A coastal burrowing scorpion

[Mark Newton]

This is an adult female Urodacus novaehollandiae I have had since March last year. She lives quite happily inside a takeaway size food container. The container has a hollow log with a peat/soil mix kept slightly damp, the container is pretty well sealed off.
She is reaching parturition, I'd say it will be March some time when she has the young. When I first got her she weighed 2.35g, she now weighs 3.45g, a weight increase of nearly 50%. Quite a neat scorpion, she is about 80-90mm in length.
This species is an obligate burrower living coastally and sometimes within metres of lapping waves. In South Australia they tend to occupy shell grit soils rich in decaying organic matter.

 

[kakariki]

Wow, love the pic. What is the best scorp for absolute beginners? My partner would like to get some.

 

[Mark Newton]

There are a few scorpions relatively easy to keep, not all readily available in pet shops though. Urodacus manicatus and Urodacus elongatus are simple enough, as are the rainforest scorpions such as Liocheles waigiensis. The spider hunting scorpion, Isometroides vescus are also easy to keep as are the salt lake scorpions, Australobuthus xerolimniorum, I have the latter available, PM me if interested.

cheers

 

[hornet]

great pic mark, they are an awsome species, that a Sa or WA form?

 

[Mark Newton]

great pic mark, they are an awsome species, that a Sa or WA form?

SA form....