woouuuwooouuu..., scorpion operation!

[Galapoheros]

That was a siren sound btw. Really, I thought it was going to lose a limb. I thought, "no way", but I got out the operating tools and gave it a try. The old exo on a limb would not pull off like I've done a few times in the past. So I got a dental tool and worked underneath the old exo, pulling up and breaking the old exo all way through the chela. I always kept it wet with water the whole time. I think it was stuck long enough that it might not fill out as much as the other one. It will be interesting to see how it fills out after the next molt, not that important though, these hopefully are only breeders ...some day.

 

[Canth]

Very nice work! The scorpion looks just fine despite some dents, it'll buff out

Is it an H. swammerdammi?

 

[H. laoticus]

I didn't catch onto the siren thing (I thought you were saying "Wow!"), but it looks to me like you did a pretty good job

 

[Envyizm]

WOW! Nice save Galapoheros! How long did it take you to complete the operation? Not to downplay your ability, but I'm seriously amazed at how well the scorpion fared since it looks as if you assisted in removing the majority of his/her exo. Congrats again on your success!

 

[Michiel]

Very nicely done!:clap:Good job That takes a looooot of patience....

 

[Nomadinexile]

:clap:

Did you use anesthesia?

 

[Irene B. Smithi]

WOW:clap: now that's impressive!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Galapoheros]

Yes, H. swammerdami, no anesthesia. The only way the dental tool is able to get under the stuck exo is because the new one is so soft, but sensitive. I had to be very careful not to puncture or tear anything new, I surely lucked out. I should have taken a "before pic", it looked hopeless, but I psyched myself up of a long haul. It didn't take as long as I thought, maybe 20 minutes or less, I stood up several times trying to decide what to do. I thought of "bobbing" it with a piece of hair and letting it fall off, but thought I could do something like that if I injured it while trying to get the old exo off so I kept trying. It turned out way better than I thought it would! The chela is obviously going to be smaller than the other and I haven't seen it open the finger yet, I don't know if it works. It will be a little interesting to see if it fills out after the next molt. I think it will remain a little smaller, but it has some molts left so who knows. It's hit 5th instar. How many instars does H. swammerdami have?

 

[TheDeathStalker]

Nice job on the operation :clap: You do really care alot about your scorpion and you managed to save it! That's just great!

Great siren! Reminds me of kids playing with matchbox cars

 

[AzJohn]

That was awesome. Next time maybe you could video tape the whole thing.

Seriously now, wow. :worship: I've had a few stuck get stuck in molts, usually the tail. I've never gotten to them before they had hardened up. Plus my love of smaller species makes it harder. I could imagine trying to do that on a 2i tityus.:wall: I need to get some dental tools I guess. Maybe something smaller.??? Agian thanks for the new ideas

John

 

[Galapoheros]

Hi John, I thought of getting my camera but it is a piece of junk, not so much for taking pics as it is for vids. Also, I was too serious about trying to fix the problem, too worried about it to set my camera up that takes horrible video anyway. ...Well, I did it again. I don't think I needed to but it looked stuck. I think I have it a little too wet and the old exo breaks because it's too soft(?) I think it needs to stay together so it can pull limbs out. I know it's a combo of pumping fluids and contracting muscles but I think some pulling also. Regardless, I learned to do something else. They can't sting at this time so I wouldn't worry about that. The first time, my problem was not being able to hold the pedipalp very well and having it bend the limb where the old exo met the new one. This time, I worked the dental tool under the exo between the limb and my finger, that may be hard to picture, hard to explain with words. But this way the limb was stable. I worked it under the exo and pulled down onto my finger, my skin. My skin would give and the exo would break without bending the limb. I'm about to get a decent PC microscope that goes to 200X and vid capability so I may have stuff to show later. I think it will be very good with the mite stuff! I will add a pic I took of the chela, it's smaller. I wonder if it will molt to normal size the next time, I don't think something like that has been posted here yet(?)

OK here's the scorp now, it's hardened up. You can see it's right chela is a little mal-formed and smaller.