Scorpions

 

  
 

Scorpions are fascinating and ancient creatures which, regardless of their country of origin all share the same morphology (look the same) with the now famous curled up stinging tail and large front claws.

All scorpions contain a sting in their tail and the strength of the venom varies incredibly between species. The ones kept as pets tend to have the weakest stings and it can be compared to something like a wasp sting or hornet sting - still not something you want to be stung by!

 

 

  
 

There are a few scorpions such as the Australian Androctonus australis which can prove fatal and should be avoided at all costs. If you intend keeping scorpions as pets make sure they are the safe ones.

There are around 1400 - 1500 hundred known species of carnivorous scorpions in the world, mostly they come from desert regions and tropical rainforests but they are also found in cooler climates including the UK. There are over 30 species in Australia.

Scorpions are often referred to as insects, this is not actually the case. In reality all scorpions belong to a group of mostly terrestrial (land living) creatures officially classified as Arachnida (sub group Scorpions).

 

  
 

 

The Arachnid group also contains the order Araneae (spiders), Uropygi (whip scorpions), Amblypygi (tailless whip scorpions) and Solifugae (sun spiders) as well as one or two other orders which are less kept by the hobbyist.

Scorpions in the wild are very resilient and can go without food and water for months on end seemingly without any detriment. When kept as pets though they should have ample food available for their requirements otherwise they may start to eat each other, they can be kept in small groups of up to 4 providing they have ample food, floor space and hiding places.

 

  
 

Basic Requirements

If you are about to get a scorpion, you need to make sure you have the basic requirements, before you even bring them home! Here is a list of the basic requirements for any scorpions.

  • Vivarium or enclosure
  • Heat lamp
  • Reptile based light/fluro
  • Substrate (sand w/bark etc)
  • Large Water Bowl
  • Food

 

  
 

Optional Requirements

  • Indoor Reptile Cage
  • Aquarium backgrounds
  • Plastic vines and plants
  • Ornaments
  • Drift wood

 

  
 

Breakdown

Suitable For People Aged:
Experience Required:
Feeding Care Time Required:
Maintenance Time Required:
Minimum Space Required:
Cost of Upkeep: (approx)
Life Span: (approx)
Availability:


 

15 & Over VENOMOUS
Preferable Other Invertebrates
10 Min a Day
1/2 Hour a Week
Vivarium
$2 per week
Up to 5 Years
All Year

 

  
 

Scorpion Care Sheet

To read our care sheet, simply click the link above to open it in your browser. However, if you want to download it to your computer for future reference, simply 'right click' on the document and select "Save Target As...". Then simply choose a location (like your desktop) to save. You will need Acrobat to read and print these documents.