# How bad is the sting of an emperor scorpion?



## Tarantuloid (Mar 7, 2013)

I'm just curious, thankfully, I've never been stung by my scorpions or even pinched. It kinda made me wonder though, how bad is an actual sting from an Emperor Scorpion? I heard it's mild like a bee sting, but strangely enough, I haven't been stung by a bee either haha.


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## ~Abyss~ (Mar 8, 2013)

The penetration feels like a sharp needle prick. The venom can cause itchiness mild burning and mild pain.


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## ShredderEmp (Mar 8, 2013)

I got a dry sting once, but it didn't penetrate the all skin layers even though it was a subadult. I didn't feel anything.


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## Tarantuloid (Mar 9, 2013)

Thanks for the information, since I'ever never been stung or bitten by a tarantula or scorpion (or even a bee for that matter), it's almost hard to compare what I'm up against. The worst pain I've ever really experienced from an arachnid or insect was when I was swarmed by a ton of fire ants on my foot, which left it swollen and uncomfortable for weeks.

I heard the pincers feel much worse, but I was never certain since my Emperor Scorpion hasn't actually ever tried to attack me before.


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## Stan Schultz (Mar 9, 2013)

Tarantuloid said:


> I'm just curious, thankfully, I've never been stung by my scorpions or even pinched. It kinda made me wonder though, how bad is an actual sting from an Emperor Scorpion? I heard it's mild like a bee sting, but strangely enough, I haven't been stung by a bee either haha.


"Back in the day," Marguerite and I used to hold "Tarantula Orgies" in our living room every second Saturday evening during September through February. These were spider appreciation parties. We had a young fellow who I shall call "John" (as in John Doe) who used to come over almost every time and help us with keeping order in the proceedings, and answer some of the simpler questions.

One winter we had acquired a huge, female, emperor scorpion. Her total body length from chelicerae to the tip of her sting (aculeus, I think)  was over 9". John used to love to pick her up and walk around showing her to everybody as the scorpion climbed from one hand to the next. During one such party he had the scorpion out when someone did something or said something that momentarily distracted him and the scorpion teetered and began to fall off his hand. Instinctively he brought his hands rather forcefully up to his chest and pinned the scorpion against his breast bone.

The scorpion objected to this abuse, and nailed him right in the middle of his chest. John got this strange little look about the eyes and immediately put the scorpion back in its cage, then beat a hasty retreat to the bathroom. A few seconds later he came out and told me what had happened.

Me, "So? Did it hurt?"

John: "Only a little. At first."

Me: "No swelling? No longer any pain?"

John: "No."

Me: "How's the scorpion?"

John: "Fine. I guess."

Me: "Okay. Let me now if there are any changes."

For the rest of the evening the kid wouldn't shut up about his sting. Anyone who was interested was invited to look at the point of penetration. There was a tiny red spot with a minute amount of swelling around it, no bigger than a small mosquito bite. No pain. No itching. No convulsions. No heart attack. No excitement whatsoever.

Because Marguerite and I sold hundreds of them over the years from our pet shop in E.Lansing, Michigan and out of our living room in Calgary, Alberta, I've been stung 2 or 3 times. A flu shot hurts more. I've never had any reaction more serious than John's.

Basically it's a non-issue. Enjoy your little 8-legged heart attack!


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## CRBP742 (Mar 9, 2013)

I've stung and pinched, and I honestly would rather get stung. There stings are quite mild, but the pinches draw blood.


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