Why doesnt my scorpion eat??

C0kaCoLa

Arachnosquire
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Oct 8, 2006
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I just bought an emperor and i have out in a cricket for the whole day and it still didnt eat it. It just stay stationary not doing anything and hiding between the plant i planted. The next day i add in another cricket it also didnt eat. I also notice that the flesh between the exoskeleton of the body appears brownish and dry. Is it because of the colour of the soil or because of lack of water??
 

Thaedion

Arachnoangel
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Nov 20, 2006
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Standard reply: ;)
What is your setup like, Humidity, Temperature, Substrate/soil?
Does your emperor have adequate water?
What was the other conditions like, from where you got him?

Clear detailed pictures are also nice for 'us' to look at, as far as being able to notice subtleties you mentioned. :D

Some of my newly introduced scorpions, (I bought 2 new emperors last night) just wanted to lose the stress from the move to a new tank. they hide out for several hours then started move about and explore. None have eaten yet, but I'm not worried. :cool:

PS; give them time to acclimate, don't keep prodding them to move, or keep opening the enclosure to 'see' how they are. etc.. :p
 

EAD063

Arachnoprince
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before starting posts on emps you should search first...we have tried multiple times to make great beginner threads so that way people don't ask why they're scorp doesn't eat/what kind of setup they need, etc... so they're in here... search
 

C0kaCoLa

Arachnosquire
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i have my scorpion in a normal aquarium where it isnt really big but not really small either...i have a plant in it and i didnt put any water inside the aquarium.
 

Thaedion

Arachnoangel
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You will need some sort of water dish in there for it! 1-2 cm deep with some sort of way to get in and out (some pebbles or something on the bottom) :D Do you have depth of soil? 6-12 cm deep peat moss or potting soil would be nice. :rolleyes: how about a hide? flat piece of bark or a broken clay pot. (be careful about putting stones in there may get unstable) :clap: You need to keep the temperature up to 25 - 30 c, and relative humidity around 80% :eek: Keep him happy. :cool:

:embarrassed: BUT AS NOTED ABOVE: PLEASE USE THE SEARCH FIRST! IT WORKS! :embarrassed:
 

C0kaCoLa

Arachnosquire
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im having only around 4 cm deep of soil. and i added the water dish in yesterday. i have 2 large pebbles in my aquarium and place a carboard that looks like a shelter. Until now, the scorpion keep hiding in the shelter and didnt come out. As for temperature and humidity, i think it is good because i live in a tropical country and i have plant in the aquarium which i water everyday. Im worrying if, will the scorpion be as stubborn as to starve to death even if there's food???
 

Bayushi

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Another thing to keep in mind is that emperor scorpions will fast at times. my male has not eaten anything for almost 4 weeks, and his last fast went for over 2 months. it's a normal part of their life cycle. most scorpions are in the feast or famine mind set, either not eating for extended periods of time or eating everything they can. when it's hungry, it will eat.
 

C0kaCoLa

Arachnosquire
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good to hear that they fast for certain times. But how do i know if they are fasting or on eating spreee?? I think my crickets will die in a few days time. And also is there any sign that i can look out for if my emperor is sick or have any abnormalities? I do notice that the flesh between the body is light brown. I dont know if thats normal or abnormal.
 

Thaedion

Arachnoangel
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Scorpions go off of instinct. That said they'll eat when they are hungry, and fast at times. Right now I have three tanks set up with P imp & H spin and none of them 'seem' to have eaten in about a week now. (happy crickets are just walking around the tanks) I held a 'skewered' cricket in front of one of my H spin and it just walked away from it. They all are active so I don't worry.

You mentioned it's colour being 'brown' on the sides? Mine are a grey colour. see here --> Link to side view

PS; Not to worry you. But I did have a male go lethargic and die on me last month, it had mite eggs all over it. when I picked it up to look at it it had eggs on the underside in the crevasses near the 'book lungs' and around the leg joints.
 

Bayushi

Arachnoprince
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Just keep offering it food every couple days and make sure there is always water in it's water dish. when it is hungry it'll eat. if you wish, you can offer it another cricket. If it eats that one keep offering until it stops eating.

I usually offer food twice a week and remove any non eaten cricket after 24 hours.

Also are you sure it's an emperor and not a red claw? i only ask because you point out it's membrane is brown and this leads me to think it might be a Pandinus cavimanis and not Pandinus imperator (but only because our P cavi has the brown membrane
 
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C0kaCoLa

Arachnosquire
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i think it is a Pandinus imperator because the flesh between other joints are white only those between the body are brownnish. Maybe i set the habitat wrongly thats why its not eating yet. I thought of setting the aquarium again. Do anyone have pics of how their enclosure looks like?
 

C0kaCoLa

Arachnosquire
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my aquarium is not 10 gallon but i think it will be sufficient because i dont see my emperor moving about much
 

Amanda Adams

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Jan 24, 2016
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Hey guys. I have a male asian forest scorpion and right now he's super thin and won't eat. He's drinking and moving around some but it worries me. He's about 4 or 5 years old what could be wrong?
 

Smokehound714

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Mar 23, 2013
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Amanda- it sounds like your male is at the end of his life. Five years is about as old as most scorpions get. Exceptional specimens may reach eight years of age (females). Once males reach the end, they become senile, and eventually waste away. Also, keep in mind that Heterometrus need damp substrate, and a big deep water dish they can immerse themselves in!
 

Amanda Adams

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Jan 24, 2016
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Amanda- it sounds like your male is at the end of his life. Five years is about as old as most scorpions get. Exceptional specimens may reach eight years of age (females). Once males reach the end, they become senile, and eventually waste away. Also, keep in mind that Heterometrus need damp substrate, and a big deep water dish they can immerse themselves in!
 

Amanda Adams

Arachnopeon
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Jan 24, 2016
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I was afraid he may be dying. He's my favorite. But unfortunately they don't live forever. Thanks for the help I appreciate it:)
 

emmyyyy

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Jun 12, 2022
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hey uh I have male forest scorpion who's atleast 3 yrs old and he hasn't been eaten for atleast 3 weeks more 😭😭 his looking skinny and I'm worried if there's smth wrong w him 😕
 

Albireo Wulfbooper

Arachnoprince
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Aug 1, 2019
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hey uh I have male forest scorpion who's atleast 3 yrs old and he hasn't been eaten for atleast 3 weeks more 😭😭 his looking skinny and I'm worried if there's smth wrong w him 😕
Please make a new thread and post photos of the animal and the entire enclosure. 3 weeks is not a long time for them to go without prey, but if there is a problem with the enclosure, it's best to fix it immediately.
 
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