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 new to emps, molt question

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BattleKat
Pandinus
BattleKat


Number of posts : 10
Age : 42
Location : Ft. Worth, TX
Registration date : 2009-12-19

new to emps, molt question Empty
PostSubject: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/1/2010, 10:41 pm

So after keeping 2 small wild caught Centruoides Vittatus for a little while, my husband and I decided we would love to have an emperor in the house. We're supposed to be getting it tomorrow night, hopefully a male. Already have the tank set up. 10gal, 4-5 inches of coconut fiber, 2 hides, water dish, hygrometer/thermometer ready to put in. I've been reading as much as I can on here about everyone's emps. Really the only thing I'm still unsure about is molting... how to tell when they're about to molt, how long it takes, etc We're hoping to get a sub-adult is why I'm concerned with this. Also, if there's anything else I need to know, please post up. Thanks!!!
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binksyboy3
Androctonus
binksyboy3


Number of posts : 1690
Age : 30
Location : Hertfordshire, England
Registration date : 2009-03-05

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/2/2010, 6:42 am

Molting usually takes a few hours. They will refuse food for a few days before and after molting. They are very vulnerable having just molted and need a few days to harden their exo.
You can tell if they are coming up to a molt by looking for the signs of "pre-molt".
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Mr. Mordax
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Mr. Mordax


Number of posts : 7743
Age : 38
Location : PNW
Registration date : 2008-02-06

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/2/2010, 11:31 pm

^That would have been helpful if you'd said what the signs of premolt are. Razz

You'll know if you have a subadult if it has a creamy telson. Adults have brown, juvies have white. As far as premolt signs, it will appear morbidly obese, and in some cases you'll be able to see the new tergites developing through the intersegmental membrane.

Keep in mind that it may take several months to approach premolt. When it does molt, don't offer prey until it glows brightly under a blacklight again.

Also, ignore your humidity gauge. The cheap analog ones from most petstores are all but useless, and the fancy digital ones are only at all useful if you place them right near the substrate (many people place them high up on the walls where it's drier). The easiest way to judge humidity is if the substrate looks damp (if it does, fine; if it doesn't, pour some water onto it Very Happy).
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BattleKat
Pandinus
BattleKat


Number of posts : 10
Age : 42
Location : Ft. Worth, TX
Registration date : 2009-12-19

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 1:27 am

Thanks everyone. We just got home with our new emperor a little while ago. We just got him settled in and he seems to be loving his new home.
Here's his first picture.


new to emps, molt question 004
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Mr. Mordax
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Mr. Mordax


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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 1:36 am

Looks like an adult, so molting won't be an issue. Smile
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BattleKat
Pandinus
BattleKat


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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 2:10 am

i was told at the store that he isn't an adult yet. and if he is, he's very small, like only 3 inches from head to the beginning of his tail.
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Mr. Mordax
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Mr. Mordax


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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 3:04 am

That's about average.

The only way to refute this being an adult would be to post a clearer picture of the telson (the last segment of the tail) -- the color I can see from your photo looks like the brown of an adult to me.
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binksyboy3
Androctonus
binksyboy3


Number of posts : 1690
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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 8:29 am

Mr. Mordax wrote:
the color I can see from your photo looks like the brown of an adult to me.

Same
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gromgroms
Centruroides
gromgroms


Number of posts : 154
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Location : columbus ohio
Registration date : 2009-12-04

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 10:38 am

but they do get bigger after that; my biggest measures 5 inches from tail (recoiled) to her claws. shes massive, compared to my normal sized adult, the 3.5 inches tail coiled. she also almost killed him during a mating pairing, so yeah, she has her own cage.

how do they get bigger after molting to adult? theres no way she molted to full length!
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binksyboy3
Androctonus
binksyboy3


Number of posts : 1690
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Location : Hertfordshire, England
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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 2:27 pm

Once they do their final molt, they won't get any bigger apart from getting fatter from time to time Smile
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Mr. Mordax
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Mr. Mordax


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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/3/2010, 3:40 pm

Some specimens are just larger than others, is all. So they don't "get" bigger, some just grow more at each molt.
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BattleKat
Pandinus
BattleKat


Number of posts : 10
Age : 42
Location : Ft. Worth, TX
Registration date : 2009-12-19

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/4/2010, 6:05 pm

So, its my 3rd day with my new addition, which we named Nero. He seems to be getting very comfortable in his new home. Going to introduce a cricket tonight, see if he's ready to eat yet. Never in a million years would I have thought I'd have an emperor as a pet, or any scorp for that matter. I guess when those 2 C. vittatus kinda fell in our laps, I realized how awesome they are. I can't wait to see Nero catch/eat food for the first time. The first time I saw our biggest C vittatus catch, sting, and eat a cricket was incredible...and they're so tiny compared to the emperors.

Thanks again to everyone for the info/help. Next order will be to actually find out if Nero is in fact a male. I told the store I wanted a male, but they never actually confirmed it. Since I'm such a noob to scorps, I honestly don't know how to tell the difference without seeing a confirmed male and female in person. I've seen pictures, but those were magnified. Once he(???) gets used to me, I'll try to take some close-up pics of the pectines.
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Mr. Mordax
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Mr. Mordax


Number of posts : 7743
Age : 38
Location : PNW
Registration date : 2008-02-06

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/4/2010, 11:03 pm

There's a few emp threads in our sexing forum; you can check those out for reference.

And never trust a store to sex a scorpion. They don't know a pectine from a pedipalp.
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gromgroms
Centruroides
gromgroms


Number of posts : 154
Age : 33
Location : columbus ohio
Registration date : 2009-12-04

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/4/2010, 11:29 pm

if it performs household duties like digging, cleaning the burrow, etc, then it is a female
if it watches the female and watches me watch the office, it is a male

my personal observations of my emps
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Birdy339
Centruroides
Birdy339


Number of posts : 123
Age : 32
Location : wales
Registration date : 2009-11-26

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PostSubject: Re: new to emps, molt question   new to emps, molt question Empty1/5/2010, 8:55 am

my emp does alot of burrowing but its the only one i currently have in the tank but im getting another female and a 4i male so il be keeping an eye out for his molt too
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