My First B. Jacksoni Molt!

I just went in to feed the b. jacksoni their first taste of roaches which looked like this



And when I opened the last container to feed my fatty chocolate I saw the tiny exo stuck on the underside of the bark and a much larger version happily snuggled in the coco fiber at the base. Here is the exoskeleton


Here is my first ever newly 4 instar molted scorpion!!!


So exciting to see this finally happen. This chocolate and one other are 2 weeks older than the others. I'll have to see how soon the other chocolate molts and if the others follow in 2 or so weeks. The dealer said they have all molted twice, so this is the third molt making it 4i now. Thanks to this forum and all the great info, I knew that higher temps and humidity was the best way to get them growing...and how to house these guys to ensure a safe molt. Temps are 85F to 90F (30C to 33C). I don't know what the humidity is exactly because I have a stick on strip hygrometer that doesn't work...the containers have visible condensation on the sides and lid. The containers are round tupperware bowls that are about 4 inches across and 3 inches high. I have about a half inch of coco fiber with a strip of cork tile set against the side at a 45 degree angle. I keep the half under the cork damp and the other half of the substrate dry.There is also a small flat stone that holds the cork in place and makes a horizontal scrape if needed. There are a lot of holes for good ventilation...I did tape up the holes around the bottom half after the first day I had 3 escapees...these guys can wiggle through very small holes! The scorpling molted hanging on the inside of the cork facing up instead of down like I read here. Maybe he's just a rebel. I say he because I can now see bulbs on the chelea.

Thanks again guys for all the great info!

Congratulations.

By the way, in my experience with this species you can't confirm male until fifth instar.

Good to know. "It" definitely isn't 5i...the chelae does have more of a male-like bulb than before. I'm keeping a record of their progress, so I'll let you know what I see as the others molt and if this one changes...this is so much more fun than just having a mature scorpion! I wish my camera was better, so I could get you a close-up. It is now about 1.5 inches. If it is at 4i and has one more molt I don't see it making 3 inches. I did read that the range is 2.4 to 3.6 inches. It is just exciting to see what they become. Should I let the container dry out after a molt or keep the humidity high? It is still snuggled in the moist substrate and the other side is dry, so there is a choice. Just wondering if I should let the condensation on the sides dry to help harden the exoskeleton. Can I safely feed 3 days after a molt?

My experience (through post-molt mortalities) suggests that the exoskeleton hardening isn't through drying -- think about the REALLY humid species.

As far as post-molt feeding, if it fluoresces under UV as brightly as the old exo, it should be good to go.

Good point. Do you think it is a chemical/enzyme reaction that hardens the exoskeleton?

I tried a feeding and there was no interest, but he was running around quite a bit and I got a better shot next to the old skin...crazy how much size difference

That picture's not very good, but it still looks soft. Wait until it fluoresces fully before trying again.

And I think the scleritolization process is metabolic; I had one specimen die immediately following a molt and it never hardened.

I so need to get a torch...I'll grab the one form work again tomorrow.

Nice Job again Mike...you can clearly see that the exo glows brighter than the 4 day post-molt 4i b. jacksoni



Here are some shots of the other two getting ready to molt...first is a red...then a chocolate



I love how they glow

The glow is a good indicator to see if little ones are getting fat -- whether you can see little gaps of non-glowing membrane or not.

Awesome UV pics there.

Congrats OP

Bayss wrote:

crazy how much size difference

my h. spinny went double its size after 2nd molt.. faaaattttt bugger!

Ah, yes -- the first B. jacksoni molt! I remember the feeling I got when mine molted, although they were my first scorps that weren't emps (probably why I was so excited). The temps seem to be a bit high for these species -- correct me if I'm wrong. I kept them around 75-80F. When they're about to molt, I would up the temps by a few degrees and increase the humidity a bit. All of this was when they were housed individually, of course. I miss when they were housed by themselves. I actually got to see them eat and everything. Now I don't get to see them unless I lift up their hides.

Yes...I'm intentionally keeping them on the hot end to speed up their development. I think it is called hot boxing...Eddy has a tutorial on it in the forum and I read some other stuff online. You are right though, B. Jacksoni are best kept at 75-80F and that is what the communal tank will be. I have them in individual containers with high temps and high humidity. That is why I was so excited to see it worked on the molt! I haven't checked tonight yet, but I'll bet another one has molted. Wish me luck!

Moved to scorps in general