|
Your Guide To Buying A Scorpion |
|
Written by Dandre Thomson
|
|
Saturday, 05 December 2009 08:10 |
|
There are approximately 1,500 different scorpion species in the world, and they roam terrains as diverse as rain forests and deserts. But when it comes to choosing one as a pet you choices are rather more limited, and the most likely species that you will find in your local pet store are: Gold Scorpions, African Burrowing Scorpions, Bark Scorpions, Asian Forest Scorpions, Flat Rock Scorpions, Emperor Scorpions and Giant Hairy Scorpions.
by DandreThomson
There are approximately 1,500 different scorpion species in the world, and they roam terrains as diverse as rain forests and deserts. But when it comes to choosing one as a pet you choices are rather more limited, and the most likely species that you will find in your local pet store are: Gold Scorpions, African Burrowing Scorpions, Bark Scorpions, Asian Forest Scorpions, Flat Rock Scorpions, Emperor Scorpions and Giant Hairy Scorpions.
Hadrurus arizonensis, known as the Giant Hairy Scorpion is a good choice, and is a common one for first time scorpion owners. The Heterometrus swammerdami is at the other end of the scale - a nine inch, extremely rare scorpion, that you are highly unlikely to find available as pet. Far more likely that you will come across the Emperor Scorpion at your local pet store (the species is also known as Pandinus imperator).
Heterometrus longimanus, also known as the Asian Forest Scorpion, is a slightly more exotic option, as is Heterometrus spinifer (the Malaysian Forest Scorpion). Whether you go plain vanilla or exotic you need to inspect your scorpion prior to purchase. Make sure that its limbs are in tact, and that the sting, legs, pectines, and pincers, are all OK. You don't want to take a sickly specimen home and suffer the heartache of a death.
Don't buy a scorpion without first conducting careful research into what makes them tick: when to they molt? what do they eat? how much do they drink? what temperature should the vivarium be? how should I set up the lights in the vivarium? how should I handle my pet scorpion? what substrate should I use? Yes, scorpions make very interesting pets, but you need to do a bit of work before you take the plunge and purchase one.
Of the scorpions that are dangerous to many the most beautiful is the Tityus Cambridgei, or Cambridge's tityus, which is a brownish green, and native to tropical banana plantations. You are not likely to ever have one as a pet, but they are well worth researching. Another scorpion that is dangerous to man is the burrowing thick-tailed scorpion, Parabuthus truculentus. It grows to nearly six inches and is a yellowish, brown color - watch out when walking in the sand of the Ruwenzori river as that is where you will find it burrowing.
So there you have it. Explore the world of scorpions and enjoy.
About the Author:
The scorpion species is certainly diverse. For more information look at http://hubpages.com/hub/Scorpion-Species. Having a scorpion as a pet is , but you must study its natural habitat. Enjoy that scorpion pet. |
