[FAQ] Frequently Asked Questions about Emperor Scorpions (Pandinus imperator)

This is from Cyris 69 @ Arachnoboards but I will be adding my own when they come to mind.

Cyris69 wrote:

Pandinus imperator:
Questions & Answers

Q: Do Emperor Scorpions smell? Will they stink up my entire room?
A: No, the do not have a body “odor”. Though, the cage might give off a very light musky smell from the moisture and high humidity. The smell if any would not make it anywhere else but the tank. Dead scorpions do smell rank

Q: Can I use a back light?
A: Yes and No, UV rays are harmful to scorpions. Yeah, it’s cool they glow neon green and fine to show it off infrequently for a short period of time. So make sure you get heat bulbs that do NOT emit UV (UVA or UVB) rays.

Q: What substrate should I use?
A: Coconut fiber substrate is the best. A few brands who make it are Eco Earth & ZooMed. Peat moss with NO fertilizer or plant food additives, just 100% peat moss is another great choice.

Q: How much substrate should I use depth wise?
A: I recommend 4”- 6” aka 10.2 cm - 15.2 cm of substrate (Much more if you have the tank for it) which allows them to burrow to any depth needed to help regulate their body’s temperature. I also recommend that you lightly pack the first few layers to make a more stable burrowing substrate.

Q: What humidity and temperature should I keep my scorpion at?
A: The RH (Relative Humidity) should be 80-90%. If the substrate is moist enough that it holds its shape when you squeeze it very tightly and has a few drips of water come out, then there is no need for a hydrometer as long as it stays like that. The temperature gradient should be cool low 80’s on one side of the tank and high 80’s on the other. 86F is a perfect temperature for the hot side; 88F would be fine as well.

Q: What's better, a heat mat, ceramic heat emitter, or a heat bulb?
A: It all depends on personal preference. Heat mat I think is less efficient and doesn’t give off lots of heat. The preferred heat source would be a ceramic or heat bulb. The ceramic heat emitter is essentially a light bulb without light and more expensive but a great heater (Infrared photons) so a heat bulb (Infrared) is the same thing but with light.

Q: If I use a heat mat where do I place it?
A: You can can place it on the back outside wall of your glass aquarium. Do NOT place it on the bottom unless you enjoy steamed scorpion. If you are using a plastic tank/container you must buy a plastic safe heat mat which you can find in any hermit crab section of a pet store.

Q: Would a 5-gallon aquarium fish tank work for a single adult Emperor Scorpion?
A: Yes, this is a fine sized tank for one adult. I recommend 3.5-5gals per Emperor Scorpion.

Q: My Emperor Scorpion is not drinking, what should I do?
A: Don’t worry, scorpions drink when they get thirsty just as humans do. They will even bathe in the water bowl given its large enough. Scorpions are most active at night so you might not see them do it.

Q: How often should you clean the terrarium?
A: Usually ever 2-3 months. Some go much longer, considering coco fiber is pretty cheap there isn’t a real reason not to do it that often.

Q: Glass terrariums or plastic terrariums? Which would you recommend; Why?
A: Again, as heat sources its personal preference. When it comes to limited space and stack-ability I’d recommend plastic sterilite containers with the correct amount of proper sized holes drilled. For more of a show piece and for a communal setup I would recommend a glass fish tank. It looks nice and you have lots of room for décor.

Q: My Emperor Scorpion isn’t eating! What should I do?
A: Take the prey item out and go watch TV. Usually scorpions will not eat for 5-10 days prior to a molt and should not be given food for 7-10 days after a molt. So if it’s a juvenile or sub-adult it may be only coming up for a molt. The other cause could be it’s just not hungry. You should feed your scorpion 1-2 times a week and 1-2 proper sized crickets each feeding or just one proper sized roach for the size of the scorpion. Don’t forget to remove the prey item after 24 if it is not eaten.

Q: Do they need a water bowl? If so what size?
A: Yes, Emperors drink a lot of water and require a bowl be present in the tank. The size of the water dish/bowl should be relative to the size of the scorpion. If it’s a 2nd instar you should use small bottle cap. Adults need a wide shallow ½” to ¾” deep water bowl. You can add rock pebbles to the bowl so make sure it can get out.

Q: My Emperor Scorpion is running around trying to climb up the sides/corners of the tank is something wrong?
A: This is normal behavior; they are trying to escape from their tank or just exploring the terrain. The don’t know that there are 4 glass walls preventing this and are seeing if maybe its just a ledge they can get over. Now if it’s running around and appears to be stinging itself or going on it’s back then check the temperature it may be way too hot.

Q: Is my scorpion eating itself?
A: No, you scorpion is merely cleaning itself; arachnids are meticulous cleaners. You might see it with its “stinger” in its mouth or scraping its body. They also will clean their claws, underbelly, and legs. They even bathe in the water bowl from time to time.

Q: My scorpion has been leaving what appear to be cricket parts around the entrance and also in his hide. It had what almost looked like mold on it. What can I do?
A: Spot clean every feeding, checking for any left over prey parts and for any mold that might be growing. Now you can't go digging up the hide or burrow to check. Scorpions usually do not defecate or leave food remains in their hides/burrows. They should give up on their burrow if its get very moldy inside which isn’t common. You can throw in a good handful of isopods aka (Rollie Pollies, Pill Bugs, Woodlouse) they will eat dead remains but they don’t get everything.

Q: My Emperor hasn’t come out of its burrow or hide should I be worried?
A: No, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. It usually means the scorpion is happy. New comers usually don’t know that Emperor Scorpion are basically “pet holes” they spend most of their life inside their burrows waiting for prey to just pass right in front of the entrance.

Q: What is this white stuff on the ground in my scorpion’s tank or on my scorpion?
A: If it looks like “white out” then its poo. If it’s fuzzy and appears to have hair then that would be mold from dead remains or mold growing on the poo.

Q: Is my Emperor gravid?
A: If you have witnessed the mating process and have spotted the spermaphore then I would say yes. If your scorpion is an adult female and is very large (fat) and you can see what looks to be small rice colored balls along the sides then those are the embryos.

Q: Why won’t my Emperor leave its hide or burrow?
A: Around the boards we call Emperor Scorpions “pet holes”. The reason for this: Emperors are pretty inactive and are ambush predators. They lay and wait with their claws barely out of the hide/burrow for some unsuspecting critter to walk right into its claws. They are nocturnal and come out here and there some nights to drink, explore, or to go to the restroom. They also use their burrow to regulate their body’s temperature. If it spends most of its time in the burrow/hide then that generally means its content or happy.

Q: My scorpion is acting very sluggish and drags its tail along the ground, is there something wrong?
A: Yes, this means 95% of the time that the scorpion is on its last leg and going to pass soon. Also check the tank temperature to make sure its warm.

Q: Is any old red bulb fine for viewing my scorpion at night?
A: Yes and No. Depending on the frequency you view you scorpion depends if its fine or not. If it isn’t clearly stated to be a Infrared bulb then it would emit UV (UVA & UVB) rays which are harmful to scorpions. So it would be ok once and a while for a minute or two to use a non Infrared bulb. I’d still recommend you buy a low wattage IR bulb to view them with.

Q: Can I have more than one Pandinus species or any other tropical scorpion in a mix communal together?
A: No, some have had success with a cross Pandinus species communal and some with H. spinifer. It is not recommended and will most always result in casualties. It hear its easier to have a communal of all females than it is males due to males being very territorial.

Q: How old is my Emperor?
A: There is absolutely no way of telling unless you have bred and raised them yourself. You can tell if it’s and adult or not by the color of the telson (The bulbous looking thing the stinger is attached to). If it’s white it’s a juvenile, if it’s a milky darker white than it is a sub-adult, if its dark red/brown then it is an adult

Q: Are they mating or fighting? How can I tell?
A: Well, that’s a 50/50. Sometimes they like it rough
Here are the 2 part video of my adult pair mating and the break up at the end which is fighting.
Part I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkWK7DK9rLY
Part II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgGIG-nhkDk
Part II is embarrassing considering it was my first time seeing mating and I blew on them to break up the fight once the lost the hold from there Chelicerae. No Spermaphore was found.

Q: Can I put live plants into my scorpion’s tank?
A: Yes, you can add tropical species of plants into you tank to help out with humidity and décor. Only problem is that it give something for your crickets or other insect food for you scorpions to hide and climb on. The second problem would be that you will now require a UV bulb to give light to your plants so that they can photosynthesize. UV rays are not healthy for scorpions if they come in prolonged contact over time with it. However, considering how Emperors aren't to surface active I don’t think this will pose too much of a problem and is something you can do at your own risk so to speak. Also, you mist wash them very well to make sure there are no pesticides or chemicals on the plant. If its a plant that might be harmful if the scorpion ingests from the crickets or other items eating the plant then I wouldn't place it in there obviously.

Q: Can I just feed super worms or meal worms to my scorpion?
A: Yes. However, considering their high concentration of fat makes them not the most healthy choice. They are fine for "treats" or feeding here in there with a mix of crickets.
I will have the analysis chart up for the most common feeders as soon as I get permission from the owners to post it here. Until then here is the link http://doubleds.org/contactus.html