Flat rock scorpion not eating; tips?

Hi -

I joined because I need some help for my female flat rock scorpion.

I've had her for almost a week now because my Dad bought her at a pet shop, and it's always bad to buy something BEFORE learning about it. I always research something before (or not) purchasing it.

Anyways, long story short, it's been almost a week and she hasn't eaten any of the crickets I have put in with her. She's still a bit lively, and she only has tucked her legs in when there has been a lot going on around her enclosure. But any more days like this and I fear she will die from starvation.

I have several possibilities of why she's been like this.

Said enclosure is just the small generic insect container. She has just enough room to move around and for a rinky-dink water dish the guy put in for her. Simply put, it's not big enough by any means.

I have been trying to get a 10 gallon aquarium/terrarium set up for her, but I have been very busy and just didn't have the resources set or ready to make it. However, it will all come together tomorrow as my brother has picked me up some sand and a heat rock for warmth since it still gets a little chilly where I live (NC).


Which is another issue I have. The guy at the shop said a heat rock wasn't necessary. I call bull. These things live close to the equator, do they not? Suggested warmth: 85 - 90 degrees it says on the caresheet I found here.

That may be the problem. It could just be a little cool for her.

Still speaking about the enclosure, it's not been in a great place(s). There's been lots of light, and that's something I know they don't like at all.
So, recently, I've been keeping her in our storage room, where it stays dark.
I can already tell she enjoys it, since she doesn't keep her claws withdrawn as much. She just seems more lively in there. No activity either, it's quiet.

Speaking of light and small enclosures, she doesn't have a single hiding place. It's sad, I know. But I picked one up earlier for her. It's not a rock, but it's a "turtle hut" half of a log ornament that has space to crawl in under. I have been looking everywhere for something like that for the crayfish I will soon get. So I got a big one for her and a small one for the crayfish since it already has some nice hiding structures made.

Alright.... I think that's all. Her "water dish" is a joke, it looks like the lid screwed off of something upside down with water in it. I have a proper dish already that I'll put in the 10 gallon tomorrow.


So I assume that one or all of these reasons are why she isn't eating. Or... could it possibly be because she's molting? I haven't found anything about what that is like, nor how long it takes for a scorpion. Exactly how do they do it, too? It seems odd. I can imagine a crayfish doing it but not a scorpion.

Also, she isn't small. She'll at least fit in the palm of your hand and fill it up.

I hope I can get some tips on what's going on and how I can get her to eat, otherwise she will die. And I don't want that to happen.

But if she does, I won't let my experience go for naught. I will tell my Dad to NOT buy anything he doesn't know about. And then do some researching on an Emperor because I don't want all this time to go to waste.

But of course that's if this all goes wrong.

Thanks for your time, and I hope this wasn't too much information. Feel free to ask any more questions, I'll try to answer them the best I can.

First of all the water dish that is in there is perfectly fine. Im using something to the same effect as that and mine uses it all the time. They dont really like humidity so its best that you DO NOT put something huge in there that will make the tank humid. 2nd, whats best to use for heat is not a heat rock, but a heat lamp because it applys its heat from the top of the tank which in a way can simulate sun. DO NOT USE THE HEAT ROCK. buy a heat bulb from a local pet store that is infared because they cannot see infared and they are perfect. The substrate that im using in the pictures i have provided, is a 50/50 mix of dry coco fibers and beach sand. I have added a small amount of bark and small aquarium rocks to the surface to make it appeal more like home for the creature. The hides are just 2 big rocks that i have sunk at the bottom of the tank and then laid thin slate accross the top because they prefer to hide in very tight places. If you choose to follow this method, leave a entrance big enough to be about an inch or 2 of space so they can squeeze into it but not be squished. I suggest that you apply sand over the top of the slate, because if you buy the heat bulb, it can make the tops of the slate very hot and hurt your scorpion. If you have anymore questions just ask. =)

O and one more thing, after you have set your female up with her house and everything, leave her alone for another week she will not starve... After that week is up, throw a cricket in there and just watch and wait. If she is hungry she will grab it no problem... *PLEASE ADD SOME PICTURES OF THE SET UP YOU HAVE IF YOU CAN*

Thanks for the tips and pics.

Seeing as I don't have it set up yet (I already know what it's currently in is way too small), it's not really possible to post any pics, plus I am in a rush so maybe I can get some this weekend. I am much busier now than I used to be.

I have the coco fibers as well (in fact they look nearly the same) so I will probably add and mix it with the sand too.

I'm not really sure if I want to use rocks because my Mom likes to moves things a lot without my knowledge, and I don't want something to move too much and it collapse or something. I haven't found anything similar to what you have around here. For some reason the most useful practical stuff can never be found unless it's online, and I'm not exactly going to wait on anything, I have to spend as less as possible because we're kind of in a tight spot now due to some things happening recently which is why my brother's getting the sand for me.

Well make sure that whatever you use, touches the bottom of the tank, because sand will move and over time will close the gap and perhaps trap your scorpion. So thats why i say use HUGE rocks that sit at the bottom of the tank. The set up i use, wont budge.. Its very solid.

Sand and coco fibre mix is good.
Low humidity
No, to the heat rock
Heat mat goes on the backside and not underneath

If you use a lamp, use a red bulb as they cannot see red on their spectrum and they are negatively phototactic not liking any type of light.

A scorpion can go a year without eating so don't worry about starvation.

They don't need very much water, little and occasionally should be fine. Id just suggest something a little wider.

Use slate for hides for this sp as they like to crawl into tight spaces rather than other artificial hides.

Lose the heat rock though.

If the scorpion is massively fat then it could be coming up to a molt but it is unlikely as they are very slow growers. If she is not that fat then she is not molting.

Just feed gutloaded crickets, locust, roaches etc

hi i have a sub-adult male flat rock scorpion i only purchased him yesterday and i fed him this evening (time=18:32) and he's not interested. do you think i should remove the cricket and give him a few days to settle in? he's in a wide area tank with peat soil that is dry with a wide shallow water dish ive got 1/4 to 1/2 the tank on top of heat mat with a bit of bark as a hide which he likes. ive put a lil round thermometer on top of the soil where the heat mat is and temp is 24/30 degrees C. not F. humidity is to a minimum as ive researched they are dessert scorps and like heat. he's in a cabinet with doors so its away from light. im sorry if its too much info but i wanted a lil advice to see if he's a lil stressed from being moved from the pet store to my home?

hi as to my previous post i have just checked on my scorp and he finally caught his cricket and is eating so i take it he is happy with his environment? please still comment on the post so i can have your comments or answer questions or ask more questions as i would like to know as much as i can about behaviour of this species as im also looking to expand ang get a desert hairy and a black emporer.

Hi, first of all always have the heat mat stuck on to the side of the tank so that the bottom of it is level with the top of the substrate. This is to create a higher air temperature than the hide/ burrow as scorpions naturally escape heat by burrowing or hiding under rocks etc. Having the heat mat underneath the cage does not allow this. When you have the money/time change the scorpions substrate to a coco fibre/ sand mix. They do not need a deep layer as Hadogenes species do not burrow. Provide hides that are very narrow to replicate what they would use in the wild. Stacks of rocks with tight fitting spaces are perfect.
I feed my Flat Rocks one appropriately sized cricket once per week and this seems to be fine. I always provide a small water dish and spray the enclosure once every two to four weeks very lightly. I find my flat rocks prefer to drink droplets of water off decorations rather than from a water dish.
I keep my flat rocks in the mid to high 20's (degrees celsius).
Hadogenes species are well known for going on fasts for months so don't worry if it is not/ stops eating.
Here is a pic of one of my flat rock enclosures
[img][/img]

hi thanks for your feedback i have started getting the bits for changing the substrate. i aint going to move him for a day or two beings he ate last night. great pic and great scorp by the way thanks for posting the pic i will be setting up his new environment by sunday the latest. i noticed that when he fed last he never stang his food is this normal?

My flatrock female has eaten I think maybe 3
locusts in the past year, she tends not to want to eat like ever, I'm
sure there's nothing to worry about bro

I believe there is a Flatrock caresheet in the caresheet section. All the info here seems pretty good though.