Newb just caught a Parabuthus Transvaalicus by accident

We are currently camping in the Kruger National Park, Punda Maria area. Two evenings ago is was hot and humid and I was walking around the well lit camp site when we noticed a scorpion. I immediately saw the thick tail and knew enough to know that the thick-tailed scorpions are "baddies". So I quickly got a pair of bbq meat tongs and gently lifted the feisty bugger into a jar for later I.D.

Identification I was to discover is not as easy as it seems (I identify everything I can in the Kruger, birds, insects, snakes, spiders, butterfly's etc. etc.) but scorpions now brings another dimension. From distribution maps, the fact it sprays, the long and plentiful hairs on the circa 6mm round tail I have it as a Parabuthus Transvaalicus. I don't have containers suitable for picture taking and will post when we get home for positive I.D. The only other puppy I think it could be is the Parabuthus Mombassicus.

The scorpion has eaten every day which is encouraging, I don't know how frequently they eat but assume this is a good sign. Wingless cricket one day and 80% of a smallish grasshopper the next.

When I get home will put underground heating in to a tank and will need to get a circuit for 24 hour temperature control, any offers?

It appear to be about 80mm long from snout to stinger.

Connection speed is very slow here so browsing is almost impossible, will probably get more active when I get home.

Cheers
Andrew

Underground heating is NOT recommended, rather a heatlamp from above on a dimmer (or thermostat if the room temp varies alot)

What color are the claws? Parabuthus transvaalicus have brownish claws, also the tail very granulated and hairy.

My male Parabuthus transvaalicus

Mine is identical to yours including the colouring. Perhaps it is just the photo but mine appears to be more hairy on the tail.

Got you on the underground heating.

Mine has also got the more rounded or bulbous claws, I have seen pics of the Transvaalicus where the claws are a little flatter in relation to ours.

Is yours also very mobile when disturbed?

I think its just the photo.

The ones with flatter claws are females.

Mine runs around alot if disturbed, not very aggresive.

Andrew Leigh wrote:

Is yours also very mobile when disturbed?

Most scorpions are likely to shy away/ retreat to a hiding spot when disturbed... less the dying, pre-molt, extremely FAT or heavily gravid ones.

Wish i can pick up scorpions like you in my vicinity.. lolz

& before i forget, welcome to the forum Andrew

Will3 wrote:

I think its just the photo.

The ones with flatter claws are females.

Mine runs around alot if disturbed, not very aggresive.

Will3, do you mean Fatter claws are males?

GS wrote:

Andrew Leigh wrote:

Is yours also very mobile when disturbed?

Most scorpions are likely to shy away/ retreat to a hiding spot when disturbed... less the dying, pre-molt, extremely FAT or heavily gravid ones.

Wish i can pick up scorpions like you in my vicinity.. lolz

& before i forget, welcome to the forum Andrew

Will3 wrote:

I think its just the photo.

The ones with flatter claws are females.

Mine runs around alot if disturbed, not very aggresive.

Will3, do you mean Fatter claws are males?

Thats what i meant, was tired

Yeah we gots lots of mean and nasty things in the bush, apart from lions and elephants we have lots of venomous things. I think most very hot climates have this in common.Average daytime temp while we been on holiday has been around 38 deg C. One day was up at 42,5. Normally on hot humid nights one tends to see scorpions and solifugae running around, not common but it does happen.

Pity never got to finding a female.

What is the deal with the numbering system for all your critters like 3.2.0 and what is the relevance of the 3i etc. is this how many moults?

Andrew Leigh wrote:

What is the deal with the numbering system for all your critters like 3.2.0 and what is the relevance of the 3i etc. is this how many moults?

3.2.0 is shorthand for 3 males, 2 females, 0 unsexed.

3i stands for 3rd instar. A newborn scorpion is at 1st instar or 1i. After the first molt, it's at 2nd instar or 2i. After the second molt, it's at 3rd instar or 3i, and so on.

MasterBalls were used to catch this? trollking

but yeah nice catch, those are beautiful species! Wish I had scorps roaming around in my neck of the woods of nyc.

congrats.

shebeen wrote:

Andrew Leigh wrote:

What is the deal with the numbering system for all your critters like 3.2.0 and what is the relevance of the 3i etc. is this how many moults?

3.2.0 is shorthand for 3 males, 2 females, 0 unsexed.

3i stands for 3rd instar. A newborn scorpion is at 1st instar or 1i. After the first molt, it's at 2nd instar or 2i. After the second molt, it's at 3rd instar or 3i, and so on.

Thanks

how lucky are you lol wish i could go catching these by accident lol

A couple of things;

a) My scorpion is a guts, he eats incredibly well. Since Saturday he had devoured 2 flying ants (12mm long), 2 crickets (25mm long) and two small cockroaches (about 15mm long) with 3 X 20mm moths just for good measure. I would estimate that his body length is 30mm. According to what I have read people feed half the body size per week. Am I overfeeding? Surely he would stop when satisfied?

b) Luck would have it that just having returned from the Kruger National Park I will be back there this weekend (taking an overseas client). Naturally I would like to see if I can pick up another couple of specimens. Anything special in the terms of the UV light required?

c) Do scorpions urinate or just defacate? Is removing the faeces sufficient in terms of immediate cleaning?

I noticed that with the termite (flying ants) that he did not even bother stinging them but ate them live, is this common practice for the smaller prey?

Wish me luck for my scorpion hunt this weekend.

Can get a torch locally from a local expert having a wavelength of 395nm which he proposes as being excellent for scorpion hunts.

Here is his site www.scorpions.co.za he has books on sale which may interest some forum members.

a) My scorpion is a guts, he eats incredibly well. Since Saturday he had devoured 2 flying ants (12mm long), 2 crickets (25mm long) and two small cockroaches (about 15mm long) with 3 X 20mm moths just for good measure. I would estimate that his body length is 30mm. According to what I have read people feed half the body size per week. Am I overfeeding? Surely he would stop when satisfied?

Flying ant? 12mm is like snack size for P.transvaalicus.
Stick to farm-bred crickets/roach is my recommendation.
If you are talking about 30mm body size alone for your P.transvaalicus, it should be around 4.instar. I am one of those who believe that we can't overfeed a scorpion. By offering food as and when the scorpion is hungry, that is powerfeeding.
Yes, he'll stop when he has his fill


b) Luck would have it that just having returned from the Kruger National Park I will be back there this weekend (taking an overseas client). Naturally I would like to see if I can pick up another couple of specimens. Anything special in the terms of the UV light required?

I only got a simple one from dealextreme, cost less than $10usd. Not the best but suits my needs just nice. There should be other recommendations coming.

c) Do scorpions urinate or just defacate? Is removing the faeces sufficient in terms of immediate cleaning?

Defacate. I don't quite get your second question. If you are talking about spot cleaning for a scorpion's enclosure. Removal of unwanted "items" includes uneaten prey parts too and also do some cleaning for the water dish.

I noticed that with the termite (flying ants) that he did not even bother stinging them but ate them live, is this common practice for the smaller prey?

Yes, it is common. Why bother to use a steak knife on a small piece of nugget?

Wish me luck for my scorpion hunt this weekend.

Good luck mate. Keep us posted

GS wrote:

a) My scorpion is a guts, he eats incredibly well. Since Saturday he had devoured 2 flying ants (12mm long), 2 crickets (25mm long) and two small cockroaches (about 15mm long) with 3 X 20mm moths just for good measure. I would estimate that his body length is 30mm. According to what I have read people feed half the body size per week. Am I overfeeding? Surely he would stop when satisfied?

Flying ant? 12mm is like snack size for P.transvaalicus.
Stick to farm-bred crickets/roach is my recommendation.
If you are talking about 30mm body size alone for your P.transvaalicus, it should be around 4.instar. I am one of those who believe that we can't overfeed a scorpion. By offering food as and when the scorpion is hungry, that is powerfeeding.
Yes, he'll stop when he has his fill

I know but now that I have the crickets all is well. There is a stage that one of the termites goes through and gets wings, we just call them flying ants.

GS wrote:

b) Luck would have it that just having returned from the Kruger National Park I will be back there this weekend (taking an overseas client). Naturally I would like to see if I can pick up another couple of specimens. Anything special in the terms of the UV light required?

I only got a simple one from dealextreme, cost less than $10usd. Not the best but suits my needs just nice. There should be other recommendations coming.

c) Do scorpions urinate or just defacate? Is removing the faeces sufficient in terms of immediate cleaning?

Defacate. I don't quite get your second question. If you are talking about spot cleaning for a scorpion's enclosure. Removal of unwanted "items" includes uneaten prey parts too and also do some cleaning for the water dish.

That what I wanted to know thanks. How often does one change the substrate?

Usually.. for my desert scorpions, the only change of substrate is when the scorpions are due for a tank upgrade. Regular spot cleaning would suffice in mantaining a healthy substrate as they faced no issue from mites (e.g. as compared to forest scorpions)

Thanks

No prob!
Hope you'll get to collect more beauties back from your trip!

Just send one of my staff to collect me a 395nm 21 LED UV torch which apparently shines 25m so I should be in business. Will only get it tomorrow a.m. so will not be able to test it tonight.

Would really be nice to find a partner for PT.

I think I read that Parabuthus scorps are not communal so if I caught more than one would they need to have separate containers?

If they are yet adults, i'll advise for individual setup for your case.

Envyizm bro should have more insights on this

Torch works a real treat.

Caught 2 Shiny Burrowing Scorpions and 1 Creeping Scorpion only to find out that both have been protected so they were released. Saw no PT so will need to try again next time out.

Hi, a little feedback on an old thread.

In October my p.Transvaalicus died. This was a ttemendous dissapointment to me but having one as a pet certainly had tweaked my interest.

So this year again we head to the Kruger National Park (4 weeks over December), this time armed with a suitable torch, reference book and catching implements.

Had a great time, saw and identified 5 species;

Parabuthis Transvaalicus (nice large female and very very aggro).

Opistacanathus asper (plentiful, almost one in each tree, found one in a nice hole with about 15 to 20 babies, under the UV light it made a spectacular sight).

Opistophthalmus glabrifons (only one, the night I caught is it was fluorescing nicely, the following night is stopped fluorescing fully and there were one or two bitties that shone up). I normally keep them until I can positively ID them and then release them exactly where I found them. This one was on the groundsheet so I released it about 3m from the caravan. Curiously it came back twice on seperate evenings after that, I could tell it was the same one due to the lack of fluorescing.

Uroplectes formosus, found one only.

Uroplectes olivaeus, found two.

So this time I was pleasantly surprised to have found 5 species within and area of roughly 1200m2 and directly next to our campsite.

Cheers
Andrew

Sounds like a really fun trip! Did you bring any back with you?