Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus sp.) Care Sheet

Quick Facts

Behavior

• Generally docile but can deliver a mild sting if provoked.

• Nocturnal and burrowing; prefers hiding under substrate or logs during the day.

• Defensive posture: pincers raised, tail curled.

• Handles stress well in suitable enclosures but should not be handled frequently.

Enclosure Requirements

• Tank Size: Minimum 2030 liters for one adult; larger for pairs

• Substrate: 812 cm of moist coconut fiber, peat moss, or soil for burrowing

• Decor: Cork bark, rocks, hides, and foliage

• Humidity: 7585% (maintain moist substrate without waterlogging)

• Temperature:

  • Day: 2429C

  • Night: 2024C

• Lighting: Low light preferred; no UVB required

• Ventilation: Moderate airflow essential to prevent mold

Compatibility

• Best housed singly to avoid cannibalism.

• Avoid predatory insects or aggressive arthropods in the same enclosure.

Diet

• Carnivorous: feeds on live prey

  • Crickets

  • Roaches

  • Mealworms / superworms

• Feed juveniles 23 per week; adults 1 per week

• Provide shallow water dish for hydration

• Remove uneaten prey after 24 hours

Care Tips

• Avoid handling; can sting.

• Maintain consistent humidity and monitor substrate moisture.

• Provide multiple hides to reduce stress.

• Spot-clean enclosure regularly.

• Ensure enclosure is escape-proof; scorpions are excellent climbers.

Breeding

• Gestation: 612 months depending on conditions

• Female carries young on her back until first molt (~23 weeks)

• Juveniles require higher humidity and small prey

Visual Quick Guide

• Enclosure: 2030 L, burrowable substrate, hides

• Temp: Day 2429C / Night 2024C

• Humidity: 7585%

• Diet: Carnivorous (live insects)

• Activity: Nocturnal, burrowing

• Stress: Avoid handling; provide hides