# Desert Scorpion Substrate



## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

For those of you that keep desert burrowing species of scorpions, how do you mix your substrate? I was planning an eco earth/sand mixture - more sand than eco earth but am thinking would it be better to use excavator clay instead of sand or using a sand & excavator clay mixture, would this be okay with desert species, am thinking it would probably hold the shape of their burrows better? What do you think?


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## chalky76 (Aug 23, 2007)

AilsaM said:


> For those of you that keep desert burrowing species of scorpions, how do you mix your substrate? I was planning an eco earth/sand mixture - more sand than eco earth but am thinking would it be better to use excavator clay instead of sand or using a sand & excavator clay mixture, would this be okay with desert species, am thinking it would probably hold the shape of their burrows better? What do you think?



I use sand and eco earth (or similar). I also use appropriate sized plastic tubing for them to tunnel in.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

60/40 sand to eco earth mix


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Thanks for that, I've found stuff am gonna try, lucky reptile desert bedding, been chatting with people who use this so am gonna give it a try, it's already premixed so saves me buying sand/excavator clay.


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2013)

selina20 said:


> 60/40 sand to eco earth mix


Yep thats a perfect mix. Make sure its damp when you put it in and really compact it down before leaving to dry for a good few days. You should find you've got perfect burrowing material like that.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

chalky76 said:


> I use sand and eco earth (or similar). I also use appropriate sized plastic tubing for them to tunnel in.


Do you prefer doing this instead of them digging their own tunnels? The species I'm getting are mad wee burrowers and can't wait to watch it digging its tunnels.



FrozenReptile said:


> Yep thats a perfect mix. Make sure its damp when you put it in and really compact it down before leaving to dry for a good few days. You should find you've got perfect burrowing material like that.


Will keep this in mind, this wont be my only scorpion probably lol.


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2013)

Regarding the burrow, simply give them a starting point in the form of a hide. One of the new exo terra skulls would make an interesting hide in such a set up and the scorpion is likely to start a burrow from a hide.


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## antcherry88 (Mar 28, 2011)

AilsaM said:


> Thanks for that, I've found stuff am gonna try, lucky reptile desert bedding, been chatting with people who use this so am gonna give it a try, it's already premixed so saves me buying sand/excavator clay.


I've been using it for ages with mine and it's really good. Sand and eco earth has collapsed on me a couple of times. Put the desert bedding in damp and in a week or two when the scorps dug it's burrows it'll be dried hard.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

FrozenReptile said:


> Regarding the burrow, simply give them a starting point in the form of a hide. One of the new exo terra skulls would make an interesting hide in such a set up and the scorpion is likely to start a burrow from a hide.


Might add a hide but am wanting to keep it natural looking, wood and stones and some fake grass if I can find some, I'll pop a couple of smallish stones under one end of the bit of wood so it can get under it.



antcherry88 said:


> I've been using it for ages with mine and it's really good. Sand and eco earth has collapsed on me a couple of times. Put the desert bedding in damp and in a week or two when the scorps dug it's burrows it'll be dried hard.


Thanks for that, I'm wanting to use something which will hold the shape of their burrows.

The stuff comes in bags - is it damp in the bag or is it dry? First scorpion you see and if it's damp I'll have to use a temp enclosure until it dries out.


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## antcherry88 (Mar 28, 2011)

AilsaM said:


> Thanks for that, I'm wanting to use something which will hold the shape of their burrows.
> 
> The stuff comes in bags - is it damp in the bag or is it dry? First scorpion you see and if it's damp I'll have to use a temp enclosure until it dries out.


It's dampish out the bag but is fine to use straight away. Burrowing scorpions need damp substrate to encourage burrowing and in my experience desert hairys take weeks to establish themselves in a tank. Therefore using a temporary enclosure and then moving it just doubles the time it takes to settle in and is extra stress. Although all the caresheets say they need an arid deasert environment they'll be fine with higher humidity for a few weeks while the substrate dries and I actually believe it to be beneficial as they're more often than not dehydrated when they get to you.

An a related note: It's important to have a damp area within the (well ventilated) enclosure at all times. In the wild they dig burrows meters deep and therefore have access to high humidity areas even if it's very dry at the surface. The two options are to have a 3 meter deep substrate! or to provide a damp area. My scorpions have a tunnel which runs through damp and dry areas of the tank and it sits in both areas to regulate its hydration levels itself.


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## jimmer7 (Jan 19, 2013)

Have a look at tortoise life substrate as we'll.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

antcherry88 said:


> It's dampish out the bag but is fine to use straight away. Burrowing scorpions need damp substrate to encourage burrowing and in my experience desert hairys take weeks to establish themselves in a tank. Therefore using a temporary enclosure and then moving it just doubles the time it takes to settle in and is extra stress. Although all the caresheets say they need an arid deasert environment they'll be fine with higher humidity for a few weeks while the substrate dries and I actually believe it to be beneficial as they're more often than not dehydrated when they get to you.
> 
> An a related note: It's important to have a damp area within the (well ventilated) enclosure at all times. In the wild they dig burrows meters deep and therefore have access to high humidity areas even if it's very dry at the surface. The two options are to have a 3 meter deep substrate! or to provide a damp area. My scorpions have a tunnel which runs through damp and dry areas of the tank and it sits in both areas to regulate its hydration levels itself.


Sorry I should've said the species, it's not a Desert Hairy, I'm getting Opistophthalmus whalbergi (Whalbergs Scorpion) - an African burrowing species from Southern Africa, their natural habitat is dry and arid much like desert areas but not fully sandy desert, the natural soil is quite sandy.


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## antcherry88 (Mar 28, 2011)

AilsaM said:


> Sorry I should've said the species, it's not a Desert Hairy, I'm getting Opistophthalmus whalbergi (Whalbergs Scorpion) - an African burrowing species from Southern Africa, their natural habitat is dry and arid much like desert areas but not fully sandy desert, the natural soil is quite sandy.


Sorry, I'm sure I read desert hairy! lol.

But anyway the same applies. I've got tri-coloured as well and keep them the same as desert hairy with slightly more frequent watering.


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## Guest (Aug 6, 2013)

antcherry88 said:


> An a related note: It's important to have a damp area within the (well ventilated) enclosure at all times. In the wild they dig burrows meters deep and therefore have access to high humidity areas even if it's very dry at the surface. The two options are to have a 3 meter deep substrate! or to provide a damp area. My scorpions have a tunnel which runs through damp and dry areas of the tank and it sits in both areas to regulate its hydration levels itself.



Moisture is always problematic with desert hairies as they're so prone to mycosis. Most keepers keep them bone dry, introducing a small water bowl for a few days, once a fortnight.

Alternatively you can place an inch thick layer of pebbles or fish tank gravel stuff along the bottom of the viv with a tube leading through the sand down to it, and every so often (I'm talking once every 5-6 weeks) run a little bit of bottom and works its way up.
water down the tube to create a source of moisture which starts at the 
Desert hairies manage their temp and humidty through their burrows, often multi chambered they will dig deeper for cooler, more humid areas, and shallower for drier, warmer areas.


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