorta move anound but still very able to tag you your finger is too close.) I feed him by hand and maybe if i can fatten him up long enough to make it to its next moult.

My 2nd instar Emps aren`t dark yet? I beleive that its a 2nd instar cause of the considerable difference in the body`s features and they are off her back but still hiding underher. is it normal to have a clutch very spread out like that?


And Dave,
Sorry to hear that, Glad you still have one left and mine are pretty big too now(2 out of the 3). Are the ones that chris received doing O K?

Well the good news is that i got some emps for ya!!!!!

 

[Sean]

Originally posted by skinheaddave
Well, of the 27 scorpion babies I had when I left the country, only three are alive. 2 H.spinifer and the last C.gracilis. He has moulted and is frikkin' huge! Glad to hear you have some too.

Cheers,
Dave

man sorry about that dave, and wb to the forum

 

[Kugellager]

Dude that just sucks.

John
];')

 

[Reitz]

Mat,

I assume that the "Chris" you refered to in your post was me.

I've been busy--moved to NYC, haven't had internet access, work 60 hrs/week, but yes, my C. gracilis are fine. I sold 15 of them off, and have all 5 left. No deaths yet, but we're not out of the woods. It's almost time to put them together and see what happens!

Peace,
Chris

 

[skinheaddave]

Chris,

Actualy, he was refering to the Chris I gave two H.spinifer to. Good to hear your C.gracilis are doing well, though.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[chau0046]

I`ve decided to seperate the mother from the young. They are all living hapilly in a five gallon and they are sortof brownish now. Their very cute and take the odd stroll out of their burrow to try and take on a pin head cricket. They are all seeming to do pretty fine .

And for Chris,
I reintroduced 4 4th instar gracilis and they did fine. But seriously watch the crickets man. I was watching one moult and ten minutes later i noticed a crickets was still in the tank and was carrying around the poor scorp only half out of his exo. Bummer!

The other that got stuck in his moult died a couple days ago. Poor feller.


Ah well ,, I rescued a Poky Last night. Well i guess good things come to those who wait , cause i was given the nogo on more pets

Mat