need help!!!!

Hey guys, me again. so the first emperor we had has been doing great. eating like crazy but otherwise great. anyways the reason we need help.

Me and my girlfriend just picked up another emperor today from the same pet store where we got our first one. both of the scorpions were housed in the same cage at the time when we got the first one . When we put them together to get them used to each other before we moved them to a bigger tank,( from a 10 gal to a 30 ) they started to exhibit some strange behavior. they looked like they were fighting but were not stinging each other.

also when the bigger one of the two would walk toward the smaller ( first scorpion we got ) it would shake its entire body. I shot a video to upload to help show the actions i am talking about ( sorry in advance about the quality, it was shot in a hurry on a cell phone ) we have separated the two of them again for the time being, until we can figure out the reason to this strange behavior. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys[code]

They look like they're mating. The 'shaking' is what they'll do to when they're showing aggressive behavior. Kinda like making yourself look bigger to scare off predators.

It looks like a promenade à deux (courtship dance). However, the telson color of the smaller scorpion indicates that it is not yet an adult. The telson appears white towards the end of the video, but it may just be the lighting. Are they adults? Have you sexed them?

We did notice when the bigger one got close enough, it had one of the smaller scorpions jaws ( what they eat with ) in its mouth. Is that part of mating also? The telson on the smaller one is light brown, only about half the darkness of the bigger one. And the smaller scorpion is roughly a 1/3 smaller than the bigger one. When my gf gets home ill load some picks of the undersides of both. If they cooperate. Thank you for the quick responce

Its not uncommon to see some initial agression towards each other but its' best to watch for fights and break them up. I cant see the video, sorry I cant say much about what is actually going on but I would just put them back together the chances that they'll kill each other is small.

Thanks for the info. Once i get the chance ill upload the pics i took. From what i can tell their undersides. ( dont know what those things are called ) look different. The smaller one looks like it has more curve to it? Im still learning

Also when we tried to break them up the bigger scorpion went right  back to the smaller one and it went on like that

It looks like mating or hanging out. If one of them really wanted away it would use it's stinger and push sting lash out and then turtle up. I think they will be fine.

Unless they are different species? Get some clear pictures of their claws top of the heads and stingers. Then some under shots of the wing things you see.

Then we will all tell you what's what. but my gut says everything is normal.

They were both labeled as emperors at the pet store. And the claws both have the rough dimpled texture ive read is common of emperors. But ill get some pics just to be sure.

ok yeah the claws was to id them. If the claws were smooth on one then we needed the top down shot so ignore that one too. The colour of the stinger is still important for guessing age and the under side is crucial for sexing. For the under side ones clearer is better then closer and fuzzy.

Thanks for all the info. Foot note before i post the pics. Our smaller scorpion a
has seemed to mellow out since these events. they are done doing whatever they were doing. for the moment.

Any ways here are the pictures for the smaller emperor

having problems uploading pictures

sorry guys wont let me upload them. if u want the pics email me at darkh8artedsoul@gmail.com and i will email you the pics

Ok so I have some pictures from darkh8artedsoul


It's a juvenile for sure. They can not be mating. So I can't make out the sex from this but I've asked for a better pic. It doesn't have to be a super close up. Clear is better then close.

This one looks full grown. And in the claw pics I didn't post up they are both emps.

If you can see them close enough to notice a heart shaped opening on the female and rugby ball shaped one on the other it's safe to guess 1 male 1 female.

Thank you for the help yames. I appreciate it. My girlfriend managed to get both of them to " rear up " so to speak at the side of the tank and looked at both of them. From what she and i could best tell the smaller one is heart shaped and the larger is oval. I will still try to get clearer pictures to post but i am unsure of how to do it with minimal stress to the scorpion

being able to compare them to each other tends to make it fairly clear. I'm sure you're right.

Time will tell i guess lol. will it be ok to house them in the same tank except when molting or should i keep them separate until the smaller one is mature? They have been in the tank together now for 4 hours and they are just going about their business, not really interacting with each other

Again thanks for all the help

Finally figured out how to post the pictures


Here is ( hopefully ) a clearer picture of the smaller scorpion. from everything ive read im gonna say i was wrong before and this is a male?

I still can't see what's going on there clear enough to guess at the sex.

Thats about the best picture i could get. Ill have to see about getting a better camera and then ill post another thread

I would say female...

Thanks shadow. Once we get home im gonna try to figure out a way to get better pictures. Then ill start a new thread with those pictures

I agree with shadowfoot. The juvenile looks female to me too.