What are the essential conditions for keeping scorpions at normal temperatures?
Lighting: The scorpion shed should be built on high ground with plenty of sunlight. In sunny places, scorpions rarely suffer from disease, and mites cannot survive.
Humidity: The water content in a scorpion's body is about 40% of its body weight, and under normal circumstances it will not develop physiological disorders from lack of water. During long periods of rain or drought when the air is dry, water can be added to the reservoir above the scorpion stack to keep the nest soil moist; in heavy rain, cover the scorpion shed with plastic sheeting to prevent accumulated water inside from washing out the scorpion stack. Remember: scorpions replenish water by absorbing moisture and are not suited to drinking water directly. The scorpion activity area should be slightly on the damp side, with a relative air humidity of about 80%. The humidity of the resting burrows should not be too high; during hibernation, frost damage must be avoided, and the humidity should be about 10%-12%. The moisture content of the soil in the burrows directly affects the survival of scorpions.
Temperature: The suitable temperature for the growth and development of scorpions is between 20-39 degrees C. At temperatures of 2-39 degrees C, their appetite is strongest, they grow quickly, shed their skin smoothly, and this is the most suitable temperature for mating and reproduction. In natural scorpion farming, plastic sheeting must be used in late spring and late autumn to raise the temperature and shorten the hibernation period. When the temperature is below 10 degrees C, scorpions stop growing and enter hibernation. If the temperature is between 8-15 degrees C, scorpions are in a state between sleep and wakefulness, occasionally active. After emerging from dormancy in spring, most scorpions have dry bodies and drooping tails, move slowly, lack appetite, and have a high mortality rate. 3-6 degrees C is the best temperature for hibernation.
Feed: Scorpions like to eat insects that are high in protein, low in fat, soft-bodied, juicy, and active. They do not like to eat insects that are rotten-smelling, have peculiar odors, are dead, or are sluggish. Yellow mealworms reproduce quickly, have a short growth cycle, do not require high breeding equipment or conditions, are simple to raise, and are nutritious, making them the best feed for scorpions. Ground beetles, woodlice, and similar creatures can only serve as supplementary feed.
Growth and development: As long as temperature and humidity are suitable, there is plenty of sunlight, and the feed is tasty, scorpions will reproduce and grow in large numbers. To succeed in scorpion farming, attention must also be paid to the ecological environment of the scorpion shed site, the quality of the scorpion stock, management of birthing, shedding density, disease prevention and control, and prevention of scorpion escape and defense against natural enemies, none of which can be neglected.
Practice has proved that the scorpion farming cycle takes two years, with benefits seen year by year. To save on daily expenses, beginners can simply feed the scorpions in their spare time. Some advertisements claim that scorpions can reproduce 3-5 litters per year, with more than 50 per litter, guaranteed success and guaranteed buyback, and that after half a year the scorpions can be grown and sold for big profits with especially fast returns. These are all exaggerated claims. No matter which farming method is used, scorpion farming must be carried out according to the survival characteristics and living habits of scorpions. Only by studying farming techniques diligently, constantly innovating, striving for excellence, and persevering can one achieve great results.