Emperor Scorpion

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Inhabits the dense and extremely hot rainforest floors of West Africa (Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast). It spends 90% of its life buried in complex burrows it digs under huge roots, rocks, or termite mounds, coming out only in the dead of night to hunt and reproduce.

Taxonomy and Genetics: Scorpionidae family. Due to the intense exotic pet trade and habitat destruction, the species is included in CITES Appendix II to monitor its export. There are no morphs in captivity; all feature the classic shiny obsidian black color, which appears reddish-brown or greenish right after molting.

Behavior and Habits: Timid and crepuscular/nocturnal animals. They have an incredible peculiarity: under ultraviolet (UV) light or blacklight, their armor glows an intense and ghostly fluorescent blue-green, due to beta-carboline proteins present in the exoskeleton. They are slow and deliberate animals. They rarely defend themselves using their stinger: their primary weapons are their powerful claws, used to crush prey.

Morphology: Among the heaviest and largest arachnids, reaching 8 inches (20 cm) in length. They feature mammoth, granular claws (covered in small rough bumps) and a massive abdomen ending with a dark red or black telson (stinger). Sex can be determined by looking at the pectines (brush-like ventral sensory organs under the abdomen): males have long, bushy pectines, females have short, sparse ones. Furthermore, males tend to have proportionally wider claws.

Terrarium Setup: Demand horizontally oriented enclosures (e.g. 24x18x18 inches for one or two specimens). The VITAL parameter is the substrate: a depth of at least 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) of sphagnum peat, coco coir, and sterile topsoil is needed, well compacted to allow the construction of deep underground burrows that do not collapse. Add large pieces of cork bark or flat rocks as the roof for their burrows.

Lighting and Heating: Being photophobic, intense light severely stresses them: avoid bright internal bulbs. The terrarium must remain dark. However, they need equatorial heat: 82-86°F (28-30°C) during the day and 75°F (24°C) at night. The heat MUST be provided by a heat mat glued to a SIDE WALL of the terrarium, NEVER under the floor (because in nature the scorpion digs down to seek coolness, and a mat under the soil would cook it alive as it tries to escape the heat).

Humidity and Hydration: Rainforests mean high humidity (70-80%). The deep soil must be constantly moist (but not muddy). Humidity is critical to ensure smooth molts (ecdysis). A very wide and shallow water bowl must always be present, possibly with a flat stone in the center to prevent prey from drowning and spoiling the water. Emperor scorpions will drink regularly.

Feeding and Supplementation: Strict carnivores. They prey on roaches, large crickets, and locusts. Adults eat infrequently (1-2 prey per week). They use their large claws to dismember the insect, rarely using venom unless against very reactive prey or if they feel threatened. No supplements are needed: the scorpion gets everything from the whole meal.

Compatibility: One of the rare extremely gregarious scorpions. In large terrariums with abundant food and many hides, they can live in colonies composed of mothers, fathers, and broods. Mothers are very caring: they give birth to live, ghostly white young (scorplings) and carry them on their backs for weeks until their first molt, fiercely defending them.

Health and Common Diseases: The lethal fungal infection (Mycosis) strikes scorpions kept in poorly ventilated terrariums with rotting substrate: it manifests with corroded black spots on the exoskeleton and leads to limb amputation. Death by dehydration (cage too dry) causes the scorpion to twist and get stuck during molting.