Starter "Hots"

They do not exist. If a hobbyist is ready to make that bold step into the unknown, then they need to make that step. Collecting scorpions that are not so hot to prepare oneself for 'hots" is down right dangerous. You need to understand that collecting these species may very well get you killed and or the people around you killed.




Keeping 4 star+ Buthids is a risk that you will have to make on your own. Do not for a second think that because you have collected 3 star scorpions that one is ready to advance.







It is our job as seasoned collectors to not only keep ourselves alive, but to keep the fellow hobbyist around us alive as well.



Truth be told none of us should be collecting these animals.



-Keith

Hey Keith maybe you should have changed your avatar before climbing up on a soap box. But everyone is entitled to their opinion and belief. So I'm not here to argue with anyone.

I'm just wondering what healthy discussion you were hoping to start with this post? I don't see any questions. So if the plan was to rile people up and make angry flame wars it should work wonderfully.

Cheers
-james

Calm down dude. No need to start a topic which will inevitably cause an argument.

I will respect what the two of you have said. Fixed

I'd still like to know what your point was? Has something changed for you? Have you heard something troubling? Do you intend to get rid of your hots? I'll defend your right to an opinion all day I'd just like to know what we're trying to discuss?

Is that fair?

Of course that is fair. Its scary man, I will never leave this hobby, but there are more and more hobbyists everyday, its freaky because a lot of people do not understand what they really have. More and more exports are coming in and more and more kids are like yea! deathstalker! yea! But its a loaded gun that can be sold to anyone? Not fair for anybody when noobies are purchasing Andro's LQ's when they really do not know what they are doing. I am trying to save lives in the worst way apparently.

I think I see what you're saying. It's just a worry about the type of animal we choose to keep as pets. The sad stats are that more kids will die from alcohol and drug use then of HOT scorpion handling.

I know what videos you were talking about before and although I have the utmost respect for everyone who successfully raises and breeds scorpions I do think they are fully mad to have them out and in hand. I agree with you that saying "don't ever do this" then doing it yourself is a terrible example. That being said smoking cigarets shouldn't ever be done but people are going to pick them up every day.

We can't force people to do the right things. We can only try to educate them and hope they make wise decisions on their own. We can lead by example and always be around to post with new enthusiasts and impress upon them the serious nature of the hobby/pet they are thinking about getting into.

Imagine your kid neighbor goes and buys some scorching hot buthid. He freaks out and lets it go in the backyard, didnt tell anyone, now this androctonus australis is walking around possibly pregnant. Ok now it has contaminated the area and might possibility hurt someone. what did they do? do they deserve to be injured because said hobbyist had to have the coolest thing? No, its immoral.

Breeding scorpions is not rocket science. I realize said user is amazing at what they do. Which is why I got so upset. Said user needs to set an example to help avoid accidents from happening.

I do respect your point of view Yames. I agree that it is very hypocritical.

I'm not sold on your worst case scenario being all that plausible and or working out anywhere near what you're describing. For these reasons

1. Most store owners don't sell hots to minors
2. The price of hots make them less appealing to people who know nothing. HA's are cool active and cheaper then AA's or Lq's
3. If a gravid specimen escapes it would need to have escaped to somewhere with the correct temps and humidity for it to really thrive. So more then likely it will hide and die.
4. In the wild some sources estimate that %1 of slings survive. Add to that the fact that if conditions aren't correct mommy herself will devour her young reduces that to negligible in my opinion
5. People who buy slings with no knowledge will usually not toss them away. They slowly kill them themselves with improper care(we see this everyday here)
6. Hots are just harder to come by then the other non medically significant scorpions

So with all that in mind I can't see me being as worried about the situation as you are. I don't like seeing medically significant scorpions handled either but in terms of what I'm afraid of. The kid next door getting a hand gun or drunk driving seem far more realistic and statistically more dangerous to me.

Hopefully others will join our discussion at some point.

A australis can survive almost anywhere. They are resistant to pesticides, they pop alot of babies. They are a serious pest in africa/middle east because of the fact that there are so adaptable.

But yea I can see where you are coming from with the whole drunk with a gun thing. But dude This is something we might actually be able to help prevent. If they had MADD for hot collectors believe me Id be the main voice.

I too would very much like others to join this conversation.

This type of threads always result in flame wars. Some people object, some people may not even care, but this kind of topics ALWAYS incite debate that quickly degrades into childish insults and name-calling. This result NEVER contributes to the nature of the forum or to the promotion of the hobby.

Please ALL members keep this point in mind when creating a new thread on a sensitive subject.

With nothing further to add, I'm locking the thread!