Gravid vittatus', Need advice.

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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I noticed at least one of the 20 C vittatus I received is gravid. There are several others I now think may be but I can't tell if they are just fat. The ones I think are gravid have a swelling or "hump" in the abdomen that starts just behind the top pair of eyes and end at the base of the tail. The ones I think are fat seem to be universaly fat from the front of the head to the start of the tail. I thought I saw the babies through the side of one of them, but I can't be sure because they are small scorps. Also I have another 10 C vittatus arriving tomorrow and supposedly 3 of them are definitely gravid. I got a 5 gallon tank and took it to the local glass shop to have 3 dividers put in so I could house 4 gravid scorps in the tank. I will get another one made if I find more are gravid. The tank will not be ready until monday, so I thought I could put the females in a glass jar (one jar per scorp) with some soil and cork bark with couple small holes in the top until the tank is done.

How can you tell who's gravid?

Does this sound like an ok idea(divided tank/jars)?

What's the easiest way to remove the gravid females from the large tank without hurting them or risking getting tagged?

Anything else I should know?

Also, if all of them give birth and don't feed off the young I will want to sell off a bunch. Do you need a permit or license to ship scorps from State to State in USA?
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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forgot to add this...

sorry forgot this:

the ones I think are gravid also bulge underneath from head to base of tail.
 

carpe scorpio

Arachnoking
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Wow, you are in the colony business now, I would just keep the lot of them well fed and any fat females could be isolated in such a way if you are concerned about cannibalism. This species thrives very well communally if food is always present.
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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carpe scorpio said:
Wow, you are in the colony business now, I would just keep the lot of them well fed and any fat females could be isolated in such a way if you are concerned about cannibalism. This species thrives very well communally if food is always present.
Darrin vernier at golden phoenix suggested separating them to lower the chance of cannibalism and I figured might as well. Maybe what I'll do is put four of them in the small divided tank and let the others stay in the communal tank and see how things go.

BTW carpe, I'm glad you suggested them. Very agile. I put some long dry grass blades in with the plastic ones for accents and figured the scorps would be too heavy to climb it and ignore it when they saw it bended when they climbed. They proved me wrong of course and they'll climb to the very tip even when the blade bends over. I also took the precaution of putting the tape in the corners, works wonders.

Anyone else have info?
 

carpe scorpio

Arachnoking
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NYbirdEater said:
Darrin vernier at golden phoenix suggested separating them to lower the chance of cannibalism and I figured might as well. Maybe what I'll do is put four of them in the small divided tank and let the others stay in the communal tank and see how things go.

BTW carpe, I'm glad you suggested them. Very agile. I put some long dry grass blades in with the plastic ones for accents and figured the scorps would be too heavy to climb it and ignore it when they saw it bended when they climbed. They proved me wrong of course and they'll climb to the very tip even when the blade bends over. I also took the precaution of putting the tape in the corners, works wonders.

Anyone else have info?
Awsome, reading all this makes me miss having them, but I still think I'm going to get C. exilicauda next, only because although I have hunted them, I have never kept them. C. vittatus cricket-handling abilities are just the coolest, they aren't afraid of any cricket regardless of size.
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
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I had six of mine have babies recently, I have them housed in half of a ten gallon tank with a divider in it, C exilicauda are in the other half. Once I noticed the babies on the mothers, which I did not know were gravid BTW. I separated the mothers into separate containers with my tweezers. just gently grab them by the base of the tail and lift off of whatever they are on. The babies stayed on the mom while I did this. after the new arrivals shed they left the mother and I put each one in a deli cup with a lid. I also sprayed one side of the substrate in the deli cup lightly with water. I use shredded coconut husk for the substrate and it soaks up the water like a sponge for humidity. I am now feeding them flightless fruit flies. All total the six females gave me more than 60 new babies.
Good luck,
Darrell.
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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darrelldlc said:
I had six of mine have babies recently, I have them housed in half of a ten gallon tank with a divider in it, C exilicauda are in the other half. Once I noticed the babies on the mothers, which I did not know were gravid BTW. I separated the mothers into separate containers with my tweezers. just gently grab them by the base of the tail and lift off of whatever they are on. The babies stayed on the mom while I did this. after the new arrivals shed they left the mother and I put each one in a deli cup with a lid. I also sprayed one side of the substrate in the deli cup lightly with water. I use shredded coconut husk for the substrate and it soaks up the water like a sponge for humidity. I am now feeding them flightless fruit flies. All total the six females gave me more than 60 new babies.
Good luck,
Darrell.
Great info. A few Q's: Were there 60 to begin with or did they eat any? How big are the babies when you transfer them to cups & how long did it take for them to molt? Should I separate the new females from the 10 I'm getting tomorrow if they are indeed gravid or do you think that if I put them in the communal setup after they have babies, the other scorps will kill her because she was never in the tank before? The others I will just wait and see as you did. Thanks
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
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If you definately know they are gravid You should separate them from the others. As far as I know the babies did not try to eat each other yet, but I am not taking any chances, hence the separation. It may have been a week until they shed the first time, until then they did not move much and were white kind of like little grubs. If the mothers do have babies when they are in a communal setup they will be constantly on guard from the other scorpions as they will try to eat the babies. That is another reason for the separation as soon as possible. so as not to create undue stress on the mothers.
Cordially,
Darrell.
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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darrelldlc said:
If you definately know they are gravid You should separate them from the others. As far as I know the babies did not try to eat each other yet, but I am not taking any chances, hence the separation. It may have been a week until they shed the first time, until then they did not move much and were white kind of like little grubs. If the mothers do have babies when they are in a communal setup they will be constantly on guard from the other scorpions as they will try to eat the babies. That is another reason for the separation as soon as possible. so as not to create undue stress on the mothers.
Cordially,
Darrell.
Thanks man. I actually meant did the mother's eat any, but if they're that small when born I guess you can't really tell how many till you remove them and count. I just hope the gravid ones are marked when I get them so I won't have to examine all 10 first. The ones in the tank, it's hard to tell so I may have to wait longer.
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
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If I may offer a bit of more advice, when you separate the mothers when they have babies on their back. Use ever so slightly damp paper towels as substrate. It will keep them humid if kept covered and will allow you to see the babies much easier on the white background when they go off on their own. They are pretty hard to see otherwise, unless they move. The best watering device I have used yet for the babies as well as mom is polyacrylinate crystals used for crafts and flower arrangements. I found some pretty cheap at a hobby store, the kind where you add water and they expand. and look like jello. Just be sure it says "non toxic" on the label.
Darrell.
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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darrelldlc said:
If I may offer a bit of more advice, when you separate the mothers when they have babies on their back. Use ever so slightly damp paper towels as substrate. It will keep them humid if kept covered and will allow you to see the babies much easier on the white background when they go off on their own. They are pretty hard to see otherwise, unless they move. The best watering device I have used yet for the babies as well as mom is polyacrylinate crystals used for crafts and flower arrangements. I found some pretty cheap at a hobby store, the kind where you add water and they expand. and look like jello. Just be sure it says "non toxic" on the label.
Darrell.
Thanks darrel. Do you put a hide in with the paper towels? I actually buy "water polymer crystlas" which I assume are the same, for my crickets so I have some already. Do you use these crystals in the communal setup also? I just put some pea gravel in the water dish and they hang into the bowl and drink.
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
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Also they seem to be very good mothers, On had all of the young leave her back, and she was sitting on top of the peat cup as if to say "I'm done now" all of the little scorpions were busy roaming about the temporary enclosure. No signs of aggression between them at all, I had to use the black light to locate them all though.
Darrell.
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
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Yeah, I use the crystals also in the communal setup, with gravel too. I do put a hide in the deli cups as well as the paper towel, I just tear off a piece of the peat cup and set it in with the mother. comes in real handy and cheap too.
Darrell.
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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darrelldlc said:
Yeah, I use the crystals also in the communal setup, with gravel too. I do put a hide in the deli cups as well as the paper towel, I just tear off a piece of the peat cup and set it in with the mother. comes in real handy and cheap too.
Darrell.
pete cup? how big are the deli's you're using? If they're condiment sized ones like mine were packed in when they arrived, I'd rather use something larger to avoid getting stung. I'd rather use a tall tupperware type container you get potato salad in or one half that size even if it's more room than needed. Thanks
 

darrelldlc

Arachnobaron
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The size deli I use for the babies is the kinds we use at work for sides of ranch. The ones when I separate the moms are the Large sides like for mashed potatoes or gravy, It is kind of small, but they do not need a whole lot and it is only temporary, the lid is soft plastic and keeps up the humidity as well.
Darrell.
 

NYbirdEater

Arachnobaron
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darrelldlc said:
The size deli I use for the babies is the kinds we use at work for sides of ranch. The ones when I separate the moms are the Large sides like for mashed potatoes or gravy, It is kind of small, but they do not need a whole lot and it is only temporary, the lid is soft plastic and keeps up the humidity as well.
Darrell.
gotcha thanks
 
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