Care & Handling of Your Pet Scorpion

Scorpions are excellent climbers, so when you open the lid of their home you have to make sure you’re aware of where your pet scorpion is located.

Handling Your Pet Scorpion:

It’s not recommended that you handle your pet scorpion. Not only is there the risk of being stung, but handling tends to create stress for the scorpion.

There is also a chance of losing, or fatally injuring your pet scorpion. Scorpions can move quickly and if it gets away it will look for a dark place to hide. An escaping scorpion that runs under furniture, air ducts, and other places may be very difficult to retrieve.

If the handling of your pet scorpion is necessary (such as in the cleaning of their homes), it is suggested that a pair of long handled forceps with foam over the grips be used and that the scorpion be picked up by the stinging end.

The Moulting Process:

As scorpions grow their hard exoskeleton becomes too small for the body and they have to grow a new one. The new outer skeleton actually forms underneath the existing one. Taking up to twelve hours and requiring a lot of energy to shed the old skeleton, this moulting process can be a stressful process for the scorpion.

A few days before the moulting process begins, the scorpion will go into hiding and refuse food. Like a spider, scorpions will shed their old skin and leave behind an exact replica of itself.

Newly moulted scorpions will be white and extremely soft bodied. During this time your pet will be vulnerable and easily injured. If you have scorpions in a communal tank, you will have to pay close attention to your newly moulted scorpion so it is not harmed.

Scorpions will moult an average of six times before reaching adulthood. After it reaches adulthood the moulting will stop. Depending on the species, a scorpion reaches adulthood between six months to seven years of age.