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New to the forum - would like some help!

The Masked Shadow

New Member
Messages
10
Location
Encinitas
Hi everyone, I am Masked Shadow, an animal enthusiast.

At the age of 15, I keep multiple large fish tanks, and a couple species of reptiles. I’ve had experience with Praying Mantis’s and Scorpions, but I’m here to try something new.

I’m looking at Whip Scorpions in general. They seem like a really cool species, and wondering if you could provide the easiest ones to care for. I have a tank that is 65 gallons available soon. Unfortunately, it is only 18” tall. It is 36” long and 13” wide. I want a species of whip scorpion that I could handle, or a species of tarantula that I can handle. I really do like the way the whip scorpions look, and would prefer a show-stopping oddball. I do not know much about tarantulas, but I am willing to give it a shot and learn as much as I can.

Thanks!
Masked Shadow
 

Lentulus

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Messages
152
Location
SoCal
Welcome to the forum! :beer::beer:

This is primarily a tarantula forum but there is an invertebrate sections where people talk stuff like scorpions.


I won’t be much help for your questions because I don’t know much...about most things…and am generally wrong about what I think I know. Sometimes I’m funny though. Be patient here as far as responses go. It’s a slower paced forum but there are a few sciency type eggheads and casual collectors that may be able to help out.
 

The Masked Shadow

New Member
Messages
10
Location
Encinitas
Welcome to the forum! :beer::beer:

This is primarily a tarantula forum but there is an invertebrate sections where people talk stuff like scorpions.


I won’t be much help for your questions because I don’t know much...about most things…and am generally wrong about what I think I know. Sometimes I’m funny though. Be patient here as far as responses go. It’s a slower paced forum but there are a few sciency type eggheads and casual collectors that may be able to help out.
Thanks for the reply!
 

m0lsx

Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
2,012
Location
Norwich, UK
Welcome to the forum.

Sorry I cannot help, as I have never kept a vinegaroon. I do have a couple of Scorpions, but they are smaller species.
 

m0lsx

Moderator
Staff member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
2,012
Location
Norwich, UK
What is Ambypygi? If it's a tarantula, what kind of lid does the tank have? As tarantulas are rather good at escaping from less than secure enclosures. Any gap more than a few millimetres wide, poses an escape risk.


Also, in general, we do not recommand handling Tarantulas. Think of a tarantula as a balloon full of water, the slightest fall & they tend to split & loose body fluid.

Tarantulas are reasonably fast, even new world tarantulas can move rapidly when they want to. So being careful means not handling them. Sometimes handling cannot be avoided. I had a Cyriocosmus elegans wander over my hand as I transferred it to a larger enclosure last night. But I was prepared & it was not a choice of mine.

If you do handle. Try to have someone calm & willing to help around. As T's will get into some awkward places, the middle of your back for example. And NEVER handle them more than a few millimetres above your working surface. So not inches or Centimetres. But millimetres. And do that above a clear table. And always have a couple of catch cups & a small paint brush there too.

Earlier in the week one of our Caribena versicolor's decided to go for a walk as we fed it. This is a juvi & it is normally happy to stay in it's webbing. But this week it took both me & my wife a good 10 minutes to get it back into its enclosure. Versicolors are normally a calm species. But not this week. Ours was both fast moving & doing what versicolors do well. Jumping. Twice we got it into a catch cup & twice it jumped from catch cup to hand, avoiding It's enclosure.

Handling, unless you know your T well, poses a very real risk to your T. Even if you take care. T's get nothing from being handled, other than the warmth of your hand. But some are more than happy to sit & enjoy a warm hand. But not all will.
 

Tarantulafeets

Well-Known Member
Messages
348
Location
Socal
What is Ambypygi?
Kind of similar to vinegaroons but they don't have a telson and are more slender, with longer legs, and they live arboreally.
The actual dimensions of the tank is 3’x2’tallx13”wide
65 gallons for almost every invert is too big, I would go smaller. It's easier to maintain, takes up less space, and it would be easier to find the animal.
 

The Masked Shadow

New Member
Messages
10
Location
Encinitas
Kind of similar to vinegaroons but they don't have a telson and are more slender, with longer legs, and they live arboreally.

65 gallons for almost every invert is too big, I would go smaller. It's easier to maintain, takes up less space, and it would be easier to find the animal.
Hi, I don’t have another tank to use (unless a tiny 2.5 gallon would work, or an 8 gallon that’s roughly the width of an iPhone). I am in highschool and have very limited money, so I will use the tanks on hand. I think I want the Tanzanian Whip Scorpion. If I can’t get my hands on it, I will try a communal bug such as the Australian Stick Insect.
 

TillyMJ

New Member
Messages
14
Location
Arizona
What is Ambypygi? If it's a tarantula, what kind of lid does the tank have? As tarantulas are rather good at escaping from less than secure enclosures. Any gap more than a few millimetres wide, poses an escape risk.


Also, in general, we do not recommand handling Tarantulas. Think of a tarantula as a balloon full of water, the slightest fall & they tend to split & loose body fluid.

Tarantulas are reasonably fast, even new world tarantulas can move rapidly when they want to. So being careful means not handling them. Sometimes handling cannot be avoided. I had a Cyriocosmus elegans wander over my hand as I transferred it to a larger enclosure last night. But I was prepared & it was not a choice of mine.

If you do handle. Try to have someone calm & willing to help around. As T's will get into some awkward places, the middle of your back for example. And NEVER handle them more than a few millimetres above your working surface. So not inches or Centimetres. But millimetres. And do that above a clear table. And always have a couple of catch cups & a small paint brush there too.

Earlier in the week one of our Caribena versicolor's decided to go for a walk as we fed it. This is a juvi & it is normally happy to stay in it's webbing. But this week it took both me & my wife a good 10 minutes to get it back into its enclosure. Versicolors are normally a calm species. But not this week. Ours was both fast moving & doing what versicolors do well. Jumping. Twice we got it into a catch cup & twice it jumped from catch cup to hand, avoiding It's enclosure.

Handling, unless you know your T well, poses a very real risk to your T. Even if you take care. T's get nothing from being handled, other than the warmth of your hand. But some are more than happy to sit & enjoy a warm hand. But not all will.
I agree with the " not handling them" 100%. Not worth the risk of injuring your beloved pet. Provide well for them and they will be happy!
 

Anon

Member
Messages
71
Location
New York
To clarify, Ambypygi is the one I’m interested in.
Hey, I currently keep 22 Ambypygi and may be able to help. First off, your tank is way too big. The general rule for Ambypygi, is twice the whip length for height, and its whip length for width. It also varies by the species you keep. If you happen to buy any of the Damon genus, they are all imported and wild-caught and in terrible condition. They are also mis-sold as damon diadema or variegratus when they are actually medius. This leads to some husbandry problems, because Damon medius requires super high humidity. All whip scorpions could hypothetically be handled, but beware that they teleport. Which means they bolt insanely fast, so they are more of a display animal that shouldn't be handled that much. That being said, the temperment of a tailless whip scorpion varies based off of the individual, for example my male Damon medius is incredibly chill when being handled, while my female sprints if I even breathe or make a tiny motion. As for good species to start with, Phrynus Whitei is definetly a good choice. They are able to withstand a lot of husbandry mistakes, such as not keeping up the humidity and etc. Only problem is, they are on the smaller side and not as impressive looking. So your best bet would be to purchase a specimen from the damon genus, just make sure to keep up the humidity. I would just pour water into the corner so that the soil is wet to the touch, but doesn't have puddles forming. Beware that Damon Medius is NOT communal.
 

Anon

Member
Messages
71
Location
New York
Hi, I don’t have another tank to use (unless a tiny 2.5 gallon would work, or an 8 gallon that’s roughly the width of an iPhone). I am in highschool and have very limited money, so I will use the tanks on hand. I think I want the Tanzanian Whip Scorpion. If I can’t get my hands on it, I will try a communal bug such as the Australian Stick Insect.
Tarantulaspiders.com and Pinchers and Pokies have them. Although Underground Reptiles appears to have them, I wouldn't recommend buying from them, their packaging is pretty bad, a lot of my T whips I bought from them came in terrible shape
 

ta122

Active Member
Messages
149
Location
US

You can get these for $34 each if you buy two right now, with free shipping. I understand having limited funds at your age. Putting a divider in your tank is an option too. Suitable enclosure size is important for a number of reasons. :) As someone mentioned, being able to find a pet who likes to hide makes care and observation easier on you. Additionally, you don't want your pet to not be able to find its food.
 

Sparklebaby69

Member
Messages
32
Location
Panama City, Florida
Hi everyone, I am Masked Shadow, an animal enthusiast.

At the age of 15, I keep multiple large fish tanks, and a couple species of reptiles. I’ve had experience with Praying Mantis’s and Scorpions, but I’m here to try something new.

I’m looking at Whip Scorpions in general. They seem like a really cool species, and wondering if you could provide the easiest ones to care for. I have a tank that is 65 gallons available soon. Unfortunately, it is only 18” tall. It is 36” long and 13” wide. I want a species of whip scorpion that I could handle, or a species of tarantula that I can handle. I really do like the way the whip scorpions look, and would prefer a show-stopping oddball. I do not know much about tarantulas, but I am willing to give it a shot and learn as much as I can.

Thanks!
Masked Shadow
Tarantulas are animals with unique needs according to species and personalities. My son is 15 and has had multiple reptile species in his care but is only recently become interested in keeping Tarantulas. New Worlds are best for someone like you that needs to learn to respect the hobby. Old World Ts require more experience and that isn't an insult. If you keep them too soon and F up you potentially ruin the hobby for those of us more experienced who stay off the radar by NOT getting bit.
 

Anon

Member
Messages
71
Location
New York
Tarantulas are animals with unique needs according to species and personalities. My son is 15 and has had multiple reptile species in his care but is only recently become interested in keeping Tarantulas. New Worlds are best for someone like you that needs to learn to respect the hobby. Old World Ts require more experience and that isn't an insult. If you keep them too soon and F up you potentially ruin the hobby for those of us more experienced who stay off the radar by NOT getting bit.
Ehhhh depends. I'm 15 and my third tarantulas were the H mac. Having an old world or something like an OBT can make you respect these animals more. IMO New world tarantulas are kinda boring compared to OW, because NW are basically pet rocks, while OW are more active and have lots more character. Also your metric for gauging experience is by age. People can own an A chacoldes for 20+ years but still suck at keeping other species because of just how resilient and chill the A chalcodes is. I think the OP is decently familiar bc of their experience with more delicate species such as mantises, and experience dealing with venomous animals such as scorpions. Just be prepared and take caution such as having catch cups when unboxing / rehousing, not to purposely disturb them, and use 12 inch tongs when feeding to create distance.
 

The Masked Shadow

New Member
Messages
10
Location
Encinitas
Hey, I currently keep 22 Ambypygi and may be able to help. First off, your tank is way too big. The general rule for Ambypygi, is twice the whip length for height, and its whip length for width. It also varies by the species you keep. If you happen to buy any of the Damon genus, they are all imported and wild-caught and in terrible condition. They are also mis-sold as damon diadema or variegratus when they are actually medius. This leads to some husbandry problems, because Damon medius requires super high humidity. All whip scorpions could hypothetically be handled, but beware that they teleport. Which means they bolt insanely fast, so they are more of a display animal that shouldn't be handled that much. That being said, the temperment of a tailless whip scorpion varies based off of the individual, for example my male Damon medius is incredibly chill when being handled, while my female sprints if I even breathe or make a tiny motion. As for good species to start with, Phrynus Whitei is definetly a good choice. They are able to withstand a lot of husbandry mistakes, such as not keeping up the humidity and etc. Only problem is, they are on the smaller side and not as impressive looking. So your best bet would be to purchase a specimen from the damon genus, just make sure to keep up the humidity. I would just pour water into the corner so that the soil is wet to the touch, but doesn't have puddles forming. Beware that Damon Medius is NOT communal.
I was told about Phrynus Whitei. There is nothing on Wikipedia about them, like most species of Ambpygi. If they are labeled wrong, then they probably have information wrong. I did find a couple sites that might be ok. I was told Damon is not to resilient, and not a beginner species. However, as much as I want whip scorpions, I can’t get a different tank. And none are communal.
Ehhhh depends. I'm 15 and my third tarantulas were the H mac. Having an old world or something like an OBT can make you respect these animals more. IMO New world tarantulas are kinda boring compared to OW, because NW are basically pet rocks, while OW are more active and have lots more character. Also your metric for gauging experience is by age. People can own an A chacoldes for 20+ years but still suck at keeping other species because of just how resilient and chill the A chalcodes is. I think the OP is decently familiar bc of their experience with more delicate species such as mantises, and experience dealing with venomous animals such as scorpions. Just be prepared and take caution such as having catch cups when unboxing / rehousing, not to purposely disturb them, and use 12 inch tongs when feeding to create distance.
he’s right. I am 15, but have never kept a tarantula, so I have no experience with them. However, I have experience with Ghost Mantises, which are the smallest mantis species you can keep. Very frustrating to feed. I did keep Desert Hairy Scorpions, and respect the stingers (was stung as a little kid camping). Handling something is not a must, I can deal without handling. I have quite a few large fish tanks - I obviously can’t hold my fish!
 

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