Emperor Scorpion- Fat or Gravid?

[Little Wise Owl]

I thought it was a male but now I'm not sure. Is s/he gravid or just a fatass?

[DragonsEye]

How large it is Owl? (Adult? Juvie?...) It is difficult to tell from your picture but the telson appear to be sort of cream colored. (In a mature emp, it would be brownish red.) If so then yours is not yet mature and could not be gravid. My vote would be just "fat".

[Little Wise Owl]

It was said to be a juvenile when it was bought. I'm unsure of its actual age. I just checked its telson again and it's a light brown.

[RandyRhoads]

Is that thing being just fat really a possibility? I've had/seen a few, and I was always told they were gravid when they look like that. Could it really be overweight and "fat"?!

[Little Wise Owl]

S/he's fed 2 crickets once a week. Some times they're left uneaten.

[Aresplimpot]

Maybe your pet's about to change its skin

[DragonsEye]

Originally Posted by Little Wise Owl

It was said to be a juvenile when it was bought. I'm unsure of its actual age. I just checked its telson again and it's a light brown.

If you got it as a juvi then no matter its age, it isn't gravid. Emps do not reproduce parthenogenically.

Originally Posted by RandyRhoads

Is that thing being just fat really a possibility? I've had/seen a few, and I was always told they were gravid when they look like that. Could it really be overweight and "fat"?!

LOL. Yes, Randy, they can be "just fat". The younger scorplings in particular can be real pigs. The more they eat, the faster they pass through their instars to adulthood. On the downside, reaching adulthood sooner actually results in a shortening of lifespan -- though not by such a huge amount that most folks would care/worry.

Owl, sounds like telson color is too light to be mature. It is possible that yours might be nearing molt stage (ecdysis). I'm assuming you have a waterdish in the enclosure and are keeping it rather moist/damp? Though you likely already know this, do not leave uneaten crickets running around the enclosure. If your scorp undergoes ecdysis and there are hungry crickets in the tank, the crickets will feed/chew on the scorp -- killing it in all likelihood.

[EmbraceCalamity]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

If you got it as a juvi then no matter its age, it isn't gravid. Emps do not reproduce parthenogenically.

Could you explain this for me please? I didn't think parthenogenesis had anything to do with being a juvenile. I'm pretty sure they need to be mature adults just like anything else. I might be misunderstanding what I'm saying.

~Maggot

[Little Wise Owl]

Originally Posted by DragonsEye

If you got it as a juvi then no matter its age, it isn't gravid. Emps do not reproduce parthenogenically.



LOL. Yes, Randy, they can be "just fat". The younger scorplings in particular can be real pigs. The more they eat, the faster they pass through their instars to adulthood. On the downside, reaching adulthood sooner actually results in a shortening of lifespan -- though not by such a huge amount that most folks would care/worry.

Owl, sounds like telson color is too light to be mature. It is possible that yours might be nearing molt stage (ecdysis). I'm assuming you have a waterdish in the enclosure and are keeping it rather moist/damp? Though you likely already know this, do not leave uneaten crickets running around the enclosure. If your scorp undergoes ecdysis and there are hungry crickets in the tank, the crickets will feed/chew on the scorp -- killing it in all likelihood.

When I posted this, I didn't know it was a juvenile. It's my boyfriend's and I was under the impression it was an adult. Thank you for the info. I'll let my boyfriend know to stop feeding it as much.

Now, is it male or female? lol This was the best photo I could get:

[jarich]

Originally Posted by EmbraceCalamity

Could you explain this for me please? I didn't think parthenogenesis had anything to do with being a juvenile. I'm pretty sure they need to be mature adults just like anything else. I might be misunderstanding what I'm saying.

~Maggot

True, parthenogenesis doesnt necessarily have anything to do with being a juvenile or not. However, what Dragon means is that as they have had this scorpion since before it was mature, and it has had no interaction with any other scorpions since, then there is no chance it is gravid. They will not become gravid without access to a male of the species as a mature adult.

[EmbraceCalamity]

Originally Posted by jarich

True, parthenogenesis doesnt necessarily have anything to do with being a juvenile or not. However, what Dragon means is that as they have had this scorpion since before it was mature, and it has had no interaction with any other scorpions since, then there is no chance it is gravid. They will not become gravid without access to a male of the species as a mature adult.

Ohhh, okay, thanks.

~Maggot

[DragonsEye]

Originally Posted by jarich

True, parthenogenesis doesnt necessarily have anything to do with being a juvenile or not. However, what Dragon means is that as they have had this scorpion since before it was mature, and it has had no interaction with any other scorpions since, then there is no chance it is gravid. They will not become gravid without access to a male of the species as a mature adult.

Indeed. Thank you, Jarich. My apologies to any of you who may have found my explanation less than clear.

Owl, a better photo would help, but from what I can see I would hazard that it is a male.

As far as cutting back on its food, I would at this time simply because as fat as it is, it may soon (relatively speaking) gear up for a molt.

[Little Wise Owl]

Turns out he was just getting ready to molt.

[DragonsEye]

Was it picked up while undergoing molting? Looks like it from the photo but could just be due to the lighting. If it WAS picked up during molting, please do not allow anyone to do so again -- it is an easy way to kill an arachnid.

[Little Wise Owl]

No, he was not touched before, during or after molt.

That's his molt, not him. lol He's back to normal, non-fat size and is resting in his burrows.