Paruroctonus utahensis?

Hi there!

First things first: do any of you have any experience with Paruroctonus utahensis?

I might (not sure yet, depends on the number of specimens and the sexes my potential seller has available) receive a wild caught pair of this species this month.

I read that they like to burrow, and I know nearly exactly where they were collected in the USA (Utah, won't name the town), so I'll try to mimick those conditions regarding humidity, temperature, and substrate. Still, any additional advice would be welcome!

Furthermore, I was wondering... I'm planning to keep them separated, but how would I let them mate? Put them both in a "neutral" enclosure for a day, while watching them closely to prevent cannibalism? Or do I introduce the male to the enclosure of the female? And how easy would it be to breed this species in captivity? Does anyone have any experience with that?

Thanks in advance!

I've never kept this particular species, but care for them is the same as Smeringurus mesaensis. I Aldo suspect they are also pretty cannibalistic.

You could mate them either way. There are pros and con's to each. If you put them in a neutral enclosure the female may become stressed, however she also won't be territorial as she will be unfamiliar with her surroundings.

Thanks for the advice

By the way, instead of Paruroctonus utahensis, I've ordered a pair of Paruroctonus boreus. I guess they're quite similar, but I preferred the lighter coloured P. boreus.

From what I read in several field trip reports, and from the pictures I saw, it seems that P. boreus is often found between denser vegetation... though regarding the fact that these specimens were caught in a desert setting, I dare to say it might be better if I just try to imitate their original environment.

They have a lighter color because many scorpions in that genus lack pigmentation. Be sure to give them a little moisture every week or two, and best keep them separate especially if you'd like to breed them.

I noticed, but the P. utahensis my seller has, have more of a rusty brown/reddish colour, I think because they were caught in the red deserts of Utah.

And I've already bought two separate enclosures I'll only put them together when I want to let them mate. Any advice on how long I should wait? I reckoned that I'd give it a try after a month, in a neutral, carefully monitored enclosure.

Yeah man, you got the right idea! At the very leastgive them 10-14 days to settle in before introducing them.

Man I'm jealous, wish I had more scorpions from the U.S.. I need to take a hiking trip and flip some rocks or something.

I will These are really, really, really rare here in the European hobby. Can't find them anywhere, so I'm really glad to own a few soon, and I'll be extra careful with them. I don't want any cannibalism.

Haha, that would be a great idea! Just go out there and catch some beauties! I wish I could, but unfortunately we have no native scorpions here in the Netherlands

Take a vacation