[Discussion] Parabuthus spp.

P.transvaalicus would prefer a hide which they can dig underneath, they would prefer something similar to what thegromgrom has posted further up the page for his P.villosus so I would pass on the slates and ledges idea. Also the sand base is better as P.transvaalicus do dig scrapes underneath surface debris so a rock base wouldn't be the best.
When it comes to Parabuthus sp it's advisable to just keep adults together, for example one male and one female. The adult female will probably kill the 4th instar before it has the chance to eat her babies when they are born so rather keep the 4th instar seperate.

Thanks,

have followed instruction.

Dont see this much in the USA! It was an incredibly fast gestation and she looks like she is still fat haha.

8/8/2014 (pairing)
12/20/2014 (birth)
134 days

A better look at the brood. Looks big and healthy!

Pictures of the second instars. Had 64-66 with 0 casualties as of yet!

Jebus! They'll keep you busy.

Some notes on the growth progress of my p.trans female. I was looking at GS's guide on the days that it takes to move from one instar to the next and thought I would show the progress of mine alongside.

1st to 2nd instar 8 - 15 days, mine was 6 days.
2nd to 3rd instar 30 - 45 days, mine was 58 days.
3rd to 4th instar 35 to 50 days, mine was 54 days.
4th to 5th instar 45 to 60 days, mine was 311 days, yip believe it I keep records.
5th to 6th instar 70 to 100 days, mine has just taken 52 days.

Will continue to monitor. Any thoughts on the exceptionally long time took to get from 4th to 5th. All conditions in the enclosure remain the same, temperature, feeding routine etc.

Andrew Leigh wrote:

Some notes on the growth progress of my p.trans female. I was looking at GS's guide on the days that it takes to move from one instar to the next and thought I would show the progress of mine alongside.

1st to 2nd instar 8 - 15 days, mine was 6 days.
2nd to 3rd instar 30 - 45 days, mine was 58 days.
3rd to 4th instar 35 to 50 days, mine was 54 days.
4th to 5th instar 45 to 60 days, mine was 311 days, yip believe it I keep records.
5th to 6th instar 70 to 100 days, mine has just taken 52 days.

Will continue to monitor. Any thoughts on the exceptionally long time took to get from 4th to 5th. All conditions in the enclosure remain the same, temperature, feeding routine etc.

Perhaps it needs more heat. I've noticed with transvaalicus and liosoma that once they reach about 4-5i, they require more heat, like 85-95 degrees to molt. Try that out.

Cool will do.

She simply refuses to pop. Bricked herself in a little while ago and I though the time had come. Now she has opened the hide and waddles around even in the day basking under the heat source. She is so heavy that she leaves a snake like trail in the sand as she cannot support her full weight.

another brood!

Awesome.

Lillith gave birth last night or early this morning.

I noticed she was eating some of the babies again and what appears to be empty exoskeletons / a spider web type stuff. Most the slings are on her back.

Unlike the last time when I panicked and separated her from her slings and am not going to interfere in the slightest and hope for the best. I am hoping that she is eating the stillborns etc. I do not want to interfere so photo's will take a day or so.

This was her first brood without being mated, remarkable how they can produce without direct mating.

Andrew Leigh wrote:

Lillith gave birth last night or early this morning.

I noticed she was eating some of the babies again and what appears to be empty exoskeletons / a spider web type stuff. Most the slings are on her back.

Unlike the last time when I panicked and separated her from her slings and am not going to interfere in the slightest and hope for the best. I am hoping that she is eating the stillborns etc. I do not want to interfere so photo's will take a day or so.

This was her first brood without being mated, remarkable how they can produce without direct mating.

Are you sure? They can store sperm for extended periods. Do you have any proof to back up this claim of parthenogenesis?

I probably was a little unclear.

When I caught her she was wild and in her natural habitat. She was also pregnant so she would have been impregnated in the wild. Some months after her capture she delivered her first brood in captivity that is, (84 slings of which only one survived and is 6i). This is her second brood in captivity which happened without the introduction of a male. Nobody was more surprised than me, I even asked the question on this forum as it was stated that a female would not moult after giving birth and she was getting bigger and bigger which indicated either an impending moult or a pregnancy.

The only male I have, I caught this December 2014 and they have had no contact.

Make sense now?

Andrew Leigh wrote:

I probably was a little unclear.

When I caught her she was wild and in her natural habitat. She was also pregnant so she would have been impregnated in the wild. Some months after her capture she delivered her first brood in captivity that is, (84 slings of which only one survived and is 6i). This is her second brood in captivity which happened without the introduction of a male. Nobody was more surprised than me, I even asked the question on this forum as it was stated that a female would not moult after giving birth and she was getting bigger and bigger which indicated either an impending moult or a pregnancy.

The only male I have, I caught this December 2014 and they have had no contact.

Make sense now?

Yep, she stored sperm. You should be more clear yes Plenty of people claim this and neglect to mention it was WC or had been with a male prior. It's perfectly normal for them to do this. How did only one survive? This species does require a bit of moisture, especially at young instars. And no, female scorpions do not molt after giving birth.

As promised. The pile seems to be getting smaller every time I see her. When do I feed the mother for the first time?

The business end.

Andrew Leigh wrote:

As promised. The pile seems to be getting smaller every time I see her. When do I feed the mother for the first time?

after all the young have molted to 2i and hardened up

If they keep disappearing, she didn't get enough moisture/food during gestation, and is reclaiming nutrients now. Keep her watered!

First moult successfully negotiated.

At night.

Love that UV shot.

A question;

The first is that my one female p.trans moulted to 7i on the 22nd April. My experience is that once they harden up after a moult they eat voraciously. Well it is now 3 weeks later and she is still refusing food, should I be concerned?

Andrew Leigh wrote:

A question;

The first is that my one female p.trans moulted to 7i on the 22nd April. My experience is that once they harden up after a moult they eat voraciously. Well it is now 3 weeks later and she is still refusing food, should I be concerned?

Anyone?

No worries, she has started feeding last night.