Amazonian Black Scorpion

Tityus obscurus

ScorpionadvancedVenom: Medically significantCommunal OK

Medically significant venom

MEDICALLY SIGNIFICANT — one of the larger Tityus, with excitatory neurotoxins and cardiotoxins; documented mild-to-severe human envenomations (severe pain, sweating, nausea, vomiting, numbness, twitching) that can persist ~30 hours, and recorded fatalities in the region. Expert keepers only, escape-proof housing, sting protocol, no handling.

About

A large, dark, flattened Amazonian buthid that hides under logs and bark by day in humid rainforest and hunts at night. Keep it warm and humid (70-85%) with a couple of inches of moist substrate, leaf litter, and plenty of flat wood and bark to shelter beneath, plus a shallow water dish. This is a genuinely dangerous species — its venom carries neurotoxins and cardiotoxins, human envenomations range from mild to severe and can last over a day, and fatalities are on record in its native range. Expert keepers only, escape-proof housing, a sting protocol in place, and no handling.

Taxonomy

FamilyButhidae

GenusTityus

Native regionAmazon basin of northern South America (Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname)

TypeScansorial

Temperamentsecretive, defensive; hides by day

Size & growth

Adult size2.5-4 inches

Length65.00–100.00 mm

Growth rateslow

Climate

Temperature77–86 °F

Humidity70–85%

Enclosure

Adult size10-20 gal; deep substrate or rock stacks per type

Substratemoist coco/topsoil with leaf litter, bark and loose wood to hide under; shallow water dish

Substrate depth2-3 inches

Water dishRequired

Feeding

Feeding modePredator (live prey)

Prey sizecrickets, roaches

Adult cadence1 prey every 1-2 weeks

Times kept: 0