How do you pick up your scorps? and what does cup 'em mean?

How do you pick up your scorps? and what does cup 'em mean?

I really don't want to be the one to answer this question before I'm fully awake and the coffee has take away my grumpiness but, oh well.

Binks, you're young and I don't know you so I'm gonna try and not assume that you weren't thinking when you asked that question. "Cupping" is just as it sounds, make a cup with your hands - I advise against doing this with any scorp. as for picking scorps up...there are a number of ways you can do that so long as you take into mind the rating of the scorp before you think picking it up is a good idea. many keepers will grab their scorps by the tail, near the telson - this is the most common way to pick up a scorpion but I would only recommend it on scorps that fall into a level 1 or 2 because I don't want to get a call saying some genius Brit picked up an Androctonus australis by the telson with bare hands upon as per my direction and is no longer amongst the living. it's not recommended that you pick up or handle your scorps, much less any scorps over a level 2 and therefore you probably won't get much about it. handling scorps is really a personal decision for the keeper that is usually developed after one is fairly experienced in scorpion keeping.

I hope this helps and I hope I didn't come off as too abrasive at this hour.

Thanks for the help

yep yep, no prob

I haven't had my coffee yet either . . . (It's almost done brewing.)

In my experience "cupping" usually means using an actual cup and scootching the scorpion into it with either a free hand or some other object -- when using another object (a spatula works great) this is an effective and save method for rehousing dangerous species.

It's possible that the same phrase can mean two different things. I'm guessing when people told you to cup your emp in another thread (I think I remember seeing that) they meant using an actual cup.

that makes more sense. I'm familiar with cupping with hands - das ist nicht nicht

ok, thats why i got a bit confused and asked the question.

I pick up my scorpions by putting my hand on the ground next to them and using my other hand or a tool of some sort to gently push them or make them walk onto my hand. I have also been lifting them by the tail, but this seems to often make them "freak out" and they can actually bend back and pinch you. That said, I've never been pinched and I only do this with my emperors, flat rock and the tiny Euscorpius. I don't do it very often either. Usually just to better show the scorps to friends and so on, or ofc when cleaning the cages.

When moving more potent scorps I use a pair of tongs and grab them by the tail.

When I was still new to this hobby I saw a clip on youtube showing how to "cup'em".
This worked very well until I got more experienced.

i tail them.

KingSondre wrote:

I pick up my scorpions by putting my hand on the ground next to them and using my other hand or a tool of some sort to gently push them or make them walk onto my hand.

This is my prefered way of picking up all my hets. Handling smaller ones especially scorplings should be aided with a recepticle to avoid unintentionally asserted pressure. I don't like picking them up by the metasoma since its not really a tail but part of their body where the heart and nervous system runs.

I wouldn't use this method on any buthids, my Liocheles or smaller fragile species. I think barehands works only for really big scorps that have a much more chilled disposition and are not so skittish and paranoid about being lifted up by some huge creature (human) that might do it harm. In the event that they find difficulty hanging on, you might experioence a considerable nip from considerably formidable claws so always ensure their center of gravity is given sufficient support.

Cupping (Hand-cupping)

*First of all I shall not be held responsible should you decide to try this at home with scorpions of other species other than Hets and Emps, or if your miscalculations cause injury to you and/or the loss of your scorpion.

Other than using a deli-cup over the scorpion with the lid under it for thre purpose of secure tranposrtation, transfer etc, hand-cupping causes a response that I consider absolutely fascinating about the instinctual behaviour of scorpions.

Basically holding a large Het in one hand and gently cupping it over with the other hand. Ensure that you do this gently and that the scorpion doesn't react strongly to this otherwise you might face a Scorpion+human freak out!

Sealing the entire animal within your cupped plam, wait for about 10 seconds and in the event of no inner struggle, very slowly lift up your top hand. The scorpion should be snug in a cozy position and remain absolutely motionless.

Put the top hand back and remove it and the scorpions reawakes. It works almost as uncanny as a light switch.

*I must assert that by no reasons should you attempt this using other parts of your body, like feet, armpits, buttcheeks (like the fool on you tube) or god forbid any orrifice your twisted imagination may concieve of as scorpion 'friendly.'

and P.S. these* are not to be taken as suggestions you <twit>!!!!

Take care, Cheers

You crack me up