Strange Behaviour

Just fed my recently captured Euscorpius Flavicaudis, when I noticed one of them acting abnormally when feeding. The scorpion caught the cricket in a typical manner, and then proceeded to stink it for a good 5 seconds. It then began 'flexing' its mouthparts, extending the mandibles etc - so I thought 'here we go, hes hungry!'. However, it then dropped the now dead cricket and started cleaning its mouth with the front legs, as you and I would with a toothpick! After doing this for several minutes, he just scuttled off, leaving the cricket he spent so long preparing to eat. Any ideas what could be going on here? This is proabably normal, I'm just intrigued as to what made my hungry scorp leave his meal??

Maybe it was too spicy .

That does seem very strange. Will be interesting to see what the forum says.

I did consider spiciness, but another scorp has just picked it up and is eating it. And that weird one has just caught another cricket...

Is he finishing it off this time?

Nope, he has dropped it again!

Gah!

I hope someone gives you an answer soon.

There is a form of parasite that infests the mouth. This behavior of catch and release is common with scorpions who host these. They try to eat, but can't. I can't recall exactly what these are called though. Get a strong magnifying glass and try to inspect the mouth region. If memory serves they look like small white worms.

Good luck! I hope she just isn't hungry but wanted some sport killing...

I hope so too street thanks though

Nematodes. That's what they are called...

Here's a link to a thread about them. Nematode

I was just about to list this name Street.............But I'm having a hard time finding anything about the symptoms in a scorpion, however, these do affect the digestive tract. Not sure what they look like tho.

MERMITHIDAE Nematodes

Very good.

Thanks for that, I did notice that he was drinking more water than usual the other night. I expect this is the problem, but can't see anything with the magnifying glass.

Street, any idea what can be done if it is nematodes? Maybe starting a regimen would be in order anyway.

I feel like I read something about that, but can't recall where or what it said. I feel like it was on arachnoboards which is down at the moment. I don't have any personal experience with this, though I just noticed last night that one of my H. hottentotta is displaying similar symptoms except that instead of flexing her chelicerae she seemed to sort of have a spazm. Her tail flattened out and she pulled her arms back into a very awkward position, elbows almost touching. It seemed involuntary almost like DKS symptoms that tarantulas display.

I'll keep digging and post here if I find anything on either front.

Streettrash wrote:

I feel like I read something about that, but can't recall where or what it said. I feel like it was on arachnoboards which is down at the moment. I don't have any personal experience with this, though I just noticed last night that one of my H. hottentotta is displaying similar symptoms except that instead of flexing her chelicerae she seemed to sort of have a spazm. Her tail flattened out and she pulled her arms back into a very awkward position, elbows almost touching. It seemed involuntary almost like DKS symptoms that tarantulas display.

I'll keep digging and post here if I find anything on either front.

Arms being pulled back could be a sign of dehydration. Not knowing your housing conditions, I'm just guessing.

Street, I have had a scorpion having the same symptoms and i was sure it was some sort of disease that T's can get too causing the spasms called DKS.

However, one of my Ts died because of it long ago, the scorpling (it was i2) survived and grew out of it. They seem to be less prone to this disease or whatever it is. Wouldnt give up on it. I might say John is right about the dehydration.

I doubt it's dehydrated to be honest. I keep one spot moist all the time.