How to Care for an Emperor Scorpion

The Emperor Scorpion (pandinus imperator) is by far the most popular choice for a pet scorpion. Adults are normally five to seven inches in length, but can grow to eight inches. They are unusually docile and quite hardy. They are primarily exported from tropical west Africa and should be found in most pet stores that carry invertebrate specimens. The following steps will help you care for this popular species.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Use a tank that will provide at least a five gallon volume for each adult and make at least one hiding place for each scorpion. Emperor scorpions can live in groups if they are not overcrowded but will often fight over the same prey even when there are enough to go around.
2. Lay down three to four inches of peat moss or potting soil as a substrate. The substrate should be kept damp but not wet. This species prefers to burrow and can dig into the substrate up to a foot if given the opportunity. The enclosure should be kept dark as this species is particularly sensitive to ultraviolet light.
3. Keep the enclosure for this scorpion warm (75 to 82 degrees) and humid (75 to 80 percent). Humidity should be monitored and can be increased by covering the top of the enclosure with plastic wrap. The humidity should be increased when the scorpion is about to molt, which happens several times before adult size is reached.
4. Provide almost any live prey smaller than the scorpion. Crickets are an excellent choice. Adults can drink from a shallow water dish.
5. Put babies in a separate container with air holes, if needed. The young can usually live with the mother, but she will occasionally cannibalize the young when stressed.

Tips & Warnings

• No scorpion should be handled. Although this species has weak venom and is rarely provoked, some people may be allergic to it. The emperor scorpion does have powerful pincers, however.