Tailless Whip Scorpion (Damon diadema)

Tailless Whip Scorpion (Damon diadema)
Also called whip spider or Tanzanian giant tailless whipscorpion. Amblypygi — not a spider and not a scorpion.

An East African cave and crevice hunter from Kenya and Tanzania. The first pair of legs are long sensory “whips.” The pedipalps are raptorial and used to grab prey. No venom. They can pinch. Adults reach a few inches in body length with a much wider whip-span (around 8 inches). They walk sideways, hunt at night, and are generally calm display animals if left alone.

Captive-bred stock is regularly available; wild-caught animals still show up. We will label the source on each animal. Whip legs are fragile and often incomplete until the next molt — that is normal, not a deformity we discount unless the body itself is damaged.

Care overview

Tall, secure enclosure with vertical cork or bark. Height matters more than floor space. Keep one to an enclosure unless you have a lot of cover and are watching them. Substrate that holds some moisture (coco fiber is fine). Mid-70s °F, humidity around 65–80%, good airflow so it does not stay soggy. Mist the walls so they can drink droplets; a tiny shallow dish is optional.

Feed appropriately sized live crickets or roaches when they are active. Remove leftovers. No calcium or vitamin dusting. Do not handle the whips.

No UVB required.