The Scorpion as a Pet

Relatively easy to care for and having a lifespan of 6-8 years, scorpions are fast becoming a popular choice for pets.

Scorpions have been around for 400 million years and have naturally attracted the interest of pet owners and hobbyists alike. There are currently over 1400 recognized species of scorpions in the world with about 90 being found in the US. California and Arizona have the greatest variety with around 60 different species.

These little 8 legged critters belong to the Arahnida family which means they’re related to spiders, mites, and ticks. All scorpions can sting and although it will hurt, few scorpions are actually dangerous to humans. You can’t “de-sting” a scorpion and if you’re normally allergic to bee and wasp stings, then you should give serious thought about having a pet scorpion.

A scorpions’ habitat can range from rain forests to woodlands, deserts, and grasslands. Most scorpions prefer the warmer tropical climates and will feed on a large variety of animals and insects.

Most scorpion species will reach adulthood between 2 and 3 inches. The longest scorpion in the world is said to be the African Scorpion which can be over 8 inches long. The largest in the U.S. is the Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion at about 5 inches.

Pet scorpions are inexpensive to buy, easy to feed, and don’t require a lot of maintenance and care. They should stay by themselves in a tank and don’t require a lot of exercise, so you can keep them in a smaller terrarium, or aquarium. Their home should have some artificial heat and light along with a place to hide. Scorpions are not high maintenance pets. Provide some water, keep the tank clean and feed your pet scorpion crickets and mealworms about every other day. Because of possible injury to yourself, or your pet, it’s recommended that you handle the scorpion as little as possible.

Of all the varieties, only a few kinds of scorpions are actually recommended as pets. The most popular is the Emperor scorpion. It’s also known as the Imperial Black Emperor, or African Emperor Scorpion. Shiny black and about the size of your palm, this scorpion is quite impressive, yet one of the easiest for a beginner to take care of. The Emperor Scorpion is fairly docile with a sting equal to a bee, or wasp. In other species of scorpions, the sting can go from being rather harmless to quite painful, even lethal.

Scorpions are not usually associated with being a good pet. Some say that owning a scorpion is actually a hobby while others maintain their pet status. Either way, if you’re looking for something interesting and unique a scorpion makes an excellent choice.