New friend.

Went to the shop yesterday and brought a new tiny friend home. Here's it's home for now. Still got some growing to do. Cute baby false bottom.



What is it you ask?





They had it labeled as an H. spinifer which it most definitely is not. Based off how black it is, and how small it is, I'm guessing it's at least fourth instar. It also has a very black telson, so I'm thinking it's either H. laoticus, or H. petersii. Still too young to tell for sure. I'll be watching for granulation to appear. Since it's so small still, and very black already, I'm leaning toward laoticus...

These little devils have big attitude for their size!

He's great man but, your pictures look fake to me..... I don't know why

LOL! It kind of looks like it's made out of black liquorice. How about this one?

Heterometrus laoticus
1. Common name: Vietnamese Forest Scorpion 2. Scientific Name: Heterometrus laoticus 3. Range: Vietnam, Laos 4. Type: Obligate Burrower 5. Communal: Yes 6. Full Grown Size: 9-12cm 7. Growth Rate: Fast 8. Temperature: 90-95 9. Humidity: 95% 10. Temperment: Aggressive 11. Speed: Medium 12. Venom: 2 13. Diet: Crickets, Mice, Locusts,scorpions anything smaller than itself 14. Housing: 5"+ of substrate, damp peat/compost, bark could be used for hides, water bowl 15. Substrate Depth/Type: Peat/compost 10-20 cm deep 16. Additional Comments: Wild caught adults are VERY aggressive, even towards their own species, however babies which are CB are docile, this species is uniform matt cook and shines blue/maroon when in direct light, very quick to defend themselves, eager to sting

It looks tiny and I still think it has a lot of growing to do, even for a species that never gets taller than 12cm.

It is however supercool and if it got attitude, I'd be inclined to say you are going to have a lot of fun with it. The mesosomal segments on these are totally different than on Spinifer.. so I heard. Cant really tell you mate, as you know I'm no savant of the big tropical types

It looks great though, so I think I'll have to change my view on them. Certainly if they are as predatory as depicted in their propertysheets

NICE ONE

Or this one?

Damn that really is tiny but lol he got balls of steel doing that to your tweezers. Spinifer are the longest scorpion arent they?

Are you sure they are laoticus? If so I'm getting me one... he is awesome lol..

Yes pluto, it is tiny. Possibly only third instar, but I don't think they get very dark until the fourth instar, but I could be wrong about that...

I think Hadogenes troglodytes is the longest scorp, but for Heterometrus sp. it's the swammerdami.

I'm not positive what heterometrus sp. this one is, but I'm sure it isn't a spinifer.

OH ! He's on the bottom of the cup/glass?!

It's a glass plate B.

Well that solves the case of the curious photographs then.

The floating scorpion.

Now I have nothing to do, thanks. Hope he works out though, great enclosure.

Nothing to do?

I think these get dark sooner. He might surprise you how big he will get. Did he sting your tweezer or just tried to sumo it down?

He hasn't stung anything, but he acts like he's ready. I think if I pestered him a bit he'd sting. He immediately assumes threat posture at the slightest disturbance. Just walking by is enough.
I'm sure he'll settle in though.

I'm looking forward to him being a giant black ground lobster.

I thought those giants were gentle? So far for my ignorance on them.
I believe they pack quite a punch too in contrast to Pandinus species?

Hey its from vietnam, its warhardened lol

I have heard that it's quite painful in the locality of the sting, but doesn't last long.

He looks badass anyway.. they have that bit extra.. why only one???????

They only two. The one I bought, and one that he called "adult". It was about four inches and it's acleus was broken off.

They only wanted seven dollars for the little one.

I went to get another bicolor, but the only ones they had were even smaller than the one I had that died. The owners brother (who doesn't know much) said that his brother could get me an adult male though, so I have to call him this week.

cool lets hope dude. That way you can have 40 of those for a small price including an adult male...

Ill drink to that, if it works out

I doubt it will pan out, but he does have a lot of connections in the arachnid business.

Never say never and mating them isnt hard to say the least.. You wont lose him if you dont stress them out.

I'm sure I'll be able to breed them If I can get a him. It's getting the him that I'm not sure will pan out. We shall see...