Substrate - Coconut fiber, soil, or a mixture?

I am inquiring about the ideal substrate for my female emperor scorpion. Coco fiber and some type of soil seem to be universally recommended. Currently I have the scorpion in only 4 in. of coconut fiber, it's soft, but not the texture of dirt and my scorpion is not burrowing. However I have supplied her with a dome-like rock cave above 4 in. worth of coco fiber and with fiber layered along the sides so the top of the dome rises from the ground surface and the entrance slants downward. I moistened the inside of this chamber and the scorpion seems to like it, she doesn't leave its shelter. I expected her to deepen the chamber to form more of a burrow, but she hasn't.

My questions are:

1) Is this an adequate substitute for a burrow?

2) Should I add actual soil to the substrate? And if so, at what ratio to the coco. fiber and should there be a sand component?

Additional questions unrelated to substrate:

3)What is optimum humidity level?

4)Can rich (nontoxic) yard leafliter be added to the terrarium? I live in northern FL, so we have rich leafliter in the hardwood forests near my house. I thought this would be helpful in supporting isopods in the tank which would help dispose of waste from the scorpion. If not, what are the concerns? Mites?


Thanks for all the help.

My advice is just to use about 6 + inches of substrate....Only coco fibers is perfectly fine there is no need for soil... Thats it...You can add a false bottom but thats completely your decision. I wouldnt add the leaflitter because you dont know what kind of other insects have been near it or around it and that could introduce something you dont want in your terrarium... I would just do fibers and call it good...

tcm09 wrote:

I am inquiring about the ideal substrate for my female emperor scorpion. Coco fiber and some type of soil seem to be universally recommended. Currently I have the scorpion in only 4 in. of coconut fiber, it's soft, but not the texture of dirt and my scorpion is not burrowing. However I have supplied her with a dome-like rock cave above 4 in. worth of coco fiber and with fiber layered along the sides so the top of the dome rises from the ground surface and the entrance slants downward. I moistened the inside of this chamber and the scorpion seems to like it, she doesn't leave its shelter. I expected her to deepen the chamber to form more of a burrow, but she hasn't.

My questions are:

1) Is this an adequate substitute for a burrow?

2) Should I add actual soil to the substrate? And if so, at what ratio to the coco. fiber and should there be a sand component?

Additional questions unrelated to substrate:

3)What is optimum humidity level?

4)Can rich (nontoxic) yard leafliter be added to the terrarium? I live in northern FL, so we have rich leafliter in the hardwood forests near my house. I thought this would be helpful in supporting isopods in the tank which would help dispose of waste from the scorpion. If not, what are the concerns? Mites?


Thanks for all the help.

1. yes its perfect, and your scorpion will be spending alot of time in there, so dont worry if you dont see it too often

2. i wouldnt use sand at all...ive seen somewhere on here the reason why, i just cant remember...
i use 100% coco fiber for my 2 females...and some people on here use like 50/50 peat and coco fiber...

3. dude put like 5-6 inches of coco fiber in the tank, and pour a glass of water on it like once every 1-2 weeks (basically whenever it feels dry) and that'll even out your humidity,,,i do it for my baby emperor because im too lazy to set up a false bottom on my 10 gallon tank...but i did do it on my 30 gallon long tank because, well, its supposed to be a community tank that only has 2 females...

4. i wouldnt know about this, but im really picky about what i put in my tank, and if it comes from outside i wash it sterilize it, etc,etc...
as for isopods, i dont really see a need for them because i dont use them, i usually just spot clean the tank and it works for me...

what part of north florida are you from?

2) Do NOT use sand. Just stick to coco fibre, no need to add in actual soil.

3) Humidity should range between 60% and 90%. You will want the higher end of 80%-90% when they are due for a molt or if they are heavily gravid.
In order to increase humidity, don't spray as it is ineffective and won't last very long. Just pour some water onto the substrate so that it is damp but not soaking and that shoulod give you about 80% for about a week or two dependent on how big your tank is.

4) I wouldn't. You run all sorts of risks including mites, parasites etc.

I wouldn't use soil, i heard once that there is chicken feces in it..ew. peat might not be bad though. coconut fiber is what i use. ecoearth to be exact because of the availability.