by Bengal Hotdog

Created on: November 13, 2009   Last Updated: November 14, 2009

Just like tarantulas, centipedes, and other creepy crawlies, having a scorpion for a pet is unconventional but becoming increasingly popular. Not all scorpions are the deadly, vicious man-killers the movies would have you believe, but they do sting, and it does hurt. Be sure to research the specific breed you are interested in to find out the difficulty level and learn which species are not suitable for beginner keepers.

Scorpions are actually part of the arachnid family, as well as arthropod family and they will actually fluoresce under an ultraviolet light. This unusual ability is thought to somehow protect them from the desert sun's damaging rays.

With an average lifespan ranging from 2-6 years, they are a commitment similar to that of a small bird or rodent, however be sure that you will want to keep it for the length of it's life because it may prove difficult to find a new home for an unwanted scorpion!

They do make good pets for people in apartments, condos, or multi-family houses since they make no noise, require very little maintenance, and don't smell.

Food

Scorpions in the wild will eat everything from crickets to small lizards. In captivity they will do fine on mainly crickets but will also enjoy snacks of mealworms or moths as supplements. Be sure that the feeder insects are fed a nutritious diet, as they will pass on those nutrients to your pet. Feed your scorpion every few days, not daily.

If you keep multiple scorpions in a tank, be sure to feed enough crickets or worms to ensure that everyone eats, to reduce aggression and possible cannibalism amongst hungry pets.

Provide a shallow water dish and be sure to keep it filled with clean, fresh water.

Habitat

These creepers are desert-dwellers, and do very well in a fish tank or terrarium with a heat pad on one side. This allows for a warmer end and a cooler end. They need no daytime light as they are night creatures, but if you'd like to watch their evening activity you can add a black light to the tank. As mentioned above, this will cause the scorpions to glow and will not disturb their natural activities.

Provide desert scorpions with three or four inches of dry sand to burrow in, and at least one hiding place such as a rock or plastic cave. Tropical scorpions require damp soil or some other type of reptile or invertebrate substrate, and the tank should have high humidity. You can mist the tank with a spray bottle to help maintain humidity for tropical scorpions.

Note: If you have more than one scorpion,

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