Heterometrus swammerdami

[DolbyR]

Scientific name: Heterometrus swammerdami
Common name: Giant Indian forest scorpion
Origin/Distribution: India; Sri Lanka
Venom: Mild to moderate

* History of female: The previous owner bought the female as a sub-adult in march '11, since then she has been housed alone.
I received her in october '11, while she hadn't molted at the previous owner's care.
* Instar of the female: Believed to be 7i

* Duration taken for signs of gestation:
No data on gestation period, however, generally this species' gestation is around 15-24 months.
-She seemed to have great appetite few weeks before her brood.
-Her level of aggretion/defensiveness increased before giving birth.
-No physical signs of pregnancy.

* Environmental conditions for the gravid female:
The female was kept in a 35Lx25Wx20H (cm) plastic tub with plenty of ventilation on top and sides. 2 cm of coconut fibre on the bottom for retaining humidity and a thin layer of bark on top. 8 cm diam. water bowl in the middle.
There was no hide in the enclosure.
The tub was at room temperature (20-24 celsius) with a 20x20cm area of the side covered with a heatpad.

* Gestation period for #1 brood: Unknown
* Number of young born: 23
* Number of young eaten by mom: none
* Number of young surviving to 2.instar: Full brood survived
* Number of young surviving to 3.instar: 20
* Number of young surviving to 5.instar: 6

Lifecycle observation:

1.instar >> 2.instar: 15 days
2.instar >> 3.instar: 115 days / 3 months 25 days

* Number of days taken for the 2.instar scorplings to dismount from mom's back: 13 days after molting to 2.instar

to be further updated

Husbandry for the young:
The 2i young were housed individually in 10cm diameter (250ml) delicups with 15-20 mm coconut fibre as substrate.
The young are fed 2 times a week with appropriately sized (headcrushed) mealworms, when the sides of the cups and the substrate are moistened with 5 cc of water.