Emperor scorps, mean or nice?

[Pixxie]

I was at a pet store yesterday and they had baby emperor scorps for sale (they were less than an inch long and so freakin cute!). I asked the woman showing them to me how likely they'd be to sting and she said that they'll sting pretty readily. So I was wondering, are they only quick to sting when they're babies, or are they always like that? And if they're not always like that, is it something that they just grow out of doing, or do you have to take a few stings from them untill they get used to your hand?

Sorry if some of these questions seem stupid, or the answers to them obvious, I've never owned a scorp and don't know much about them.

 

[SamuraiSid]

Scorpions are neither mean or nice; they are scorpions. Realistically your more likely to get pinched than stung from an emp, and no, they will not sting readily.... In the 3 years I have owned my emp, I have seen him strike once with his tail, and it was due to my carelessness with the tongs.

it sounds as if your query is more related to handling, and I have no experience in that field.

 

[lizardminion]

You have to remember one of many golden rules... don't always trust a pet store.

 

[AzJohn]

I don't have too much experience with the species. I've kept an bred them in the past and I still have a 3i baby. The baby is much more aggerssive than any off the adults I've kept. Also many of the adults were just as likely to sting as pinch. If you want a very docile species try to find a African Flat Rock, Hadogenes paucidens.

 

[Galapoheros]

Hi John, it doesn't seem like flat rocks have been your taste in the past, are you going by what you read on the internet somewhere? My flat rocks are nasty, lunging, pinching things. I have been stung but "practically" no stinging though, is that what you're talking about? I only got stung moving some caught one as it almost fell. Maybe the ones over here just have that attitude. With their lunging and pinching, I decided to grit my teeth and test the pinch force. So I stuck my finger in front of one, it grabbed my finger and pinched as hard as it could, man they are pretty strong. But it didn't stop there, it reached over with it's other pincer, grabbed and cranked down again. And just like most other things, when it gets warm, they get fired up even more. It's been a few years since I've had an adult H. paucidens though, I have adult H. troglodytes right now and I'm referring to those mostly. Maybe I'm getting the behaviors of the two mixed up but it seems paucidens was kind of the same.

 

[2nscorpx]

Juvenile scorpions are generally more nervous than adults...

 

[AzJohn]

Hi John, it doesn't seem like flat rocks have been your taste in the past, are you going by what you read on the internet somewhere? My flat rocks are nasty, lunging, pinching things. I have been stung but "practically" no stinging though, is that what you're talking about? I only got stung moving some caught one as it almost fell. Maybe the ones over here just have that attitude. With their lunging and pinching, I decided to grit my teeth and test the pinch force. So I stuck my finger in front of one, it grabbed my finger and pinched as hard as it could, man they are pretty strong. But it didn't stop there, it reached over with it's other pincer, grabbed and cranked down again. And just like most other things, when it gets warm, they get fired up even more. It's been a few years since I've had an adult H. paucidens though, I have adult H. troglodytes right now and I'm referring to those mostly. Maybe I'm getting the behaviors of the two mixed up but it seems paucidens was kind of the same.

Hi, yeh big pinchy things aren't my favorites. I've allways had a flat rock or two, uaually so I can have something to bring to my class. I allways make sure they are pretty docile before I buy one. I've got a pair living in a 29 gallon. I've been pinch once, it left a little bruise. Maybe it's the species or a local nasty gene.

 

[Pixxie]

Hi, yeh big pinchy things aren't my favorites. I've allways had a flat rock or two, uaually so I can have something to bring to my class. I allways make sure they are pretty docile before I buy one. I've got a pair living in a 29 gallon. I've been pinch once, it left a little bruise. Maybe it's the species or a local nasty gene.

So you can house them together?

Scorpions are neither mean or nice; they are scorpions. Realistically your more likely to get pinched than stung from an emp, and no, they will not sting readily.... In the 3 years I have owned my emp, I have seen him strike once with his tail, and it was due to my carelessness with the tongs.

it sounds as if your query is more related to handling, and I have no experience in that field.

I know they're not actually mean or nice, it was just easier than typing "aggressive or docile" and shorter, haha.

---------- Post added 04-07-2012 at 05:14 PM ----------

You have to remember one of many golden rules... don't always trust a pet store.

You raise a good point.

 

[AzJohn]

So you can house them together?



.

I'm housing them together because I am trying to breed them, otherwise I would keep them seperate.

 

[Formerphobe]

My Emperors are, well, Emperors. Like Sid said: neither mean nor nice. I have 9+ P. imperator living in a communal tank. On the rare occasion (rehousing) when they had opportunity to either pinch or sting, most did attempt to do both. As far as tank maintenance, none have ever 'attacked' me. If they happen to be out and about, they generally avoid me or run down their burrow. My general rule of thumb for arachnids is to treat them like tropical fish: nice to watch, but don't handle.

 

[Keister]

All scorps are going to have different personalities just like people. Some will be calmer others may be really active, and some may be really aggressive and others not. It all just depends on that particular one. I have south african flat rocks, and mine are totally fine even any of the common flat rocks that I have seen aren't bad at all and very easy to handle. I have my south africans in a communal ten gallon with lots of stacked slate all over the enclosure, and have had no problems with fights or anything. I really have taken a likeing to mine.

 

[Arianji]

Yes Keister has a good point, as have the many others who have commented, scorpions will be scorpions, they're no puppy, they like their solitude (human solitude) and do not have much interest in being handled. How well they tolerate it is by individual. I had a beautiful, monster of an emperor scorpion for 6 years, rest in peace Snips, and she was chill as could be, of course she was huge and fat so that could have made up for it, regardless, I never took her out and handled her and she was still very "docile". I could even touch the top of her sting and she wouldn't freak out. Let it be known though, that was her personality, no amount of my handling acclimated her to that, nor was she in bad health or something that made her appear "gentle" it was just her personality as an individual...this is kinda making me want another scorpion...regardless, I would highly recommend them as a pet IF you are looking for an impressive animal that is best left observed, not handled.

 

[edgeofthefreak]

^ Agreed. I have 2 P. imperators, from the same tank of a LPS. The bigger female is chill as can be, almost lazy. The little male is aggressive enough to attack droplets of water EVERY time I mist them. He'll even wake to throw a few claws around at the droplets a few minutes after. So far, not once have they attacked each other.

 

[Furret]

Emperor scorpions aren't really aggressive. My first two were complete sweethearts and were very gentle. You can't be rapid with them or tease them; otherwise they'll get defensive and will try to pinch you. My best method for picking one up is placing the palm of your hand BEHIND it and using a pencil to gently brush it in the front so it scampers back onto your palm. Besides that, emperors aren't generally mean and will only use the stinger is you grab it in a way that it feels threatened.

 

[Henry1975]

All scorps are going to have different personalities just like people. Some will be calmer others may be really active, and some may be really aggressive and others not. It all just depends on that particular one. I have south african flat rocks, and mine are totally fine even any of the common flat rocks that I have seen aren't bad at all and very easy to handle. I have my south africans in a communal ten gallon with lots of stacked slate all over the enclosure, and have had no problems with fights or anything. I really have taken a likeing to mine.

I agree. I have had some Imperators and there was one that was more aggressive than my A.Bicolor at the time. The rest of the emps were pretty nice and one in particular was extremely docile.

 

[Realevil1]

You have to remember one of many golden rules... never trust a pet store.

haha fixed for ya lol @lizardminion

But on a serious note i find scorpions hit or miss no matter what species. Ive seen emps that will chase tongs and pinch anything and also the opposite.

 

[winter_in_tears]

I had two adult Emperors, male and a female. The male was very docile and calm, never panicked when I was cleaning terranium or transporting it, but he readily attacked food. The female was very aggressive, even during feeds, and forget about it when I was cleaning the terranium for that one, it was a nightmare. I never seen either actually use the stinger but half-strike attempts were very common especially from the female. These creatures are more aggressive with the claws. Also on a side note the female later on gave babies, so for about a year after I bought it. Maybe that caused some aggression? I honestly think the behavioral part of these animals depends on their personality.

 

[Collin Clary]

Folks, could you PLEASE check the date of the thread before posting?

 

[brolloks]

 

[Henry1975]

Lol. Undeniably very funny, I´ll give You that!. I do apologize for causing this horror.