Soon to be owner + Question on terrarium.

So I think Im going to get an Emp. I have a 12x12x12 Exo Terra cage. Is that suitable for an Emp? I will be custom designing the inside with a couple levels but before I do that, do Emps climb? Will they die if they fall? I know with some Tarantulas you cant have a set up like that. Anyways just wondering.

Yes, that cage is fine. They climb, but only to try to get out--they're natural burrowers and enjoy staying under hides. Depends on how high it is and what's on the bottom for it to die, but most likely it will fall often, so best not to give it a chance to climb.

By the way, welcome to the forum

+1 H. laoticus

It is recommended to provide 5 gallon of tank space per Emp. Your enclosure's space seems fine.

Like all scorpions, Emps cannot climb up the smooth wall surface of our glass/plastic cage but if you are using the "stony" backdrop that comes with your Exo Terra's Cage, it might give sufficient grip for climbing and you wouldn't be surprise to see your Emp posing like a spiderman on the underside of the cage's lid one day :spidey:

Though Emps are very hardy scorpions, i wouldn't like the idea of my Emps having the chance of getting hurt (as mentioned by H.laotics), say if they drop onto hard surfaces (E.g. concrete water dish, stones or things like that) instead of landing on the substrate.

Lastly not forgetting.. Welcome to the forum Nev!

Just give them ample substrate depth under a log hide and a wide open water dish....

This was the setup I used for my Emp... which gave birth to some 20 babies in this enclosure...



just for your reference....

Welcome to the Forum

Thanks everybody
I was hoping to do something like this guy. He built it for his Tarantulas https://www.youtube.com/user/talon4wd#p/u/24/tM734-2W7mU
Are there other scorps that are natural climbers?

Nev wrote:

Thanks everybody
I was hoping to do something like this guy. He built it for his Tarantulas https://www.youtube.com/user/talon4wd#p/u/24/tM734-2W7mU
Are there other scorps that are natural climbers?

Centruroides, Babycurus, Isometrus, Lychas, Tityus, and Rhopalurus come to mind. The general term for these is "bark scorpions"

Oh right. I heard theyre nasty and not a beginner species. Emp or Desert Hairy it is.

Not all barks are "non-beginner" species. There are a few Tityus and Centruroides spp. with a nasty sting, but there's also some that aren't too bad . . . for example, C. vittatus or C. hentzi. It might hurt a bit to get stung by one but it's not going to ruin your day.

Time to move to the US I think lol

231bex wrote:

Time to move to the US I think lol

i think your right lol

Quite annoying isn't it lol

231bex wrote:

Quite annoying isn't it lol

I can certainly imagine . . . but stateside, we aren't allowed to have stick insects.

Omg really why's that?

Mr. Mordax wrote:

231bex wrote:

Quite annoying isn't it lol

I can certainly imagine . . . but stateside, we aren't allowed to have stick insects.

What the ****!!! Why not?

Because they could establish themselves in the warmer climates and pose a problem. It makes sense I guess, but still sucks for Phasmid lovers like Mr. Mordax!

Personally, I like being able to keep Buthids more than being able to keep Phasmids

Mr. Mordax wrote:

Not all barks are "non-beginner" species. There are a few Tityus and Centruroides spp. with a nasty sting, but there's also some that aren't too bad . . . for example, C. vittatus or C. hentzi. It might hurt a bit to get stung by one but it's not going to ruin your day.

C. hentzi is a good beginner scorpion...
i had 2 WC at one point in time in a 1 gallon triangle tank...
2 months later, i found another WC C. hentzi which i put in the same tank...

just be careful, they will sit still for long amounts of time and suddenly shoot off like they were fired from a sling shot...
theres a few members on here who have a few C. hentzi if i remember correctly...

all in all, if you want a bark scorpion, for a beginner, id say C. hentzi...
id ask the centuroides king first though lol

Well, THAT makes sence and that rule should be kept! Not like some other restrictions in certain countries we know Don't worry, I wont start !

But threats to the local ecosystem should always be regulated or else we have the same problems as they do in australia with the Cane Toads! That's just outright horrible and really one of mankinds biggest mistakes if you ask me!

I actually made the decision to get a Desert Hairy. Emperors are cool, and I love the black but I dont think I want to deal with humidity etc. Plus I want to see some tail whippin. All the others have too much venom for my liking.

That is the best descission you ever did, if you ask me thumbs up for that!