How to Keep a Scorpion As a Pet

Pet scorpions aren't for everybody, and not all scorpions make good pets. Of the 1,500 different types of scorpion species, 24 are deadly. If you are interested in owning a pet scorpion, buy one from a pet store or online; never try to catch a wild scorpion. Most pet stores sell Emperor scorpions, which are relatively harmless to humans. They can still pinch and sting, though, so handling them is not recommended. Scorpions are low-maintenance, inexpensive and easy to take care of as pets. As long as you provide your pet scorpion with the proper habitat and food, your pet scorpion can live up to 6 or 7 years.

Things You'll Need

  • 10-gallon fish tank or aquarium with lid
  • Under-tank heat pad
  • Eco-Earth substrate or sand
  • Shallow water bowl
  • Hide area
  • Gut-loaded crickets and mealworms
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up the tank on a tabletop or other surface near a power outlet.

    • 2

      Place a heat pad underneath one side of the tank and plug it into the power outlet.

    • 3

      Put a few inches of substrate or sand down in the bottom of the tank so your scorpion can burrow. Use Eco-Earth substrate for tropical scorpions, or play sand for dessert scorpions.

    • 4

      Make a hiding area for your scorpion using a hide box or large half-log.

    • 5

      Attach a tank thermometer to the upper-back wall on the same side of the tank as the heat pad.

    • 6

      Keep a shallow bowl filled with water in one corner of the tank.

    • 7

      Place the scorpion into the tank and close the lid securely.

    • 8

      Feed your scorpion two to three gut-loaded meal worms or crickets every two to three days. As your scorpion grows, increase crickets or mealworms by one or two, depending on how much your scorpion eats.