molting????

Do scorpions. emps specifically, molt into adulthood? im a little confused on this. from surfing the web and reading different posts and what not, i see a lot about them molting as juvies but have seen nothing about molting into adulthood. i would assume that they continue to molt all their lives as a way to repair any chinks in their armor. so to speak. though i am unsure. the reason im asking is because i believe my emp may be getting ready to molt. keep in mind that im new to the hobby. im basing my assumption on things ive read and pics ive seen on here and another forum. the reason im thinking this is because, she seems to be more plump then when i first got her. which, from what ive read, could mean shes gravid, over weight, or getting ready to molt. besides the plumpness, i can see more flesh between the joints of her pedipalps and her metasoma than i remember just days ago. and also her tergites. i dont believe her to be over fed. i feed her about 6 crickets a week. and i dont believe her to be gravid cause, well i just dont have that kind of luck! lol! to by my very first scorpion and have it be a gravid female.... doubtful! lol! here are some pics.. theyre pretty crappy but its the best i can do with my phone... need a knew digi errrr!

ill try to borrow a better cam tomorrow and get better pics.

Lots of people get a first scorp and have it turn out to be a gravid female (I was one of the ones that wasn't so lucky . . .)

Anywho, all scorpions molt into adulthood, but then they quit. All the posts about juvies molting are because there's more molts in the juvenile "timeframe" but only one molt to adulthood. Also, scorpions grow fastest when they're younger so juvie molts happen more often.

As for scorpions no longer molting after adulthood, that's actually quite uncommon among arthropods. The only others who stop upon reaching maturity are the all but the most primitive insects and male tarantulas. Spiders, crustaceans, centipedes, etc. -- all these keep molting throughout their lives.

Almost forgot -- I can tell your individual is an adult (by telson color; mature emps have a brownish / reddish telson, subadults have a cream-colored telson, juvies' are white). I'd guess gravid based on your descriptions, although six crickets per week is a lot of food.

Post a pectine shot and we can sex it, which may suggest an answer.

what sized crickets? is she fasting or redulalry eating as they normally fast when gravid. i would say she is just overweight, put her on a diet for a week or two and if she is still getting bigger she may well be gravid.

i posted a pick to have her sexed on a couple other sites and the overwhelming majority said female. but here it is again. more opinions couldnt hurt! i didnt think 6 a week was alot, but if so, how many should i be feeding? she does seem to fast for a day or to but then she eats like a pig, then fast again.

Yeah, female for sure.

Well, if she's scarfing them down, then keep feeding her I guess. If she starts to reject food, then stop feeding her for a week or two.

yeah 100% female lol
Most scorps generally only eat small amounts.
One of my emps takes 1 locust a week so just one big meal for him lol

dont base your opinion on your luck...
Im not a lucky guy either...
but my first Emp was gravid when i bought her...
she would eat alot too....
right up until she popped...
well had babies lol...
by looks of your scorpion I would say she is gravid...
look at her back...
if you can see a prominent cord then she is most certainly gravid

electrophyste wrote:

dont base your opinion on your luck...
Im not a lucky guy either...
but my first Emp was gravid when i bought her...
she would eat alot too....
right up until she popped...
well had babies lol...
by looks of your scorpion I would say she is gravid...
look at her back...
if you can see a prominent cord then she is most certainly gravid

i can see a purplish blue line down the center of her back, between the tergites. is that what youre talking about?

That's the main nerve cord -- usually, when it's visible in an adult female, it suggests she's gravid.

However, that is not always the case. We have one member on here with an H. spinifer having a visible cord, but based on how long he's had her, she's probably not gravid.

i guess its just a wait n see thing then! thanks lads n gents!

yes thats what i mean.
if shes in a community, personally i would put her in her own for around 2 months just to make sure. ive done it, and im about to do it again as soon as i get my extra tank back.

if you take my advice, just slightly raise the heat and humidity up in her own tank and that should speed up the proses a bit more.

electrophyste wrote:

yes thats what i mean.
if shes in a community, personally i would put her in her own for around 2 months just to make sure. ive done it, and im about to do it again as soon as i get my extra tank back.

if you take my advice, just slightly raise the heat and humidity up in her own tank and that should speed up the proses a bit more.

nope shes on her own already... she my only scorp right now.. i hope to get more soon.. but till make sure shes not gravid ill keep her alone! i i try to keep the temp in the mid 80"s and the humidity at least above 70% should i go higher?

i kept her mid 80s and the humidity up means i added water to the substrate 2 times a week rather then my once a week like normal, within a week i noticed some behavioral differences in her, she would stay out of her burrow with her body up as high as her lags would push her up and her claws right out like it was ready for something, i now know this stance is called the birthing basket i believe, then she disappeared into her burrow for three days then she came half out enough for me to see all the little scorplings on her back.

ok, ill keep the temp/humidity up and just wait n see. thanks everyone for the advice!