Thinking about getting into scorpions

MichiganReptiles

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
407
I just read the sticky thread for basic care of Emperor Scorpions. Thank you for that! I imagine I will start with an Emperor, since that seems to be a common place to start. I look forward to diving into this aspect of the hobby. Any tips are greatly appreciated. ;)

What types of scorpions stay really small? I think the small ones are pretty cool too. and with that, what care do those small ones - whichever you might suggest - require?

Thanks!
 

AzJohn

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
2,181
Try Superstitionia donensis or some of the smaller Vaejovis species. I know donensis mature at about an inch. As far as care is concerned, basically the same thing on smaller size. Maybe smaller prey items. Of coarse you'll need to research the species in question to find specific care requirements.

John
 

MichiganReptiles

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
407
Thank you! I appreciate your help. I just had someone on my Michigan Tarantulas facebook page offer to send me some V. Spinigerus scorplings. I read they are communal.
 

Androctonus3000

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
32
Scorpions are awesome, but you really must understand them. 1st of all a scorpion is not a "pet" per say. Scorps are nocturnal, and spend most of the time "hidden" under a rock, or burrow. You can't(or I should say, you shouldn't)handle or "pet" a scorpion, and they give some people the "creeps". All in all, consider if the scorpion hobby is right for you. All different scorpions require all different ways of suiting their environment to maintain a healthy happy scorpion:razz:! Just some thought! Vaejovids are small, and not so potent. Try my personal fav of the "small" scorps scorpio maurus palmatus. They look like tiny golden Emperor scorp(but sadly they don't live long in captive)! Just remember, treat the scorpions with respect, and do your research! Best of luck to ya with your new hobby!! See yas
JM
 

MichiganReptiles

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
407
Scorpions are awesome, but you really must understand them. 1st of all a scorpion is not a "pet" per say. Scorps are nocturnal, and spend most of the time "hidden" under a rock, or burrow. You can't(or I should say, you shouldn't)handle or "pet" a scorpion, and they give some people the "creeps". All in all, consider if the scorpion hobby is right for you. All different scorpions require all different ways of suiting their environment to maintain a healthy happy scorpion:razz:! Just some thought! Vaejovids are small, and not so potent. Try my personal fav of the "small" scorps scorpio maurus palmatus. They look like tiny golden Emperor scorp(but sadly they don't live long in captive)! Just remember, treat the scorpions with respect, and do your research! Best of luck to ya with your new hobby!! See yas
JM
I appreciate your concern, but since I'm in the tarantula hobby I know these things. I don't handle my tarantulas and won't handle my scorps either.
 

NikiP

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 16, 2006
Messages
539
Vaejovis are awesome :D

I've read conflicting stuff about V. spinigerus being communal, sounds like it can go either way. My 3 V. spinigerus adults I had been keeping in a 2.5gal with pieces of slate for them to dig under. I use a sand & coco fiber mixture for the substrate, seems to hold together really well for burrowing. I drop 3-4 prekilled crickets or roaches in about once a week then remove any remains/bodies the next day. I also water them like Ts, a bottle cap that I keep filled with pebbles in the bottom. They are about 3" long totalled.

Right now all of mine are seperated just because all are pregnant, waiting on the other two to give birth.

Most the babies from the brood i've offered you babies from I seperated when they came off of mom's back. I had so many babies though that I ended up leaving what I couldn't easily find in with mom (she's in a shoe box sized container with straight peat & lots of pieces of slate.) I regularly see her sitting ontop of a piece of slate, surrounded by little ones. I have read the babies may eat each other, but i'm not to concerned :rolleyes: I throw a few prekill crix/roaches in like I did when the adults were together, fun to see the babies interacting & sharing/fighting over food.

I also have V. waueri, which are about 1" as adults. I keep the adults the same exact way, other then I only mist them, no dish. Very cute :D
 

MichiganReptiles

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
407
Vaejovis are awesome :D

I've read conflicting stuff about V. spinigerus being communal, sounds like it can go either way. My 3 V. spinigerus adults I had been keeping in a 2.5gal with pieces of slate for them to dig under. I use a sand & coco fiber mixture for the substrate, seems to hold together really well for burrowing. I drop 3-4 prekilled crickets or roaches in about once a week then remove any remains/bodies the next day. I also water them like Ts, a bottle cap that I keep filled with pebbles in the bottom. They are about 3" long totalled.

Right now all of mine are seperated just because all are pregnant, waiting on the other two to give birth.

Most the babies from the brood i've offered you babies from I seperated when they came off of mom's back. I had so many babies though that I ended up leaving what I couldn't easily find in with mom (she's in a shoe box sized container with straight peat & lots of pieces of slate.) I regularly see her sitting ontop of a piece of slate, surrounded by little ones. I have read the babies may eat each other, but i'm not to concerned :rolleyes: I throw a few prekill crix/roaches in like I did when the adults were together, fun to see the babies interacting & sharing/fighting over food.

I also have V. waueri, which are about 1" as adults. I keep the adults the same exact way, other then I only mist them, no dish. Very cute :D
Thank you for that information, Niki!!! I can't wait to get them :)
 

DireWolf0384

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 28, 2009
Messages
783
One of my favorites is H. Paucidens. They are very unique in that their venom is very mild, they are completely flat and can fit under almost anything. They are flat like a credit card, sort of intimidating but yet docile enough to handle. I have 4 of them.
 

gromgrom

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
1,743
Thank you for that information, Niki!!! I can't wait to get them :)
what you need to understand about them is that most adult scorpions of the same species are communal as long as there is ample food and hides. This can be less true for certain species, but V. spinigerus arent communal as babies. I learned that the hard way.

Since you have experience with T's, these guys cant climb. Get the spinigerus, and try your hand at some babycurus jacksoni or centruroides species.
 

Redneck

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Messages
1,393
Toni.. My personal fav. is the C. vitattus.. (Spelling?) I know I can find these all over down here.. (I could find them on my sister ex husbands land..)

As babies... They tend to much each other if they dont get enough food.. As adults.. They get along great..

I currently have one male I found in the house the other day.. They are arboreal scorpions..

Keep them bone dry.. If they get to high of humidity.. There is a chance of them getting mycosis.. (I think thats what is called..)
You can keep them on the same substrate as you keep your tarantulas on.. Or you can put them on sand.. (I never had a problem either way..)

I misted the enclosure (A very LIGHT mist..) once every 2 weeks..

Feed them the same as you feed your ts..

Very easy to care for..
 

Nomadinexile

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
2,674
Toni.. My personal fav. is the C. vitattus.. (Spelling?) I know I can find these all over down here.. (I could find them on my sister ex husbands land..)

As babies... They tend to much each other if they dont get enough food.. As adults.. They get along great..

I currently have one male I found in the house the other day.. They are arboreal scorpions..

Keep them bone dry.. If they get to high of humidity.. There is a chance of them getting mycosis.. (I think thats what is called..)
You can keep them on the same substrate as you keep your tarantulas on.. Or you can put them on sand.. (I never had a problem either way..)

I misted the enclosure (A very LIGHT mist..) once every 2 weeks..

Feed them the same as you feed your ts..

Very easy to care for..
Hey Redneck! Good to see you on this side of the boards! :)

Centruroides vittatus is a great starter scorpion, you hit the nail on the head there. However, due to my experience both captive and wild with these, I wanted to clarify a few things.

C. vittatus adults will cannibalize. I have not seen it in my well fed captive tanks, but I have seen it in situ many times. I would recommend keeping your adults well fed to avoid this.

Humidity is not a big concern with C. vittatus. There are many morphs of C. vittatus. Their habitat extends from completely xeric deserts to very humid
swamps.

I keep my C. vittatus with a varied humidity. I will mist entire terrarium, soaking the substrate thoroughly, then let it all dry out. This is not unusual in their natural habitat, and has worked well for me.

Main thing with C. vittatus is this: They can live just about anywhere. Keep temps and humidity reasonable, and you shouldn't have any problems.
They are very hardy.

*FOR OP
The V. waueri are a great small scorpion. They are not commonly found, but you have a connection now from earlier post. They are more than tolerant of humans, they almost seem to enjoy a walk on your arm! They are beautiful and a lot of fun. Another closely related species that I haven't seen available recently is V. coahuilae. They are around the same size as the V. waueri, and even share the same habitats!

Enjoy your foray. Scorpions Rule! :p
 

Redneck

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Messages
1,393
Hey Redneck! Good to see you on this side of the boards! :)
Thanks.. I aint been this way in a while.. Dang tarantulas got me.. {D

Centruroides vittatus is a great starter scorpion, you hit the nail on the head there. However, due to my experience both captive and wild with these, I wanted to clarify a few things.
They are a great starter scorpion.. One that I believe that is highly under rated.. Will always be one of my favorites..

C. vittatus adults will cannibalize. I have not seen it in my well fed captive tanks, but I have seen it in situ many times. I would recommend keeping your adults well fed to avoid this.
I guess I should have been a little more spacific.. Instead of saying they get along great.. :eek: They will cannibalize.. But I have never seen in either.. I have kept 50+ juvies - adults together.. Never had an issue.. Of course they were well fed..


As for the humidity.. I thought at first to keep them really damp.. Which kept the humidity rather high & I saw a sign of mycosis (I think it was mycosis..) on a few of the scorps.. I then let it dry out.. The dark spot where the mycosis was spotted never went away.. (I dont think it ever does..) But no other health issues from the way I was keeping them after that.. :)
 

NevularScorpion

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Messages
916
Try Superstitionia donensis or some of the smaller Vaejovis species. I know donensis mature at about an inch. As far as care is concerned, basically the same thing on smaller size. Maybe smaller prey items. Of coarse you'll need to research the species in question to find specific care requirements.

John
Hello John,

do you keep Superstitionia donensis if so what kind of feeder do you use on the slings ?
 

AzJohn

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Messages
2,181
Hello John,

do you keep Superstitionia donensis if so what kind of feeder do you use on the slings ?
I feed slings prekilled crickets. Even rather large ones will be eaten by them. I have a cool picture of several babies playing tug-of-war with a cricket that is so much bigger than all of them combined. I'll try and post it this evening.

John
 

gromgrom

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
1,743
I feed slings prekilled crickets. Even rather large ones will be eaten by them. I have a cool picture of several babies playing tug-of-war with a cricket that is so much bigger than all of them combined. I'll try and post it this evening.

John
Ha i've had slings do that too.

i just wish more T species were such aggressive eaters.
 

Treynok

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 17, 2009
Messages
202
I really enjoy my colony of C sculpturatus. I started with 6 I got as freebies little over a year ago and probably have about70+ in a communal tank now. I give em a water dish, plenty of cork bark and dump in mixed size lateralis cockroaches about every 2 weeks to a month. They don't mind light, hunt their prey down pretty quick when i dump em in and I haven't had any cannibalize that I know of they lay on top of each other and in clusters all the time. They just seem to like to do their own thing. A good communal show scorpion but one of the most potent North American species you can get. They get like 2 1/2 inches maybe 3.

H arizonensis is an awesome one to watch too, always keeps busy with digging burrows if you give em enough substrate depth and set it up right. It can be a pain sometimes though cause I redo his enclosure about 10x more often than any other cause deep sand can get dangerous for him when it gets loose and starts collapsing, I'm working on that though.
 
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