Dune scorpion on water gel - Need help!!

I placed a small dish of Soil Moist water gel to keep the cricket hydrated until it's eaten, but the dune scorpion walked on top of the dish and just sat there.

The humidity is 37%, and the dune scorpion never had mycosis.

But, now that he's exposed to the Soil Moist gel, I'm afraid he might contract mycosis because I heard this species is sensitive to water. What are the chances he'll get mycosis? Should I scare him off? D:

-Skroar

The scorpion can tell if it's too moist. The problem is humidity. This is only a problem if you add water and seal it in. Let the top off if you feel worried.

Give the gel to the cricket in it's container...it will stay gut loaded for 12 or so hours and can go without water longer. Gel isn't good for scorps as they can't really drink from it.

Sometimes the cricket isn't eaten, and lives the night. I usually leave it with some gutload and water in the tank. But should I just put it back into the cricket pen?

The last cricket got eaten during the day probably because it wandered into the scorpion burrow. I can tell because only a leg was left near the entrance. lol

Why is the scorpion not moving out of the gel? It's perfectly capable of it.

He moves his claws out of the dish like he's about to get out, but then just turns around and gets back in. I've seen him get out of the dish with nothing in it before.

Seems like he doesn't want to get out.

I would remove the gel out of the tank and put in the cricket cage. If the scorpion hasn't eaten in 24 hours than remove the cricket than try again a few days later. If you are worried about the scorp than shoe him out and place a bottle cap of water. Regular water not the gel water.

He ate a small cricket yesterday. The cricket lost an antennae and and a hind leg from encounters with the scorpion.

I'll remove the cricket and the gel.

He ate two small crickets in a day. I don't understand why he's so incompetent as a hunter.

The cricket would wander near him, and then the dune scorpion would turn around to face the cricket, and thus scare the cricket off.

Does his incompetence have anything to do with his captive bred status? Not hungry enough?

Nah. He apparently wasn't hungry. If he was hungry enough he'd catch him. Its in the scorpion's instinct.

Hi Skroar,


The logical thing I could think of if it sits on top of the gel... is that it simply chooses to do so, because it desires moisture at that particular time for drinking or a higher air humidity I wouldn't worry about it. For all we know, it might be getting ready to molt soon.
I believe it will leave the little tray when it wants to. But you can always gently move it away if you want to get the tray out.

As for the hunting...
Your scorpion is not incompetent at all, they have been successful predators longer than we came out of the trees;) If it isn't hungry (enough) it won't make much of an effort. Nothing to worry about, it's natural behavior.

Example:
My Hadogenes Paucidens can grab a full grown grasshopper with one claw like a vice and very fast, but she let's it sit in front of her burrow. A clear sign she is not hungry. So I remove it Try again in a few days.

I would offer the gel to your crickets in their own respective enclosures, your dune scorp, as it is desert, will get most of the moisture needed from it's prey. However, you could offer it the occasional mini bottle cap of water. So it can choose itself.

By the way I love the color of your sand, very beautiful! And a very nice scorp!!

Take care!


Joey

my dune scorpion hunts just like yours

it passes by crickets

but then 10 minutes later it will be eating one

I just mist a small side of the wall for my H. Coahuilae..they are a desert species that likes some humidity. It will hang out on the moist section at times. Your scorpion looks like a youngster, so it probably does like a tiny spot of humidity. Have good air flow so the humidity can escape. If you just wet down a spot about the size of that gel dish it would be good. Let the spot completely dry out and re moisten maybe twice a month. Scorpions are more like camels than people in this regard...they can go for long periods without water and be happy. The gel is sticky and could leave a film on the scorpion. The scorpion and sand color is very awesome.

I would remove the water gel and follow everyone advice. I'm less worried about humidity than the bacteria, mold, or other dogs that can grow on that.

Thanks guys! The gel and the injured, but uneaten cricket has been removed last night.

However, the scorpion is acting unusual. It's not hiding in its burrow during the morning nor day.

It was digging intensely during the morning, but now it's just wandering around the enclosure. Any ideas?

Shakudo - Thanks! I thought the sand would look go nice with the scorpion.

Pic was taken at around 3:18 pm.

Maybe add some stones or wood pieces for it to climb on or use as hides. I noticed most of my scorpions avoid open patches of ground. Even dry moss in little clumps work. You will see them wander around more if they have pathways with obstacles throughout the enclosure. Like a maze basically. If I don't put decorations in the middle, they just tend to hug the enclosure walls.

~Abyss~ wrote:

I would remove the water gel and follow everyone advice. I'm less worried about humidity than the bacteria, mold, or other dogs that can grow on that.

Hmmm... I did not know dogs could grow on water gel? I guess I learn something new everyday! The more you know! LOL.

@Skroar- Don't worry bud. Scorpions do weird things. He may of just got bored digging and taking a break. Haha. My two A. Australis did something odd the other day as well. It started to rain outside and as soon as the sky opened up, both of them came out of their hiding spots and began to explore. So I gave them some water but they refused it. So don't worry!

Bayss - I actually do have a shelter right in the middle of the enclosure. It's a flat rock that he has dug a big burrow underneath. He keeps digging into the burrow, but he doesn't go into it and rest there.

Kale - I know right? It's being weird. It's like building a house, and then deciding to sleep outside instead.

He curled up sleeping in the top right corner.

Gotcha...that works! What kind of sand is that? Love the color!

Thanks Bayss! I really like the simple, but elegant look of the tank.

It's the Vita Sand in Gobi Gold. It goes really nice with the scorpion! Pictures just don't do justice especially when taken with the phone.

I think I might know why he's acting weird. It's really hot where I'm at right now because summer is approaching.

With the heater on, it's about 95 F degrees. I turned it off.

Dimmer switches can help with that.

Which one or which brand should I look into?