Hadrurus arizonensis substrate

Do you guys know a good substrate mix for a Desert Hairy Scorpion?

I'm thinking a mixture of coca fiber & sand. Any ideas?

deserthairyscorpion1 wrote:

Do you guys know a good substrate mix for a Desert Hairy Scorpion?

I'm thinking a mixture of coca fiber & sand. Any ideas?

You can use a mix of zoo med excavator clay and "play" sand, or you can use a "claywater" solution.
This is a post by the user Den that describes how to make a claywater solution:

Den wrote:

If you don't want to buy excavation clay then you can make your own quite simply. All you need to do is buy a small packet of modelling clay (available from most florists and hobby shops) which is really quite cheap.
You would then get a, lets say 10 liter bucket and fill it a third with water. Break small pieces of modelling clay into the water and work them with your fingers until it has dissolved and you have muddy looking water.
A piece of modelling clay half the size of your hand will be fine for a 10 liter bucket with 3 liters of water in it.
Once you've dissolved the modelling clay simply add your sand and mix it through well. Wring out the access water and deposit the damp sand in your enclosure. Don't pack it down to hard otherwise you might risk it being to hard for your scorp to burrow in when it's dry.

Place the enclosure in a warm well ventilated spot to dry out and viola .. job done..

I use this method with all my desert burrowing species and it's works fabulously.

Den's post was obtained here: H. arizonensis substrate.

Thanks! One more question, how much clay do I put in?

Quote :

A piece of modelling clay half the size of your hand will be fine for a 10 liter bucket with 3 liters of water in it.

Quote :

I'm thinking a mixture of coca fiber & sand. Any ideas?

While this is an acceptable mix for many scorpions it's not so good for burrowing species as straight sand and coco fiber won't be firm enough to dig burrows in. You need a medium that will enable the sand to stick together when dry..Hence excavation sand, whether brought or home made..

For H. arizonesis, a 30% excavator clay to 70% play sand mixture works well. The deeper the substrate the better. I typically fill half the tank to a depth of 8 inches and slope it down to 3-4 inches. When adding the substrate, work in layers. 1-2 inches of wet substrate drys much faster than 3-4 inches. Expect your Haddy tank to be quite heavy when finished as dry packed sand weights 13lbs/gal.

Cool.