Why keep scorpions?
This is one question I hope all potential scorpion owner ask themselves before reading further. WHY? If it is mainly for the morbid thought of keeping something very dangerous or as a way of showing off your 'bravery', please think again. No doubt, the above may add to the thrill of having them (which I admit does play a small part in my interest) but you may well end up in hospital. What's worse, you may cause another to be hurt for no reason than your folly. I do not want to be a self-appointed judge of what's right or wrong but please give it serious thought.

So why keep scorpions? Many other reasons exists. For myself, it was the above which got me interested but it is their fascinating life history which got me hooked. I've also an unexplainable 'love' for these creatures. They are interesting to observe and very undemanding pets. They go about their own business and offers little moments of thrills at times. As you delve further into the hobby, some would feel an urge to let others understand their pets. They are also a cool subject to strike up a conversation ;-). Also, they are good research material given their peculiarity and medical importance. Much headway could be made as the present knowledge of scorpions is relatively sparse.

Decide for yourself ............

Scorpion do need our attention in captivity. Despite many reports substantiated or otherwise about their amazing ability to withstand extremes of temperature, starvation, thirst, overcrowding and even radiation, the most likely consequence of replicating unfavourable condition is the death of your scorpion(s)..........

So as not to make things too complicated for the amateur, I'll attempt to keep things systematic even though there is much overlap and possible exceptions

The care of scorpions is divided into sections:

• Selection
• Accomodation
• Substrate
• Handling
• Behaviour
• Food
• Moulting/ humidity
• Parasites
• Mating/birth
• Care of youngs

Selection
Before you even purchase or decide to keep as pet wild or captive bred scorpions, it is best to understand some basics of selection or you may end up with a ticking timebomb!
(I strongly recommend buying from knowledgeable pet shop owners or dealers identified species. This reduces the pressure on natural population and gives you a better chance of having a safe pet)
General guidelines
1) Scorpions with slender claws are best avoided as most belong to family Buthidae which contains some of the most venomous scorpions known. One of the most common is the Texas bark scorpion, Centrutoides vittatus. It may be confused with Arizona bark scorpion, Centruroides exilicauda (C.sculputarus previously) which has been known to cause some deaths in Mexico in 1930-1960s. Stings of both C.exilicauda and C.vittatus is very painful but C.vittatus according to experience of others and Dr Stockwell has a more severe sting. Death from stings of related species like bark scorpion, C.limpidus, is not unknown. However, I must qualify that their venom is not as potent as those stated in (2) and so responsible and careful beginners may still keep them as pets.

2) Those with slender claws and fat, 'rough' tail is commonly called fat tail scorpion. The common name encompasses various species of genus Androctonus and genus Parabuthus but may be mixed up with genus like Hottentota. These are, in general, bad idea to keep unless you're a specialist or someone doing research on them. The reason is simple, most of us could not tell one from another and species like Yellow fat tail scorpion, Androctonus australis, stings is known to cause death in a small percentage of adults! They are quite aggressive and their venom toxicity to mouse is similar to that of cobra. They are, in short, too dangerous to keep as pets for the general public. Then again there are quite a few experienced responsible amateurs who keeps them. For the beginners, these are 'no-no.'

3) Hadrurus sp.(Desert hairy scorpion), Hadogenes sp. (flat rock scorpion), Pandinus imperator(Emperor scorpion), Scorpio maurus (Israeli gold scorpion) and Heterometrus sp (Asian/giant forest scorpion) are quite suitable as pet due to their large size, mild venom and mild deposition (not aggressive).
Of these, Emperor scorpion ,P.imperator, is most popular and is time proven to be quite safe. My experience with (Asian forest scorpion) Heterometrus (spinifer?) shows them to be ideal pets as well. However, I would not extend that to other Heterometrus sp(especially H. swammerdami). They are also appears more aggressive than Emperor scorpion, P.imperator. Hadrurus sp and Hadogenes sp are reputedly safe and quite placid. Scorpio maurus (Israeli golden) is aggressive but the stings is generally mild.

4) Small unidentified scorpions not showing characteristics in 1) or 2)  may be kept but please do not handle them until they are identified as safe species to keep. There are many other safe scorpions to keep which are not listed here. In fact out of the 1100+ scorpions catalogued, less than 30 are truely dangerous. But why take chance........

Accomodation
The best generalisation I can make is to simulate the scorpion's natural habitat.
A scorpion's foraging territory usually is not very big so a big container is not necessary.
A plastic or glass tank is recommended. For a small scorpion (<30mm), a tank of length 200mm will suffice. For larger ones like Heterometrus spp (about 100+mm), a tank larger than 400mm is preferred. A community of scorpions is not recommended unless the owner is willing to take the risk of losing some. It must be qualified that cannibalsim among species like Centruroides spp and Heterometrus spp is rare. Also, Heterometrus spp. has been observed to co-exist well with same species and Pandinus spp. A much larger tank (eg. >90cm) with sufficient hiding place is recommended for a communal tank.
Keep the container or tank covered!! With childrens around, please have a lock to secure the tank to prevent accidents. The cover should ideally be at least twice the scorpion's length away from the highest 'crawlable' point in your decor. To maintain humidity in dryier regions in the temperate, the cover of the tanks should be quite dense so as to trap humid air within the tank. This will be discuss later
The position of the tank should not be in the sun. It should be well balanced with little chance of toppling over and kept in shade. Remember, even desert scorpions do not like to be exposed to scathing sunlight. In fact, they hide in burrows (whether man made or self dug) and come out at night to avoid the sun.
Give sufficient hiding place in the form of stable logs and rocks. Scorpions can get crushed if these decors can be shifted. Leaf litter may be attempted but all my scorpions except very young ones ain't impressed..... More about it in substrate
A heating unit in cold temperate countries can be used but make sure not to cook them. Desert scorpion prefers a temperature of about 20-35 degrees centigrade while tropical ones prefer 20-30 degrees centigrade. Temperate scorpions may be kept at slightly lower tempearture. In tropics, heating unit is an unnecessary expense. In an ideal setup, a big tank (>90cm) and a heat gradient would be ideal (heater on one side).
If you want to have light to view your scorpion, please make sure that the light tube do emit too much heat. Also the intensity should not be strong or the scorpion will either hide all day or be stressed if no hiding place is provided. With their flourescent property, many would be tempted to use ultra violet light. This is quite plausible as most studies show little or no damage or change in life pattern for scorpions exposed to UV. However, UV is damaging to our eyes and is carcinogenic (ie. it increases your chance of cancer)

Substrate
One of the most controversial part with seeming disagreements with many keepers. I give my two cents worth and you decide.
For convenience and cleaniness, very fine aquarium sand or gravel is suitable for desert scorpions. Keep the substrate dry and provide a water dish for drinking and maintaining humidity. Wet fine sand gets compact very easily and are not very easy to maintain. Make sure that the decor have a light, wide base log for the scorpion to dig under. This provides two advantage: It gives scorpion security and prevents crushing. It gives you a predictable place to search for burrow. Many will realise that the water dish is covered by the 'disobedient' scorpion with sand very soon so some digging is needed to find your water dish sometimes.
For tropical scorpions ,especially Heterometrus spp., loose potting soil or vermiculite is good for scorpions. It allows for burrowing which they do in the wild. Keep it moist not wet. The biggest problem is that mites, parasites and fungus tends to grow especially if you do not dispose of dead uneaten food. Mites look unsightly on scorpion and is not easy to remove. Also there's a possibilty of stench. Greatest advantage using soil for the owner is that you can observe the intriguing burrowing behaviour of scorpions. The depth of substrate is ideally one and half times your scorpion length. You should provide water dish as well.
So what's good for the owner. Fine compacted moist sand as substrate and logs with big crevice (easier removal) as hiding place. The scorpion cannot dig so you see them more often. They are not as happy but still got logs to hide within or under. Clearing dead food is easy and maintainance and stench is minimal if any. This is what I use with reasonable success.
What I do not really recommend is medium sized gravel. The ungues (two claw like things on the legs) of the scorpions tends to be worn down or broken in such substrate. Please provide water dish as well.

Handling

Another area of big debate and I mean it. Handling is not necessary except when changing substrate *but* what's a pet you can't touch (personal opinion). This is precisely why selection is crucial. A fat tail scorpion sitting there is best left alone though I know some who take chances. Who knows when their luck will run out. Hate to admit it, if I have a fat tail, I will take chances so *bah* I don't keep one to tempt myself.
For safe, non aggressive species like Heterometrus spp. and Pandinus imperator, hold the metasoma V (refer to anatomy) just below the telson. Metasoma V is long (large margin of error) and if done correctly there's no chance of being stung. Actually a less stressful method is just to put your fingers below the scorpion and tickle it. They will crawl onto your palm quite willingly. Please do not do this for unidentified scorpions please. It is an open temptation for the scorpion to pince or sting you.
For aggressive species, use a tweezer with ends covered with soft moist gauze. As before grasp the metasoma V gently. It is easy to use excessive or insufficient force with a tweezer so a more ductile tweezer is preferred. Refer to picture of Pascal Riewe using a forcep to hold an Androctonus australis.
For dangerous species, do not handle them. If necessary, use tweezer/forceps as above. Another safer method for scorpion and you is to lure it into open and then cover it with a transparent cup. Slide a hard cardboard slowly and soon you'll have a scorpion in a covered cup. So far so good, but keep the cup covered with something heavy so that the scorpion cannot crawl out.
For safe species, you can let them crawl all over you, pet them and do all sort of funny things. While crawiling on you, they take you as a substrate and I don't see many scorpions stinging the floor.

Behaviour
Without personal experience with many scorpions, it is not wise for me to stereotype scorpion behaviour in most species. However, I have handled more than (so far) 75 different Heterometrus sp. individuals repeatedly so I can generalise about their behaviour. After handling that many, I only got pince 3 times, each of them being my own fault. The last was when I am making the section, "what is scorpion". I was not looking and stuck my fingers repeatedly between the pincers thinking that it is my pet's underside (tickle method)! The result is predictable. My fingers bleed slightly though there's very little pain. By the way for the curious, the scorpion is on my shoulder. hehe.....
To get the scorpion to get into the impressive defense posture, just touch its legs when it does not like to be disturbed. However, this is dangerous for you and stressful for scorpions.
More natural behaviour includes burrowing which I rarely witness in full. Being nocturnal, they are generally more active at night. Other than that, scorpions just crawl about looking for escape routes or food. More often than not, they are resting in burrows or hiding place they or you created. Scorpion sitting in one corner is also not uncommon.
It should be noted that males are generally more active while aggression varies greatly between individuals.
Soon a picture of scorpion of my shoulder and head would be available....

Food
One of the most interesting moments in scorpion keeping is when feeding them food. Different individual and species prefers different hunting method. Most stay and wait till the food comes within range while others actively pursue their food. The Heterometrus sp I've kept exhibit both. So what food do they take.
Large size scorpions can be fed adult crickets and mealworms though the latter is not very popular with my pets. Grasshoppers or just about anything smaller than your scorpion can also make suitable food. The more exotic food includes spiders, large beetles, tree lizards, mice and snakes but these are dangerous preys as they may well turn the table. For slower species like Pandinus imperator, it may be recommended to remove the legs or put in fridge to decrease mobilty of crickets. Note that crickets and mealworms can attack newly moulted scorpion so uneaten food is best removed. Also mealworms can severely destroy your logs and are difficult to find once they burrow deep enough. Scorpions sometimes accept dead food and may be persuaded to take them if you force in between their pincers.
Smaller scorpions can take smaller size crickets while baby scorpions take pinheads. In short, crickets are time proven food and matching the size to your scorpion, it almost guarantees success. Besides, scorpions fed on just crickets shows no signs of becoming picky or illness,

I leave you here to explore the food they can take. Be prepared to intervene when necessary.
As for frequency, adjust it to your scorpions needs. Younger scorpions need regular meals (4 times a week). Older scorpions can be fed twice or once a week. Feed them till they seem reluctant to take anymore. However, water should be provided at all times. Pregnant or stressed scorpions (like newly caught ones) may not feed so check that all your setting is correct and adopt a 'wait and see' attitude. It is interesting to note that Stahnke in 1954 has recorded a Hadrurus sp surviving 9 months wihout food! Another few studies have scorpions surviving 13 months without food. This is not to be repeated with your scorpions however. Most species and individuals need regular food supply to stay healthy.
It must be noted (contrary to what de Vosjoli wrote in 'Arachnomania'), scorpions would not be overfed. They just stop eating when they are full. However, stray crickets or other live foods may attack a resting scorpion especially when it has just moulted.
As for timing of the feeding, you can feed it anytime but evening or night generally gives a better chance of feeding (especially active feeding).

Moulting and humidity
Scorpions grow in size by moulting (ecdysis). The moulting is a very delicate period in which the scorpion is most vulnerable. It is the period in which scorpion has one of the highest death (mortality). The old hard cuticle is shed and the newer cuticle is soft. Many scorpions die when this process is not properly completed. It is also a period in which scorpions is prone to parasites and infections. Even their food, the mealworms and crickets may attempt to make a meal of your scorpions.
These are factors within our control. Successful moulting requires sufficiently high humdity. However, excessive humidity (which is quite rare) can cause loss of limbs during moulting. Parasites and infection can be prevented with adequate cleanliness while predation by its 'food' can be avoided if these are removed if not fed upon.
As mentioned humidity is maintained either by a water dish or a moist (not wet) substrate. A substrate which allows burrowing is even better. The cover of the tank will further help to trap air moisture.

Parasites
Most common parasites is the mites. These are generally harmless but looks unsightly on the scorpions. The most likely source is contaminated substrate (esp vermiculite), decor (dead logs) and wild caught food material. To remove them takes a long while and may not be productive. They are entrenched in depressions on the scorpions and needs handling of scorpion to remove. It is easy to hurt the scorpion when doing so. Using low concentration of alcohol on cotton bud may remove them easier but it may also cause harm to your scorpion.
As far as I know, there are predacious mites which preys on other mites on sale. These would not stick to your scorpion. This biological 'warfare' may be the best option yet but availabilty and cost is a problem. I do not know how to get them though they are supposedly available in commercial package in some countries.
Keep your tank clean is the best as the old cliche goes 'prevention is better than cure'

Mating/Birth
Refer to mating section in What is a scorpion. Also refer to the sexual difference to identify the sexes. To allow for mating, you must provide a large flat rock or smooth surface to allow deposition of spermatophore by the male. Patience is what it takes
When the baby scorpions are born, leave it with the mother till they first moult. They will feed on the reserves from the yolk. After that you may want to separate them as they may start to eat on each other and the mother may mistakenly eat her own. Do not have other scorpions within the same tank for the time being. Newly hatched scorpions after the first instar will take pinheads (newly hatched crickets) They may also accept dead prey. For Heterometrus and Pandinus sp, it is known to take care of the youngs till the 3rd instar. Mortality is generally lower in scorpions kept with the mother for the first instar.

Care of Youngs
If you've gotten so far, you would have known how to take care of them. Gestation period is so long that by now you would have got your scorpions for at least 5 months (unless their mum is already pregnant). Read the sections above because besides food size and higher tendency to die without reason, their care is similar. Refer to Scorpionlings Diary to get some ideas.

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Copyright
All pictures and information are copyright © Chua Kian Wee, 1998
The information in the page are painstakingly compiled by me. Please do not use the information for purpose other than personal reference without the consent of myself or any of the other copyright owner.