Emperor Scorpion?!?!?!?!? Dying or something-D?

Question

My bf has an emperor scorpion as a pet. I hate the thing because I am terrified of it. But I do love my bf and so i need some help.

My bf brought this scorpion from a pet store not too long ago. (2 months) When we got it, the pet store guy told us that the scorpion would eat 8 to 12 crickets in a week. The first few weeks the scorpion was fine. It eat regularly and it would not hide. However for about three weeks now, it has not been eating. All it does is brace up against the tank and hide. It has eaten about 3 crickets in that period of time.

The tank is a 10 gallon and there is a cave to hide and a water container just big enough for him to fit in and also get out. He is about 6 inches long.

Is the scorpion dying? If yes how could I make it live? What else could I put into its tank to ensure that it is healthy and not on the verge of extinction from my house?

Also we tried making it eat worms and a pinky mouse, but it refused... what else could it eat other than crickets?

I know that this is long, but I really need help.... All answers appreciated.

Answer 1

try to find a website for emperor scorpion fanciers?

As these animals grow(i know tarantulas) they moult/shed their skin!just like snakes:they stop eating, hide act strange before the moulting.

But:I'm not an expert, maybe its "hibernating" ? or sick?

Google it!

BTW I'm scared of scorpions.

Answer 2

Your setup is ok as for the amount of food bit to much cut it down to half of that i have a juvenile emperor about 3" which feeds on 3-4 small crickets once weekly.

Little info on signs to look for molting in scorpions.

Your scorpion will become lighter colour.

You may or may not see any warning signs. Some scorpions will start exibiting unusual behaviour just prior to a moult. I once had one that insisted on basking out in the open on a rock in the middle of the "day" (artificial lighting) for a couple days before moulting. Others will retreat to their burrow/scrape or any moist place, really. Others still will show absolutely no sign of moulting.

The actual moulting process basicaly involves the rupturing of the exoskeleton, at which point the scorpion will pull itself from its old exoskeleton. I have attached a picture of one of my H.spinifer moulting. The lighting isn't the best, as I didn't want to disturb her, however you can see how she is part way out of her old skeleton. After the moult, the scorpion will take a few days to a week or more to harden, depending on its size. You will be able to tell when it is approaching its fully hardened state by the colouration, which should return to black after a period of being more redish.

As for when it will moult, it takes a scorpion about three years and 6 moults to reach maturity, at which point it will never moult again. The moults aren't evenly spaced, however, as a great deal of growth occurs in the first year.