# Chinese Golden Scorpion???????



## PrincessToad (May 21, 2003)

The guy at the local pet shop always calls me when he gets new T's and scorps in and he called me today and said that they just got in a couple of Chinese Golden Scorps.  He did not know the scientific name for it and I have not seen it yet, but does anyone happen to know what this is?  My searches came back with nothing.  Maybe I should just get it anyway.


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## Ravnos (May 21, 2003)

My guess would be that they mean Mesobuthus martensii or some ssp therein.

Rav


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## Venom (May 21, 2003)

If you get it, just be careful. This scorp packs a punch. One of the guys at Golden Phoenix Exotica got stung by an M. martensii, and it hurt so much he couldn't use his arm for the rest of hte day.


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## PrincessToad (May 21, 2003)

I think you are right, but I will know for sure after I see it tonight.  I am still a newbie at scorps.  would this be a good one for me to get?  All I have are black emps right now.

Thanks.


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## PrincessToad (May 21, 2003)

Stupid time delay.  

Venom - thanks for answering my question, before I even had it posted. 
You must of been able to read my mind.


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## jper26 (May 21, 2003)

I know they are a 3 on the venom list and can be kept together. Kugellager knows more hes kept them before.


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## Venom (May 21, 2003)

They're not lethal, like Androctonus or Lieurus, so if you can be careful, and understand that it's not a handling scorp, you shoud be fine.


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## skinheaddave (May 21, 2003)

They are short-lived and somewhat hot, but can be kept communaly and tend to make good terrestrial display species.  Not, in my mind, as rewarding as Centruroides, but still quite a nice species.

Cheers,
Dave


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## Kugellager (May 23, 2003)

The venom of M.martensii is reportedly comparable to that of C.exilicauda and therefore potentially medically significant.  That said...all that I have heard other than the above mentioned reports is a report I got from a guy from Hong Kong.  He stated in somewhat broken english the following description: 

 "...its sting will give you 3-4 hours hot and sick...(I was stung by them b4)."

I took this to mean that he was feverish and nauseous for 3-4 hours...a sign of moderate to severe envenomation.  So there may be potential for serious consequences.   

I have kept 4 comfortably in a 5 gallon tank.  They were relatively non-aggressive to my tongs/prod sticks when cleaning but become very active searching for prey the first few hours of night.

They are visible somewhat regularly and make a decent display scorpion.  They are easy to keep as they don't require high humidity. The young are easiy to raise but must be removed from a communal take immediately as the other adults will cannibalize them.  They (as do other small buthids) have a short lifespan of 3-4 years max.

John
];')


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