How to Care for the Tityus Falconensis Scorpion

Tityus falconensis scorpions are small, quick, aggressive insects from Venezuela. They can be entertaining and fascinating to keep as pets. Watching them as they hunt their prey of other small insects can be very interesting. These scorpions also change colors during their lifetime, going through a series of browns and reds. However, although they are appealing to scorpion enthusiasts, they are also highly toxic, with a poisonous sting. These scorpions are relatively easy to care for, but should never be handled, and should only be kept by an experienced scorpion owner.

Things You'll Need

  • 5-gallon terrarium
  • Soil or peat substrate
  • Branches and other terrarium decorations
  • Water bowl
  • Crickets
  • Padded tweezers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Provide the tityus falconensis scorpion with a terrarium about 5 gallons in size. This is perfect for an adult scorpion, which will grow to between about 2 and 2 1/2 inches long. Young scorpions can be housed in smaller habitats. Place a tight fitting lid, such as a screen top, on the habitat. Tityus falconensis scorpions can easily climb out of terrariums that have no lids.

    • 2

      Fill the bottom of the terrarium with about 2 or 3 inches of a peat or loamy soil. This allows the scorpion to burrow. Keep this soil slightly moist by misting it as needed. Don't allow the substrate to become soggy.

    • 3

      Place several dried branches or other terrarium decorations in the scorpion habitat. These allow the scorpion to climb, as it would in the wild.

    • 4

      Place a water dish in the habitat. This dish should be large enough that the scorpion can climb in and out, but shallow enough that it presents no danger of drowning. Clean the water dish and provide fresh water daily.

    • 5

      Keep the temperature between 75 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need to install an under terrarium heating pad to do this. This heat will also help to increase the humidity, which should be between 70 and 80 percent. Misting the terrarium can also increase humidity.

    • 6

      Feed the scorpion according to age. Young scorpions will require frequent feedings, as much as four times a week, of small insects such as pinhead crickets. Adult scorpions can take large crickets, but only need to be fed once or twice a week. Feed as much as the scorpion can eat between feedings. Scorpions won't overeat, so you don't need to worry about overfeeding, but any uneaten crickets may cause harm to a full scorpion. Adjust the amount of food you give to what your own scorpion can consume.

    • 7

      Clean the habitat every few months, or whenever you notice it getting dirty. Scrub the sides and decorations, and replace the dirty substrate with fresh substrate. Remove the scorpion to a separate holding container while you do this. You can use padded tweezers to gently pick up the tityus falconensis scorpion.