This is a specific care sheet for Arizona Bark Scorpions (Centruroides sculpturatus), for more in this genus see Category:Centruroides.

Most commonly known as the Arizona Bark Scorpion.

Introduction

The Arizona Bark scorpion can be found in the western part of the United States and in some parts of Mexico. They prefer to hide underneath rocks, treebark, and in other crevice-like places. An expected life span for the Bark Scorpion is somewhere between three to five years.

Description

An adult can grow to be between two and three inches, including the tail. One of the characteristics that separates the Arizona Bark Scorpion from the other scorpions in its class is their long, thin tail and their thin pincers. The pincers are as long as they are wide and their tail is only about 1 1/6 inches wide. The tail also has a small bump (or tooth) just below the stinger. They use these to catch and eat their pray.

Breeding

Female scorpions are often bulkier and have thinner pincers than the males. However, these differences are usually subtle. The pectines on the underside of scorpions can be inspected to give the you an idea of their scorpion’s gender. Place the scorpion in a clear plastic tub and hold it up to inspect the underside. Typically, males have longer combs on their pectines and females have shorter and often fewer combs on their pectines.

During courtship the male grasps the pincers of the female and begins a shaking action known as “juddering”. Then, after a short shoving match, the male deposits a spermatophore onto the substrate and positions the female over the packet of sperm. The female lowers her abdomen and picks up the spermatophore into her genital opening. The two separate and often beat a hasty retreat in opposite directions.

An average gestation period for the Arizona Bark scorpion can last anywhere from a few months to a year and a half. They give birth to 24-35 offspring. The offspring are born two at a time and climb onto the mother’s back immediately after birth where they stay for two weeks. Unlike most invertebrates, Bark Scorpions don’t go through metamorphosis. They molt five or six times before they reach maturity, the first time being after they leave their mother’s back.

Ailments

Scorpions are generally quite hardy and adaptable if they are provided with the correct environment. A few signs that may indicate that your pet is not acting or feeling normal are a loss of appetite, acting listless or sluggish, having an overly swollen stomach, and missing or deformed limbs. Another problem can be an infestation of mites.

Molting

One of the most common reasons for the death in scorpions is the moult. The scorpion has a tough outer covering, a cuticle, that forms a rigid exoskeleton. All scorpions must shed their old exoskeleton and secrete a new one in order to grow, this is called the moult. Scorpions will moult from 6 to 10 times during their lifetime. This moulting process takes a lot of energy and they are very vulnerable for a couple of days after the moult until their new skin hardens. For about 24 hours prior to moulting it is not unusual for a scorpion to get quite sluggish. A difficult moult can result in lost or deformed limbs, or death. This is thought to be related to humidity levels. There can be either too much humidity or too little, depending on the species. In captivity a lot of immature scorpions die during the moulting process.

Other problems

Though many scorpions can go for long periods of time without eating, overfeeding can cause an overly swollen stomach as well as the loss of appetite, and even death. The stomach can be slightly swollen from regular eating, and this is not a problem. Another problem can be an infestation of mites. Uneaten food can attract mites, which are very dangerous and stressful to scorpions. Be sure to remove old food.