Scorpions As Pets

[cmfoggy]

Hi everyone

My daughter is turning 16 tomorrow and all she wanted was a pet scorpion, which we bought for her.

She feeds it grass hoppers, what can we do to make it feel at home in its new enclosure.

All it has is a small glass house, some red dirt, a rock and a lid with a wet cotton ball in it.

Here is a pic of it.

cheers

 

[TylerFerretLord]

I strongly suggest to get it a cave of some sort, such as those bark arches used for reptiles. It will feel much safer if it can hide.

 

[Esfa]

The pic aint hsowing for me. dunno why.

But 1st off, we need to know what specied you have. they all have different needs.

 

[Colin_T]

give it a cave and get a blue light for it. They glow at night under actinic lights.
You can also feed it different types of bugs. They will eat virtually anything they can catch.

 

[cmfoggy]

Thanks Colin_T

We will definatley get a cave, could we get blue lights from a pet shop?

thanks again

cheers

 

[Colin_T]

Yes blue lights are available from any pet or aquarium shop. They are called “actinics” and are used on marine tanks to make corals glow.
Some hardwares sell small compact fluorescent versions as well.
Have a chat to your LFS and see what they have. Then check out the hardware and see what they have.
Maybe take the scorpion into the LFS and try out a blue light on it. You should notice a slight green iridescence on its back.

 

[Esfa]

What species is it?

 

[AshMashMash]

I dont know what species this is, but be very careful. It has small pincers, which means it probably has potent venom.

I am be no means an expert (haha), but it looks a bit like a 'deathstalker'... which is very dangerous.

It does look like a desert species, so dry conditions, a heat mat on the SIDE of the tank set to about 30C on the warm side, 25 on the cool. The heat mat should NOT go under the tank, as they burrow to cool down. Wide shallow water bowl, feed 1-2 crickets, morio worms, meal worms, or other insects a week. Have at least a few hides for it, 2/3, in warm and cool areas of the tank.

Dont light it every night with acitnics, some sources say this damages them. Do it as a one off to see it if you wish.

Until you know the species, wish I guess you dont, DONT handle. Use tongs and a box to move about.

 

[Saedcantas]

Looks like the "Arizona desert hairy scorpion" or Hadrurus arizonensis to me
H. arizonensis

It would probably prefer tighter spaces than the average shop bought "cave" low curved pieces of bark nabbed off some dead trees or branches tend to be favoured in my experience

 

[WILDER]

Awful, so gross.
Don't get the appeal myself should be left in the wild.

 

[Colin_T]

not all scorpions are found in the wild. I always check my bed before getting in and my boots before putting them on. Snakes, spiders and scorpions can all be found in our neighbourhood.
most scorpions don't drink but get their moisture from the food they eat.

 

[WILDER]

Thank god then I don't live in australia.

 

[cheesy feet]

Awful, so gross.
Don't get the appeal myself should be left in the wild.

Don't like scorpions then, eh?

 

[WILDER]

No and they can run look mad with there pinchers in the air.
Don't know much about them, but isn't a tank to small for them, what life do they have in a tank.

 

[WILDER]

Colin you have to check the toilet for spidar and your bed, anything else you have to check on a daily basis.
Tweety in a flap now seeing a scorpion.