Growing plants w scorpions

What would u guys say is the best plant to grow with your scorpions? i have just emps.

Orchids or Bromeliads. But this requires a good sized cage with a decent light, and a shaded side of course, because scorpions don't like light. You would also need a timer and daily misting or a fog machine.

A close second, and not needing a light, would be bioluminescent mushrooms. That would be cool. You need a little equipment for keeping a culture going. Basically, mason jars and a pressure cooker. You would want to grow in jars, and replace every few weeks as jars "die out". Then, you take jar remnants and put them in your compost pile, and watch it glow. Bam!

any other plants besides those?

Nomadinexile wrote:

Orchids or Bromeliads. But this requires a good sized cage with a decent light, and a shaded side of course, because scorpions don't like light. You would also need a timer and daily misting or a fog machine.

A close second, and not needing a light, would be bioluminescent mushrooms. That would be cool. You need a little equipment for keeping a culture going. Basically, mason jars and a pressure cooker. You would want to grow in jars, and replace every few weeks as jars "die out". Then, you take jar remnants and put them in your compost pile, and watch it glow. Bam!

Bioluminecent mushrooms would be awesome! where can I find some? I tried doing a google search but can only find studies or fake plants

There are one or two places selling spores online. I would try fungi.com first. There is another one too though. They sell all kinds though. The other way is to collect them yourself in the fall, but you have to get to NW for the most part, closest to you for sure. There are one or two species available online, but I believe over a hundred species in U.S. alone. Thousands worldwide. Wohoo!

Has anyone ever tried it?

Pothos have worked great for me. They're a nice green color and also grow pretty rapidly. The vines look awesome on substrate floors as well.

They good for emps type of soil rite?

luminescent panellus Looks what I may try to go with. I emailed the supplier to see if they thought I could house my scorps with it

Sithis wrote:

luminescent panellus Looks what I may try to go with. I emailed the supplier to see if they thought I could house my scorps with it

lol, they aren't going to know that.... There are species that share range with them though. I think U. mordax and P. borealis at least. I haven't done it yet.... but I don't think it would be a problem. The only reason I haven't yet is money/time is too chaotic for me right now. But one of these days I'm going to....

Btw, there are different colors of "glow" available. I think there are some blue and red ones that you won't find for sale probably, but they are out there...

Sorry I didnt put what i meant. My daughter was distracting me. yeah yeah thats it she was distracting me! cough. I was trying t say that I was asking if these can be grown indoors safely, that I was gonna put it in my vivarium with my scorps. I dont know much about mushrooms, ecxept of that for the magic kind. what I do know is some are dangerous if you come in contact with them. I'm a moron. lmao


Kinda feel like this guy looks. LOL

I will try to order some today after work.

Ah, mushrooms.... Mushrooms can be many, many things. Even within one specie.

Depending on the specie, mushrooms can be one or more of the following....
a. food
b. medicine (anti-bacterial, anti-biotic, anti-viral, cancer fighting, 15 species!)
c. poison or death on a stick.
d. can be made into hats.
e. remediation of soils with heavy metals, chemicals, or even radioactive material
f. they improve other plants nearby (2x-4x as many vegetables when grown with fungi!)
g. they can be art canvas'. (see Artist's conk as example)
h. Anti-bioweapon active human denial,+ remediation of...
i. They allowed humanity to move in cold weather in primitive times. A hot coal can be carried in some species, without going out or flaming up, this allowed neanderthal age humans to carry fire with them.

Interesting fact, a study was done between Battelle and Fungi Perfecti found that "magic" mushrooms decontaminate Nerve agents like Sarin, VX, and other phosphorus bonded nerve agents(and herbicides, insectisides, etc). During productinon of psilocybin, the mycelium "eats" the phosophorus molecules, rendering the DMMP chemicals non-toxic!!!

So anyway, back to scorpions, mushrooms, and you....

None of the bio-luminescent species contain Psilocybin. (The magic is their glow)

There is a chance that they could be toxic to scorpions. It is a risk. A fairly low one in my humble opinion. But a risk nonetheless. I don't think the scorpion would eat it. Your main concerns are the scorpion "climbing" on them, rubbing their "open" pectines across and absorbing a "toxin", and spore release. I don't think you will have a problem with "pectine rubbing".

So Spores are released by the millions or billions depending on size and specie etc.
Either way, there are a ton of them. You have a few possible solutions to minimize the possible negative effects.

1. You can cut down before spore release.
2. You NEED to have good ventilation.
3. Spores are light and when dry take to wind quickly. When having spore release, use hand held portable vacuum to suck them up. You won't see them going into vacuum though. You just have to have faith that it's working. Conversely, you could add an inch of substrate every week or so, as spores in the sub are not a threat. Only surface and airborne.

A. If you are allergic to mushrooms, this isn't the experiment for you.

B. You are going to have to watch your scorps and yourself, for effects, and adjust accordingly. Mushrooms effect each person differently. You may find it to be too much. This species might irritate you at which point you would have to choose to continue or not.

C. Don't inhale large quantities of spores. They are not generally horribly toxic, but some are.


I think it would be okay. But keep in mind all the above, and watch for "symptoms"

If I had the cash, and wasn't heading out in the desert soon, I would do it myself, I think problems are unlikely,but this isn't a common thing exactly, so you need to watch and use your own good judgement as you go along. Good luck, and if you do it, show us pictures!
~r

What I am wondering is if a cricket hops on the shroom, gets all covered in eau de fungi, and my scorp eats it and dies. That and Inhaling spores. I guess it will be an experiment. Luminescent Panellus seems to be a semi hardy and has a bright glow.

Yeah, I see, that could happen...

You could think about putting them at the top of a "hill" in the cage. Unless they are attracted to the glow, they may not bother to climb up and on them....(crickets or scorps)

Yeah, the spores are the kicker...

But, I do think, that if you are growing mushrooms, and another plant in there, you are going to have to empty the whole cage at least once a year anyway. So I don't think adding a sub layer every so often is such a bad idea either. Hmmmmm.........

Just get another plant in there. Stay away from mushrooms.

even still that would b worth it. I am gonna do a combo of these mushrooms and a custom LED circuit that has multi-function, (I will be able to choose which colors will be on at any given time. The colors of LEDs will be red, green, ultra blue, ultra white, and UV. This circuit is simple it will also power a fan that I took out of an xbox360. The LED part of the circuit will also have the function to oscillate/pulsate. If I get a camera I will post pics of the build.

Well UV rays can mess your scorpion up so i wouldnt use those..

The UV lights would just be for show to use occasionally for friends to see.

kk thats fine then

I disagree. I think bioluminescent mushrooms in a scorpion cage would be about the coolest thing ever. I think it's more than worth a try.

Sure, as long as there is no risk to the scorpion's health.

I am gonna buy the spores tonight online. the mushrooms are gonna really be awesome, I think it might give my vivarium an "Avatar" effect. The LEDs are something extra. If you guys want I can make a tutorial on building a simple circuit explaining how i do it with pics, a parts list, and where to buy the stuff. Of course you would be able to tailor it to your desire. The stuff is cheap and easy to acquire. I need to buy a camera first though.


NVM a friend is gonna sell me a remotely controlled one. So all Ill have to build is the LED display

My spores came in today. cost me about 20 dollars US and about a week shipping time

Sithis wrote:

My spores came in today. cost me about 20 dollars US and about a week shipping time

Sweet!!! Keep us updated please!

I skimmed the thread and I'll state the following:

- Emps are bulldozers and good at uprooting most any plants
- Most plants require nutrition not found in coconut fiber (an exception is carnivorous plants, but see my first point above)
- I advise HIGHLY against introducing any sort of fungus into your tank. Granted, there are plenty of harmless fungi we see all the time in our tanks (such as the little spots of white mold taking over leftover crickets), but harmful fungi CAN and DO grow in our tanks if we're not careful. I encountered a very common species of mushroom growing in my emp's tank at one point and read an account of that same species being responsible for a tarantula's death.
- The only place I have encountered bioluminescent fungi is in Costa Rica.