24-inch tongs for hot scorps

[Anoplogaster]

I find lots of people mention 24-inch tongs when dealing with hot scorpions. Has anyone ever been in a situation where you might have been stung if you were using tongs that were less than 24"? Because I use 12-inch tongs for my inverts, and I have a 14-inch scissor-type tong for feeding my adult argus monitor (who could EASILY lunge up and have a finger as a snack, if she wanted to). I've felt very safe with these tools so far.

I'm wondering if 24 inches is more of a mind game. Like, one would use 10-foot tongs if they made them

 

[Galapoheros]

I use 10"inchers for scorpions and giant centipedes but I've been messing with this stuff a long time. It's a little risky with the pedes but I know how to work it with the 10"inchers and know the behavior. I think you're probably right, anything longer than 12", a person might be dealing with some "mind game" there, or they may not fully know the invert behavior and capabilities yet, or maybe just think, "better safe than sorry".

 

[RTTB]

24" tongs? Not needed. Would be clumsy unwieldy and would pose more danger imo.

 

[Jason Brantley]

Well, if you feel like you need them...nothing wrong with tongs, you could use a six inch or eight inch or something. But don't you want to see your scorpion hunt for it's food? I just toss the feeder insect in (cricket, roach, worm) You shouldn't be that scared or cautious to need 24" tongs. A hot scorpion is not going to go crazy and attack you.

 

[Anoplogaster]

See, these were my thoughts exactly. I've never felt the need for huge tongs, especially because most scorpions are really not that big. And they can't climb them or anything. I've just heard people mention them, and was wondering if there was any experience associated with it.

I like watching the hunt, too! I actually use the tongs mostly for moving things around in the enclosure, and unearthing roaches that bury themselves.

 

[Galapoheros]

I rarely use tongs, I only use them to move hot scorpions and centipedes. I should probably use them more though, I can't say I haven't been stung before.

 

[Richard McJimsey]

24" tongs are quite overkill, 10" tongs or hemostats are perfectly fine. Scorpions generally don't fly up tongs like an arboreal tarantula or true spider might

 

[Red Eunice]

8" and 10" tweezers are all I use for the scorpions.
I've a pair or 16" tweezers that are used for maintenance in the arboreal tarantula enclosures. Pokies can be quite defensive and flighty when disturbed.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I have 10"
With a rubber coating and a pair of naked 24" tongs. I have been out of the hobby for 10 years and didn't get more than a few moderately hot scorps and Ts, then, so I'm taking precautions, until I know each animal well. You can always lower your grip on the 24" for more precision. I don't find them too unwieldy and with practice, they should become fairly manageable. I like them for moving cage furniture, such as bark slabs, where the whereabouts of the occupant might not be known. For situations where the scorpion is in sight, I would likely feel comfortable using the 10" tongs, unless it was an invert known for clinging to and moving up the forceps.