Pandinus Imperator Acting Strange

darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
Normally I am not too concerned with an invert refusing food for extended periods. It happens pretty regularly. But this one has me a bit stumped.

I used to have two Pandinus imperators in this particular tank. One of them only ate once in all the time I had it and it died a couple months back. It had not eaten in over a year. It was a Petco rescue so I can only imagine what happened to it before I acquired it. The one that lived with it is still with me. This one never had an issue eating until the last 3 months or so. When it comes to food, it takes it, gnaws on it for a while which basically mangles the prey item and permanently disables it, and ultimately drops the prey and doesn't finish it. Other inverts that refuse food generally will not even bother trying to chase prey items if fasting. Anyone else experience this? Maybe it's just instinct to go after prey even if its not hungry? I attached an image in case anything seems blatantly physically wrong that I might have missed. I feed crickets and no I cannot try roaches because the boss doesn't want roaches in the house.

Thanks in advance for replies!

IMG_20140915_173612.jpg
 

G. Carnell

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 27, 2003
Messages
3,611
Hey,

is it a male or female?


I had the same experience with young P.imperator, when they weren't hungry they'd take the cricket, punch a hole in its head with their chelicerae (Alien style) and then drop it


Your scenario could be normal if its male, whats the temperature like in there? do you heat an entire room with your inverts in? I don't see any condensation on the sides of the enclosure which is why i ask!
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
There's no condensation because I had not misted yet that day. The humidity usually stays between 70 - 80% and when it does drop I wet the substrate or mist. Though in general I don't really think a lot of condensation is the best thing anyway.

Not sure about the gender as I have not taken it out since the day I brought it home. May I ask why you say it would be normal if it's male?
 

G. Carnell

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 27, 2003
Messages
3,611
Hi

Males will eat substantially less than females
after the final moult they often fill up on a few crickets then might feed once a month or so, depends on the scorp in question and temperature/etc

As for the condensation, this happens when the air inside the tank is warmer than the air outside, causing humidity/water to condense on the glass.
So thats why i asked, It seemed like the temperature inside your tank isn't high enough unless you heat the entire room to 80F+

If the temperature is too cold, Pandinus will become lethargic and eat less! (and babies will grow a lot slower + fail to moult)
How are you heating this guy?
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
Ambient room temperature is warm enough. And its not an adult yet.
 
Top