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Scorpion setup

Hisserdude

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Idaho, USA
Wish I could keep scorpions, my mom is terrified of them though! Then again, she was even more terrified of centipedes, and now I have one. Hmmm... now you guys got me thinking. Oh well, I'm gonna blame @MassExodus if I end up spending my roach money on scorpions, lol! :D
 

MassExodus

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Wish I could keep scorpions, my mom is terrified of them though! Then again, she was even more terrified of centipedes, and now I have one. Hmmm... now you guys got me thinking. Oh well, I'm gonna blame @MassExodus if I end up spending my roach money on scorpions, lol! :D
Lol! I'll take it, if it gets people appreciating these awesome critters. Just a reminder: Some of the most interesting, active, and communal scorpions can be found right here, in the states. C gracilis are my personal favorite, with C vittatus, the most common Buthid in the south,(found pretty much everywhere) running a close second. Beautiful scorpions are beautiful, but interesting scorpions are better. That's certainly not meant to defame the others..the variety in scorp families is just as diverse as tarantulas, if not more so. One of the longest scorpions, with the weakest venom, and known for being docile, is H troglodytes, the flat rock scorp. I got a female paucidens, the "olive keeled" flatrock, and she is docile, large, and doesn't hide like I've always heard they do. She's not a puppy, but she is very tolerant of my presence. I'm quite fond of her. I would be willing to bet your mom would take to one of those much faster then a tarantula or a pede..Check my photo thread in a few days, I'm going to hold her very soon:)
 

Hisserdude

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Location
Idaho, USA
Lol! I'll take it, if it gets people appreciating these awesome critters. Just a reminder: Some of the most interesting, active, and communal scorpions can be found right here, in the states. C gracilis are my personal favorite, with C vittatus, the most common Buthid in the south,(found pretty much everywhere) running a close second. Beautiful scorpions are beautiful, but interesting scorpions are better. That's certainly not meant to defame the others..the variety in scorp families is just as diverse as tarantulas, if not more so. One of the longest scorpions, with the weakest venom, and known for being docile, is H troglodytes, the flat rock scorp. I got a female paucidens, the "olive keeled" flatrock, and she is docile, large, and doesn't hide like I've always heard they do. She's not a puppy, but she is very tolerant of my presence. I'm quite fond of her. I would be willing to bet your mom would take to one of those much faster then a tarantula or a pede..Check my photo thread in a few days, I'm going to hold her very soon:)

Yeah, I find our native scorps fascinating! I really was hoping to find some scorpions when I went to the Bruneau sand dunes but alas, there were none in sight. I REALLY want one of the flat rock scorps, they look awesome!

My mom loves my Rose hair, and enjoys holding her. She's terrified of scorpions though, probably because when we lived in Texas they were all over the place and one dropped down from the ceiling on her when she was in the shower and stung her... :confused:
 

Kymura

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Alabama
I do want some eventually, something that is somewhat visible that can live communal. Preferably desert type. I was going For a pair of Hadrurus arizonensis
A member here was going to give me a couple for shipping but unfortunately, one ate the other:/
I went and got that big tank and all then...well poop happens. Now money is a factor. Eventually though ^.^
 

kormath

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If they burrow and hide all the time I can use some of the KK's I already have and spend that money on another species.

Still think the southwestern desert species is best suited for me, so I'll get an H. a, and figure out another species. Bark scorpion is off the list though. Can't take a chance of it escaping being life threatening to most humans if stung.
 

kormath

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I've gotten most of mine from Josh at apexinvertebrates, he's good about getting new stock in, communicates well and gets his hands on harder to find stuff sometimes. Fauna Classifieds has a few scorp dealers, Pinchers and Pokies are good. Ken the bug guy, netbug is sold out currently. Can't get on AB but their classifieds are good too. Tarantulaspiders.com...those are all good places to look. Oh, and bugzincyberspace, he has S mesaensis I think, plus H.a and a few Vaejovis sp.
Bugz does have the 2 I want. H. a, and the dune S. mesaensis. Hopefully they're in stock on payday. Screw waiting for June lol
 

MassExodus

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If they burrow and hide all the time I can use some of the KK's I already have and spend that money on another species.

Still think the southwestern desert species is best suited for me, so I'll get an H. a, and figure out another species. Bark scorpion is off the list though. Can't take a chance of it escaping being life threatening to most humans if stung.
Oh, no, not most of them kormath. My local bark scorpions have stung me probably 15 times in the last 20 years. Most people just shrug it off and continue their day. Its just that, unlike tarantula venom, an allergic reaction is possible with scorpion venom. Most stings I read about occur when keepers pick up bark without looking. I've already almost gotten hit the same way. None of mine are dangerous, like an Androctonous or Parabuthus. Unless I'm allergic to one of them. I don't intend to find out :) Some of these guys are pretty cranky too, and don't care for me getting in their bubble, hehe. What they don't seem to understand is, only a ninja can kill a ninja :p Oh, and they can sting from some pretty awkward positions too, reverse thrusts and such. When they get really pissed they whip their tail around stabbing at air. Apparently the touch of a paintbrush is not the way to move a scorpion..lmao. The slings are funny as hell, with their little attitudes. But yeah, technically, if you're allergic, you could be in serious trouble from a sting by any of them..its just not common.
 

MassExodus

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My Pandinus imperator 0.0.1 is arriving tomorrow! Rather easy to find in Germany, for 50€. Looking forward...!!!


Envoyé de mon iPhone à l'aide de Tapatalk
Nice! Have you looked into Heterometrus Swamnerdami Nicolas? Im thinking of picking one up. They get bigger than even Imperators, and have a little more attitude, I hear.
 

kormath

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Oh, no, not most of them kormath. My local bark scorpions have stung me probably 15 times in the last 20 years. Most people just shrug it off and continue their day. Its just that, unlike tarantula venom, an allergic reaction is possible with scorpion venom. Most stings I read about occur when keepers pick up bark without looking. I've already almost gotten hit the same way. None of mine are dangerous, like an Androctonous or Parabuthus. Unless I'm allergic to one of them. I don't intend to find out :) Some of these guys are pretty cranky too, and don't care for me getting in their bubble, hehe. What they don't seem to understand is, only a ninja can kill a ninja :p Oh, and they can sting from some pretty awkward positions too, reverse thrusts and such. When they get really pissed they whip their tail around stabbing at air. Apparently the touch of a paintbrush is not the way to move a scorpion..lmao. The slings are funny as hell, with their little attitudes. But yeah, technically, if you're allergic, you could be in serious trouble from a sting by any of them..its just not common.

That's good to know. Opens my options.

Think I'll still go get a couple small glass aquariums for these. I don't trust a heat mat on a KK. the 4w Zilla mini should be good for a 1.5 - 3 gal aquarium right?
 

kormath

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I think I've got it :) Petsmart has a reptile stater kit. 5 gal aquarium I think, it's 20x10x13 inches, for $50, I'll have to order clay and sand from amazon, cheaper by almost half that way. Kit comes with a 5w heater, screen top, water dish, and food dish. Probably just use that as a water dish for one of my T's when they grow up.

Seems like a good deal to get me started. With the scorp and shipping I'm right around $120 for all of it. Have to get the 2nd later.
 

Kymura

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Sand is cheap as anything at your local Lowes or home Depot hun, like 2-3 dollars for a huge bag. When you consider shipping is by weight that will save you a bunch. Maybe enough for that second Scorpion? ^.~
 

MassExodus

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I've used them on soft, thick plastic, i've never tried using them on thin, brittle acrylic. That's my issue right now. I have a few species of scorp that do better at 80-85 then 70-76, like my t room. I'm thinking of enclosing a few shelves and heating them. Or possibly putting all the little enclosures in a few 10 gallon tanks and heating them with a thermostat. I have a lot of things like that piling up, I need to get my stuff back in order. Adding 40 scorps in two months kind of jumbled things up. Now I have newborn baby gracilis to care for. Which is freakin awesome. :D
 

kormath

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Sand is cheap as anything at your local Lowes or home Depot hun, like 2-3 dollars for a huge bag. When you consider shipping is by weight that will save you a bunch. Maybe enough for that second Scorpion? ^.~
Right but that's construction sand, not suitable for sandboxes for kids to play in. Don't think I'd want it for substrate if it warns against children using it ;)

5lb bag of Vita-Sand for $10 is what i'm ordering, mixed with clay that will do 2 enclosures. If not it's like $15 at petsmart.

Looking at petco prices now as their website was down for maintenance last night, and as figured their prices and selection for this stuff suck, but they have more colors of the sand for $1 less than petsmart. Seems like petco is mostly a dog/cat/fish store, they don't have hardly anything for reptiles unless you're looking to spend $100+ for each enclosure some over $300.
 

MassExodus

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If they burrow and hide all the time I can use some of the KK's I already have and spend that money on another species.

Still think the southwestern desert species is best suited for me, so I'll get an H. a, and figure out another species. Bark scorpion is off the list though. Can't take a chance of it escaping being life threatening to most humans if stung.
I feel like I need to mention this, kormath..You will hear many opinions on scorpion venom, but, from what I've read over the past couple of months, here's how I break it down: LD50 values are crap. Each scorpion injects different AMOUNTS of venom in each particular incident, when a sting occurs. Potency measured on rats doesn't cover humans, or human reactions to stings, which in every case is different. Grammastola rosea venom killed mice faster then H mac venom, yet I've never, ever heard anyone complain about a horrible G rosea bite. Take what information you gather with a grain of salt: The scorpion hobby is just as infected with fear mongering drama queens as our own hobby. I just felt like I had to say that, you're advancing well, and quickly, in the hobby. Don't get stung, and you never have to worry about rare allergic reactions. And even if you did have a reaction..the nearest ER can solve the problem, very quickly..You have plenty of common sense, don't listen to Nancy boy nerds that want to feel elite. Do yo thang, maaan! :) Sorry if my horns showed briefly.
 

kormath

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I feel like I need to mention this, kormath..You will hear many opinions on scorpion venom, but, from what I've read over the past couple of months, here's how I break it down: LD50 values are crap. Each scorpion injects different AMOUNTS of venom in each particular incident, when a sting occurs. Potency measured on rats doesn't cover humans, or human reactions to stings, which in every case is different. Grammastola rosea venom killed mice faster then H mac venom, yet I've never, ever heard anyone complain about a horrible G rosea bite. Take what information you gather with a grain of salt: The scorpion hobby is just as infected with fear mongering drama queens as our own hobby. I just felt like I had to say that, you're advancing well, and quickly, in the hobby. Don't get stung, and you never have to worry about rare allergic reactions. And even if you did have a reaction..the nearest ER can solve the problem, very quickly..You have plenty of common sense, don't listen to Nancy boy nerds that want to feel elite. Do yo thang, maaan! :) Sorry if my horns showed briefly.
Yeah i've been seeing that reading the venom list, they might be worse than raising Ts in their wives tales lol. I don't have a fear of being stung, just like i'm not worred about a bite from the Ts i have. I put my hand in the enclosure near one and i deserve to get tagged ;) common sense, plain and simple.

No hun they have playsand. It's safe.
Don't let the name fool you. Even safe in fish tanks :p


http://m.lowes.com/pd/QUIKRETE-50-lbs-Play-Sand/3006085?
Didn't think to look at Lowe's. 50lb is overkill for 2 scorps though. I'll go with the 10 lb bag, that's more than enough mixed with some clay. I'll only be able to get 1 scorp now, then maybe if i like them another in a month or 2. Plus the Vita-sand comes in various colors ;) I can have blue sand and red clay, toss in some white rocks and have a patriotic scorp tank :D
 
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