Poison gland

[Algae]

I have recently caught a centimeter-long scorpion in New Mexico and I need to know if there is any way I can remove the poisin gland. Or will a have to remove the whole stinger? I am also not sure if I should if I can, because I am worried that this will make it unable to eat. I don't think my mom will allow me to keep the scorpion if it is a potential healthrisk, and I have two sisters, one of which is 6 years old.

 

[MEXICOYA415]

It would probably be better to not get it then. Taking off the stinger will be a death sentence. I had a V. spinigeris that arrived to me with just the tip of the stinger broken off and it was not able to sting it's food to kill it. He eventually died on me after never having eaten due to this problem. They also have important organs located in the tail which you might damage. One of those being it's anus. Just don't do it bro.

 

[Fergrim]

Yeah, attempting to remove the stinger isn't really a good idea. Likely to spell death for the lil scorpie in question.

 

[Scarp172]

Removing the telson is never a good idea- and even if you do, and it lives it can grow another on the next molt, if this one isn't adult yet.
But as for "health risk" there aren't any naturally occuring medically significant species in the US. In New Mexico there are a couple Centroides species that have potent venom, but unless you're allergic to it or have a compromised immune system then you will most likely be ok- it's just going to hurt.
It would be best if you could take a picture of your scorp and let the rest of us here on the boards help and try to identify it for you . And as long as it is in a suitable container and you are responsible with it, it shouldn't be any kind of problem keeping it. Hope this helps!
-Steve

 

[Algae]

Well, I'm not able to post a pic at the moment, so I have to tell you what it looks like. With its tail fully extended, the length is a little more than a centimeter and is a semi-transparent yellow/brown color with a more solid white along the sides of the thorax, but I suppose that many small scorpions are somewhat transparent. There are dark markings down the center of the back that go most of the way down the thorax starting from the head. The markings are composed of two columns of about 7 dots.

(And this username is only temporary, because I can't access the email acount for my first username.)

 

[swankerme]

1 centimeter? Thats hardly worth keeping, I would just let it go in your case.

 

[Newports]

Sounds like a scorpling to me.

 

[konrad16660]

let the little guy go. He is one of god's creatures. he must be allowed to keep his stinger. Get into the hobby when you are old enough.;P

 

[Prymal]

Why would you desire to risk harm to the scorpion by removing its telson? If you are legitimately worried about being "stung" then maybe you should contemplate keeping another type of captive invertebrate?
This is similar to people that want to keep venomous snakes and have the venom glands of the snake surgically removed because they're worried about being envenomated! In both situations, the potential keeper needs to re-evaluate his/her ability to keep such animals.
If you have to modify the animal to keep it; you shouldn't be keeping it in the first place!

 

[Algae]

I'm not very worried about being stung. I'm worried about being allow to keep it. And I think its species is Vaejovis coahuilae. I think an advantage to keeping a small scorpion as your first is getting used to being cautious around it, because its small and can't do as much harm.

When I was digging around in the dirt, I unearthed many tiny white critters about a milimeter long, and the scorpion I've been talking about caught the corner of my eye. I should have kept digging deeper. No doubt the white specks where itty-bitty scorpions, meaning there was an adult very close. I am stupid sometimes. I think I'm going outside right now and digging there again.

 

[azatrox]

Even if....

it were to sting you, it is not dangerous...Of course why one would put themselves in a position to be stung is beyond me, but this creature is not dangerous....There is a HUGE diffrerence between venomous and dangerous. Do some research and you'll find this out....Even human saliva in large enough quantities is toxic.....

-AzAtrox

 

[kahoy]

removing the stinger is like removing your hand, you see, you got a scorp and you wanted to keep it BUT you want to remove the stinger... im working hard for this scorp that i got because it has a disease... and you got a healthy one, BUT you want to remove one of the vital parts of the scorp...

YOU SHOUDNT GET ON TO THIS HOBBY IF YOULL THINKING THAT SHALLOW...

JUST BECAUSE YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE A SCORP AND REMOVE ONE OF ITS VITAL PARTS JUST TO BE SURE TO BE SAFE?

IF YOU HAVE A PET YOU SHOULD KNOW THE RESPONSIBILITIES...

TAKE THE RISK OF BEING STUNG IF YOULL HOLD IT THE WRONG WAY...

IT WILL STING YOU BECAUSE YOUR NOT RESPECTING IT...

LEARN TO KNOW THE MANNER OF SCORPS...

A FEW SPECIES OF SCORP ARE DEADLY AND LETHAL TO HUMANS...

ITS JUST A STUPIDNESS TO GET A SCORP BUT NOT LEARNING THE DO's AND DONT's...

COMMON SENSE!!! THE STINGER IS USED TO STING ITS FOOD...

SO WILL YOU BE ABLE TO EAT WELL OF ILL REMOVE ON OF YOUR ARMS?

HOPE YOULL UNDERSTAND SUCH DEEP WORDS...
ITS JUST YOUR VERY CHILDISH...
TO GET ON THIS HOBBY...

IF YOU WANT A SCORP THAT WILL NOT TREAT YOU JUST TAKE
Liocheles australasiae

 

[canadianscorp]

Thats rediculous to even suggest harming a scorp in that manner. Like everyone else says, get a different type of invertebrate to keep if you dont like the thought of getting tagged.
Also someone mentioned that the telson could grow back? I have never witnessed this before, I would like to see some proof of a scorp regenerating body parts.

cheers
steve

 

[Fergrim]

Scorpions regenerate a bit when they molt, like if they lose the tip of their stinger, chances are they'll get it back in the next molt or two.

 

[TTstinger]

get another hobby sorry that is like asking can we cut your legs off cause I don't want you leaving or going anywhere:?

 

[Leiurus87]

maybe you should stick to hamsters ( i love the buggers myself). mine stands out in a collection of inverts on the shelves.

 

[Algae]

OK! I understand. For the most part, I doubted that I could take the poison out of a scorpion, and after the first post or two, I gots eet clear in me head :? And as for hampsters, my sister got one because her friend got one and now everybody in the family BUT her takes turns maintaining the thing. Even my six year old sister says "Why does she even have a hampster if she doesn't even take care of it and we have to even take care of it?!"

(And I didn't find the mommy scorp)

By the way, does anybody have recommendations on food for the teeny scorp?

 

[Whitelightning777]

In all seriousness, the best way to approach this issue is to learn proper handling techniques.

If you're trying to fool around with the stinger, you're gonna get stung, period.

A soft paint brush and a sturdy big gulp cup from 711 are your best friends. If dealing with a scorpling, substitute a whiskey shot glass and a smaller paint brush.

Use tongs for food items only. They are destructive. If you DO have to handle a scorpion directly, you have 2 options.

CO2 chamber or low temperature. I had a string caught in my scorp's mouth. Obviously, it was some idiot dangling food. This was tangled around the leg as well.

I simply put it in a critter keeper when it was 50 degrees outside at night for one hour. I quickly removed it and put it back into the cage. I wouldn't go colder then 45 degrees, but research it for each species.

 

[Stugy]

In all seriousness, the best way to approach this issue is to learn proper handling techniques.

If you're trying to fool around with the stinger, you're gonna get stung, period.

A soft paint brush and a sturdy big gulp cup from 711 are your best friends. If dealing with a scorpling, substitute a whiskey shot glass and a smaller paint brush.

Use tongs for food items only. They are destructive. If you DO have to handle a scorpion directly, you have 2 options.

CO2 chamber or low temperature. I had a string caught in my scorp's mouth. Obviously, it was some idiot dangling food. This was tangled around the leg as well.

I simply put it in a critter keeper when it was 50 degrees outside at night for one hour. I quickly removed it and put it back into the cage. I wouldn't go colder then 45 degrees, but research it for each species.

Dude... this thread is from 2006... the original poster was last seen in 2011... plus he said he got it clear in the head and understood. Nice for anyone else who happens to come over here but still... this thread is really old xD