# Vinegaroon



## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Are these whip tail scorps, or tailess whip scorps, I always get em mixed up!

Anyone ever had one?

If so, what are they like to have?

Feed well, yes/no?

Large....yes/no?

Heat mat? Yes/no?

Those sorts of things


Steve


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

I have two.

Vinegaroons are Thelyphonids (Whip Scorpions), and tailless whip scorpions (or whip spiders) are Amblypygids. I have two Typopeltis species. I am waiting until they reach maturity, where I should be able to tell their species, and get a better idea of their sex.

They are strictly nocturnal, so don't count on seeing them much except under red light - they run from even tiny amounts of light. They tend to burrow quite deeply. 

As for feeding, well they are not huge eaters. I know mine are eating, but i've yet to see it happen. Unless you get _Mastigoproctus gigantus_, they tend to be quite small and it's hard to see them eat. I feed mine on various mixes of collemolans, small crickets, millipedes etc - although they often live side by side for quite some time (most opf the reports from the wild seem to support them being quite unaggressive predators, and they are often collected alongside other insects).

The biggest is M.gigantus, which is about 6". Most others are between 1"-4", and quite skittish. You can handle them, but you have to be careful they don't spray you with acetic acid, which smells pretty bad, and lingers.

I use a heatmat, as mine are from Vietnam. Anything below 22C and they tend not to be very surface active. 

I've written a care sheet on them in the care section if you need any other advice.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Hi mate, yes, I spotted the CS, here


http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/invert-care/89957-whip-scorpion-care-sheet.html

I have had two before, I got them from Virgina Cheesman, and they died after a day or two.

I think they decicated.

I used a heat mat on the bottom.

Maybe if I go for one of these, I should forget the heat mat.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

enlightenment said:


> Hi mate, yes, I spotted the CS, here
> 
> 
> http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/invert-care/89957-whip-scorpion-care-sheet.html
> ...


I'd use a heatmat, they wont dessicate because of a heatmat - that suggests something else to me tbh. Use a deep substrate of around 6" at least, and use a heatmat to heat that underneath the substrate. I use coir block, leaf litter and spaghnum moss. Aim for a humidity of around 80% at all times, and make sure that you sometimes soak the substrate so that it wets to a depth (rather than just misting the suface). 

If you dont heat them, they really wont be active at all. Communal set ups are fine, just provide them with lots of cover and space. I leave food items in for them at all times; tiny collembolans etc. They are not the sort of invert that you can place food in and expect them to attack there and then. 

I bought mine from Virginia, just try to get her to tell you the species name, as it's very difficult to identify them without a locality and adult specimens. She says they are CB, but I am dubious, as she was unable to give me a localilty of origin, at least for the two I bought from her.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ah mate, it was this I got, instead.

Quite big it is, as well.


Close up of a Tail-less Whip Scorpion - Tail-less Whip Scorpion

Didn't get it from EP though, got it from Serpentus, in Dunfermline.

Very good people they are at that shop, I have to say.


Steve


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

Hehe, nice one. 

I actually saw the two in that very shop -That shop is awesome isnt it? I like the large enclosures, very cool set ups. 

Just the one? Or a communal set up?

Either way, enjoy; If you need any advice, I have Peter Weygoldt's book on them, and he's reknowned as the world expert. He has some good tips for set ups. Just keep the humidty high, and keep them quite dark and they should settle in nicely.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

GRB said:


> Hehe, nice one.
> 
> I actually saw the two in that very shop -That shop is awesome isnt it? I like the large enclosures, very cool set ups.
> 
> ...


Yes, the shop is nice, Ryan was really friendly.

I had the mrs and the dog waiting in the car.

"I'll be 5mins", I told her.

*I was half an hour! *

I was enjoying myself.:no1:

I just got one, the larger of the two.

I'm in Dunfermline, btw, you are in St Andrews, yes?


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

Yeah, I study at the Uni. I'm originally from North Berwick (20 mins outside Edinburgh - Not the one in the borders...). 

It's a cool shop, I love the giant bamboo roots they have in.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

They are going to put an ad on there, for the Orange Baboon T (female), that I want to sell/trade. 

So, yes, very helpful, all round.

Steve


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Ha ha, so much for these being nocturnal feeders only.

I have my lights on, and I am presently watching the tail less whip scorpion take down a brown cricket, and munch it.

Okay, he is doing it behind something, but still....


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

enlightenment said:


> Ha ha, so much for these being nocturnal feeders only.
> 
> I have my lights on, and I am presently watching the tail less whip scorpion take down a brown cricket, and munch it.
> 
> Okay, he is doing it behind something, but still....


Nice! I have never seen mine become active during the day, and they are really skittish; then again, mine are juveniles...

They are fantastic arent they? I'd love to study them at some point in the future.


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

I think they are maybe more interesting than the Vinegaroon, least in some respects.

I was offered a 'large' one today (Vinegaroon), and was told that it was 4-5cm, which does not seem v large to me, surely they are larger than that?

I am going to Prague for a week soon, so will have to think of a method to keep the humidity levels up in the Tailess Whip Scorps tank, and that of my other inverts, for the period that I am away.

Right now, I just do it by spray misting the tank, but of course, I will not be able to do that when I am away for the week.

Any thoughts?


Steve


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

enlightenment said:


> I think they are maybe more interesting than the Vinegaroon, least in some respects.
> 
> I was offered a 'large' one today (Vinegaroon), and was told that it was 4-5cm, which does not seem v large to me, surely they are larger than that?
> 
> ...


I use a mister on a timer when I have to leave high humidity requiring sp for more than a few days.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

enlightenment said:


> I think they are maybe more interesting than the Vinegaroon, least in some respects.
> 
> I was offered a 'large' one today (Vinegaroon), and was told that it was 4-5cm, which does not seem v large to me, surely they are larger than that?
> 
> ...


Vinegaroons for the most part as not large arachnids. I think something like 90% of them are under 5cm in size, including the flagellae (tail). The biggest is Mastigoproctus gigantus, at a hefty 6cm+ body size or so, but most are smaller. I think mine have an adult size of 5cm. 

I find my vinegaroons intersting, its just trying to get the conditions right that determines how much they will wander - and I also try for a natural set up with lots of hides, so I dont see them that often mainly due to that. They like to burrow, which often makes observation harder, but I like a challenge.

Just make sure you find out its species name, or at very least its genus and locality. Its practically impossible to tell what species they are from how they look (especially as juveniles). They tend not to be tremendously long lived, so if its an adult, you might get 4 years or so, depending on how old it is already. They dont moult as adults as far as i'm aware, so be careful handling them. 

As for misting, a timer like Roy mentioned would be ideal. Otherwise, you could always just give the substrate a real soaking before you go. It's far from ideal, but at least the humidity is unlikely to drop to low levels whilst you are away.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Failin that, hook up a Big or Little dripper, usually used on chams etc but works fine for inverts aswell


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## enlightenment (Dec 14, 2006)

Okay, thanks, I will figure something out.

Steve


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