New Emperor Scorpion

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herpsnstuff

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We got this new guy today and judging by the size I think it may be a pregnant female (but not sure) as the store said all 3 came in together and compared to the others this one was huge

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yeah, i would say that's a preggy scorpion :)

3 bits of advice :)

- Keep her ALONE - other adults of juvs will eat the babies.

- keep her well fed - if you don't, she'll eat them herself

- and perhaps the hardest one... once she is in her enclosure, ensure that there is a lid on it with a hold large enough for prey items... Then ignore her! Drop in perhaps an adult cric a day or medium locust because once these babies arrive, they're a bottomless pit! (believe me, I know- mine gave birth a few months ago). But the more you disturb her, this includes opening the lid, rearranging the substrate, hoovering (vibrations) - the more babies she'll eat.

Basically, if you can see the food, don't feed. If you can't, then just add more :D

Oh, and something i found (really fascinating imho) - provide a substrate with roughly 4:1 loam compost to vermiculite - because once the babies are born, I noticed that they themselves had dug a little tunnel. The female guarded the entrance, but the tunnel led off about 10cm away underneath her.

Might be different for imperials/ emperors but the thai blacks i have (similar species) started off on the mum's back until their first/ second moult then went into a tunnel for their next... and are now clustering around her.

 
thanks for the advice mate :D

She is alone so no problems there and she has ample room its a big steralite container with two clips to secure lid and a couple of patches of plastic mesh hot glued in place to make it breathable :D

She shouldnt really get too much in the way of disturbance as she is downstairs in the basement with my fish so its kind of out of the way..

My substrate right now is a layer of gravel at the bottom with a few inches of peat moss on top that way a bit of water can sit undeaneath in the gravel like a resevoir and maintain humidity :D

I have seen a few pictures of Emperors with babies and they also carry the babies on their back like yours :D

 
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