Whip scorpion questions

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

prehistoric

• cold blood
• Jun 15, 2017
• 15

yep, theyre every bit as cool and interesting as you think.

love these things

I am starting to be won over by them a bit. But do they really only eat once a month as adults? just a bit hard to believe its okay. not that feeding would be a problem.

 

[cold blood]

I am starting to be won over by them a bit. But do they really only eat once a month as adults? just a bit hard to believe its okay. not that feeding would be a problem.

all mine eat much more often than that...i feed every 5-10 days....mine are all pretty agressive eaters unless theyre pre molt....i also see them almost all the time.

 

[schmiggle]

I used to feed mine once a week, but every so often she would go through a period of about a month where she would just fast.

Regarding your other questions--I believe I've read that heterophrynus are supposed to be a bit less shy, but even so, the whole group is very skittish. The easiest way to view is to use a red lamp and stand back a bit. In that case, they won't know you're there and they'll explore all the space given. Heterophrynus has the largest leg span, Acanthophrynus is the most massive (but it's diffcult to get in the U.S.). Whipspiders can be kept communally, but the exact number of individuals that should be in a terrarium is dependent on the size of the terrarium. As far as hardiness is concerned, desert species might be your best bet, because they're less susceptible to temp and humidity swings.

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

I used to feed mine once a week, but every so often she would go through a period of about a month where she would just fast.

Regarding your other questions--I believe I've read that heterophrynus are supposed to be a bit less shy, but even so, the whole group is very skittish. The easiest way to view is to use a red lamp and stand back a bit. In that case, they won't know you're there and they'll explore all the space given. Heterophrynus has the largest leg span, Acanthophrynus is the most massive (but it's diffcult to get in the U.S.). Whipspiders can be kept communally, but the exact number of individuals that should be in a terrarium is dependent on the size of the terrarium. As far as hardiness is concerned, desert species might be your best bet, because they're less susceptible to temp and humidity swings.

Lol I wonder if making a terrarium with the type of glass they use in interrogation rooms? the one way view. However I doubt I could get my hands on that.

Temp and humidity swing? my room temp kind of fluctuates is there a way to get a heater for the tank that lowers or increases temp depending on room temp?

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

all mine eat much more often than that...i feed every 5-10 days....mine are all pretty agressive eaters unless theyre pre molt....i also see them almost all the time.

Oof. where did you get yours?

 

[cold blood]

A guy locally breeds them....hes on AB, not sure if he ships em, but he probably does. @sschind is the guy....his name is Steve...good guy.

 

[schmiggle]

Lol I wonder if making a terrarium with the type of glass they use in interrogation rooms? the one way view. However I doubt I could get my hands on that.

Temp and humidity swing? my room temp kind of fluctuates is there a way to get a heater for the tank that lowers or increases temp depending on room temp?

Whipspiders can't see anyway, so one way glass would make not one bit of difference. Mine could basically smell me through the tiny gaps in the terrarium wall (along the door mostly).

When I say "swing," I mean by more than 20 degrees or so--it's not as if the wild is at a constant tempertature. Heating is always easier than cooling in a terrarium, though--if your room gets really hot it will be harder to deal with than if your room gets cold (although as I understand it whipspiders are also less likely to die from overheating).

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

Whipspiders can't see anyway, so one way glass would make not one bit of difference. Mine could basically smell me through the tiny gaps in the terrarium wall (along the door mostly).

When I say "swing," I mean by more than 20 degrees or so--it's not as if the wild is at a constant tempertature. Heating is always easier than cooling in a terrarium, though--if your room gets really hot it will be harder to deal with than if your room gets cold (although as I understand it whipspiders are also less likely to die from overheating).

Is there a way to mask your scent? Like to mask the smell of anything going near the tank?

So if they cannot see... can you keep daytime lights over their terrarium and it wont bug them? like cool LED lights?

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

A guy locally breeds them....hes on AB, not sure if he ships em, but he probably does. @sschind is the guy....his name is Steve...good guy.

Thank you. So which of the desert species is the largest? Seeing as the other guy said desert species tolerates temp changes well. My room wont ever get hotter than 75 degrees except summer time. Because I hate anything over 70... though my room is in an area hit by the sun all day so in the summer it can get up to 80+ or even 90 degrees on those extremely hot days. But I have a wall mount a/c.


And how large would you say is the body of the largest whipspiders? not counting the legs I mean.

 

[schmiggle]

Is there a way to mask your scent? Like to mask the smell of anything going near the tank?

So if they cannot see... can you keep daytime lights over their terrarium and it wont bug them? like cool LED lights?

No, and no. They can't form images, but I think species that aren't troglobitic can all see white light.

 

[schmiggle]

Acanthophrynus can measure 2"+, you're more likely to see 1-1.5"

 

[Aquarimax]

I am starting to be won over by them a bit. But do they really only eat once a month as adults? just a bit hard to believe its okay. not that feeding would be a problem.

I think feeding frequency is determined partially by temperature. In the warm months, I offer food every week to ten days. They usually, but not always, accept it. In the winter they are much less interested in food, but my room temps are much cooler.

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

No, and no. They can't form images, but I think species that aren't troglobitic can all see white light.

Now I'd make a seperate thread but can real scorpions see light too?

As for sizes thats the biggest species?

I think feeding frequency is determined partially by temperature. In the warm months, I offer food every week to ten days. They usually, but not always, accept it. In the winter they are much less interested in food, but my room temps are much cooler.

Weird question, how would you compare their feeding to say tarantulas and actual scorpions? Ive heard from a guy that for tarantulas and scorpions you only need to feed 1 a week and only 6 or 7 crickets.

That any desert species should be put in with blue death feigning beetles(those big blue beetles that look weird and eat scorpion poop and dead animal parts)

Would you say same is said for whipscorps and spiders? like for cleaning crew

 

[Aquarimax]

Weird question, how would you compare their feeding to say tarantulas and actual scorpions? Ive heard from a guy that for tarantulas and scorpions you only need to feed 1 a week and only 6 or 7 crickets.

That any desert species should be put in with blue death feigning beetles(those big blue beetles that look weird and eat scorpion poop and dead animal parts)

Would you say same is said for whipscorps and spiders? like for cleaning crew

I don’t keep,any tarantulas or true scorpions, so I can’t remark on that, but 1 insect per feeding is all my tailless whip scorpions or vinegaroons seem to need.

I keep springtails and Isopods with my tailless whip scorpions as a cleanup crew. I don’t really have any cleanup crew with my vinegaroons.

 

[schmiggle]

Now I'd make a seperate thread but can real scorpions see light too?

As for sizes thats the biggest species?

Scorpions can also see light but can't form images. And yes, look up Acanthophrynus coronatus to see what I'm talking about.

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

I don’t keep,any tarantulas or true scorpions, so I can’t remark on that, but 1 insect per feeding is all my tailless whip scorpions or vinegaroons seem to need.

I keep springtails and Isopods with my tailless whip scorpions as a cleanup crew. I don’t really have any cleanup crew with my vinegaroons.

oooo nice. springtails help i hear

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

Scorpions can also see light but can't form images. And yes, look up Acanthophrynus coronatus to see what I'm talking about.

Can you post an image of what it is they'd see?

 

[schmiggle]

Can you post an image of what it is they'd see?

No, because they don't form images. They essentially detect light intensity.

The way a dog's nose can form a scent map of its environment is to your nose as your eyes are to a scorpion's eyespot, except that the difference in the latter case is even more pronounced. The images I've seen that try to do it basically look like random visual noise.

 

[ReleaseTheQuacken]

No, because they don't form images. They essentially detect light intensity.

The way a dog's nose can form a scent map of its environment is to your nose as your eyes are to a scorpion's eyespot, except that the difference in the latter case is even more pronounced. The images I've seen that try to do it basically look like random visual noise.

Oh so its like a white screen to them. Geez, no wonder they fear everything.

 

[schmiggle]

Oh so its like a white screen to them. Geez, no wonder they fear everything.

Naw, I think they're scared of everything because they're programmed to be. Jellyfish aren't as skittish, but they are things about the same.

Also, I wouldn't really say they are a white screen so much as saying that they don't see at all. I really don't think it's a sensation that a human can imagine. The closest thing is looking at the sun vs looking at a dark wall, both with your eyes closed.

Most arachnids orient primarily through tactile and to a lesser extent olfactory senses. A whipspider's immediate perception is limited to what it picks up on its antinneforms. Its mental map is composed of textures, lengths and smells. A person's hand is an overwhelming sensory barrage akin to a fireworks display, and a fireworks display is largely unsensable (I imagine it's below the light intensity required to illicit a reaction).