Keeping Scorpions at Room Temperature?

[miss moxie]

I've got three years of experience with tarantulas and have been getting interested in scorpions lately. My question is are there scorpions that can be kept at the temperatures I keep my bedroom at-- 70F in late spring & summer, 80F in late fall & winter.

I don't currently have the ability to keep them elsewhere in my house given that family fell on hard times and had to move in with me, so I had to give up my independent tarantula room. Are there any scorpions I can keep at these temperatures or no?

 

[Venom1080]

You could probably get away with it. I don't make any super special efforts to keep my Asian scorps any higher than 80.
Other genera may require a heat pad tho.

 

[FatherOfScorpions]

Hi, the Desert hairy might be a good choice.(hadrurus arizonensis) As long as your house doesn't get below 70 degrees during the day you'd be good. Otherwise supplemental heating will be necessary, using heat lamps or heat pad on the side of the enclosure. You do not want to keep them past 86 though. At night they would not require any heat source.

 

[Scorpionluva]

You could also try vaejovis carolinianus as ive heard they do in fact live in Pa already. There are reports that there was a decent sized colony somewhere in washington Pa. Its close to 2 hours from where im at in Pa so im going to go check for myself someday soon
Hadrurus is a good choice too as mentioned above. They are a blast to watch and can live for a long time also

 

[RTTB]

Many species do well at those temps. I would add Uroctonus mordax to the list.

 

[soldierof4cheese]

I would always keep them at the temps where they come from, I am sure they would adapt to a degree but its not a good thing to do to them. I try to simulate the same temps and humidity is where came from. I heat mine thru the day and cool them off at night, seems to work fine.

 

[Mila]

Vast majority of scorpions will do perfectly fine at those temperatures. Too cold? Burrow. Too hot? Burrow. As long as your room never feels cold to you your scorpions will be fine. Humidity (or lack of in some species) is the only thing that needs monitoring with scorpions really

 

[miss moxie]

Thanks everyone for answering. I don't want to get something I can't provide the proper parameters for after all, it's not fair to the animal.

 

[Mila]

Thanks everyone for answering. I don't want to get something I can't provide the proper parameters for after all, it's not fair to the animal.

A lot of scorpions are perfectly fine at room temp and humidity. There's even somehow a species of scorpion that survives in the uk where it goes from rain to sun every other hour and is freezing cold one day and hot the next. Scorpions are millions of years old for a reason

 

[miss moxie]

A lot of scorpions are perfectly fine at room temp and humidity. There's even somehow a species of scorpion that survives in the uk where it goes from rain to sun every other hour and is freezing cold one day and hot the next. Scorpions are millions of years old for a reason

I figured they weren't breakable like glass, but a lot of people talk about heat lamps and heating pads with them and while I know a passable amount about tarantulas I'm "scorpion stupid" for the time being.

 

[Mila]

Depends which species of scorpion you're wanting to get. AFS's aka Asian Forrest scorpions are great starters. They're cheaper than emperors (emperors are gold dust at this point) and enjoy a relatively high humidity. Post a few species you'd like to keep and I'll give you a basic care guide

 

[Scorpionluva]

Best bet is to find a species you really like and go with it. If they happen to need more heat than your room has - there are some simple cheap solutions for it ( heat mats or infrared bulbs)
I keep almost all of my scorpions at 75-85° all the time
Only my gravid females will receive extra heating with infrared bulbs as some species like hottentotta franzwerneri seem to like 110+ when gravid but ive raised many up from 2i -6i without additional heat

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I'm not exactly into those nor I can't help too much because the last one I kept (the classic huge 'jet black' Asian) was almost 24 years ago ah ah.

But let's say, in the case of genus Heterometrus ones, the temperatures are just exactly the same temperatures you want to offer to Asian Theraphosidae, so not a big deal

 

[miss moxie]

Well I haven't done too much research into the different genera and individual species yet, since I wanted to know if it was plausible at all. I have to say Pandinus imperator, right? They're like a scorpion staple, and I can see why. That all black coloration is beautiful and I hear they get big. Babycurus jacksoni have a very interesting coloration. Hadogenes troglodytes seems unique too with their really slender tails.

Really I'm open to suggestions, considering I don't know much about scorpions. I also don't know how easy or hard it is to find specific specimens.

 

[Scorpionluva]

Heteroctenus junceus ( formerly rhopalurus junceus) is a very pretty scorpion and about the same care as a babycurus jacksoni

This specie is 1 of my top 5 favorites of all the species ive kept over the years and i usually have extras so theyre readily available

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Well I haven't done too much research into the different genera and individual species yet, since I wanted to know if it was plausible at all. I have to say Pandinus imperator, right? They're like a scorpion staple, and I can see why. That all black coloration is beautiful and I hear they get big. Babycurus jacksoni have a very interesting coloration. Hadogenes troglodytes seems unique too with their really slender tails.

Really I'm open to suggestions, considering I don't know much about scorpions. I also don't know how easy or hard it is to find specific specimens.

As mentioned, Emperors got pricey after an exportation ban. But if it is a forest species you want, Heterometrus will fill the bill. Pretty much the same care and they are pretty similar in appearance. I think they run a bit smaller then Emperors but they get to an impressive size. i have two, one I've been raising from a baby and another that I bought not quite full-grown.
I got them with the approach of warm weather, so temperatures may be something of a challenge for me in the near future too. I have a heat mat on the side of the older one's tank, and the young one is small enough to keep in a deli-cup, which I keep close to my gecko'd dome lamp for the heat radiated from it. Whether those methods will work with the approach of cold weather remains to be seen, I may have to take additional measures of some sort.

Naturally, if you choose an arid species, the conditions will be different, especially in regard to humidity. Oh, and my larger AFS is seldom seen, it spends most of its time beneath a piece of cork bark. which is natural. They really don't like light.The baby hasn't bothered to burrow or hide, though. I like mine for what they are, but they are not as dynamic as tarantulas, in my opinion. Still neat to have, though.

Here is my young one, shortly after I got it, and a recent photo taken a couple weeks after her second moult in my care. For a sense of growth increase, keep on mind that in the first picture, it is in a small deli-cup like you keep s'lings in. the other side is a large half-pound container. She's eating a small B. lateralis.



Maybe a moult comparison would be a better indicator... Although if you choose to get one of this species, you probably won't get a baby. I just thought you might find it of interest. You may prefer an arid species. Depends on your tastes, I guess.
First moult- March 23rd, second August 5th...both 2017





And here is the bigger one I purchased. (Somebody gave me the baby one.)

 

[darkness975]

I've got three years of experience with tarantulas and have been getting interested in scorpions lately. My question is are there scorpions that can be kept at the temperatures I keep my bedroom at-- 70F in late spring & summer, 80F in late fall & winter.

I don't currently have the ability to keep them elsewhere in my house given that family fell on hard times and had to move in with me, so I had to give up my independent tarantula room. Are there any scorpions I can keep at these temperatures or no?

Hadrurus spp. Mine are kept with no supplemental heating and are fine. In winter it can dip into the low 60s at night (not by my choice) and they are fine.

Basically most (or all) North American species can be kept at room temperature.

I even have some P. imperator that are sometimes exposed to cooler than normal temps though that is also not by choice (long story).

I believe in the case of my Hadrurus spp. they derive some kind of benefit from the temperature reduction in winter as it more closely mimics their native habitat. They go into diapause from late October until mid April.

@miss moxie I have been a Scorpion keeper even longer than a Tarantula keeper. I branched off into other invertebrates after loving being a Scorpion keeper so long ago. Keeping Scorpions led into keeping Tarantulas (among other inverts like Mantids). Fun story to share

Your inbox is full @miss moxie but feel free to PM me if you have any specific inquiries or want to know more about the spp. I keep.

 

[RTTB]

I completely agree with NA species doing fine at room temperature.

 

[Scorpionluva]

Yes miss moxie i was going to tell you if you did happen to like heteroctenus junceus enough to give them a try - i will send you 1 for free just to help you get started in the wonderful world of scorpions. I dont keep any other animals or inverts just scorpions and i love seeing T keepers take the plunge into the scorpion pool. Also it was refreshing to see somebody ask about scorpions who didnt seem too worried about toxocity of venom which is usually the 1st drawback others have when getting the interest

 

[miss moxie]

Your inbox is full @miss moxie but feel free to PM me if you have any specific inquiries or want to know more about the spp. I keep.

Ahh, whoops! I forgot how quickly that thing fills up. I will let you know if I think of any questions moving forward!

Yes miss moxie i was going to tell you if you did happen to like heteroctenus junceus enough to give them a try - i will send you 1 for free just to help you get started in the wonderful world of scorpions. I dont keep any other animals or inverts just scorpions and i love seeing T keepers take the plunge into the scorpion pool. Also it was refreshing to see somebody ask about scorpions who didnt seem too worried about toxocity of venom which is usually the 1st drawback others have when getting the interest

That's so kind! I don't have the spare money to pay for shipping right now but next month I'll have a fresh budget.

I'm not really worried about their venom. I plan to take the same precautions that I do with my tarantulas. I wouldn't mess with them outside of housing and husbandry chores. If I get stung? Oh well. I take the same risk with tarantulas already, and have a couple old worlds as well.