Favorite species of Scorpion

[ScorpionEvo687]

What is you guy's favorite species of scorpion? I wanna say H. arizonensis (Arizona Desert Hairy) since that's one of the first scorps I'm getting (along w/ P. spinigerus, most likely) but I'm actually gonna go w/ it's close relative the H. spadix (Black-backed Desert Hairy). I really love the uniformly darkened carapace it has & how it contrasts w/ the yellowish-tan coloration on the rest of the scorpion. Hadrurus is definitely my favorite genus of scorpions, and I also like how they're some of the longest lived scorpions out there (15-20 yrs on average in captivity). Some other scorpions I really like are the Emperor/Asian Forest Scorpions (Pandinus sp./Heterometrus sp.), Bark Scorpions (Centruroides sp., especially C. gracilis & C. margaritatus), Fat/Thick-tailed Scorpions (Androctonus sp./Parabuthus sp.) & the Devil Scorpion/Stripe-tailed Scorpion (P. spinigerus). So, what scorpion(s) are your favorite and why?

 

[Nevada Geigle]

Parabuthus sp.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

Parabuthus sp.

I love the big fat tails they have. And they typically aren't *as* venomous as the Androctonus which also have the big thick tails.

 

[Nevada Geigle]

I love the big fat tails they have. And they typically aren't *as* venomous as the Androctonus which also have the big thick tails.

You must be a young kid...as you should not keep any Androctonus sp./Parabuthus sp..till your older.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

You must be a young kid...as you should not keep any Androctonus sp./Parabuthus sp..till your older .

I'm not a kid. I'm 27. That being said, no, I don't plan on getting one *yet*. Want some other fairly harmless scorpions first. Build up some experience.

I actually made an entire thread on the topic asking if there's any fat tails or thick tails suitable for beginner or intermediate keepers. From what I've gathered, Parabuthus on average tends to be *less* venomous/dangerous than Androctonus tends to be, but they should still be treated with extreme caution.

 

[Nevada Geigle]

I'm not a kid. I'm 27. That being said, no, I don't plan on getting one *yet*. Want some other fairly harmless scorpions first. Build up some experience.


I actually made an entire thread on the topic asking if there's any fat tails or thick tails suitable for beginner or intermediate keepers. From what I've gathered, Parabuthus on average tends to be *less* venomous/dangerous than Androctonus tends to be, but they should still be treated with extreme caution.

Ok

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

Hottentotta franzwerneri

Leiurus heberti / jordanensis (undecided)

Parabuthus transvaalicus / villosus (undecided)

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

Hottentotta franzwerneri

Leiurus heberti / jordanensis (undecided)

Parabuthus transvaalicus / villosus (undecided)

You actually like the P. villosus & transvaalicus more so than you like the A. australis which was your 4th scorpion? Seems they're a bit bigger than Androctonus.

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

You actually like the P. villosus & transvaalicus more so than you like the A. australis which was your 4th scorpion? Seems they're a bit bigger than Androctonus.

Oh I loved my Androctonus australis it passed decades ago and love the Androctonus genus in general but P. transvaalicus and P. villosus rank amongst my favorites.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

Oh I loved my Androctonus australis it passed decades ago and love the Androctonus genus in general but P. transvaalicus and P. villosus rank amongst my favorites.

Hm, yeah, I'm thinking maybe I'll go for something like a P. villosus or P. transvaalicus for my 5th scorpion (after the H. arizonensis, P. spinigerus, S. mesaensis & C. sculpturatus). Only after I've owned all those other scorpions for more than a year though and I have to feel 100% comfortable w/ them. Absolutely love the big fat tails they have like I've said time and again, just a shame they're so venomous (if a bit less so on average than Androctonus). What's the venom level on the H. franzwerneri & L. heberti & jordanensis? I reckon the heberti and jordanensis, being Leiurus sp. and close relatives to the Deathstalker, are quite venomous but I know with the Hottentotta sp. it can vary quite a bit.

 

[Outpost31Survivor]

Hm, yeah, I'm thinking maybe I'll go for something like a P. villosus or P. transvaalicus for my 5th scorpion (after the H. arizonensis, P. spinigerus, S. mesaensis & C. sculpturatus). Only after I've owned all those other scorpions for more than a year though and I have to feel 100% comfortable w/ them. Absolutely love the big fat tails they have like I've said time and again, just a shame they're so venomous (if a bit less so on average than Androctonus). What's the venom level on the H. franzwerneri & L. heberti & jordanensis? I reckon the heberti and jordanensis, being Leiurus sp. and close relatives to the Deathstalker, are quite venomous but I know with the Hottentotta sp. it can vary quite a bit.

Only Leiurus abdullahbayrami, L. hebraeus, and L. quinquestriatus have had toxins studied and acute toxicity tests performed. But they have reported significant venom divergence between Leiurus quinquestriatus and Leiurus hebraeus (Nascimento et al. 2006, Smertenko et al. 2001). So who knows some species maybe more venomous, more deadly than other species. Saudi Arabia has reported alot of medically significant Leiurus envenomations suspected of being L. arabicus and L. haenggii due to the reports found within their range. Many of these reports are dated prior to 2014 Leiurus revision and everything was lumped under L. quinquestriatus. Post-revision L. quinquestriatus is restricted to Egypt and Sudan. Same happened with A. australis every Androctonus envenomation from North Africa to Asia was lumped under A. australis but A. australis has since been found restricted to North Africa. It is the deadliest scorpion of the whole Maghreb region for number of medically significant envenomations and human fatalities (mostly pediatric).

Hottentotta franzwerneri was long regarded as not medically significant but in the 1990s a Moroccan regional epidemiological survey confirmed a subspecies H. franzwerneri gentili was responsible for 10-12 confirmed human fatalities. In 2007, Hottentotta gentili was elevated to a separate species. Hottentotta franzwerneri and Hottentotta gentili Ziz Valley Clade were found closer related than the other H. gentili clades. There have been no toxin studies performed on H. franzwerneri venom neither acute toxicity tests. I have been stung by a subadult male H. franzwerneri. It was mild sting no systemic symptons but my finger experienced a pounding, throbbing pain for 8 straight hours, and swelled up twice its size. It is the worst scorpion sting I have experienced to date but heck all of my other scorpion stings weren't medically significant species. Buthids medically significant or otherwise have the potential of causing a great deal of localized pain that is supported with a few toxin studies. Localized pain and symptons do not fall under systemic symptons and alone bear no medically significance.

Hottentotta franzwerneri

Hottentotta franzwerneri sting reports

arachnoboards.com

H. gentili LD50 .46 mg/kg

 

[bjjpokemon910]

Hottentotta jayakari
Heterometrous sp.
Hadrurus arizonensis

 

[GreekPrince]

Centruroides Bicolor Scorpion

Such a beautiful scorpion, I shall one day own one

 

[Taffy]

You must be a young kid...as you should not keep any Androctonus sp./Parabuthus sp..till your older.

what makes you say that? he’s not doing anything stupid like handling them or saying that he’s going to. i’m considered a kid and i own many parabuthus and androctonus sp. i think anyone can own them as long as you know to keep your fingers away from them and to always use tongs.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

what makes you say that? he’s not doing anything stupid like handling them or saying that he’s going to. i’m considered a kid and i own many parabuthus and androctonus sp. i think anyone can own them as long as you know to keep your fingers away from them and to always use tongs.

Agree % Can a Parabuthus or Androctonus potentially land you in the hospital or even kill you if you get stung? Most definitely yes. However, unless you're careless or doing something stupid like picking one up with your bare hands or intentionally inducing a sting your likelihood of being stung is nil. I saw a few sting reports from H. hottentotta on here one where the guy was careless and free handling the scorpion cause I guess his mom broke his tongs somehow & the other guy actually induced a sting. Just don't be those guys and you'll probably be fine. Scorpions can't even climb glass. It's not like a venomous snake where it can strike at you from a long distance or a Phoneutria sp. Brazilian Wandering Spider that is wicked fast and defensive (and can climb flat surfaces like glass). For that matter you're probably more likely to get tagged by a defensive OW tarantula like an H. maculata or S. calceatum and, while they won't kill you, you'll still end up in excruciating pain and may need to seek medical attention. These scorpions are completely legal to own in I would assume *most* states in the US and I reckon that wouldn't be the case if many people were getting killed or injured by them. Most venomous snakes in very many states have very strict laws regarding their ownership because they can and often times do seriously injure or even kill careless keepers.

 

[Taffy]

Agree % Can a Parabuthus or Androctonus potentially land you in the hospital or even kill you if you get stung? Most definitely yes. However, unless you're careless or doing something stupid like picking one up with your bare hands or intentionally inducing a sting your likelihood of being stung is nil. I saw a few sting reports from H. hottentotta on here one where the guy was careless and free handling the scorpion cause I guess his mom broke his tongs somehow & the other guy actually induced a sting. Just don't be those guys and you'll probably be fine. Scorpions can't even climb glass. It's not like a venomous snake where it can strike at you from a long distance or a Phoneutria sp. Brazilian Wandering Spider that is wicked fast and defensive (and can climb flat surfaces like glass). For that matter you're probably more likely to get tagged by a defensive OW tarantula like an H. maculata or S. calceatum and, while they won't kill you, you'll still end up in excruciating pain and may need to seek medical attention. These scorpions are completely legal to own in I would assume *most* states in the US and I reckon that wouldn't be the case if many people were getting killed or injured by them. Most venomous snakes in very many states have very strict laws regarding their ownership because they can and often times do seriously injure or even kill careless keepers.

exactly. i own a LOT of H. macs and they’ve gotten close to tagging me a couple times but my parabuthus and androctonus have never gotten close because they can’t jump, climb glass, or climb up your tongs. despite having worse venom i consider scorpions to be “safer” because there is less things that can go wrong with them. only way you get stung by a scorp is if you aren’t using tongs or if you’re being stupid.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

exactly. i own a LOT of H. macs and they’ve gotten close to tagging me a couple times but my parabuthus and androctonus have never gotten close because they can’t jump, climb glass, or climb up your tongs. despite having worse venom i consider scorpions to be “safer” because there is less things that can go wrong with them. only way you get stung by a scorp is if you aren’t using tongs or if you’re being stupid.

Also a big part of why scorps are my fave arachnid and not tarantulas, or at least, not anymore (A few years back they probably were, but I only got arachnids just now. 2 scorpions). I feel like they're more "user friendly" than most T's are. I had literally ZERO experience keeping inverts unpacking my scorpions and didn't really have any issues. I feel like even unpacking a slower moving (relatively speaking) NW T would've been at least a little more stressful.

I can think of maybe like 1 or 2 T's I want, but like 4 or 5 different scorps (that includes the 2 I already have though). My scorpion collection is gonna be bigger than my tarantula collection.

 

[Taffy]

Also a big part of why scorps are my fave arachnid and not tarantulas, or at least, not anymore (A few years back they probably were, but I only got arachnids just now. 2 scorpions). I feel like they're more "user friendly" than most T's are. I had literally ZERO experience keeping inverts unpacking my scorpions and didn't really have any issues. I feel like even unpacking a slower moving (relatively speaking) NW T would've been at least a little more stressful.

yep me too. scorpions are so much easier to unpack than tarantulas. i do prefer tarantulas more than scorpions though. however my favorite invert are definitely centipedes. they’re so fun. my first invert was a G. pulchra (that i still have) and then BOOM, jumped right into centipedes.

 

[ScorpionEvo687]

yep me too. scorpions are so much easier to unpack than tarantulas. i do prefer tarantulas more than scorpions though. however my favorite invert are definitely centipedes. they’re so fun. my first invert was a G. pulchra (that i still have) and then BOOM, jumped right into centipedes.

I kinda want a pede, but my parents (I'm an adult, but I do still live at home) are very much against the idea even though they don't have a problem with me owning scorpions or tarantulas. Also have heard they can be kinda mean and are even bigger escape artists in many cases than many tarantulas. If I got one, it'd probably be an S. polymorpha.

 

[Taffy]

I kinda want a pede, but my parents (I'm an adult, but I do still live at home) are very much against the idea even though they don't have a problem with me owning scorpions or tarantulas. Also have heard they can be kinda mean and are even bigger escape artists in many cases than many tarantulas. If I got one, it'd probably be an S. polymorpha.

S. polymorpha are nice. i’ve owned a few, i don’t own any rn but i always bring some home after visiting NM and AZ. really pretty pedes