First Time Scorpion Owner, help with my Emperor?

He's a juvenile, maybe a sub-adult (telson is off-white, he's roughly 3-3 1/2 inches.) His tank is a 10g glass, a bit big, but it's what I had on me. I can go and buy a smaller tank if it's necessary, though. The substrate is Eco Earth coconut, about 1 1/2 inch deep. I misted it liberally and packed it down so he (or she?) can burrow. He has a hide, a water dish, and a coral rock that glows in the dark (it was an extra from my bearded dragon's setup.) He has a heat pad on the side of the tank for now.

On the way (I ordered online) are fake plants, an IR bulb, and more rocks. (I'm ordering from lllreptile.) Do you think I need a food dish for mealworms, if I feed them?

I have gut-loaded crickets, since I feed my beardie too.

I can have a picture of the setup once the 7-day newbie thing is over.

Crickets are perfect. You should consider getting cork bark. I like it cause if someone digs under it it won't crush them in the event of a cave in. And if your emp is happy with it they will just hang out under it comfortably. My 3 adults haven't burrowed ever but scurry under the cork bark hides I've provided.

Also the size of your tank is awesome if you have a hot side and cool side with a hide on each your scorpion will choose the best climate and hang out there.

Bottom line you're doing wonderful. Keep up the good work and post some pics we love em!

I have a question about heat/light!

Do I use an IR bulb, or a ceramic? I'm reading that the ceramic also emits IR, but why is it more expensive than just an IR bulb? And what wattage should I get to make a good warm spot for my emp? (My tank is 12 inches tall.)

Sounds mostly good. I would probably add a bit more to the substrate, though. Maybe a total of 3 or so inches. Yames's idea of putting cork bark in there is good, too, but you still need the substrate depth because a lot of them like to burrow under their hides. 

The 10g thing is perfect. Gives him plenty of room to grow and explore and allows you room to put a couple more in later if you want to make a community. Emperors do well in groups. 

Good job on the misting, just make sure not to do it TOO much. Make sure the substrate is moist, but not pooling anywhere or dripping off your fingers if you were to pick it up.

Crickets/roaches are great! They will take mealworms, but it is absolutely not a necessity. Crickets and roaches are loads easier.

On the IR/Ceramic thing... Ceramics are a better technology and don't go out as quickly as an IR bulb. They're more expensive, yeah, but with the amount of IR bulbs you will have to get in the same amount of time the ceramic lasts, you will spend at least that same cost. Probably much more. A 50w would probably be good for your setup. Just play with different wattages and see what gets the best results. You want ambient temperatures around 85F. Just, like Yames said, make sure it gets heated only on one side of the tank so the scorpion has a place to escape the heat if need be.

I use IR to get my emps 1 side up to almost 90 but the cool side is more like 75 so they can pick where to sit. I also have 20-30 deli cups of varying sizes around other bulbs to get my 2i, 3i, 4i desert species the right temps to grow. I like IR because I can feed and observe all by the red light so I tend to see more natural behavior form my scorps.

If you haven't purchased a light fixture yet, consider getting one with a built-in dimmer.  That way, you can adjust the temperature without having to move the fixture.

Those make things easier for sure, but, from what I understand about incandescent lighting and power, they reduce the life of your bulb. Honestly, though, the convenience of not having to figure out the sweet spot for your temperature is worth the extra money.

Also, there are alternatives to overhead lighting that you might consider, such as flexwatt or heat cable/rope. I use flexwatt on mine and get great results. Plus, since the flexwatt is put on the back or side of the tank, it creates a great gradient.