~~~~~ Buthacus spp ~~~~~

Name - Distribution

- Buthacus arenicola (Simon, 1885) - Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia
- Buthacus leptochelys (H. & E., 1829) - Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Erythrea, Iraq, Iran, Israel,
-----------------------------------------------------------Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Quatar, Sudan, Syria, Chad

(Underlined countries correspond to the countries of origin of the specimens kept by the author)

Description

Terrarium

Buthacus spp usually benefit from the stones, pieces of wood or other refuses put in the terrarium, to dig below and hide there. Thus, there is no need to pre-dig the substrate under these hiding places, the scorpion will take care of this quickly. There is also no need to spend too much time on arranging the inside of the terrarium, since these great burrowing scorpions will take a malicious pleasure to put all out of order as soon as the first night !

A drinking trough is not essential since the high temperature induces the evaporation of the water, its condensation on the walls, and thus a high hygrometry (harmful to these scorpions) in the terrarium if this last is not sufficiently ventilated.

Temperature - Hygrometry

Temperature must be high to enable the Buthacus spp development and breeding. During the day, a temperature of 30-35°C will be enough for a Buthacus, and it will be necessary to lower this temperature by about ten degrees during the night (20-25°C). A resting phase can also be provided to these scorpions which, in their natural environment, winter several months during the year. Thus, the scorpion will be maintained at 15°C for one or two months, without food and always in a dry place (so, not in the cellar !). This period, very favourable to the development, the longevity and the breeding of many desert species, is not easily realizable in captivity and is not essential.

The Buthacus spp seem to be very sensitive to mycosis, and a too high hygrometry can cause their appearance on the scorpion, often leading to its death quite quickly. Thus, the substrate must be completely dry, and some little pulverizations one or twice per month in bottom of one of the walls will enable the scorpion to drink (the major part of water necessary to the scorpion being already provided by the preys). On the other hand, it seems that females need a little more water during gestation.

Food

These species of little size will logically eat preys of little size : thus, crickets and young cockroaches will be an excellent food. A young specimen must be fed at a rate of a young cricket or a young cockroach one to twice per week, and an adult or subadult specimen can be fed at a rate of young cricket every week or every two weeks. Be careful, if the prey is not consumed in the two days following its introduction in the terrarium, it must be removed, the scorpion probably preparing a molt.

Breeding

Breeding seems to be quite easy. The presence of a flat stone is essential for the hemispermatophore fixing. The two sexes cohabit without problem, even once the female is impregnated. The gestation period and the brood size have not been observed yet nor found by the author in the available bibliography.

Growth - Longevity

Sociability

Buthacus spp, when they have enough hiding places at their disposal and if they are sufficiently fed, seem to be usually rather sociable, this whatever the instar of the scorpions (of course, these last have to be at the same instar to be able to cohabit). Scorpions from a same brood are the most appropriate for being kept together.

And as previously said, an adult couple put together for mating will be able to cohabit without any problem. However, it is advised to remove the male from the terrarium before the female gives birth, this last being able to eat its brood following the stress caused by the presence of the male.

Behaviour

Toxicity