Emperor Scorpion Care

Emperor scorpion is one of the largest species of scorpions found in Africa. These scorpions are caught in Togo and Ghana and prove to be very impressive and hardy scorpion species. The emperor scorpions are very popular as pets. They are not very great pets for handling, but prove to be very clean, easy and quiet pets to maintain. Given below in this article is the emperor scorpion care sheet.

Emperor Scorpion Care Sheet
Adult emperor scorpions can reach a size of about 8 inches in length. They are usually docile and hardy pets. Emperor scorpions are easily found in pet stores selling invertebrate specimens. They are black in color with a green or brown hue. They have a set of pedipalps or claws that are very impressive. These scorpions are docile, but handling should be kept to a minimum. The following emperor scorpion care sheet will help you learn some details related to pet care of these invertebrates. Know more about black emperor scorpion.

Housing
It is very important to provide the emperor scorpion with a proper environment that is similar to its native place. You can keep one or a group of emperor scorpions as pets. In case you have more than one emperor scorpion as pet, it is better to have a large tank. You should provide emperor scorpions with plenty of hiding places. Each scorpion should have his or her own personal space.

Glass aquariums prove to be the best housing for emperor scorpions, but you should cover the tank with a tight lid. You can bring home a 10 gallon tank for one scorpion and 20 to 30 gallon tank for a group of scorpions. You can use soil, peat or vermiculite as the substrate. About 3 to 6 inches of substrate should be added in the tank to help them dig burrows. You can add bark, stones and even ceramic pots as hiding places for the scorpions. The moisture in the environment should be retained by adding sphagnum moss on the top.

The tank should have high humidity levels, thus daily misting is a necessity. The substrate should be kept damp and not wet. If you find condensation or molds on the tank walls, it indicates too high humidity levels. The temperature of the tank should be maintained at 70 to 90º F. The temperature gradient help the scorpions regulate their body temperatures and the best way to do so is providing a heating mat for reptile tanks. The mat should cover only 1/3 of the tank area, as the scorpions can move to a cooler place, if needed. These are nocturnal creatures and do not need UV lighting.

Feeding
Emperor scorpions eat a variety of invertebrates like insects and arthropods in the wild. They love snacking on small lizards too. You need to feed your emperor scorpion with crickets, meal worms and moths. An adult emperor scorpion should be fed 3 to 6 crickets per week only. The best time to feed emperor scorpions is at night, as this is the time they eat in wild. Also make sure you provide a shallow dish of water for drinking. Baby emperor scorpions feed on pinhead crickets and other small insects.

Cage Cleaning
You will find that scorpions do not dirty their cages often. But this does not mean you shirk off from your duty to clean the tank. You need to clean the left over food regularly, change the substrate and disinfect the tank every 3 to 4 months.

Emperor Scorpion Facts
Also, known as Imperial Scorpion, the emperor scorpions are not as dangerous as other members of their species. The following are some emperor scorpion facts that you should know before you get home one as a pet.

Habitat
Emperor scorpion habitat consists of areas with high humidity like the rainforests. They are also reported to survive in the wet savannas and near human dwellings as well. They are native to the northwest and north central Africa. Emperor Scorpions are also found in Mauritania, and to the east of Zaire.

Sting
The emperor scorpion sting is not very dangerous or life-threatening, though it is painful and similar to a bee sting. It does not require medical attention in most cases. However, each individual is different and some may develop an anaphylactic reaction to the venom just like in bee stings. Some also claim that emperor scorpions may pinch you with their pedipalps. This too is a painful experience that you may want to avoid. It is better not to take any chances and avoid handling the emperor scorpions. Also, excessive handling may lead to stress to the scorpion. While cleaning their cages, you need to hold them using long handled forceps with foam grips. You should hold the scorpion by his stinging side.

Emperor Scorpion Life Span
The emperor scorpion life span is about 6 to 8 years and if you are ready to take over the responsibility of the scorpion for a long time, you should bring them home.

This is all about the emperor scorpion facts and emperor scorpion care. I hope this article has helped you understand the finer points you need to consider while bringing home an emperor scorpion as pet.