Scorpions...pets???

Scorpions have, in recent times, been accepted as "pets" in communities like the USA and Britain. In America, the most common scorpion encountered in pet shops is the Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator) and various species of Forest Scorpions (Heterometrus sp.) like H.longimanus and H.spinifer. The keeping of scorpions in captivity is neither easy nor impossible in the strictest sense. Several criteria have to be met in order to be successful in keeping them in captivity : (a) suitable habitat (b) Proper food (c) Adequate water (d) Enough space

Habitat

"Habitat" refers to the environment where an organism lives in, in the wild. For scorpions, habitats can range from tundras to hot deserts, from temperate mountains to humid forests. Therefore, careful research has to be done on the particular specie of scorpion before it's habitat can be determined. Most species of Heterometrus come from the humid parts of Asia - therefore, a forest-floor or leaf-litter habitat would work best. Many Buthids (with exceptions like Centruroides) survive in the scorching heat of deserts. In this case, sharp dry sand with a heater would best replicate the habitats of the Buthids. More on how to make set ups for such habitats will be elaborated below. A suitable substrate is often one of the options available when setting up. Of course, desert scorpions require sharp, dry sand. However, for many of the temperate species and tropical species like Pandinus imperator, Hadrurus and Heterometrus, there is a wide range of substrates to choose from, among which garden soil, peat, perlite, gravel, moist sand, vermiculite and even kitchen towels, are most popular. Here are some pros and cons of the various popular substrates : Garden soil Pros : Easily available, retains moisture sufficiently well to keep humidity reasonably high. Cons : Infested with other organisms like ants and woodlice, and pathogens like bacteria. Gets soggy easily if overwatered, rather messy to work with. Peat Pros : Easy to sterilise in a microwave oven, easily available, retains moisure well. Cons : Can become an effective medium for mites and pathogenic bacteria if not kept clean at all times, gets soggy easily if overwatered. Perlite Pros : Easily available, well-aerated (contains less pathogenic organisms), less chance of mite injections. Cons : Expensive, does not hold water well. Gravel Pros : Easy to clean and handle, provides firm yet well-aerated medium for scorpions, less chance of mite and pathogenic injections. Cons : Does not retain water well, heavy (makes the whole setup difficult to move around when required to) Moist Sand Pros : Aesthetically-pleasing, less chance of mite infections, easy to sterilise in microwave oven. Cons : Does not hold water well, messy to work with. Vermiculite Pros : Easily available at garden centres, clean to work with, holds water well, less chance of mite and pathogenic infections, easily sterilised in microwave oven, well-aerated. Cons : Expensive, not natural-looking. Kitchen towels Pros : Easily available, biodegradable, easy to dispose of, minimal chance of mite and pathogenic infections, inexpensive. Cons : Definitely not aesthetically-pleasing, easily becomes soggy. Of course, this is just an overview of part of the unlimited choices of substrates - others that people use include rocks and leaf litter, but these are considered microenvironments, catered especially to the need of specific species. The choice of substrate is entirely up to you.

Proper food

Nutrition is an important factor in the successful keeping and breeding of scorpions. Scorpions are, for most part, opportunity feeders in the wild as their poor vision does not allow for active hunting. Therefore, providing a prey that is moderately active (i.e. runs around) will be useful. As a whole, most scorpions can be fed on insects alone, regardless of species. Some people, in fact, supplement this diet with newly-born mouse "pinkies". However, such a practice is not advocated. Firstly, mouse pinkies are much too high in lipids and proteins, which may cause the early demise of a scorpion due to ailments like liver malfunctioning. Moreover, the pinkies bleed and squeal a lot as they are being eaten - such a sight is definitely not what some people want to see. Therefore, the following foods are suggested as a staple : 1) Mealworms 2) Superworms 3) Silkworms 4) Crickets (by far the best food) 5) Locusts 6) Cockroaches (non-flying types like G.portentula) As the above foods DO NOT guarantee full, proper nutrition for the scorpions, other foods might also be given to supplement the diet : 1) Waxworms (be careful with these - they contain a lot of lipids) 2) Small vertebrates (feeder anoles and geckos) The key to these foods is MODERATION. Be sure to feed only what your scorpion can eat, because some of their prey can turn the tables round to become the predator instead. For example, if too many crickets are thrown into the scorpion enclosure without being eaten, the crickets may simply overpower the scorpion and start to nibble on it. Such a tragedy can definitely be avoided by feeding the scorpions one insect at a time.

Adequate water

"Water is the essence of Life". Although scorpions have been known to have remarkable water-retention abilities, they will still require a certain amount of water. A ready water source is especially important for tropical species like Heterometrus sp. and Pandinus sp. Water can be supplied in two ways : 1) Misting or spraying the enclosure, or 2) Providing a shallow water bath in the enclosure Misting should be done once a day, 5 or 6 times weekly for tropical scorpions, and twice a week for desert-dwelling buthids. The water should either be sprayed gently on the scorpion itself, or in any part of the enclosure like the hiding places and the walls of the enclosure. A water bath can also be provided for tropical species. Note that this option is not applicable for desert-dwelling buthids, as they do not experience pools of water in their natural habitats. The water bath can be cheaply made out of container lids, but take care that the water level should be no more than 2 cm, lest the scorpion should drown. Some species like Heterometrus sp. will frequently soak themselves in the water bath. Do not get alarmed if they are seen totally submerged - as long as the bath is shallow, they will be able to get out when they want to.

Enough space

Scorpions have a diversified habits of living - some, like Heterometrus longimanus and Centruroides gracilis, tolerate living in small groups of 5-8 animals. Others, like Anocdractinus australis, are solitary animals that will attack any member of their own kind if put together. Therefore, a prior knowledge to the scorpion's habits must be well-known before attempts to cramp several together within a limited area. For solitary animals, an area of 1' x 1' is suggested for each scorpion. Even for scorpions that live in communities, a maximum of 3 animals per square foot is recommended. Of course, as in any animal, provide them with as much space as you can afford. A nasty consequence of overcrowding would be frequent fights for territory, and eventually, losses of animals. Space can be further increased by adding "obstacles" in the enclosure. For example, pieces of bark, wood, roots and stones can be provided for them to crawl into. Such an arrangement can greatly increase the number of scorpions allowed per unit area.

SETUP GUIDELINES

OK, so you've got the theory part. But how do we incorporate all 4 of these conditions to create the best possible environment for scorpions to live in ? There are some model setups shown below, which can be used as a basis when setting up an enclosure. Note that these are not the ONLY setups acceptable - there is always room for improvisation and improvement. Forest Setup Suitable species : Heterometrus species (Forest Scorpions), Pandinus sp (African Scorpions), Isometrus sp (Wood scorpions), Centruroides sp (Bark scorpions, especially C.gracilis) Materials required : Tank (if the tank is not at least 24 inches tall, get a tight-fitting cover for it !) Lights (optional) Substrate - see "Habitat" above Pieces of bark Leaves or sticks (optional) First, fill the tank with about 4-6 inches of substrate. The recommended substrate for a forest setup would be peat, although other choices are available as well. Then, lay the bark so that their concave sides are laid onto the substrate - this provides a hollow area underneath for the scorpions to shelter in. Be sure not to clutter the tank with sticks and bark, but leave an empty space for the scorpions to walk around. Dried leaves can be placed in this empty space. Desert Setup Suitable species : All desert-dwelling species from the family Buthidae, for example Parabuthus transvaalicus, Androctonus species, Buthus species. Hadrurus and Scorpio species are also suitable. Materials needed : Tank (if the tank is not at least 24 inches tall, get a tight-fitting cover for it !) Lights (optional if the tank receives natural sunlight. If not, it is best to get a florescent bulb) Sharp fine sand Heater (Optional if you are in the tropics. Otherwise obtain an under-tank heater pad) Large stones Fill the tank with about 3 inches of the sharp fine sand, and lay an arrangement of stacked-up stones for the scorpions to take shelter in. The light source or heat source should be furthest away from the stones. While watering make sure not to wet the substrate too much - in this case a water-dish would work best. The above are simple guidelines that have been tested and verified by the author. However, these are not the only ways to keep scorpions - explore, experience and have fun !