There are over 1,500 species of scorpions (Scorpionida) and only a small selection of them are available as pets. Some of these include: the Emperor Scorpion (Pandinus imperator), Forest Scorpion from Malaysia (Heterometrus spinifer) and the Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus longimanus). There are 50 species of scorpion that have venom that is dangerous to man, and a number of deaths have been recorded. So you certainly wouldn’t want to keep these as pets. It’s highly unlikely that one of these would be for sale in your local pet store, but you should always check.

Fossils indicate that scorpions have been around for over 400 million years, and these creatures are built to withstand the harshest climates, from the Mojave desert to the Southwest Cameroons. The one climate that they don’t do well in is those with extended periods of cold. The habitats of scorpions are Mediterranean, Desert and Rain Forest. You should learn which of these is the natural habitat of your scorpion and then recreate the appropriate temperature and humidity: Mediterranean (70 degrees Fahrenheit, 50-60% humidity), Desert (80-95 degrees Fahrenheit, 0% humidity) and Rain Forest (70-75 degrees Fahrenheit, 70-80% humidity).

The Mediteranean Terrarium
Scorpions like to burrow, and you should have a substrate of at least four inches in depth. Suitable floorings for the substrate include gravel, peat and vermiculite. An alternative is to provide an artificial burrow by stuffing a hollow branch, or pot. When it comes to choosing your plants be prepared for your scorpion to destroy them pretty quickly! Choices can include ivy, and ferns, but it is probably not worth bothering with anything that flowers because the flowers won’t last long in a tank shared with a scorpion. You don’t need any artificial lighting for a Mediterranean set-up, and your room temperature should keep the terrarium at around 70 degrees Fahrenheit – if it gets colder in the winter then you can augment the set up with a heat lamp. If this is the case carefully monitor the temperature. Occasional spraying should be enough to maintain the humidity.

The Desert Terrarium
The desert terrarium’s best substrate option is of course sand. You can just use the sand that your local pet store sells for use with pet birds. Pour the sand to a depth of at least three inches, and above the substrate provide a rock, or burrow for shelter. Remember that scorpions are nocturnal so you need to provide something for them to hide under during the day. For a desert set up you don’t need any artificial lighting, and with humidity of around zero no misting is required.

The Rain Forest Terrarium
Of the three set-ups this is the one that requires the most work to maintain when keeping scorpions. The substrate should be at least four inches of dampened peat or vermiculite, and in addition to this you should create an artificial burrow above the substrate. In order to maintain the required humidity a good idea is to have some moss in the terrarium and spray it daily. In order to maintain the required heating it is recommended that you use heat lamps, as heat maps are not appreciated by scorpions when they burrow. With a heat lamp they can be above ground when they need warmth, and burrow when they want to cool down. No artificial lighting is required.

Reptile terrariums

Desert Terrarium
Starting with the desert terrarium there are a number of snakes that come to mind, from the ground snake (Sonora semi-annulata) to the more exotic Kenyan sand boa (Eryx colubrinus loveridgei). Most desert snakes are burrowing and nocturnal so you may not see much of them. Their feeding habits vary from invertebrates to rodents, with some even choosing to dine on scorpions (another excellent choice for desert terrariums, but not with snakes!) You should take care not to select snakes that grow too large, as desert terrariums tend to be of a small scale. Something like a bull snake is not a good choice as it can outgrow its home. Other more suitable choices include: saddled leaf-nosed snake (Phyllorhynchus browni), hog-nosed snake (Heterodon nasicus), banded sand snake (Chilomeniscus cinctus), western shovel-nosed snake (Chionactis occipitalis), spotted leaf-nosed snake (Phyllorhynchus decurtatus), or spotted python (Antaresia maculosa).

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For some owner of reptile terrariums lizards are the preferred pet, and most specimens with thrive is a desert set up. The leopard gecko and bearded dragon are two of the firm favorites, but there are many other possibilities, including: side-blotched lizard (Uta), collard lizard (Crotaphytus), great plains skink (Eumeces obsoletus), Namibian sand gecko (Chrondrodactylus), web-footed sand gecko (Palmatogecko), desert iguana (Dipsosaurus), granite spiny lizard (Sceloporus orcutti), prairie lizard (Sceloporus undulatus), painted rock agama (Laudakia stellio), spiny-talied agamids (Uromastyx), and chuckwallas (Sauromalus obesus). And that is just to name a few of the options!

Savanna Terrarium
A savanna terrarium recreates the areas between woodland and desert. A savanna’s plant and animal life are shaped by it weather, which is one of modest rainfall for most of the year, interspersed with downpours that feed the vegetation in a massive burst. Your substrate and plants will be quite different from the desert set up, as will the animals. Tortoises are just one examples of the reptiles that live in the savanna, but there need of extensive space means that they are not so suitable for the confines of a terrarium, particularly as they can grow to significant sizes. If you do decide that a tortoise is for you, then a suitable choice would be the central Asian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldi) as the adult grows to a maximum of just eight inches.

Besides tortoises there are a number of lizard and snakes that you can consider. Lizards include Bibron’s, Moorish, nanded, fat-tailed, and Ocelot geckos. Eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) are native to US woodlands, and can make nice small pets. Savanna snakes include the desert kingsnake, red milksnake, and Baird’s rat snake.

Heating a Reptile Terrarium

Aquatic Terrariums
Outside of turtles and alligators there are not so many reptiles that appreciate an aquatic or semi-aquatic environment. One that does is the tentacled snake (Erpeton tentaculatum). This is a fascinating animal that can barely move above ground. It is mildly venomous, and has paired tentacle structures.

Outdoor Terrariums
Outdoor terrariums, like the aquatic terrarium, is well-liked by turtles as long as some water area is included. One of the most common options is the ornate box turtle, but the desert box and yellow-margined box turtles are also readily available. The yellow-margined box turtle is usually imported from China, but it is also native to other parts of Asia.

Finally, don’t forget that different reptile terrariums support different types of plants, and you should take some time to select the right terrarium plants during the set up.