My Petco Sells Emperor Scorpions? What? Please Read

[Kade135]

Last I heard Emperor Scorpions were near impossible to find, and if found, VERY expensive. I just bought 2 Small ones, about 2 inches long at my local Petco for $25 each. And they’re definitely Emperors too, not Asian Forest. Are emperors a common thing again? Or did I just get an extremely lucky find?

 

[THR]

Not only here in US, so is back in China. It seems that the number of wild pandinus is in decrease, prices are doubled or even tripled.

 

[ianhunt]

Here in philippines emp scorpions are not so difficult to find due to overbreeding.

 

[Sarkhan42]

Last I heard Emperor Scorpions were near impossible to find, and if found, VERY expensive. I just bought 2 Small ones, about 2 inches long at my local Petco for $25 each. And they’re definitely Emperors too, not Asian Forest. Are emperors a common thing again? Or did I just get an extremely lucky find?

I would say it’s a bit of both. I recently picked up 2 slings for the same price that were captive bred, and I’ve seen a good amount of them
Offered up here and there so it seems like there may have been a few successful breedings all at once. That being said, finding them at a petco is certainly some good luck!

 

[AnimalNewbie]

You sure there emperors and not heterometrus species.

 

[NYAN]

If you can get good pics and post them here, they will be IDed. I’ve seen emperors at petco also and they go for $50+. $25 is closer to Asian forest scorpion price than emperor, however someone on here got emperors once being sold as Asian forest scorpions are petco.

 

[Kade135]

Here’s one of them. I may have mistaken it, might not be an emperor, but definitely Pandinus something...

 

[Kade135]

If you can get good pics and post them here, they will be IDed. I’ve seen emperors at petco also and they go for $50+. $25 is closer to Asian forest scorpion price than emperor, however someone on here got emperors once being sold as Asian forest scorpions are petco.

I posted pictures above ^

 

[NYAN]

Here’s one of them. I may have mistaken it, might not be an emperor, but definitely Pandinus something...

Looks like Pandius to me.

 

[Kade135]

Looks like Pandius to me.

But Imperator or Dictator?

 

[NYAN]

But Imperator or Dictator?

My guess is imperator because its petco. However I don’t know enough to tell the difference.

 

[Galapoheros]

Yeah that's imperator. I have imperators and asked Petco if they were willing to buy from me some day. They said they don't buy from individuals "that way", whatever that means. I suppose a person has to fill out some paperwork for petco in order to sell to them.

 

[Nicole]

They are CB imperator from a large colony built after the import ban went into effect. Just recently the colony is producing enough that they are widely available in quantity, hence the retail price drop. For a long time the stores only had spare males but now juveniles of both sexes are available. Basically, emperors are back, but this time they are captive bred.

 

[CWilson1351]

I've been seeing them locally as well. Though here in "Tax-achussetts" they go for $80 each. Luckily I already have some so I don't have to spend that much.

 

[AngelDeVille]

I need to stay away from petco...

 

[Tonydog]

Here’s one of them. I may have mistaken it, might not be an emperor, but definitely Pandinus something...

I'm new to the Hobby so I could be wrong but don't emperor scorpion have red Stingers the one in the picture looks like it's white

 

[Lithobius]

If you can get good pics and post them here, they will be IDed. I’ve seen emperors at petco also and they go for $50+. $25 is closer to Asian forest scorpion price than emperor, however someone on here got emperors once being sold as Asian forest scorpions are petco.

I wonder if the "Asian Forest Scorpions" at PetSmart are emperors with this sudden boom of ACTUAL emperors. It might be worth checking next time I'm there.

 

[CWilson1351]

I'm new to the Hobby so I could be wrong but don't emperor scorpion have red Stingers the one in the picture looks like it's white

When younger Pandinus imperator have a white stinger (telson) it turns red as they mature.

 

[Tonydog]

O ok thanks for the info didn't know that .

When younger Pandinus imperator have a white stinger (telson) it turns red as they mature.

 

[Nicole]

I wonder if the "Asian Forest Scorpions" at PetSmart are emperors with this sudden boom of ACTUAL emperors. It might be worth checking next time I'm there.

I wouldn't count on it. Petsmart's vendors wouldn't substitute a scorpion with a wholesale cost 3-5 times that of Asian Forests. They would be selling at cost at best, but most likely at a loss if they did.