Bought as a "Possibly gravid Heterometrus sp." in February 2007. She was kept at slightly above room temperature (mid to low 70s).
In late September the female ate a large hissing cockroach.
In mid-October she made a new burrow underneath her water dish against the false-bottom gravel -- this is the most humid region of the tank.
On November 11, 2:21 PM I found one baby on her back and one in the process of emerging.
At 4:06 PM the second baby was climbing up her leg and another was emerging.
At 11:15 PM at least six babies were visible.
On November 13th, 11:38 PM she was observed to have 12 or 13 babies on her back, and had apparently finished birthing.
By this point a piece of cardboard was positioned against the glass to block out light and hopefully reduce stress, while allowing for easy monitoring.
She remained in that burrow for approximately 1.5 weeks before returning to her previous hide, under a plastic rock in the drier region of the tank. At this point the babies had not yet molted, and peeking into the rock with a flashlight (without lifting the rock) revealed that the young were still on her back.
At around two weeks after the babies were born, a flashlight inspection showed no babies on her back. Lifting the rock revealed one apparently dead first-instar remained on the mother's back. Closer inspection the next day turned up around 10 dead young all in the topmost layer of soil under the hide.
I'm still at a loss as to what went wrong. The young never molted on schedule and the female for reasons unknown moved to a dry spot in the tank. I would have assumed that if she were overstressed or underfed she would have eaten the young.
Thaedion purchased another "Possibly gravid Heterometrus sp." from the same dealer at the same time, and his had a healthy brood of 51 (or 56, I can't remember) young a short time later. I have eight from that brood that are still doing well.
