The numbers
Enclosure
40 × 30 × 30 cm
Diet
Crickets, roaches, locusts · 1 item weekly to biweekly (eats sparingly)
Temperature
28-35°C (hot end), cooler night
Humidity
30-50% (dry); slight moisture at burrow base
Identity
Order / Family
Scorpiones
IUCN / CITES
Not CITES-listed; IUCN not assessed
Difficulty
Intermediate
Commonality
Common import; largest US scorpion
Adult size
11-14 cm; yellow with dark back, hairy
Lifespan
15-20 years (females)
Growth rate
Slow
Activity & niche
Nocturnal desert deep-burrower
Temperament
Defensive, territorial; will pinch and sting
Venom / defense
LOW venom (mild, bee-sting level) but defensive — handling discouraged, not dangerous
Price (THB)
600-1,200 (indicative import)
Enclosure and conditions
Temperature
28-35°C (hot end), cooler night
Humidity
30-50% (dry); slight moisture at burrow base
Min. enclosure
40x30x30 cm for one adult (deep substrate)
Substrate
15-20 cm sand/soil/clay mix, deep for burrowing
Hides / decor / water
Rock hide, small water dish; excellent airflow
Diet
Staple food
Crickets, roaches, locusts
Feeding frequency
1 item weekly to biweekly (eats sparingly)
Supplements
Not required
Behaviour and handling
Handling
Discouraged — not medically dangerous but defensive; a painful sting/pinch
Communal
No — solitary and cannibalistic; house alone
Defense / stress signs
Tail raised, pincers open, deep burrowing
Reproduction
Reproduction
Viviparous; young ride mother's back to first molt
Common health problems
Common health issues
SignsFatal if kept humid (mycosis/mould); mismolt; sensitive to dampness
Red flags / quarantine
SignsReject damp/mouldy specimens; keep bone-dry; QT wild-caught (most are WC)
Good to know
- Can live ~20 years and glows vivid green under UV
Others in this group
Emperor scorpionPandinus imperatorMalayan / Asian forest scorpionHeterometrus spiniferLaotian / Vietnamese giant forest scorpionHeterometrus laoticusDeathstalkerLeiurus quinquestriatusYellow fat-tailed scorpion (australis)Androctonus australisArizona bark scorpionCentruroides sculpturatusGiant forest scorpion (longimanus)Heterometrus longimanusTanzanian red-claw scorpionPandinurus cavimanus (ex Pandinus)