Emperor Scorpion

Pandinus imperator

ScorpionbeginnerVenom: MildCommunal OK

Venom note

Sting comparable to a bee. Defensive but rarely stings — relies on its massive chela for prey capture and defense.

About

Emperor Scorpion — the most commonly kept scorpion and one of the most forgiving. Large, slow, and impressive on display. Native to humid West African forest floor, so a deep, damp substrate with sphagnum patches and at least one cork-bark hide is the baseline setup. Pandinus do well communally provided the enclosure is large enough and there's a hide per scorpion plus one extra. CITES Appendix II — captive-bred specimens are the responsible choice. Fluoresces brilliantly under UV (true of all scorpions in this seed).

Taxonomy

FamilyScorpionidae

GenusPandinus

Native regionWest Africa (Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria)

TypeFossorial

Temperamentdocile

Size & growth

Adult size6-8 inches

Length150.00–200.00 mm

Growth rateslow

Climate

Temperature75–85 °F

Humidity75–85%

Enclosure

Juvenile size8x8x8" / 5-gallon equivalent

Adult size18x12x12" / 20-gallon long for a group

SubstrateCoco fiber + sphagnum moss, kept damp

Substrate depth4-6 inches

Water dishRequired

Feeding

Feeding modePredator (live prey)

Prey sizeRoaches, crickets sized to scorpion's chela

Juvenile cadenceTwice per week

Adult cadenceOnce per week to once every two weeks

Times kept: 1