There are three types of scorpions you can take care of – emperor, dictator, and cave clawed. Scorpions are fascinating pets, and they come in both forest and desert varieties. A forest variety of Emperor and Dictator scorpions are native to Africa.
In general, they are calm and reserved, only displaying aggressive behavior when triggered. If you love exotic animals and you are looking to have a scorpion soon, and you have Pet queries, then you have come to the right place.
Scorpion Appearance
Scorpions have eight legs, two giant pincers, and a segmented tail with a telson or stinger. The venomous scorpions can sting or pinch. The sting might be moderate or severe, depending on the species. Some people are allergic to Emperor scorpions, while most are not. Scorpions are nocturnal, and they molt twice a year. Female scorpions give birth live and carry their babies until their first molt.
Creating A Scorpion Habitat
You must know how to create a livable and comfortable habitat for your scorpion. It would be best if you mimicked the living environment that they would have in the wild. Here are the essential parts of your scorpion habitat that you need to consider.
- Activity Areas. They love to climb and hide, so you should have areas for these activities using nontoxic plants, branches, and logs. Make sure that you keep the hiding areas away from the heat source.
- Scorpions will need photoperiod lighting for 8 to 12 hours a day. You mustn’t leave the white light on at all times. At night, use a low-wattage nocturnal or infrared light.
- Ensure that the temperature difference between the heated and cold ends is maintained, 90°F for the warmer end, and 78°F for the cooler end. Warmth is best provided by an under-tank heater or a low-wattage incandescent bulb.
Feeding Scorpions
A scorpion’s diet should include gut-loaded crickets, roaches, mealworms, super worms, hornworms, and waxworms. For juveniles, you must feed them daily and adults biweekly. Always have clean, chlorine-free water available. They are nocturnal creatures so you should only feed them at night.
Dust your pets with calcium, vitamins, and minerals once or twice a week. Make sure to remove unconsumed crickets before they attack a scorpion. Also, wait until the scorpion’s exoskeleton hardens after molting before you start feeding it.
Are You Ready To Own A Scorpion?
Exotic pet ownership is now a trend. Scorpions are one of the most popular yet challenging wild creatures to take in as a pet. That is why you need to fully understand everything about taking care of scorpions and what it entails to own one.