Rearing Early Instar "Bark Scorpions"

Brian S

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With the growing popularity of the Scorpion Hobby, it is obviously neccessary to learn all we can about breeding and culturing them in order to keep all the desired species in our hobby.
What is a "Bark Scorpion"? Typically they are from the Family Buthidae and the genera Centruroides, Tityus, Rholapurus, Isometrus, Lychas, Babycurus and probably others that arent very common in the hobby at the moment. These "Bark Scorpions" are found in a variety of different habitat including Rainforest, Desert and Temperate areas. They are not burrowers and some even call them arboreal although many species are seldom if ever actually found in trees but under stones, logs and other ground litter.
After having some failures of early instar "Bark Scorpions" mostly during molting I have learned that providing them with vertical climbs seems to have almost eliminated molting problems. When provided a climb they almost always molt facing down. Perhaps gravity actually helps them molt more easily although this is speculation.
Here is how they prefer to molt


With this in mind, I keep all scorplings in small vials with a piece of tree bark that stands up. This also is good in case the substrate gets a little too damp for the scorpling when water is added.


As the scorplings out grow the vials, they can then be moved into deli cups but it is still wise to provide a piece of verticle structure to climb on.
Before I started doing this, I had about 70% mortality during molting but now the deaths are virtually non existant.
 

skinheaddave

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Thanks for the tip, Brian. Indeed, I have also found most moults stuck head down as you suggest.

I would like to add to this that one of the keys is food -- and lots of it. Although adult scorpions can go incredible times without nourishment, I have found that I have vastly better success with young Centruroides if I provide food ad libitum for the first couple instars.

Cheers,
Dave
 

ErikH

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Thanks for a very interesting thread, Brian.
 

Brian S

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skinheaddave said:
I would like to add to this that one of the keys is food -- and lots of it. Although adult scorpions can go incredible times without nourishment, I have found that I have vastly better success with young Centruroides if I provide food ad libitum for the first couple instars.

Cheers,
Dave
Yes indeed you are quite correct. I feed mine 2-3 times a week until they plump up then their feeding slows down until it is molt time
 

Australis

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Ok...nice stuff...As i'm gettin some centruroides and babs...this is very helpful.
hope to mass the factory line :D

What do u feed ur young slings and what gravel do u use ?
I'm now using the humus that come in a brick form...dunno wats it called.
Is laterite soil ok with cents ?
 

Brian S

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I feed small crickets and I dont use gravel. Just ordinary peat moss like you buy at Lowe's, Wal Mart etc.
 

Australis

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Do u seperate the kids ?
When ?

Was thinkin of putting them in a communal tank and leave them there...
How to pick them up as a tweezer may crush them...?
 

Ryan C.

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I would seperate any buthid scorpling they seem to always cannbalize. You may be able to keep them communal when they are young but I doubt it.
 

Brian S

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Australis said:
Do u seperate the kids ?
yes

As soon as they leave their Mom's back

Was thinkin of putting them in a communal tank and leave them there...
How to pick them up as a tweezer may crush them...?
You leave them in a communal tank you will lose them fast due to cannibalism. You can coax them into a spoon. There are many ways to move them. You just gotta get creative. Moving is the easiest part of all this
 

Alakdan

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Australis said:
Would the mommy charge u when u try to pick up the lil buggers ??? :confused:
Catch the mom first, transfer it to another enclosure. Then you can take your sweet time with the babies.
 

Australis

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U mean to say the mommy shud be seperated from the community earlier on ?
 

MattM

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I have a comnual tank with 3 lychas m. Mother gave birth just 2 days ago. I just removed the 2 males and put them in another tank, so that momy has all the space she needs.
 

Brian S

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Australis said:
Would the mommy charge u when u try to pick up the lil buggers ??? :confused:
Nope, when they leave her back she wont have anything else to do with them. Besides I have never had a scorpion actually charge me unless their back is against the wall lol
 

Dom

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Thanks for the thread. I don't have any bark scorpions yet but hopefully in the near future some will land on my doorstep.
Is it around 4th instar that they can be kept communally?
 

Brian S

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I dont recommend putting them together until fully mature
 

Australis

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Do not mix the barkies ?

Does that cover O.dentatus ? B.jacksoni ? C.arctimanus ?
Would be fine if i feed them heavily right ?
 

Brian S

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I am keeping C exiliauda and C vittatus together now with no problems.

Yes that covers all you mentioned
 
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