is it true they can live 15- 20 years?

While it's rare.
Yes.

I would guess the length of time would depend on a lot of factors. I've read that temperature matters a lot. If you keep scorpions at the upper end of their suggested temp range they will mature/age faster. Same if you keep them at the lower range of their suggested temp, they might live longer.

I do know that this is a great species to keep. They are big...have interesting coloration and like to sting their food and not just pull it apart...all of which makes it a lot of fun to observe. They are also easy to care for in that you just need an enclosure with sand and a hide. I tried to keep a male/female pair and that failed. I would only house one in an enclosure, but some people have kept them communally. Keep the temperature in the mid 80s. You don't even need to add water because if they are fed regularly they get all their moisture needs met. Mine would eat 1-2 medium crickets once a week. If its a subadult you could mist a corner once every couple weeks, or add a second hide and just mist under it occasionally. That way it can hang out in its own little sauna as needed for molting. If its an adult no need. You don't want to have much humidity as it will kill this scorpion or give it mycosis. Most sites suggest 50% humidity. I personally like this species more than Emperors.

so really all you have to do is get a tank and fill it with sand substrate so it and burrow and just leave it as dry as a bone?

Yep...you CAN mist one corner of the tank if it makes you feel better, but it won't do much for your desert hairy...too much humidity will be fatal. I really researched desert hairys before I got one because my first scorpion was an Emperor and I kept it dry and on sand. That didn't turn out so well as you can imagine.

I would just let the desert hairy get all its humidity from food. Especially if its an adult. If it still needs to molt that can be done with some humidity tricks. Abyss is the expert...double check what I have said with him to be safe.

The ratio is around 1/3 or 30% Excavator clay, and 2/3 or 70% sand. (Use whichever ratio is easier for you to measure.) Mix it up well, get it completely wet, and let it dry out completely. Does WONDERS for a Hadrurus's ability to burrow.

*Connie* wrote:

Any humidity given to an adult will give it mycosis.

I'm not sure I can agree with this statement. Yes, humidity will be detrimental to an adult's health, but there's still debate as to what actually causes mycosis. One theory is that they pick up fungal spores from contaminated substrate and moisture allows those spores to develop -- the fact that most mycosis often begins on the pectines or near the booklungs supports this theory (as well as the fact that many WC scorpions have it), and it advocates for the sterilization of substrate.

Is cooking or freezing sustrate the better way to go?

some folk stick it in the microwave or oven I think.

I would think cooking. Freezing goes below developmental thresholds, but doesn't denature proteins.

If you want to be really thorough, get your hands on an autoclave. I know where to find a couple on campus and at least one is regularly used to sterilize soil.

Oh wow...my brother owns a funeral home and has an autoclave...NO way would he let me sterilize soil in it...haha. I don't need it for substrate...was just wondering. Although it might be good in case I found a cool branch or rock to put in an enclosure. I just had my first experience with coco fiber...cool stuff...I'm hooked. Just need to find some sand to mix with it to make it more interesting in the communal tank. I have sometime to find the right sand as I'm raising the babies in their own little containers til they moult. I'm really thinking about mixing the Glo-in-the-Dark sand with the coco fiber.

why is it that people have difficulty with giant deserts and moulting?

I believe it has to do with getting the humidity right. They need to be kept dry to not get mycosis (a scorpion fungal disease). But for them to properly moult they need to have the right humidity for it to be successful. I have read that in the wild this species can easily burrow to get the right level of humidity...not something they can do easily in captivity. Hope that helps.

so in ur experience are desert hairy's very active?

Yes. Mine really was active. I had a Hadrurus Arizonensis Pallidus...the real light colored variety. I kept her in an aquarium with a medium sized Exo Terra hide, a cholla log for climbing on...she would run through it when it was flat more than climb on it a lot. All on the Repti Sand for substrate. I would mist the enclosure once in awhile which never caused problems. Mine was a big adult so never had to deal with moults. She was a lot of fun to watch and I really wish I had kept her, but alas, I moved and it would not have been feasible. I really think this is a great species and was what I planned on getting again until I learned more about communal tanks. I am partial to desert hairys and will most likely own another before long. Seeing the picture Abyss posted for the contest made me really miss mine. If you want another scorpion I say get one. They are nice, big, active scorpions that are very beautiful...

If I keep this up I'm gonna have to make another order...hahaha