New scorpion with possible removed stinger?? Also baby scorp update

Well...all 11 of my V. carolinianus offspring are still doing well. They have been eating termites like champs. Thinking about putting them communal as they've started going into I think their 4th instar and trying to feed them baby crickets with crushed heads/removed back legs. This seems to work well with my B. jacksoni babies who have also started molting into 4th instar. I've only lost two of those and am at 26 with only three left to molt. Momma jacksoni looks gravid again. =)

Onto the other subject. First I want to thank everyone for confirming that I did infact have a P. imperator and not a P. cavimanus a while back. I found an exotic petstore today that I hadn't been to before that actually had two of them. So my boyfriend let me pick out one. They were both females. The one I chose appears to be gravid ((please confirm if you think she is)) I was pretty happy, but when I got home I noticed her stinger was missing, not the whole thing just the very tip. It looks like a clean cut as if someone just took a razor and sliced the tip off or clipped it off with nail clippers or something. This upsets me as I am VERY against it. I'm not 100% sure the petstore did it, but I don't want to risk buying from there again. I still love her and am glad I have her, will she be ok with out it? Do they infact grow back with molts? I really hope so because I think the stinger is one of the most beautiful parts of a scorpion. I'm going to be enraged if I find out they did do that to her and will warn others not to go there for their scorps. They also had some sort of gel in the water dishes. I don't know how good it is, but I misted her as soon as I got her home and in her new habitat and I know she was quick to drink the drops right off her claws. Here are some photos. I have named her, Apache.

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The one I chose appears to be gravid ((please confirm if you think she is))

It's a bit hard to guess how big your hand is and how big the plastic cup is she's placed in however, of the bat i'd say she's not adult yet (therefore can't be gravid) and her swollen body size is more an indication of either over feeding or pre-moult.

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will she be ok with out it? Do they infact grow back with molts?

Yes, she'll be fine without that stinger...Pandinus spp uses it's chelae to catch and kill prey (hence their oversized design) and rarely uses it's venom which is quite weak anyway. If your scorp is sub or sub sub adult then i think there's a good possibility it'll come back with further moults, especially if your only talking about the tip of the aculeus and not the whole telson...However if she is adult then the aculeus will never grow back.
As i said though, she'll live her life quite normally without that stinger...it won't be any disability for her.

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They also had some sort of gel in the water dishes. I don't know how good it is,

Scorpion gel it's called around here. It's basically just water that has a non toxic congealing agent added. I use it for my crickets as it's doesn't affect their humidity that much and helps to keep things tidy....My scorpion species are mostly arid scorps so i don't use it with them however if i need to mist up or dampen a corner now and again i use demineralised water (so as to avoid chalk deposits when the water evaporates) instead. I'm a bit of a purist where scorps are concerned. Gel is ok for the crickets but i'd rather my scorps experienced as near to realistic conditions as i can create .. Other people though might consider scorpion gel to be a better alternative .. Horses for courses

Good luck with your emp

Looking at the Telson coloration I would say she is most likely an adult already but can't be 100% from pic's even sometimes when I take pictures of mine the lighting will be off making it look darker. Anyway. She should have no problem with the broken stinger like Den said they use thier chelae to attack prey. I would move her off those wood chips though if thats what you have in the encloser. I prefer to use the shredded coconut husks.


As far as preggo, it is hard to tell with Emp''s she could be but there would be some ways to tell.. One make sure it is indeed a female, or if she ballons up and molts then you know its not gravid. If she was in pre molt she looks like she still has a while to go.


Good luck with her, and I love the name

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Looking at the Telson coloration I would say she is most likely an adult already

Your'e absolutely right Ludedor ... i'd forgotten about that

Don't use bug/water gel. Scorpions won't touch it. Plus why would you pay to hydrate your scorpion (not that the gel will) when you can get water free from your tap lol.

Make sure you give her a lots of water as if she has been at the pet shop for some time and only had access to 'water gel' she will be very dehydrated.

Here is a photo of her beside a ruler. And yeah, I took her off of the wood chips as soon as I put her in her new container. Do, the red claws get as big as the emps? Because I do know she is nowhere near as big as a couple of my full grown emps. Even if she isn't gravid I'm still pretty happy that I finally have one of these scorps. I can get over the stinger thing aslong as she'll be ok. =)

and yes, already gave her a water dish aswell. Ive never used the gel stuff and don't think I ever would.

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Don't use bug/water gel. Scorpions won't touch it.

Actually they do, or at least i've seen arid specimens tackle it..It's handy for some people as it doesn't' affect the humidity of a small enclosure like dampening an area or leaving a small container with stones and water does..
The only problem with it is it collects dust and the outer surface of it becomes matted and dirty looking.
I don't think it would be very good for species that require a high humidity though.

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Do, the red claws get as big as the emps?

Apparently not, although occasionally a large specimen could be compared with slightly small sized emp.

Really?? I have never used it myself but all I have ever heard is T and scorpion keepers complain when they see shops using it because scorps and T's won't touch it.

If they do use it though I suppose it would be great for some juvenile desert species.

Congrats on the new addition
I'm still pretty new to scorpions, but the scorpion looks as though she could be either gravid OR pre-moult. If she is gravid, good luck.

So I have, some Desert Hairys, Couple of Golden Claws, a Flat Rock and a Dune scorpion. Do you think I should put dishes with the gel in their habitats? Right now I don't have any thing in there and I really don't mist anything because am afraid of humidity building up.

PS - sorry for use of common names.

A water dish offered and/or lightly misting one corner once a month shouldn't do any harm. I offer both for my flat rock but she only ever drinks droplets that collect on the glass and decor. I have seen my desert hairy use a water dish once and I have had it for years.
lol.
I can't comment on whether using gel would be better as I have never tried it. However, what I have said above has worked for me and many other people with no ill effects.

Callum B wrote:

A water dish offered and/or lightly misting one corner once a month shouldn't do any harm. I offer both for my flat rock but she only ever drinks droplets that collect on the glass and decor. I have seen my desert hairy use a water dish once and I have had it for years.
lol.
I can't comment on whether using gel would be better as I have never tried it. However, what I have said above has worked for me and many other people with no ill effects.

Just today I gave my H. paucidens a bowl of water and it literally ran into it and laid in there for about 30 seconds. I recommend water dish over gel 100%

All of my other scorps have water dishes. I was mostly wondering about the ones who prefer a dry climate. =)

le-thomas wrote:

Just today I gave my H. paucidens a bowl of water and it literally ran into it and laid in there for about 30 seconds. I recommend water dish over gel 100%

Haha, really? Mine never touches it's dish but when ever I mist the enclosure it's straight out for a drink. To be honest it's the only time I ever see it out of it's rock stack lol.

RoachGirl, so long as as a dish is only offered occasionally, you shouldn't have any trouble with to high humidity.

A water dish should be fine in there they will drink if they want. The only one i would question would be the "golden claw" is you are refering to Scorpio Maurus then you would want to mist the corner of the tank every few days or so and I soak half of the sand in the encloser at one time to help them start a burrow

I wouldn't keep a water dish constantly for species like H. arizonensis, as it may increase humidity too much. This sp. is enough prone to mycosis already as it is.
And better just use water, not that gel stuff. That is for crickets and roaches.

LOL -- I had to fish the gel out of the fridge just to check it out.....I was sure it was called scorpion gel..but it's not..damn!
Guess it was the large Hetero on the label that got imprinted instead of the large red letters at the top of the label..The power of advertising eh