5 Desert Hairy Scorpion Facts & Tips | Pet Tarantulas

-
-
Great Amazon Must Haves for any Tarantula or Scorpion Owner:

Of the many scorpions found in the pet trade, most of them are very docile by nature, easy to handle, not quick or apt to sting. Then there's exceptions to the rules, like from the southwest part of the United States - Texas, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico - we find the desert hair scorpions. Pretty simple, comes from the desert, has a lot of hairs all over its body. All scorpions have them.

This guy is the hairiest. He has them all over his back. But if you can see, the way he's arching his back right now and has his stinger just waiting it's almost like he's got his fist up waiting to punch. He is aggressive. He constantly is in the mode of stinging. If you go next to this thing you're going to get jabbed really fast, really hard. Not a fatal sting for the most part unless you're allergic, like all scorpion stings, but a painful one because all venom is painful. These are the ones when I'm hiking in Texas and Arizona that you always have to be careful when you take your shoes off, where you leave them, because they tend to want to go into warm, moist spots at night in particular.

And scorpions that are on the prowl at night often will end up in your shoes. Like most arachnid stings and bites, it's usually accidental. They're not going to go chasing you, for the most part. But if you put your foot into the shoe where the scorpion is, it will sting you to defend itself. That's what they'll all do. But the desert hairy is probably the one I would say is the one out to get you. He is always looking to stab somebody. Look at the way he's got his back arched right now. His stinger is way up at the top, and anything that would be in front of him, he'd jab it as fast and often as he can. His claws are outstretched and he's just looking for a fight.

The desert hairy scorpion is an extremely aggressive animal and one that's encountered often by human beings in that area of the world. It gets about five, six inches. That's about the maximum size. Simple keep, again. Desert environment, like all scorpions. They want to have a burrow where it's a little moist or some kind of moist area to get out. And it's predominantly an insect eater. A big one would take a small mouse. So an interesting subject for the intermediate to advanced scorpion or invertebrate owner. I would be a little leery if this was your first scorpion. I wouldn't recommend it, but certainly an interesting addition to anyone's collection, the desert hairy, with an attitude.

[landryblake]

Desert Scorpions are known for being some of the most docile arachnids, and one of the best beginner scorpions in general. This one is most likely wild caught, is being put under intense bright light, and being constantly jabbed/poked at, so it's understandable he's not exactly the happiest creature in the world.

[Labnin]

I just got a desert hairy a few weeks ago and he seems to be chill. Ive never seen him use his stinger, even on prey. Its always laid down behind him. Definitely not an aggressive one. Idk maybe i just got lucky lmao

[persilstover]

i used to let my pet scorpion crawl on my arm. After a while if you feed them and give them a chill place to hide they get to know you🤷‍♂️

[makenziejohnson]

I live in Arizona and I have these in my back yard. Some of these scorpions I have kept as pets and after a while in captivity I've found they can be held.

[TotalDentalNerd]

Every desert hairy I've come across have always been very chill.. not aggressive at all I see a lot of people just pick them up with their bare hands from the body, and not even the tail.. ( I'm not that brave yet) I felt like though your scorpion was definitely in a threatening posture... many of the times you were poking him with your tongues and he did not try to sting.. maybe all the ones I've been around have been the exception to the rule... But I find they are a very nice species to have.

[tnegd]

I pick them up in the wild almost every night. With my hands... Not by the tail. They are literally the most docile scorpion (aside from maybe Smeringurus Vachoni Vachoni) ever.

I have 12 of them, all wild caught, all docile. I never have to check their dispositions before picking them up because they are always the same. Sweet. I have no idea where you possibly found a mean one, but it is not common and in the 12 years I've been hiking in Vegas (nightly), I've never found one that wasn't sweet.

[beerdrunkpunk]

i pick up my desert hairy all the time and he is never aggressive towards me

[cristofierro]

Dude I just found one in my room! And I live upstairs

[PatsiicK]

bought one today and just looked up this first video to learn about them, and I bought it from your store! hah thanks again

[im_a_pretzel]

I live in az but I've only ever seen 2 in my 14 years of life and I've seen plenty of bark scorpions

[CampElias]

They are not all “ aggressive” I let them walk all over me i’ve been stung but it’s rare unintentionally and when you said they are going to go chasing you for the most part they will never chased you

[chriskolb]

I live in Arizona on property that has lots of desert hairy scorpions. I have dealt with hundreds of them. This guy is confused. They are all but harmless and will only sting you if you step on them or restrain them in some way.

[rowanburris]

I really wish I saw this first!! my local store talked me into getting one as my first scorpion and I'll first hand will say I'm having a hard time with her she always keeps putting the sand in her bowl clicking at the glass idk... I know how to care for most basic tarantulas but she's my first and I'm lost!!

[bobbobo]

As soon as i have put one in a container it calms down. Wild ones are aggressive but i feel most comfortable handling this scorpion.

[lovellbragg]

He agitated the scorpion. I have one and she's not out to sting

[ronfults]

This dude is absolutely not the guy to get any information for animal care.

[ProgressiveDiscussions]

I can't speak for Other Desert scorpions but here is the big magic question. Being that desert hairy scorpions are very sensitive to humidity is it wise to provide them with any water source at all aside from their prey? I lost two desert hairy so far that were provided with a very small shallow water dish then I thought, there are no water dishes in the desert.

[cultofmalgus]

Mr. Bob I don't know much about what you specialize in but if you handle snakes can you do one on the California King Snake? I want to get one and find them to be very beautiful. I'd like to learn more about them too.

[bretthackett]

You make this scorpion sound so mean! I have a couple of my own and they are easy to handle and not out to sting me I can pick them up right out of there cages and not meant at all. Also they don't even sting there food half of the time. They eat it alive that would be the worst thing about them if anything.

[HatsuneMku]

These are more on the rarer side. We find the bark scorpion everywhere. You have to go really looking to find these desert hairys