New Behavior (?)

My big female emp came out of her hide about an hour ago and walked over to the heat lamp. She stood there for a while, and she was standing really tall. Then she placed herself parallel to the wall next to the heat lamp and is sitting with her behind (mesosoma) raised as high up as possible with the metasoma practically folded over to where the telson is almost resting to the side of her mouth. What is she up to? She started this after I gave the terrarium a good spray.

I dont know it kind of looks like shes about to give birth. I dont think she is gravid though.

I have a Desert Hairly scorp that sometimes stands really tall like that. I have also wondered why he does that.

If you could post a picture of your scorpion others on here would be able to guess at her state. And possibly understand more clearly what she is doing?

Sounds to me like she is either stilting, which is something they do to regulate their body temperature. They will at times stand really tall or even do a headstand (see below) under or besides the heat to try and get closer to it. This is sometimes a good indicator of a gravid scorpion as they try to take more heat in for the developing young I suppose.

Or she could have just recently been cleaning her telson/stinger. Rarely they will bend their tail right over their head to clean themselves.

A picture would help but it doesn't sound like anything to worry about. If she looks as fat as the scorp below and hanging around the heat source regulary, you could expect babies.

Gravid H. madraspatensis headstand:

+1 to Jay.
My gravid females do this regularly. The ones with heat pads wil go and place their mesasomas vertically against the side of the enclosure just to get more heat to their developing embryos.

Thanks for the replys.

I dont think that it was for cleaning purposes because for the majority of the time the telson was to the side of her mouth and she was just chilling. However she wasnt completely verticle, just really raised up. Maybe she hasnt learned to do that yet though. She was doing this for probably close to 3 hours before I went out. When I came back hours later she was back in her hide and the little female that normally hides with her was out and about until like 10 am the next day as if shed been kicked out lol. And yes, she is starting to look really fat. I thought it was from a molt coming on but I dont know. She was kept communally with males at the place where I got her. Ill post a picture tomorrow. i really hope she is gravid I would love to have my frst brood. Y'Think baby scorpions would make good xmas gifts?

I'll take one for Xmas!

like this?

its called stilting its how they regulate their temperature

Would the purpose be to cool themselves off if they were warmer than the outside air temp?

Think it's more to heat up not 100% sure though, just mind come out and do it under the heat lamp like they are basking

Maybe it could work both ways??? I guess by hoisting themselves up they could expoit a difference in air vs ground temp???

I'd say they do this to get to a warmer temperature. Scorps will burrow down to escape heat.

I've found they will push up against the glass when its a heat mat, like in my pic and will stand tall below a heat lamp like Bex's.

Yes she is stilting. Thanks BEX.