Scorpions Don’t Do Comb Overs. Captive Care of the Arizona Hairy Scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis V

Feeding

With all of the scorpions I’ve kept over the years feeding has been an easy process.  Once a week drop in two to three crickets of appropriate size.  Size is determined by the length of the cricket being equal or lesser size when compared to the width of the scorpion.  These are eaten within a day.  I dust the crickets but not out of necessity, I have reptiles being fed at the same time so rather than hassle with removing a few I just dust the lot and feed.  This has shown to have no ill affect on the scorpions.  Mealworms and other insects can be fed as well but crickets are much more plentiful and cheaper.  Arizona Hairy Scorpions Hadrurus arizonensis have been known to gorge themselves and then go off feed for up to six months at a time.

The subject of water is debatable; some think that in the wild scorpions obtain their water from the foods they consume.  While this may be true, I have always offered a shallow dish of water once a week with a hermit crab sponge cut in half so that they may climb upon it and drink.

Maintenance

Once a month move the scorpion to a small container preferably without handling them directly and sift the sand with a wire screen.  Once every few months empty the entire enclosure rinse and wash it with a bleach solution of a capful of bleach to a gallon of water and rinse until the bleach smell is completely gone.

Scorpions are an interesting pet simply for the behaviors they exhibit in a well decorated and designed captive environment.  Not to mention that they are not by any means the “normal” pet people keep.  If you should decide to keep a scorpion this species is one that will offer a lot of enjoyment and are one of the easier, less aggressive species available to the herpetoculturist.  Go out and pick one up for yourself and see how you too can create a desert environment that will bring you many hours of happiness as you watch the scorpion and its natural behaviors.

Scorpions Don’t Do Comb Overs. Captive Care of the Arizona Hairy Scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis IV

In order to facilitate a natural environment I place a piece of dried ocotillo and a few pieces of slate rock in the enclosure.  The flat slate rocks are supported by another small rock resting on the bottom of the enclosure itself.  This way if the scorpion burrows beneath the slate it will not be crushed by falling rocks.  Alternatively you could use aquarium silicone to “glue” the pieces together.  Make sure you use nothing else other than aquarium silicone as any other type of cement or glue may have toxic properties which will kill the scorpion.

As far heating is concerned we keep our year round at about 75 degrees with an 85 degree basking spot provided through the use of 65 watt Ceramic Heating element so we don’t disturb the normal circadian rhythm of day and night cycles.  If you want you can turn on a black light some times and the scorpion will fluoresce with an eerie bluish glow.  All scorpions do this and science doesn’t as of yet have an explanation for why but it does look cool at night.  I wouldn’t leave it on all the time but using it as a parlor trick so to speak is kind of fun.

Scorpions Don’t Do Comb Overs. Captive Care of the Arizona Hairy Scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis III

Captive Environment

The captive enclosure for most scorpion species is a standard ten gallon enclosure.  Rather than a regular enclosure you can also use a “breeder” enclosure which is not as tall and has the same amount of floor space.  However, these make potential escapes more likely.  Although I have never had an escape, I have heard of escapes.  Again this is probably due to the fact that I use a regular ten gallon enclosure which I mentioned previously versus the “breeder” size.

The Arizona Desert Hairy Scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis environment in the wild is obviously a desert type of habitat which entails dry sandy loam soil.  They are known to burrow in this soil extensively.  To replicate this environment I use my personal standard of washed play sand at a depth of 3-4 ^½”.  In the sand I bury two toilet paper rolls on either side of the enclosure so that they are at a 45 degree angle with the mouth of the rolls just breaking the surface of the sand which acts as a pre-dug burrow.

Presumably you can use PVC pipe as well, I am not sure this would work as the pipe is smooth and the scorpion may not be able to climb back out.  You may be able to apply some aquarium silicone to the interior of the pipe and then pour some sand through it, allow it to dry, and then place this inside.  This would give the scorpion something to grip.  I haven’t tried this yet with scorpions but I know it works for other species.