p. imperator help

[Rebecca Burrett]

ive got a pandinus imperator, that hasnt been acting right, she cant use 2of her legs properly and uses her tail to push her self around, ive ruled out dehydration and have changed and cleaned the enclosue. She also rubs her tail on her body. The male ive noticed has part of its sting broken at the tip so was wandering if he has somehow stung her? if so any suggestions on what to do?

[Colin D Wilson]

I would have an educated guess the the immobility is due to the effects of the barb entering the body as opposed to the effects of any venom entering the body if it's only a few legs that pose the problem, venom effects would be consistent with the whole body shutting down.
If you can get her out of the tanks and inspect her for puncture wounds, more than likely in between her dorsal plates half way down (in between the main plate (where her eyes are) and the base of her tail, this is where the dorsal ambulatory nerve endings are at the uppermost to the exoskeleton).
I find a smooth surface and insulating tape (to hold her down temperarily) to be the best idea.
If you find a puncture wound, a small blob of petroleum jelly will prevent foriegn objects getting in, (presumably if the areas clean for a start, if not a cotton bud and some clean waterwill do the trick).
If you can see the end of the "stinger barb" in the wound then you can CAREFULLY try and remove it with a pair of flat ended tweezers.
if the puncture wound's in any of the plates then removal with the tweezers and covering with petroleum jelly is the same option.
If she was flipped over and stung in the ventral area, more than likely just behind the sternum plate (which is, in general, softer) then the barb may be further inside the body and unrecoverable unfortunately.
I would isolate her and raise the temp a couple of degrees to increase metabolic rate for healing, obviousley keeping an eye on her for, hopefully, increased mobility.
His barb should be regerated at next moult so no real worries there, imperators don't really use their sting for feeding so he should be ok.

Keep us posted with news Rebecca

[Rebecca Burrett]

update: Moved her into a new pot, and pumped up the humidity a bit, whilst i had her out i got a magnifing glass to check for any puncutre marks or stinger on her which there wasnt.
I was wandering if it could be some thing to do with this

This appeared on the telson nothing was found in the pot after it appeared, and has only recently began acting odd.

[Colin D Wilson]

Not quite sure what the reference is to due to the slight blurring...
Is it the pitted appearence on the telson, or the white substance to the rear.

[Rebecca Burrett]

apoligies its the pitted bit on the telson i learnt what the white stuff is.
It started off small and increased to that size and stayed there.
There was no fluid leaking nor did i find something that shouldnt of been there.
This happened no more than a yr ago, it never bothered her and she was at the time in full health.
Ive been keeping my eye on her and noticed she sat in the same place all yesturday {i thought she was dead till i touched her}, shes not eating properly aswell.

[Colin D Wilson]

When was the last time she moulted and what size is she now?
I've noticed with a few of mine that they get a little frayed around the edges as it were before a moult (although not so pitted and sunken as your example)

I have to say my thoughts are persuaded towards some form of infection / toxic material exposure, or to a form of internal parasite (adults have been mostly wild caught), both would, in the long run, cause mobility issues.

[Rebecca Burrett]

when i got her three years ago i was told she was wc and fully grown she has not moulted in my care, since ive had her.

[Colin D Wilson]

That generally indicates that she's fully grown then.
If she's WC and you've had her for three years then it may be that she's about at the end i'm sorry to say.
These scorps tend to reach maturity at about 4 years in the wild and live to the average age of 8 years (obviously with exeptions either way, and there's no guarantee of her age when you got her)
without looking at the animal in the flesh as it were, i would say old age is the most realistic of all the options i could give...sorry

[Rebecca Burrett]

thankyou, for your help. shame she was my first arahnid.

[James Box]

i've had a couple P Imperators pass on. it's sad to see a pet go!
my sympathies if worse comes to worse!