- Caring for your Scorpions
Introduction
Scorpions are the most ancient lineage of terrestrial higher
animals (metazoans) known, with fossils dating back to the Silurian
era 400+ millions of years ago. Though diverse in their habitats
Scorpions as a group possess an easily recognised form or 'morphology'.
They are all fascinating, and a number make excelent pets because
they are relatively easy to keep. They will live a number of
years, for the larger species more than 6 years, and in many
cases can often be kept in small groups unlike other invertebrate
carnivores.
Most of the 1 500 known species come from hot and dry (i.e. arid)
environments, though many of the best species to keep as pets
come from tropical rainforests, some species can go months without
water, and even longer without food, though it is not good to
stress them like this.
Most of the species which make good pets can not climb the sides
of Glass Tanks or 'Small Pal Pens', in fact there is a general
rule of thumb that says; "If a scorpion can climb the walls
of its tank then its sting is very dangerous". All species
of Scorpions possess a 'sting' in their tail and even in the
mildest species this can cause considerable pain, while a number
of species are potentially lethal. I do not recommend that anybody
who is reading this in order to learn about keeping Scorpions
keep any but the gentlest species, see list at the end of this
document.
Housing
Rainforest species need to be kept in a moist habitat at all
times, though obviously desert species require a dryer environment,
otherwise the basic requirements are the same. Keep them warm,
though some species can tolerate cooler temperature they all
do best at about 25C. The best method is to house them in a specially
heated room, but for most people this is not possible, another
alternative is to keep the cage in an airing cabinet. The commonest
method is to use a heatpad, these come in a variety of shapes
and sizes and it is best to talk to your local seller as to what
you need. But beware of over heating as scorpions like Cockroaches
will burrow to escape excess heat, thus cooking themselves if
the heat mat is the problem. A good general estimate is that
the pad should rest comfortably under the cage/aquarium so that
two thirds of the bottom of the cage is directly over the pad.This
allows a gradient of heat to arise giving the cockroaches some
choice over what temperature they experience. The use of a thermostat
can make things easier but it isn't really necessary for most
of the commonly kept species.
Bedding
All the species of Scorpion commonly kept in captivity are burrowing
species, and though some will dig quite deep hole in the wild,
5 to 7 cms of a peatlike substrate will be suficient in captivity.
They will also require a few pieces of flatish wood and or stone
to burrow under.
Feeding
Some species of Scorpion, such as Pandinus imperator (The Emporer)
will eat almost anything that they can hold onto providing it
is alive. Crickets are the usual food, though I find woodlice
Porcellio scaber are also quite usefull, obviously smaller specimens
and species require smaller prey items. Some of the larger species
have been known to take small mamals and reptiles as well when
full grown. Though Scorpions can go for very long times without
food it is best to offer them as much as they will eat. Some
people find that Emporers will also eat green peanuts.
Breeding
Scorpions indulge a a courtship dance and they will need a certain
amount flat space on the floor of the tank to dance on, this
needs to be large enough to allow the two to move around on without
to many obstacles interfering with their dance. The courtship
dance, called the 'Promenade a deux', involves the pair gripping
each other with their 'pedipalp chelae' (claws) and walking backward
and forward in tandem until a suitable place is found for the
male to deposit his spermatophore, this is a small bag of sperm
which the female will pick up with her genital opening. After
the female has collected the spermatophore and is therefore inseminated
the pair part. Parthenogenesis is known from a few species of
Scorpions, but not from those that are generally kept as pets.
Pregnant females are obviously very fat looking and should be
removed from the communal tank and placed in a separate to avoid
her experiencing to much disturbance until the young are independant,
disturbed females have been known to eat their own young. In
the larger species it takes 6 to 9 months from insemination to
birth of the young. All Scorpions are 'viviparous' (i.e. they
give birth to live young). On being born the young escape from
the birth sack (in those species which have one) and then climb
up the females back legs onto her back. Early Life :- The young
will stay on the females back for 1 to 2 weeks, after which they
will undergo their 1st moult before leaving this parental protection.
The use of tritiated water (a harmless form of isotopic labelling)
has shown that the young do acquire some water from the mothers
though it is not known how. Once down from the females back the
young will be ready to fend for themselves and will need to be
separated from the mother in most cases. In some species the
female forgets her maternal instincts easily and will consider
these free running young as potential prey. In other species,
though not those normally kept as pets the females have been
known to share their prey with their young. Therefore it is best
to return the mother to her normal cage after the young have
come down. Most deaths occur during these 1st two instars, and
once into their 3rd instar they are fairly easy to rear . Most
species have 5 instars as males and 6 as females. Growth rate
is dependant on species, food intake and temperature; though
it is not unusual for the large species to take over 3 years
to reach maturity. The number of young is also very variable.
Recomended Species
Pandinus imperator = The Emperor :- large rainforest species,
easy to obtain.
Pandinus cavimanus = Tanzanian Redclaw :- large rainforest species,
easy to obtain.
Both these species are relatively easy to rear and stings like
a wasp.
Heterometrus spinifer = Thai Black :- larger rainforest species,
hard to obtain.
Heterometrus javanensis = Javanese Jungle Scorpion :- larger
rainforest species, hard to obtain. Both these species are very
easy to rear in groups and are worth the cost if you can get
them, stings like a wasp.
Hadrurus hirsutus and Hadrurus arizonensis, both known as Desert
Hairy Scorpion, desert species, not that hard to obtain, sting
quite painful.
Bothriurus bonnariensis = Chilean Chocolate :- This species is
more aggressive than the above and groups have been known to
break down resulting in loss of Scorpions, its sting is more
painful, more like a hornet than a wasp.
Species to Avoid
Androctonus australis is a highly venomous species which is potentially
lethal.
Vaejovis sp. Very painful Centuroides sp. Potentially lethal.
Despite there potential for causing pain Scorpions are fun pets
and I hope you enjoy keeping yours.
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By gordon@earthlife.net
© Earth-Life Web Productions
Bringing Insects to the World http://www.earthlife.net/insects/
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