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The nematodes:

The scorpions are naturally parasitized in their land of origin by various nematodes, they are the small ones towards which, most of the time, doesn't make problem. Only, the various stresses generated by the capture, the travel and the captivity, weaken the defensive systems of the scorpion and at this time there, the parasites take the top and manage to kill their host.

There is alas, no means of knowing if your scorpion is parasitized or not, according to some researchers 2/3 of the scorpions taken in nature would be carrying these parasites. It is not possible to manage an unspecified purging with the scorpion in order to eliminate these nematodes.

The acarina :

The acarina are the parasites most usually meet on the scorpions. Whether it is in natural environments or breeding. For most of the time it is not necessary to worry, however acarina are much more aggressive than others and come to place themselves on the level of the chelicera and on the articulations of the various appendices of the scorpion. Now we suppose that these parasites prick the skin in order to be nourished. It is possible besides that the acarina, by their puncture, weaken the scorpion and that they can to also bring diseases them. These acarina seem indifferent to the nature of the substrate used, but proliferous in tropical terrariums (wet and hot).

It's very difficult to get rid of these acarina. The changes of substrate and the cleaning of terrariums do nothing but slow down the development of the eradic population but it step. We tested several solutions with more or less success. The first consists in whitewashing the places where places the acarina on the scorpions, with household soap. It is then necessary to insulate the scorpion in a pot with slightly wet paper absorbing during a few times. Another solution was to get other acarina (Hypoaspis miles & Hypoaspis aculeifer) to us... But those are the predatory ones, and attack the other acarina. According to various tests in various stockbreeders, the tests one were rather very conclusive, but that did not prevent the acarina from returning by the means of the crickets raised in great quantity and sold in the trade to nourish the animals.

The phorid flies :

Phorid flies are small flies of the size of a drosophila. It is not too this fly which worry us but his larva. Indeed, this larva is carnivorous, contrary to the larvae of the drosophilas which them are frugivorous. The phorides are generally involuntarily imported with the cricket's box bought in the trade. These flies will cause damage at the time of the moults of scorpion. The flies comes to lay an egg on the new skin and far from solid from the scorpion, the larva will leave this egg in very little time and will begin carnage. This larva will perforate the skin of the scorpion and will devour it interior, and like the fly laid several tens of eggs, the larvae spend only a few hours to empty a scorpion of average size.

On the first pictures you have the difference between a phorid flies and a drosophila, on the second here the result at the moment of the moult of one Centruroides margaritatus.

Our subjects have some times of the troubles which can degenerate. With these pages it will be easier to you of given for which reason a specimen does not go well, and can be to help you to look after it.