What are the methods for raising scorpions? A detailed explanation in one article
The scorpion is a venomous yet highly useful animal. Because of its high utility value, scorpion farming has also become a very good entrepreneurship project, so how should such a venomous scorpion be farmed? Below, the editor will introduce to everyone the methods of farming scorpions.
Scorpion rearing methods
1. Maintain appropriate temperature: when the temperature is below 15°C, scorpions enter a dormant state and stop or slow down their growth; when the temperature is above 40°C, scorpions desperately try to escape and may even die. Therefore, keeping the temperature at 25°C~30°C is the optimal temperature for scorpion growth and development.
2. Control humidity well: scorpions like dryness and fear dampness. The optimal relative air humidity is 45%~50%. The moisture content of the sandy soil should be between 15%~20%, and it is best if the sandy soil is neither dry nor damp and people do not feel the scorpion room is stuffy. Special attention should be paid to the fact that the sandy soil should not be too damp, otherwise the scorpions will develop powdery acariasis and die.
3. Provide sufficient drinking water: whether scorpion farming succeeds or not depends on water supply. If the water supply is insufficient, scorpions that become too dry will kill each other and die. Therefore, every day a sponge can be soaked with clean water or cold water and placed in the scorpion pool. Every 3 days to 5 days, an antibiotic-type drug (oxytetracycline, sulfonamide, etc.) can be added to the scorpions' drinking water, with each tablet added to about 4 kg of cold boiled water, mixed evenly, absorbed onto the sponge, and placed in the scorpion pool.
Scorpion farming techniques
1. Pool farming: scorpion pools can be built indoors or outdoors. The usual pool size is 0.5 m high and 1 m wide, with the length determined according to actual conditions. A small amount of mortar can be used on the outer wall of the pool to seal brick gaps and prevent scorpions from escaping through the cracks. On the inner side of the pool near the top opening, before the applied mortar dries, smooth materials such as glass or ceramic pieces can be inset to prevent scorpions from escaping from the top opening. At the center of the pool, about 15 cm from the four sides, bricks, tiles, and stones can be stacked flat into multiple layers with gaps of about 1.5 cm left for scorpions to inhabit.
2. Box farming: use wooden boards to make a box, or directly use waste wooden boxes or plastic boxes, and wrap a ring of plastic film or glass strips around the four sides of the box opening to prevent scorpions from escaping. Spread 2 cm of sandy soil on the bottom of the box, and place some bricks, tiles, and coal cinders on the soil for scorpions to move around and inhabit.
3. Select robust, large, active scorpions as breeding scorpions. For every sq m, raise 3,000 scorpions of instars 2-3, 1,500 scorpions of instars 4-5, 800 scorpions of instar 6, and 600 breeding scorpions. Place adobe in the scorpion nest, with gaps to facilitate scorpion habitation and reproduction.
4. Artificial rearing of earthworms is the main source of scorpion feed. Dig a soil pit, bury livestock manure, small animal carcasses, and relatively fertile soil in the pit, introduce earthworms as seed stock, water frequently to keep the pit moist, and after they have reproduced to a certain number, dig them out regularly, first kill them with boiling water, chop them up, and place them on a food tray to feed the scorpions. The amount fed each time should not be too much, to avoid the leftovers rotting and deteriorating. Yellow mealworms and ground beetles can also be artificially reared. During the scorpions' growth period, they can be fed once every 3 days. Although scorpions can go several days without hunger after eating once, they do not all become hungry on the same day or feed at the same time, so it is best to insist on feeding every day. The amount of feed should be moderate, with a slight remainder observed on the second day being appropriate.
5. In general, artificially farmed scorpions need only 10-12 months to reach sexual maturity. The ratio of male to female scorpions is preferably 1:3. Scorpions are ovoviviparous animals; the fertilized egg completes embryonic development in the mother's body after about 40 days, and then the young scorpions are produced. Because scorpions are poikilothermic animals and cannot maintain their own body temperature, heating must be provided during artificial scorpion farming. Female scorpions give birth all at once, and on average each litter can produce 30 young.
Techniques for introducing scorpion stock
Time for introducing stock: for scorpion farming at normal temperature, the time for introducing stock should be arranged in late spring and early summer or in autumn. Among these, late spring and early summer is the best time for introducing stock, because at this time the overwintering scorpions have already emerged from dormancy, have passed the “spring death stage”, and adult female scorpions have already entered pregnancy and can give birth in the same year. Introducing stock can bring benefits in the same year.
Sources of breeding scorpions: first, catch wild scorpions or buy wild scorpions back as breeding scorpions. Second, buy them from artificial scorpion farming units or individuals. For beginners, using wild scorpions as breeding scorpions is not advisable.
Selection of breeding scorpions: when introducing breeding scorpions, young scorpions, adult scorpions, or pregnant scorpions should be purchased according to need and with preference for the best. Male scorpions should be selected as breeding scorpions if they are strong in build, bright in body color, lively and vigorous, and strong in sexual desire. Female scorpions should be selected as breeding scorpions if they are large, with a body length above 4.8 cm, no missing limbs, robust, agile in movement, with the rear abdomen curled when at rest, a plump front abdomen, and glossy skin. Generally, spring female scorpions, as long as the front abdomen is plump and full and light gray in color, with a body length of about 5 cm, have a relatively high birth rate and give birth early. Female scorpions that are too short should not be easily selected for breeding even if they have a large abdomen and correct color, because their reproductive period is often later and cannot meet breeding requirements.
Male-female pairing: some farmers select only female scorpions and no male scorpions when introducing stock in order to obtain more young scorpions. This practice is wrong. According to the mating patterns of scorpions, the ratio of female to male scorpions should preferably be 2-3:1.
Transport of breeding scorpions: generally the tools for introducing stock are cardboard boxes and non-toxic woven bags, and the suitable density for loading and transport is 500 scorpions per bag. During transport, first put the breeding scorpions into clean, undamaged woven bags and tie the openings, then place them into cardboard boxes with sponge or cardboard and paper balls at the bottom. Then place several pieces of wet sponge into the cardboard box to regulate the humidity inside the box. In addition, several ventilation holes should be punched around the upper part of the cardboard box to allow ventilation and air flow. Severe vibration should be avoided during transport. In summer transport, attention should be paid to preventing high temperatures, and in winter, attention should be paid to preventing cold.
What kind of animal is a scorpion?
Scorpions are carnivorous animals, and their food is invertebrates, such as spiders, crickets, small centipedes, and the larvae and nymphs of many kinds of insects. Scorpions hide by day and come out at night, like moisture but fear dampness, and like darkness but fear strong light stimulation.
Scorpions use their venomous stingers to sting when preying and defending themselves. The toxins of most scorpions are enough to kill insects, but they are not fatally dangerous to humans and only cause severe burning pain.
When artificially raising scorpions, it is necessary to learn more about scorpions' living habits and some rearing techniques, and to find good treatment methods for sick scorpions. It is best to have technical support for scorpion farming, so that during artificial rearing the risks can be minimized and the benefits maximized.
To farm scorpions, it is necessary to manage the farming site well, observe the scorpions' activities more, and keep scientific records, continuously summing up experience during rearing.
Scorpions like to live in damp and dark places, so the environment for farming scorpions is very important. When farming scorpions, one must never do so blindly. One must master the techniques of scorpion farming before starting to invest in farming. After all, the scorpion is a relatively venomous animal.