What is this mass bred species in Vietnam?

[kevyig]

So I am new to the hobby and trying to get my first scorpion when I came across some facebook group that have people selling those scorpions (mostly for wine/alcohol infusion or something).
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I doubt this is Heterometrus because I found some posts said they are mostly exported from Vietnam, but I never saw a person selling it as a hobby, instead this undefined species (often called mountain scorpions by the sellers) are sold for as cheap as 1$ per.
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Is there any chance those are Heterometrus because I couldn’t find a seller who has transparent information on the scorpions.
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[Collin Clary]

Heterometrus silenus.

 

[CRX]

It's definitely some kind of Heterometrus. God, that makes me so sad.

 

[Wolfram1]

not bred but collected
most likely

 

[Diao]

They are actually both collected and farmed, as they are used for a lot more than just the pet trade. They are an attractive exotic food for the tourist trade there, along with all kinds of things like traditional medicine, etc.

It's actually always been my personal opinion that is the exact reason the hobby all the sudden became flooded with these Heterometrus is simply because they were a cheap and readily available large black scorpion with an infrastructure already in place to ensure a lasting supply. On top of that, no regulations or export quotas or expensive paperwork with scorpions from these countries, so even greater profit. Cheap, easy, and available. The days of yor when Pandinus filled the shelves of every pet store across the planet are long gone, and Heterometrus are here to stay.

 

[Wolfram1]

They are actually both collected and farmed, as they are used for a lot more than just the pet trade. They are an attractive exotic food for the tourist trade there, along with all kinds of things like traditional medicine, etc.

It's actually always been my personal opinion that is the exact reason the hobby all the sudden became flooded with these Heterometrus is simply because they were a cheap and readily available large black scorpion with an infrastructure already in place to ensure a lasting supply. On top of that, no regulations or export quotas or expensive paperwork with scorpions from these countries, so even greater profit. Cheap, easy, and available. The days of yor when Pandinus filled the shelves of every pet store across the planet are long gone, and Heterometrus are here to stay.

fascinating, if so this would be some good news at least.

i assume 'farming' constitutes creating some habitat on forested private land?

or how is this done?

 

[The Snark]

i assume 'farming' constitutes creating some habitat on forested private land?

or how is this done?

Two methods I've seen. They set fire to the forests every year, just burning off fallen leaves and debris - the cause of the Asian Brown Cloud, to collect mushrooms. Then with bare dirt all stripes of people go out collecting animals. Some are sold to factory farms, much safer than smuggling across the borders.
The factory farms consist of large enclosures with concrete walls about 3 feet high varnished smooth so the scorps can't climb out. The substrate either packed hard clay or concrete. Thousands in each of the 20 or more feet across 'tubs'. several hundred scorps in each. An assortment of offal from animal slaughter, rotting vegetation and even animal pen run off slurry surrounds and often placed in plastic tubs on the enclosures. They turn on lights at night above them to attract bugs. The undamaged survivors are collected and exported.
The major harvesting is done when the first rains fall and the termites swarm. Virtually overwhelmed with food they can grow pretty fast. Healthy adult scorps can sell from $1 to $3 each.

The government sponsors incubator projects where locals can learn how to factory farm various animals, ostensibly for sale in local markets. There's one about 25 km up the highway from us. No photos allowed without a gov. official approval.

 

[Brewser]

One Humans Pet is Another Humans Meal
Culture Clash.

 

[Diao]

Two methods I've seen. They set fire to the forests every year, just burning off fallen leaves and debris - the cause of the Asian Brown Cloud, to collect mushrooms. Then with bare dirt all stripes of people go out collecting animals. Some are sold to factory farms, much safer than smuggling across the borders.
The factory farms consist of large enclosures with concrete walls about 3 feet high varnished smooth so the scorps can't climb out. The substrate either packed hard clay or concrete. Thousands in each of the 20 or more feet across 'tubs'. several hundred scorps in each. An assortment of offal from animal slaughter, rotting vegetation and even animal pen run off slurry surrounds and often placed in plastic tubs on the enclosures. They turn on lights at night above them to attract bugs. The undamaged survivors are collected and exported.
The major harvesting is done when the first rains fall and the termites swarm. Virtually overwhelmed with food they can grow pretty fast. Healthy adult scorps can sell from $1 to $3 each.

The government sponsors incubator projects where locals can learn how to factory farm various animals, ostensibly for sale in local markets. There's one about 25 km up the highway from us. No photos allowed without a gov. official approval.

Yeah, its pretty barbaric and primitive, especially when you see all the dead ones just laying around not even bothered to be removed from the other live animals. I've seen Pandinus farms like that too, where there are dead adults laying everywhere that they don't even bother taking out of the pens. Makes sense now that you mention attracting local insects is a primary feeding source, leaving dead individuals might do that too, plus the other cage mates will probably scavenge off them as well.

I know there are some decent private farms for both Heterometrus and Pandinus, I've only seen one example of each. The Heterometrus one had the animals kept in what were probably about 8' circular pens indoors with heat lamps suspended from the center of the pen, water made available in large shallow plastic dishes. Can't remember (or maybe never knew) what was being used for feeders. The Pandinus ones in Africa were considerably better, with rooms filled with large plastic tubs, not all that different from what you'd see a keeper in the hobby with a large collection set up like. If I remember correctly they were kept communally in these tubs save for females with babies which are given their own tub to to raise the young for a time before removing the mother to re-mate and the babies stay in the tub to become their own existing colony. It was not exclusively CB on either of these farms as WC specimens were being added on a consistent basis.