How to Pick Up a Scorpion

Ever wondered how to pick up a scorpion? Any pet that lives in a contained environment, whether it’s a traditional glass tank, a specialty vivarium, or even a wire or mesh cage, will need its enclosure cleaned from time to time. Because this is also true of venomous pet scorpions, this blog entry will demonstrate how to pick up and handle your scorpion when the time comes to remove it from its enclosure.

First of all, most people who keep scorpions as pets are aware that these invertebrates are not domesticated animals and are generally best left to their own devices. Scorpions are not pets that should be handled, petted, or otherwise coddled like traditional pets. They do best when observed and not disturbed. In other words, Backwater Reptiles does not recommend taking your scorpion out of its enclosure unless it’s necessary for the animal’s health.

When you pick up your scorpion, grab it at the tip of the tail just beneath the stinger using your index finger and thumb. This will prevent the animal from whipping its tail and injecting you with venom.

how to pick up a scorpion
Use two fingers to firmly yet gently grip the tip of the scorpion’s tail when attempting to move the animal. We squeeze on either side, just below the stinger.

Once you have a firm but not too tight grasp on the tip of the scorpion’s tail, gently but efficiently lift the animal up and transfer it to your desired destination. Be aware that the animal will more than likely wriggle, so it’s wise to move quickly for your own safety and to eliminate stressing the scorpion.

Bulky and hefty scorpions such as the Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus longimanus) or the Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator) are easiest to move using the two finger grab method because in general they are slower and less feisty than other species.

If you’re dealing with a species such as the Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis) that tend to be rather aggressive, we advise using tongs or tweezers. This is because when the scorpion species is more agile, it can reach around with its front pedipalps or pincer claws and pinch your fingers, which is not a pleasant experience.

Handling a scorpion
Use tongs or tweezers when picking up feisty scorpion species such as this Desert Hairy Scorpion. Their claws can reach back above them.

If you’re interested in a pet scorpion of your own, Backwater Reptiles offers a variety of scorpion species for sale.

Have you developed any tricks for picking up your pet scorpion that we didn’t mention? Let us know your experiences in the comments!

Backwater Reptiles Q&A Session

We recently gave our customers and fans the opportunity to ask us anything about reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates via our Facebook page. The results are in and now we are answering the top two questions.

reptile faq

Question One from R. Lorenz

“About what age do bearded dragons reach sexual maturity? I have two, a four year old male and a 6 month old – who up until last week was by all external signs a female. Very submissive, waving and bobbing and baring the throat, then all of a sudden it started displaying a black beard and the glands on its pelvis are just now starting to show (barely pin points that weren’t there before). The only time any aggression is shown to the adult beardie (who is not aggressive towards the baby at all other than defending himself) is in their mutual basking spot. Anywhere else in the house and the baby is still submissive. They have been together outside the cage (under supervision) and sleeping together since the baby was about 3 months. This just took us by surprise. I have heard of them morphing from one sex to the other, can that really happen?”

Question One Answer

In all of our combined experience at Backwater Reptiles, not a one of us has ever witnessed a Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) swapping gender. However, just because we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

In fact, studies like this one discussed in National Geographic show that gender of Beardies can be swapped based upon temperature…however, this phenomenon only occurred while the lizards were still in their eggs.

Bearded dragons generally reach sexual maturity by eight to twelve months of age. This is the point at which their genders can truly be distinguished. Breeders can use certain tricks to help distinguish between the sexes prior to the sexual maturity mark, but it is not always a guarantee that you will end up with the gender you had in mind if you purchase a lizard prior to the sexual maturity mark.

If the aggression between your male Beardies continues to worsen, sadly, you will have to separate them. You can always try offering a larger enclosure for the two lizards with two separate basking areas first though if you still want to try to keep them housed together.

Question two from M. Zimmerman

“Don’t get me wrong, my Columbian Rainbow Boa, Ssssasha is a very healthy snake. But would it harm my snake if I was to feed it thawed mice with a sprinkle of vitamin/calcium powder? Also would that make her grow quicker and better? Or is it best to just feed her regular thawed mice?”

Question Two Answer

Professional snake breeders and most hobbyists don’t consider it necessary to dust their feeders, whether the snake is eating mice, rats, or even larger mammals like rabbits.

It’s not likely going to harm Ssssasha if you feed her dusted mice, however it’s also unlikely that she will grow any faster.

reptile frequently asked questions
Columbian rainbow boa (Epicrates cenchria)

Snakes get all the nutrition they need from the critters they eat and if you are feeding your Rainbow boa rodents, she should be getting all the proper vitamins and minerals she needs naturally.

Probably more important to Sssssasha’s growth rate and overall health is the amount that she is eating and the frequency that she is offered mice. Most snakes will eat twice a week when they are juveniles and as they mature, they can be fed once per week or even every other week depending on the species. The bottom line is that the more you feed your snake (and this is true of any species not just Columbian rainbow boas), the quicker it will grow.

green anaconda eating
One of our juvenile Green Anacondas (Eunectes murinus) eating a fuzzy.

Thanks to everyone who submitted a question to be answered. We’ll post another question and answer session in the future.

What Do Horned Lizards Eat?

What do Horned lizards eat? That’s a question many well-intentioned reptile hobbyists ask when their pet Horned lizard won’t eat various common feeder insects. As is usually the case, it’s important to educate yourself before you purchase one of these fascinating lizards as a pet. When properly set up, they can make long-lived pet lizards.

“Horned toads,” as they are often called due to their squatty appearance, are members of the Phrynosoma family and are spread across North and Central America. There are thirteen recognized species in all, with most occurring within the United States.

what do horned lizards eat?
Horned lizards prefer to eat ants. They’re a wonderful species but need to be fed correctly for long-term success.

What do Horned Lizards Eat?

The Problem: It’s pretty simple. Generally speaking, Horned lizards eat ants in the wild. Harvester ants are often preferred (be careful, they bite!), but they will consume common black ants as well (not the tiny red ones). Collecting enough ants can be very difficult, although you can attract them with just about any over-ripe fruit. But, there’s a trick that can make things much simpler…

The Solution: The easiest method is to switch them over to appropriately-sized crickets, which most of them will readily do. There’s one very important catch–Horned lizards require formic acid in their diet. They get this from ants in the wild, so it will need to be replaced if you feed them crickets instead. How can this be done? Simple.

Fortunately, we have a supplement available that’s specifically for Horned lizards. It’s a powder that you simply dust feeder insects with, and immediately offer them to your Horned lizard. Presto! You’ve now replaced the formic acid your pet lizard previously derived from consuming ants. You can purchase this product on our Horned lizard page using the drop-down menu on our horned lizard page.

formic acid horned lizard
Formic acid is required in all Horned lizard diets.

Using the above care tips, your pet Horned lizard can enjoy a long lifespan on a formic acid supplemented diet of crickets, mealworms, beetles, and grasshoppers.

We hope our “What do Horned lizards eat?” blog article has helped explain this unique reptile’s specialized diet in a way that is both applicable and relevant to your situation. If you have any questions, just let us know. If you’re ready to keep your own pet Horned lizard, we offer them for sale on our reptile website.

Top Five Snake Myths Debunked

Ever wondered about snake myths–what’s true, what’s not? We know that reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates are not animals that all people would see as suitable pets for many reasons. Maybe these animals are perceived as too dangerous,  too tricky to care for, or even just downright scary to some people.

In this blog article, we’ll lay out the top five most common snake myths we’ve heard and simply debunk them.

Myth #5 – Snakes are slimy

We hear this one a lot, mostly from people who have never handled a snake in real life or have never known anyone who has owned or handled a snake.

snake myths debunked
Baby ball python – definitely not a slimy animal. :)

The truth is, snakes have rather dry skin ranging from rough and semi-serrated in texture like a rattlesnake’s skin or smooth and iridescent like a python or boa. Their skin is definitely NOT slimy.

Myth #4 – A large constrictor snake will gladly eat your infant or small dog

While there have been tales of infants being snatched from cradles or small dogs going missing in wild Floridian neighborhoods, overall the idea that snakes want to seek out and eat our small loved ones (and pets) is just bogus.

boa constrictor eats pet
One of our baby boa constrictors eating a pinkie mouse.

While it is true that certain species of snakes grow large enough to easily consume a baby or chihuahua, if you keep a snake that large in your home, odds are it’s being fed well. Most people keeping snakes that large have plenty of experience with them and know how to handle and maintain them. These animals are offered food regularly and therefore have no reason to escape from their enclosure to terrorize and consume small mammals or people.

Myth #3 – Snakes drink milk

This is a myth that’s been popularized due to images and videos seen from the Indian festival of Nag Panchami where snakes and images of snakes are worshipped.

Snakes are not mammals and therefore have never possessed the ability to digest milk, even at infancy. The reason snakes, often cobras, are seen drinking milk at Nag Panchami is because they are stressed and dehydrated for 30 to 45 days prior to the festival. Wouldn’t you drink milk too if you were that thirsty?

snake drink milk
Don’t give your snake milk to drink.

Another reason this myth might’ve come into existence is because snakes are often times found in barns where cows live. Naturally, people assumed that the snakes were hanging out in the barns to be near where the food/milk was. This is partially true. While snakes are attracted to food in the barn, the food for them is not the milk – it’s the mice, rats, and other small mammals that might take refuge inside the barn. The cows are of no interest to them.

Myth #2 – Snakes can hypnotize

We think the origin of this myth probably has a lot to do with Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book and its various iterations. In the novel, the snake Kaa can hypnotize his prey into his waiting jaws and this is especially highlighted in the animated Walt Disney adaptation where Kaa’s eyes go all spirally and he tries to eat Mowgli. But remember – it is just a story and that Disney movie is just a cartoon. :)

snake hypnotize
Image of Kaa the snake hypnotizing Mowgli in Disney’s “The Jungle Book.”

Snakes also don’t possess eyelids and certain species will sway gently, so it’s easy to see how this behavior could be interpreted as hypnosis. However, just because an animal can’t blink doesn’t mean its trying to coerce you into  being eaten.

Myth #1 – Snakes are scary

This is the only myth that is actually somewhat open to interpretation. While we try to show people the good side of snakes and what cool and interesting creatures they are, some people just have snake phobias, which are, by definition, irrational fears.

scary snakes
Leucistic ball python in a heart shape.

While it is very true that snakes should be respected as predators in the wild, most kept in captivity are no threat to people. Most people are far too big for even an anaconda to eat. And most snakes that are kept as pets are not venomous and don’t even have large fangs to bite with.

By no means are we saying that there aren’t dangerous species of snakes out there, particularly in the wild. But the ones that are commonly kept as pets aren’t out to get you – they won’t chase you or seek you out in your sleep or try to hypnotize you into feeding yourself to them. They’re happy to eat their mice/rats, bask in their heat lamps, be taken out of their cage from time to time, and take refuge in their hidey holes when they don’t feel like being social.

snake myths explained

What did you think of the snake myths we debunked? What snake myths have you heard that we didn’t address?

 

Top Five Most Docile Pet Lizards

Would you like to know which species make the most docile pet lizards? While its true that lizards are not considered domesticated animals, many species are friendly and don’t mind being handled and interacting with their owners. This blog post is about the top five pet lizards we have found to be the most docile in our own experiences.

#5 Most Docile Pet Lizard:

Red, Yellow, and Egyptian Uromastyx Lizards (Uromastyx geyri/aegypticus)

There are many species of Uromastyx or Spiny-Tailed Lizards. At Backwater Reptiles, we’ve found that the readily available yellow and red Nigers are some of the friendliest, as well as Egyptian uromastyx.

most docile pet lizards
Our favorite pet uromastyx species are red and yellow nigers, followed closely by Egyptians. Ornates are an honorable mention though.

Obtaining sizes between ten and eighteen inches in length, these lizards are pretty active and enjoy grazing and roaming their enclosures, so be sure to give them a reasonably spacious enclosure. Egyptian uros reach huge sizes, of 18-24 inches, making them impressive pet lizards.

Feed your Uromastyx leafy greens with the occasional cricket or superworm as a treat. Uros are hearty eaters and some will even become tame enough to eat from your hand.

#4 Most Docile Pet Lizard:

Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)

Most people don’t realize that smaller Green Iguanas can be a bit squirrelly and skittish. This is totally normal and if you handle your lizard enough and socialize it, as it grows it will become very docile. Large iguanas can be trained to walk on a leash, be potty trained, and will usually be comfortable sitting on their owner’s shoulders.

green iguana pet

For the most part, iguanas are vegetarians and should be fed a plant-based diet. However, they will eat protein, although we don’t recommend feeding them insects or other more traditional meat-based food items on a regular basis.

Green Iguanas grow quite large and will reach adult lengths of five to seven feet, so be prepared to maintain a very large enclosure. Also, keep your pet iguanas claws trimmed as they can get sharp.

#3 Most Docile Pet Lizard:

Blue Tongue Skink (Tiliqua sp.)

Blue Tongue Skinks or “Blueys,” as they are affectionately known, are super relaxed pets. Their stumpy legs and sausage-shaped bodies make them slow animals, so picking them up and handling them is very straight forward.

blue tongue skink

Blueys are burrowers, so a very important care requirement for these guys is a substrate that allows for this behavior safely. They should have a hiding spot above their substrate as well, just be sure that it’s not heavy as you don’t want your bluey to burrow underneath and have its hiding place squash or injure the lizard.

Starting with a baby Blue tongue skink is generally recommended, as it can form a bond with you over time, rather than having to adapt to you after years of established routines. However, even adults and recently imported Blue tongues tend to be very calm.

#2 Most Docile Pet Lizard:

Leopard Gecko (Eublepharis macularis)

These little insectivorous geckos are extremely popular due to their simple care requirements and extremely laid-back personalities. Leopard geckos don’t mind being picked up, handled, and even petted. Many are so relaxed that they don’t even mind being “helped along” during the shedding process if they ever need it.

leopard gecko pet

Leopard geckos can also have very long life spans when cared for properly. Some captive animals have been known to live for over twenty years, although six to ten years is far more common. Personally, we’ve never been bit by one.

#1 Most Docile Pet Lizard:

Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps)

Bearded Dragons are very enjoyable pet lizards. Not only are they bred to express various color morphs making them pretty to look at, but they have the personalities of little scaley pigs!

Beardies will eat pretty much any time of day and can easily become fat if you’re not careful. Feeding time for these guys is always a show and they are easily trained to eat out of your hand.

Unlike many lizard species, Beardies will lounge around the house with you. It’s not unusual to have a Beardie sit on your lap or shoulder while you watch TV or work at the computer. Overall, they mostly seem to enjoy interaction with people and even like being petted.

pet bearded dragon
Perhaps the most perfect pet lizard of all, the Bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps).