Androctonus: one of the most dangerous groups of scorpion species in the world!
Order: Scorpiones
Family: Buthidae
Genus: Androctonus
Distribution: Africa (Morocco, Mauritania).
Common Name(s): fattail scorpion or fat-tailed scorpion
LD value: an observed 0.31 LD50, which is second only to the Leiurus quinquestriatus
Type of Scorpion: Dry burrower. Does not dig tunnels but will make it's own scrapes usually under rocks.
Temperament: Fast and aggressive! These are not the most aggressive, and may at times seem rather passive. Be careful as aggression is variable according to the temperature.
Growth and longevity: With proper temperatures, scorplings will moult and grow quickly reaching maturity in and around 2 years. The usual life span is 4 to 5 years.
Adult size: Will grow up to 3.5 in (9 cm).
Enclosure: 11in x 7in x x7in (30x20x20 cm) 2.5 gal. Is adequate for a single adult specimen, or a breeding pair.
Substrate: 3-6 inches of sand moistened and set to dry for optimal burrowing. DRY substrate. (I use ZooMed’s excavator TM sand and pre-form scrapes under the slate)
Decorations: These scorpions favour small scrapes, so any stones that would offer a hide of that kind would be good I use flat pieces of slate (this will be an aid in mating too).
Temperature: 85°-95° F (30°-35° C) day time temperatures. 68°-77° F (20°-25° C) night time temperatures. Optional winter time temperatures of 59° F (15° C) for several months without food and always dry!
Humidity: Completely dry substrate! Spray occasionally (once or twice a month!) On the wall! The scorpion will acquire most of its moisture from the prey items offered.
Communal: Usually not. That said, scorplings can be kept communal IF there is plenty of food and adequate hides. An adult breeding pair can also be kept together without problem, but the male should be removed prior to the female giving birth.
Food: As all scorpions these too will eat most anything that comes along in the wild, but in captivity crickets, cockroaches or locusts can be offered as a staple diet. A young scorpion needs to be fed medium crickets or a small cockroach 2 times a week. Sub-adults to adults can be fed a large cricket weekly to every two weeks, or a large cockroach or locust every month. Remove any uneaten prey item within 2 days.
Sexing: Males have a distinguished notch on the fixed finger of the pedipalp, additionally you can count pectin, females have a pectin count of 20-24 and males 25-30.
Breeding: To help in the success of breeding provide a flat piece of stone to allow the male to attach the hemispermatophore onto. In ideal captive conditions gestation is from 4 to 6 months, and a brood counts are any where from 40 to 90 scorplings.
Sources:
http://pagesperso-orange.fr/eycb/scorpions/FAndroctonusSpp.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fattail_scorpion
http://www.atshq.org/forum/showthread.php?t=172
