Advice/ideas on my next scorp?

Hi,

I am looking to buy a new scorpion in a few weeks and i am wondering what breed of scorp to get.
I have had an emperor before who had scorplings and was very successful,
I have been looking at maybe another emperor and a tail-less whip scorpion (not the best choice in the world)
but i am confident i can handle/keep more challenging scorps...

I already have the tank set-up, specs are;
5 sided diamond shape(ish) 30 gallon tank (i can get exact sizes if it helps)
Coconut Fiber substrate
water dish
various hides, rocks ETC
Infra Red bulb 50W
Day Glo bulb 50W
Heat matt

If anyone has any ideas or help on what scorp to get next, would be very appreciated

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I am looking to buy a new scorpion in a few weeks and i am wondering what breed of scorp to get.

Try asking yourself a different question, like..."what scorpions are available to me and from that selection, which do i want?"

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but i am confident i can handle/keep more challenging scorps...

There's actually no need to handle any scorpions really..They can easily be moved around by gently catching them in a small container and then transferring to another container if that's what you want to do.....and if you stick to that philosophy then it doesn't really matter what scorpions you have, considering all other factors are ok..(secure enclosure for example) and you adhere to common sense practices like, not sticking your hand in an enclosure to rummage around when you have no idea where the scorpion/s are.

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I already have the tank set-up

Your tank setup won't be compatible to all types of scorpion....find out what scorpion you want and then setup the enclosure accordingly after researching it's environment....just remember, heat mats go on the side of a terrarium, not underneath it.

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If anyone has any ideas or help on what scorp to get next,

I'd say this is the kind of question you have to decide for yourself..we don't know how clumsy you are, how prone to accidents you are, how careful and conscientious you are etc etc...If you think of yourself as a careful and mature lad who could adhere to safe practises then basically you should be able to have any scorpion you want...if on the other hand you do occasionally mess up and forget to do stuff then maybe it wouldn't be such a good idea bringing a deadly scorpion into your home.....and while only a very few scorpions are deadly to a grown man, quite a few are potentially deadly to the young and old and at 14 years old i guess you must fall into the young category....Scorps from amongst pandinus, babycurus, rhopalurus, escorpious and hadogenes species should be pretty safe....although you still wouldn't want to be stung by some of them..

Great answer Den

Only thing to mention is 2 of the genera you listed require a DWA licence to keep in this country, Rhopalurus and Babycurus. Not something you have to worry about because you have escaped our ridiculous laws and moved to live with ze Germans lol.

Carbon ace, here are a few UK websites selling scorpions. They have a much better choice than you'll find in a reptile/exotic pet shop.

http://www.thespidershop.co.uk/insect/index.php

http://www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk/

and begrudgingly, because they have the widest selection http://www.bugzuk.com/

Have a look around and see what takes your fancy, and then research as much as you can about the species you want. Theres loads of info. on many different species on this here forum and if you get stuck, or can't find out something, just ask.

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2 of the genera you listed require a DWA licence to keep in this country,

Ahh...of course...hadn't noticed CarbonAce came from the UK..

Thanks for the advice and information,

I have looked on those websites and i have taken a liking to the Hadrurus arizonensis (desert hairy)
Now by looking at the info on it my set-up is not suitable...
what exactly would i need to make/change my current set-up to suit this scorpion?
I have read this care sheet carefully https://scorpionforum.darkbb.com/t218-hadrurus-arizonensis-desert-hairy-scorpion and it says i will need a fully dried sand substrate, will any sand be okay?
It says 50%-55% humidity and the scorpion doesn't need a water bowl, if it doesn't have a water bowl do i keep the humidity up by a slight spray of water or pour a little bit in via a pipe going through the sand?


I was also looking at this scorpion, Hadogenes troglodytes (Giant Flat Rock)..
Looking at this care sheet, https://scorpionforum.darkbb.com/t40-hadogenes-spp-flat-rock-scorpions
It says dry coconut fiber/sand mix, is that dry 50:50, 60:40 ETC mix? or is it a a random amount?
also says no water dish (same as desert hairy) do i just mist one corner of the tank or pour into the bottom of the substrate via a pvc pipe?
I have also read that a false bottom underneath the substrate is a good idea, is this to show how much water is in the tank for humidity or/and to create a realistic surrounding?

Thanks

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what exactly would i need to make/change my current set-up to suit this scorpion?

Simply swap the coco substrate for sand. You could keep the stones for decoration but H.arizonensis would rather dig it's own burrow than roughing it under a stone.

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will any sand be okay

The sand needs to be well dampened and then allowed to dry so that it becomes stiff enough for the scorpion to burrow in it. Plain sand will more often than not simply crumble if it's wetted and then dried so most keepers either use an additive (such as bentonite) or their lucky enough to live somewhere that has naturally occurring stiff sand. Bentonite (or something similar) can usually be brought at pet shops that sell herp accessories. It's a sandy material that you can add to sand so that it sets harder when it dries (a bit like cement but not as strong).
Youd' then mix up sand and hardener, put it in a bucket and apply water (it doesn't have to be drowned, just well dampened all the way through)..Put that then in your enclosure. Many keepers will usually make a couple of 2 fingered wide holes at a fingers depth in the substrate at this point so that when it dries the scorpion has a couple of starting points to dig out their own burrow. For H. arizonensis you'll want a good deep substrate for it's burrow so put at least a 10-12 inch deep layer (2 foot would be even better) in the enclosure and then put that (it'll be heavy so make preparations beforehand) somewhere warm and dry for, substrate depth dependant, 1,2 or 3 weeks........You'll be able to see how well it is drying off by looking at the side of the enclosure although it doesn't matter if the last quarter of the tank is not totally dry before you put the scorpion in.

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It says 50%-55% humidity and the scorpion doesn't need a water bowl, if it doesn't have a water bowl do i keep the humidity up by a slight spray of water or pour a little bit in via a pipe going through the sand?

Ok, norfolk, UK....yeh, your relative humidity (the humidity of the air around you) is probably at worst only 10-15% under what arizonensis wants ( and well in range many times of the year) so you don't have to go overboard here.
If the sand is still damp at the bottom (and a thick layer will remain damp at the bottom for a long time) and you've fed a pipe down to the bottom (see forum posts of false bottom setups) then additional water as in spraying is not really that necessary. Besides, spraying water onto the substrate of a deep layer of sand will do almost nothing to increase the overall humidity within the enclosure as the water will be soaked up straight away.
If your humidity was getting a bit low you could use the false bottom setup or simply place a small saucer type container in there filled with dampened moss or even dampened sand.

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It says dry coconut fiber/sand mix, is that dry 50:50, 60:40 ETC mix? or is it a a random amount?

There's always a lot of talk about substrate mix ratios and it can be quite challenging to try and replicate local substrates in foreign countries...However at the end of the day most scorps that are kept on those types of substrate thrive whether the mix ratio is 50-50, 60-40 or 70-30....Basically what you want is a substrate that holds moisture and at the same time is acceptable for your scorp while also being pleasing to the eye....Straight coco substrate initially wets well and looks ok...however if it's a shallowish layer it'll dry quickly and hardened on the surface so that re-waterings will tend to wash around the surface without sinking into the substrate. Mixing sand with it simply allows it to accept water easier..turning it more into a soil than peat.

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also says no water dish (same as desert hairy) do i just mist one corner of the tank or pour into the bottom of the substrate via a pvc pipe?

You can use the false bottom setup but in the case of Hado's i'd have a water dish in there as well.

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is this to show how much water is in the tank for humidity or/and to create a realistic surrounding?

Both...being able to see through the glass allows you to visually gauge the dampness of the substrate..When you can see it getting dry in the surface layers you can add more water through the pipe to fill up the "reservoir" at the bottom...This makes it easier for you to maintain the humidity as well as creating a more realistic substrate for your scorp....In all cases though your substrate level really needs to be quite deep (6 inch plus) for this setup to be at it's best.

nice answers Den of earth.