Here are tips and facts about scorpions.

 

Why Keep a Pet Scorpion?

  • Fascinating, ancient-looking arthropods

  • Quiet, odorless, and very clean

  • Extremely low space requirements

  • Minimal daily care

  • Excellent display animals

⚠️ Downsides:

  • Venomous (some species medically significant)

  • Not handleable

  • Mostly nocturnal and secretive

  • Can be defensive if disturbed

2. Best Scorpion Species for Pets (Beginner-Friendly)

⭐ Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus spp.)

  • Large, glossy black

  • Generally calm for a scorpion

  • Mild venom

  • Great beginner display species

🌿 Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator)

  • One of the most popular pet scorpions

  • Large, slow-moving

  • Mild venom

  • Requires higher humidity

🍂 Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis)

  • Largest North American scorpion

  • Hardy and active

  • Prefers dry, desert setups

  • Mild venom

🌸 Striped Bark Scorpion (Centruroides spp.)

  • Smaller and fast

  • Excellent climbers

  • Stronger venom (display only)

  • Better for experienced keepers

3. Enclosure Setup (Very Important)

🏠 Size Rule

  • Floor space matters more than height

  • Enclosure length: at least 2–3× scorpion body length

  • Height should be low to prevent falls

🪵 Interior

  • Deep substrate (3–5 inches) for burrowing

  • Cork bark or flat rock hides

  • Secure, escape-proof lid

  • Minimal décor

🌡️ Temperature

  • Most species: 75–90°F (24–32°C)

  • Use a heat mat on the side, never underneath

💧 Humidity

  • Tropical species: 70–85%

  • Desert species: 30–50%

  • Keep part of the enclosure dry

4. Feeding Your Scorpion 🍽️

What They Eat

Live prey only:

  • Crickets

  • Roaches

  • Mealworms / superworms

  • Occasional waxworms

Feeding Schedule

  • Juveniles: every 2–3 days

  • Adults: every 5–7 days

💡 Prey should be no larger than the scorpion’s body length.

5. Molting (Critical Knowledge ⚠️)

Scorpions molt several times as they grow.

Before molting:

  • Stop eating

  • Become sluggish

  • Hide more frequently

Rules:
❌ Do NOT disturb
❌ Do NOT feed
❌ Do NOT dig them up

Improper humidity can cause fatal molts.

6. Handling & Behavior

🚫 Scorpions should NOT be handled

They may:

  • Threat pose with raised pincers and tail

  • Strike defensively

  • Sting when stressed

🟡 Most beginner species have mild venom, but stings are painful.

7. Lifespan & Growth

  • Lifespan: 3–8 years (species dependent)

  • Slow-growing

  • Females often live longer

8. Common Mistakes (Avoid These)

❌ Handling
❌ Overly tall enclosures
❌ Incorrect humidity
❌ Leaving live prey during molts
❌ Insecure lids
❌ Housing multiple scorpions together

9. Health & Signs of Trouble

  • Constant surface roaming → stress or wrong humidity

  • Refusing food → premolt or aging

  • Curling tail tightly → stress

  • Failed molt → enclosure issues

10. Are Scorpions Good Pets?

✅ Great if you want:

  • A low-maintenance display animal

  • Something unique and ancient-looking

  • Long-lived invertebrate pet

❌ Not ideal if you want:

  • Handling

  • Daytime activity

  • A pet safe for kids

  • Multiple scorpions together (often aggressive or cannibalistic)

11. Fun Scorpion Facts

  • Glow under UV light

  • Have existed for over 400 million years

  • Can slow their metabolism dramatically

  • Mothers carry babies on their backs

  • Some species can survive months without food