Lighting question

Hey guys and girls, My name`s Ryan, I`m new to the forum and new to scorpions! I thought I`d get one to live in my snake room. I have over forty five snakes in there so I`m sure you can imagine the heat! Toasty Anyway, I have an Emperor arriving tommorrow, a female adult hopefully. I have a question about lighting. If or rather when, I want to go and have a look at or feed or otherwise take care of my scorpion at night (As is best I suppose) What sort of light is best to use? By best I mean least harmful/irritating to the scorpion. I have a blacklight (A tube one) but I`m a tad confused as to what is harmful and what isn`t. Could you enlighten me please?
Oh and one other question, when I NEED to move the scorpion to clean the enclosure (Maybe I don`t need to move it?) Is it really a good idea to pick it up by it`s stinger end?! That seems a bit rough? Surely sheparding it into a tub or something is better isn`t it? Feel free to add anything you think I might not know, if there are any common mistakes you`d like to point out or anything like that, it`s all useful and gratefully recieved......

Congrats! A regular light bulb is fine and if you have to pick her up sheparding her into something is best.When cleaning or doing anything in the enclosure try not to stress her out which is harmful to her,I rarely if ever tottally cleaned out my scorpion cages only spot cleaned prey parts and mold .

But I thought normal light was bad for them? Is the black light bad for them also?

Hey Ryan, welcome to the forum. I'm by far not the most knowledgeable on here but I'm sure I will be quickly corrected if wrong.

To the best of my knowledge light consists of infra red, uv a and uv b. Uv a and Uv b are harmfull to your scorp but infra red is not and I believe scorps can't see red so it is not stressful to them. I use infra red heat lamps to heat all my enclosures and can see pretty well at night. However I occasionally use a flashlight (just don't shine them quickly or directly or it will stress them out) or just turn on a normal light when I need too. You could use a regular light on the tank for periodic viewing or cleaning but don't leave it on. They have to get exposed to uv light sometimes in the wild but that is part of the reason they are mostly nocturnal I suppose. Black lights are not good for them either as they consist of one or both of the types of uv light. They are cool as all get up when they glow though and this from time to time for short periods of exposure is not detrimental either, just don't turn one on and leave it on. And if you are thinking that you have all the other lights on the snakes, I wouldn't worry too much. I'm assuming that you turn them off or switch the lights out for a night cycle so the scorps should be fine there too. They do sit in their burrows a lot and it's nice and dark in there for them

As for cleaning I agree with Scott, spot cleaning is plenty for most of the time. There will probably be times to remove the scorps. I have come across times such as cannibalism and recently an unexpected brood or two and needed to pull the adults out to find all the babies. When you do this I would recommend shepherding into a cup also. Even my lesser toxic species I could pick up but prefer the cup method. They are scorps and won't really ever be a lap pet and it does no real benefit to handle them so I don't. That is preference though. I have heard less about picking them up by their tail then I have seen people doing it that way. Still not convinced it is good for them in any way. I would probably try putting my hand behind them and coaxing them to back up onto my hand if I tried to pick them up. My vote is still on the cup though and that is the method I have used every time.

Hope this helps and nice to have you aboard, everyone here is really great, very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. I'm pretty new myself and absolutely love this forum! What kind of snakes do you keep? You should post some pics of the snakes as well as the scorp up when you get a chance. There's a couple of guys with really need water snake vivariums on here. I have a ball python that I recently rescued also. Had some when I was back in High School and definitely still love em'!

Feebo wrote:

But I thought normal light was bad for them? Is the black light bad for them also?

No light is bad unless left on for long periods ,follow what itomodachi and you will be good

Cool, well that helps thanks I think what I`ll do is use my red headset I use when out with my telescope (I`m into astrophotography on quite a big scale) for now. The snake aren`t lit at all, it`s better for them not to be so they`re all on a natural light cycle as the scopion will be. I think I`ll do is pick up an infra red light and mount it near the enclosure. I was under the impression that even humans can`t see infra red though? If just a red light is ok though that answers my question really, I`ll just mount a spare red head set near the tank so it`s not actually moving at all when I turn it on.
As for what snakes I keep, it might be easier to tell you what I don`t keep lol I`ve got...
Four Royal pythons
A Malagassy Hog (Rear Fang venomous)
A Jungle Jaguar Carpet python
A jungle Carpet python
A Coastal Carpet python
A good few Corn snakes, adults and babies (For sale)
A Milksnake
A Striped Kingsnake
A Blood python (For sale)
A Brazilian Rainbow Boa
Two Boa Constrictors
Three adult Western Hognoses (rear Fang venomous) (Babies for sale)
OOoooh quite a few more too, including babies for sale there are fourty seven I think it is in the snake room at the moment I`ll start a snake thread here at some point and show you some of them

I have another question actually. I read that if you buy an adult female Emperor, she is likley to have been kept with others, including males and is more than a little likely to be pregnant. Is that the case? I think I`ll be very interested in seeing some baby scorpions so that would be a good thing I`ll certainly get her a male at some point anyway, whether he needs keeping seperatly or with her. When I`m ready, is it likely I could pick up a mate for her on this forum? I`m a member of a Mantis forum aswell and it`s by faaaaar better to pick up mantids from breeders you can actually talk to......

Emperors are communal so its ok to have a male and a female together, but if your buying a adult female chances are that the business has already been done and you could be expecting the day you get her! if she is gravid and nearing the end of the cycle your best way of knowing is to check if she looks over weight or if her plates on her back are seperated. Pregnancy can last upto a year depending on the heat, try to keep your heat on the higher end of the species range and the scorplings will develop inside the mother at a faster rate.

Best of luck with your new scorpion man

Cheers ! I`ve got her on damp sphagnum moss until this evening because the compost I had put aside has plant food in it and I hadn`t noticed that. I`ve got all sorts here from the snakes, what would be a good bet to use for substrate? I`ll get some pictures done once she`s settles in a bit....

The best all around substrate across this forum is Coco Fiber. Eco Earth Coco Fiber specifically, but am not sure what you have available by you.

Otherwise probably anything like this that is natural and allows for good burrows and keeps the humidity and moisture. All of which are great qualities coco fiber offer. As for alternatives some suggestions may be better from other people on this forum as I don't have much experience for alternatives. I keep going back to the eco earth coco fiber. Good call on the fertilizer part, I think that would have been bad for the scorps. For the long term you will want to change from the moss, but as a temporary alternative to what you mentioned that was a good call too. Good luck

Yeah I`ll have that sorted in the next day or so. I`ve JUST used the last of my coco fibre in my tropical snail tanks! Pants. I`ll pick some more up when I go and get snake food soon. In the mean time, if anyone has any suggestions for an even better substrate I`ll all ears. With the coco fibre you do mean the stuff that comes in solid bricks don`t you? I wonder if that bark chipping stuff would be any good for burrowing? Yeah I recon it would actually, There are lots of different sized bits in it so I would think that would support a bit of building quite well. May a mixture of that AND coco fibre?

lights are not needed for scorpions realy

Oh I don`t want to light it as in light the enclosure semi permenantly, I just want a suitable light in order to go into my snake room in the evenings and feed her, spot clean etc without irritating her. Or am I going overboard there? I don`t really want to just go in there in the evening and just turn the light on now incase it`s detrimental to the scorpion. I think maybe I need enlightening agaaaaain lol

Feebo wrote:

Oh I don`t want to light it as in light the enclosure semi permenantly, I just want a suitable light in order to go into my snake room in the evenings and feed her, spot clean etc without irritating her. Or am I going overboard there? I don`t really want to just go in there in the evening and just turn the light on now incase it`s detrimental to the scorpion. I think maybe I need enlightening agaaaaain lol

The light that you use for your snakes is fine and you have quite a nice list of snakes

Cheers The lights in that room are actually halogen lights, albeit ten feet up and not pointed directly at where the scorpion is.
So I`m being a little over cautious then? I had it in my head that if they were out and about at night and you just turn up and switch the light on that that would stress them out. I`m cautious with my snakes too for the same reasons. Stressed out animals are sickly animals. I can just turn the light on then? Cool. I think I might make a red lamp or something and put it on top of that particular stack. I`ve been meaning to red light that room for a while anyway....

Right then.... If seperated scales mean a pregnant scorpion, I have a pregnant scorpion! Nice
There`s a very definate seperation between the scales on the back and down both flanks there is a substantial white fleshy bit that I`m presuming is also stretch. I have seen baby scorpions before and they`re usually very flat looking. I`ll post some pictures tommorrow so you guys can see what you think. I think it`s best to carry on a wee chat in this thread while I settle into the husbandry rather than clutter up the forum with loads of different topics...

Oh another question aswell... When I recieved my package containing my lovely scorpion, I was more than a little surprised to see that there was no heat source in there. I`d have thought they need a heat source? Mind you saying that, can`t they survive extremes? I`m getting mental images of scorpions sealed in ice and blasted free with blow torches here...
Speaking of temperature, I`d just like to run this past you if that`s ok. I`ve put her on top of one of my vivariums with part of the terrarium over a warm bit. It`s not hot, it`s warm. That`s ok isn`t it? It`s not like I`m actually doing the heating from underneath, it`s faaar from blazing. It barely gives about 80f to one side of the tank. The same side the heat mat is on. As long as I`ve got a cool end that`s fine isn`t it? I made a beautiful glass tank for my Mantids, it has a really cool feeding door. I made it from spare greenhouse glass that I kept. I think i`ll make a nice custom scorpion tank too. I`d definatly like a few of these guys......

Feebo,
As long as the temps were 50F and the box was insulated that is why they were okay,they cn take down to almost freezing for short periods.everything else sounds good ! I am looking forwrd to pics!
She might not be gravid it could be she is just fat .LOL

So you are saying that heat comes from underneath?
You should have the heat source coming from one of the sides.
Scorpions burrow to escape the heat. If the heat is coming from the ground, and she burrows it would get warmer not cooler.
Anyway welcome to the forum. It is full of nice people and helpful advice

dylstac wrote:

So you are saying that heat comes from underneath?
You should have the heat source coming from one of the sides.
Scorpions burrow to escape the heat. If the heat is coming from the ground, and she burrows it would get warmer not cooler.
Anyway welcome to the forum. It is full of nice people and helpful advice

It does not matter as long as it is not too warm and covering only part of the enclosure. I've done it all different ways and it never made a difference.

No the main heating ISN`T underneath. I`m saying that I`ve (Temporarely) placed the enclosure she`s in ontop of one of my snake vivariums which is warming the scorpion enclosure from underneath yes butonly at one side and not to normal heating levels, not nearly that hot. Just BARELY 79f-80f Presuming scorpions can actually sense/judge temperature, she can just mosey on over to the cool end. As I say, that`s just what I`ve put her in straight out of the package, I`ll be changing it shortly. I`m also going to make her a nice tank big enough for a few of them (Rough dimensions please?) I love the idea of baby scorpions All of my animals desrve the very best I can create for them and she`ll be no different. Even my locusts live in luxury lol I`ve read that temps upto 90f are what I`m after, that would leave the cool end no cooler than 80f I`d have thought. Mind you, my snake room doesn`t get any cooler than 75f-80f usually......

oh... ok

Feebo wrote:

No the main heating ISN`T underneath. I`m saying that I`ve (Temporarely) placed the enclosure she`s in ontop of one of my snake vivariums which is warming the scorpion enclosure from underneath yes butonly at one side and not to normal heating levels, not nearly that hot. Just BARELY 79f-80f Presuming scorpions can actually sense/judge temperature, she can just mosey on over to the cool end. As I say, that`s just what I`ve put her in straight out of the package, I`ll be changing it shortly. I`m also going to make her a nice tank big enough for a few of them (Rough dimensions please?) I love the idea of baby scorpions All of my animals desrve the very best I can create for them and she`ll be no different. Even my locusts live in luxury lol I`ve read that temps upto 90f are what I`m after, that would leave the cool end no cooler than 80f I`d have thought. Mind you, my snake room doesn`t get any cooler than 75f-80f usually......

If your room stays at those temps then no extra heat needed,like I said what you are doing is great ! for a group of 3-4 ,(2.5-3feet long x 12 wide) is fine but bigger the better .

Oh really? I need not have a heat mat providing 90f for her? You`re saying my snake room that doesn`t dip below 75f-80f is enough for scorpions without ANY extra heating at all? I`m going to be a little nervous until I`ve had her and seen her eat regularly for a good few weeks I think.....
Do you guys trade on here? As I say I find with my mantids it`s faar better to buy them from the forum where you can talk to the person that has produced them, much better....

Feebo wrote:

Oh really? I need not have a heat mat providing 90f for her? You`re saying my snake room that doesn`t dip below 75f-80f is enough for scorpions without ANY extra heating at all? I`m going to be a little nervous until I`ve had her and seen her eat regularly for a good few weeks I think.....
Do you guys trade on here? As I say I find with my mantids it`s faar better to buy them from the forum where you can talk to the person that has produced them, much better....

As long as it does not dip below 75F you can keep most scorps(some species need it cooler),being nervous until you get the hang of it is normal!
Look in the classifieds of the various forums VenomList,ArachnoBoards,here,etc... to find scorps bred/for sale adults by hobbyists.

Oh right cool Maybe I`l use a smaller mat than I was going to but I think I`d still like something on the one side just to absolutely guarantee that heat level. Although saying that i`e just checked her again and I do have 80F at the warm end. Once I`m happy that she`s happy and i`ve made a suitable tank for a small group I`ll have a look around then i think Sweet...
Humidity wise I read that 80-90% is what i`m after is that right? That`s visably humid, water speckles on the walls type humid...

Feebo wrote:

Oh right cool Maybe I`l use a smaller mat than I was going to but I think I`d still like something on the one side just to absolutely guarantee that heat level. Although saying that i`e just checked her again and I do have 80F at the warm end. Once I`m happy that she`s happy and i`ve made a suitable tank for a small group I`ll have a look around then i think Sweet...
Humidity wise I read that 80-90% is what i`m after is that right? That`s visably humid, water speckles on the walls type humid...

Just make sure it does not go much above 90F or below 75F and you will be fine.
As far as humidity goes don't worry about what percentage it is,just moisten the substrate until it holds enough water without pouring out when you squeeze it between your fingers,pour water directly on the substrate if it starts to dry.Keep a water bowl they can soak/drink if they want .