| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Jayde |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 18:40:45
Lets start this story at the beginning:
I took my younger brother to the Portsmouth show a little while ago as he wanted a tarantula, but couldn't source one easily in Brighton. While we were there he changed his mind and was desperate to have a scorpion. We spent ages talking to the guys who had them, and during the time he was on the phone to my parents trying to win them over (my mum had refused point blank over the tarantula at this point) they sold all of their stock, much to his disappointment.
Since the show he's spent hours trawling the internet, doing his research and building on the basic information we were given at the show.
He's also be trying (ever so desperately) to win my parents over into letting him have some scorpions, sadly with no luck. So today, I spent my hours exhausting the reasons why, positives, negatives, comparisons between scorpions to tarantula's etc etc to my mum, and finally won her over and got her to agree that my younger bro could have a scorpions!! The best bit, is that she's agreed I can give him one for christmas!!!!! 
( I'm totally loving my smug big sister abilities right now  )
SO!
The next step, is actually finding one!
I'm not going to the Doncaster show, and I'm not sure if there are any other shows this year.
There's one in my food shop, a Large Yellow Claw.. I think??
I know this isn't one that he's mentioned before, he has got a list of preferences which I need to woozle out of him without him getting suspicious, but that's something for another day.
Does anyone know if there is somewhere down south that stocks them? or of any breeders or the best place to order online?! Anything really!!
I've not got a clue where to begin quite frankly! So any advise or experience you wonderful guys & girls have would be very much appreciated 
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| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 29/12/2011 : 21:50:23
you actually shouldn't give them bug gel, water is what they need, they suck up water pretty much like a straw so bug gel doesn't work very well (though they will very rarely actually drink if they are feeding). I agree they are fascinating, I would spend hours watching mine but its made a burrow and I occasionally see the claws poke out if a cricket gets too close. |
| Jayde |
Posted - 26/12/2011 : 22:09:36
watching him eat is such a strange thing.. and drinking/eating the bug gel! I didn't realise how long I was watching him for on christmas eve, until the other half pointed out it had been an hour and a half!! Very interesting little things |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 26/12/2011 : 21:41:02
Nice one, you can see why they get their name lol. They do eat like machines dont they, the claws in the mouthparts ripping it into bits and passing it into the mouth where it sucks it dry and spits out the ball, reminds me of car demolition. |
| n/a |
Posted - 26/12/2011 : 15:16:04
Wow, he's cool, bet your brother's pleased. |
| Jayde |
Posted - 26/12/2011 : 12:26:59
Just thought I post up the little guy that I went with in the end. (still got a fair bit of growing to do!!)
I went with the large yellow claw / Israeli gold from my local food supply, as by the time I'd tracked down some of the Atacama red claws it was a week before christmas and I didn't have the time to get up to Essex to get them, which I was a little disappointed about because I really wanted to give him the ones he was after, but he was really pleased with this guy, so I guess all was well.
I forgot to get any pics of him in the setup, but he seems happy enough. Saw him eat a few times while I was down in the shop for a few different things, and he eats like a machine!! Really fascinating to watch.. but still not my thing!! haha |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 01/12/2011 : 20:11:12
I choose captive bred so animals are not been taken out of the wild.
I dont know how easy it will be to source these but your best bet is arachnid forums, there will most likely be something available there and probably much cheaper than the shops too.
Some will cohabit but there is never anything stopping them eating each other. I'm not massively experienced or anything on them so I'm sticking to one.
Age of Sally would be a few months old 6 at the most, only 2 moults so far. |
| Jayde |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 16:25:22
I forgot to ask Lotabob, how old is your scorpion in the pic?
And are scorpions able to co-habit? I know my brother mentioned something about colonies before, but I don't want to buy him 2 if there's going to be some sort of massacre before he gets to see them!!
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| Jayde |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 15:55:31
Is being captive bred important in scorpions? Does it breed out anything or improve anything, or differ traits, behaviour etc??
When going to look at them (hopefully if I can) Is there anything you recommend I should look for, health or physique wise? or anything you looked for or checked when selecting and purchasing yours?
Also, I've found out that he's interested in the Atacama Red claw, large yellow claw, Emporer and the Asian forest scorpion. (In order of preference)
After mentioning the yellow claw and some image searching on his side, he took a liking to them, and this is easy enough to for me to purchase, but I get the feeling the red claw is going to be more tricky :/ |
| Lotabob |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 14:53:32
The Forest Scorpion is very similar to the Emperor, the Emperor as general rule are a bit more docile than the Forest Scorp, Emperors have big chunky claws, Forest Scorps have big long claws (and aren't afraid to use them lol). I got the opportunity to get my Captive Bred Forest Scorp the CB part been important to me, a guy bred them and had 3 survive, I went to see them and one had died but this one was doing really well and was feisty as hell. The Forest Scorp is slightly bigger than the Emperor but is not advisable to handle them as they nip and sting when frightened a bit more readily than the Emperor.
I bought my Chilean online and they posted it to me Special Delivery, it arrived no problem but it had 2 weak legs from a previous injury, its moulted out totally now but I don't know its history at all, it may be wild caught, I hope it isn't but I didn't think to query it beforehand.
If you can get them locally I'd go down that route as posting at this time of year usually stops (or should) due to the cold. I bought mine very very small, it does make them easy to house (lunch boxes) but also makes them really fast but its great to watch them grow and they do get used to you too and not freak out whenever you're doing anything which tends to be their reaction when you first get them.
I love dealing with them, they just fascinate me how complex and alien they are. |
| Jayde |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 12:06:05
Thanks for the pics Lotabob. The giant asian forest scorpions seem to be quite popular, the guys down at the shop said that this is what they'd be able to order in with no problem as it's always on their lists, but not much else crops up. Is that a sign that they are the better type in comparison to others?(I literally only know the bare basics of these little guys!) I'm speaking to my brother in a little while, so will find out what type he has a preference for. Lets hope it's not going to be something that is a pain to get hold of!! I know he expressed interest in the emperor scorpions, which alot of online places seem to stock readily.
Lotabob, would you advise purchasing scorpions online, or are they something you need to see in the flesh before purchasing, like snakes and such like?
Yeh, he's aware they aren't particularly the most exciting of creatures! I think the tarantula and scorpion interest stems from the fact that we had almost every type of pet when we were younger. We did everything soft and cuddly from cats, dogs and rabbits to chinchilla's, had parrots and other exotic birds, we had our breeding corns, had some gorgeous gecko's, african land snails.. the lot!! So I think he's after a new experience and something different from the norm!!
I know I won't be putting my hands anywhere near them!! haha
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| Lotabob |
Posted - 27/11/2011 : 01:32:13
Partially related but some pics for decision making (personally I say have both).
Giant Asian Forest Scorpion in full defensive stance, ready to kick my ass for picking him out of his home.
Chilean Rose Tarantula, freshly moulted.
I also have an OBT, but I do not recommend these ever, I don't even know why I have one.
My one bit of advice for all these is you have to be very careful with them, they are fast, easily agitated, can be picky with their food and spend a lot of their time doing absolutely nothing. |
| Dio |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 20:18:14
Yeah they are in the tarantula bit. I wouldn't go in that bit either.
The Southampton one isn't that big and only heard of it as it is only 5 minutes from my house. They are very good in there though and know thier stuff. Their website is offline at the moment at i think their updating it but they have a phone number and the address on the page displayed so may be worth a phone call before you decide to drive all that way.
www.sotonreptile.co.uk
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| Jayde |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 19:59:12
Yeh I sometimes go over to Emsworth. I live in East Preston, so it's not far really. Popped in there after the Portsmouth show, can't say I noticed any, but then they may be around in the tarantula corner which I generally look at from a few feet away so my skin doesn't crawl!! haha
Never heard of the Southampton reptile centre, will have to give them a google.
Thanks so far guys :) |
| Dio |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 19:41:07
Depending on how far you want to go but Emsworth exotics and aquatics in Drayton near Cosham have them and also Southampton reptile centre in Bitterne, Southampton had some last time i was in there last week. |
| n/a |
Posted - 26/11/2011 : 19:31:21
http://www.bluelizardreptiles.co.uk/livestock/invertebrates
These guys are in Dinnington, Sheffield - don't know where you are but they courier for £15.00 approx - I live in Wakefield and have had two snakes from them by courier and been very pleased with service/quality. you can order by phone or online but with online they'll still ring you for a chat first and are very helpful. The courier cost is nearly as much as the scorpion but thought I'd mention it in case you can't find anything locally. |
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