whip scorpions (Damon variegatus)

[Poepstring]

Hey guys,

Just wonderin if any one here has any knowledge on keeping & breeding these critters?
I'm planning on getting some again, had a few a good couple of years ago but I'm not sure if they will still be legal to keep?

Back in the day we kept a few communal & hoped for the best re breeding, but has anyone determined how to sex them & perhaps determined lifespans?

thanx

[F1refly]

There was a article a few months back in Ultimate Exotics, which has quite a cult following. Otherwise, contact www.petbugs.co.za They've had the best success since Matt dissapeared

[Poepstring]

Thanx a lot!

will check it out.

[Ceratogyrus]

They are legal to keep and do quite well in a communal.
Try keep them pretty warm as they originate from Limpopo and if possible a little on the moister side.
I have often found these on the embankments of river beds under rocks in leaf litter.
They breed really easily as well. The female will carry her eggs in a pouch under her body until the little ones are ready to emerge.
Bred them a few times a few years back, but haven't kept any for a while.
Is there any specific questions you would like the answers to?

[Zohar]

OMG! I just Googled images for this out of curiosity and I can't believe what I'm seeing. I have killed countless of these thinking that they are harmful spiders. They plague my yard and my house!

[Lachdanan]

I have killed countless of these thinking that they are harmful spiders.

I have to say, i have not yet come across a harmful spider in my life

[Zohar]

I just had the thrill of my life! I went behind my garage to look for these scorpions and I find a Green Tree Snake instead! A small little thing and quite a few sheds there so she's living there definitely feeding on the abundance of geckos.

And yes... I found at least ten scorpions. Got one to go into a bucket and took a pic then set him back with the rest, now that I know what they are I will allow them to thrive in my back yard!

[Poepstring]

@ Zohar,

you don't need a bucket to pick these up. lol.
They are really harmless far less than any other scary looking bug!

@Ceratogyrus
Thanx, will defenately do so.
I can recall that I used to find them on the Zim & SA sides about 15KM away from the river beds, especially in Tshipize. they were plenty!
It was almost always in Winter when I did some herping up there & mostly dry, though between the cracks of the limestone rocks it was fairly cool & somewhat moist..
I never had the honor to breed them yet I never found a female carrying babies / eggs either.

Any idea to tell the sex Diffs on these?

[Zohar]

@ Zohar,

you don't need a bucket to pick these up. lol.
They are really harmless far less than any other scary looking bug!

Are you sure? Aren't they venomous at all?

Oh and by the way, initially the bucket was for the snake!

[F1refly]

Nope, not venomous at all. They look freaky and such but are really utterly harmless.

I need to get some again now that I know how to take care of them

[Lillypod]

I want some too, they freaky looking, but I really like them now that I understand them better

[Zohar]

The one in the picture I posted is a female I assume because it is much bigger than the others present in between the tiles stacked behind my garage... It has this stunning orange colour on its back, not like the others. It probably is carrying eggs awaiting the upcoming summer. If you guys would like these please let me know and I will catch them for you. This probably isn't the best idea but at least you will be able to document these as Verulam, Durban specimens and I think most of you will give them suitable homes... much better than they have now. I am just too concerned that my gardener will kill them as soon as he sees them so please let me know if you would like to have these!

[Poepstring]

Would love them, but how do I get them from DBN?

My time is normally just a few days in SA, and I doubt my vertical camel (Yup, my wife is pregnant will take a stroll down to DBN.
BTW, where in DBN are you based?
If I had the guts, I'd ask my M.I.L. to go past there on her broom.

sending you a pm...

[Ceratogyrus]

I really can't remember how to tell the sex on these.
I might be mistaken, but think that the species from Durban area is Damon annulitipes (From my terrible memory, but can't seem to find the name anywhere, unless I have butchered the spelling or they have done some revision)
Will look around a bit more...

[Ceratogyrus]

I butchered the name.
It should be Damon annulatipes.
Pretty sure that is the species down in KZN.