Central American
Bark Scorpion
Centruroides margaritatus (Scorpiones: Buthidae)
Bark Scorpions are usually small, agile, and very fast scorpions. There are many species in the genus Centruroides. These scorpions can hide in and escape from very small spaces. They climb well and some species can be found in buildings. Centruroides margaritatus is not deadly but has a painful sting that causes swelling and tingling (LD50 59.9 mg/kg). This species is about 5 to 8 cm long including the tail, and is native to Central and South America (the northern part of South America from what I know).
Captive Requirements
| Housing: | Something not too large and very escape-proof |
| Communal: | Yes (provide a larger tank for communal set-ups) |
| Diet: | Crickets, roaches |
| Substrate: | A small layer of peat moss or potting soil |
| Decor: | Cork bark, plastic bottle cap for water dish |
| Temperature: | 26.7° C (80° F) |
| Humidity: | Moderate; higher for scorplings |
| Temperament: | Docile but skittish |
| Considerations: | Sneaky and fast, agile climber; not for beginners |
***Toasty
and her scorplings***
Toasty was a valentines present from my boyfriend. Of course, I was there and coerced him into buying the scorpion for me. Toasty gave me my first scorpion sting one morning when I decided to check on her. I opened her can and I didn't see her clinging upside down to the lid, and she nailed me. My finger swelled up quite nicely and I went to the hospital just in case. After some stuff for the swelling I was only left with a tingly hand for the rest of the day (the 2nd sting was not nearly as bad because I simply iced it right away). Around April 3rd, 2003 Toasty gave birth to many scorplings. In the weeks that followed the babies ate each other, and by the time I realized the extent to which cannibalism was occurring, it was too late! I had only six babies left. I isolated all of them.
| Toasty and scorplings | ||
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| Apr. 8, 2003: Toasty with 2nd instar scorplings | ||
| Scorplings | |||
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| Sept. 4, 2003: Scorplings | |||
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| Feb. 6, 2004: Cent | Feb. 6, 2004: Sneaky | Feb. 6, 2004: Somber | Feb. 6, 2004: Spruce | Feb. 6, 2004: Sreya | |||
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| Apr. 15, 2004: Sreya, getting bigger! | |||||||
| Toasty | ||||
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| May 13, 2004 | ||||
***Cinder
and her scorplings***
I bought Cinder on 4/5/04 from Har Mar Pet Shop. Her babies were born the day before bought her. She is actually much smaller than Toasty, but we couldn't think of what else she could be besides Centruroides margaritatus.
| Cinder and scorplings | |||
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| Apr. 5, 2004: Cinder with 1st instar scorplings | |||
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| Apr. 16, 2004: Cinder with 2nd instar scorplings | |||
| Cinder | ||
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| Apr. 26, 2004: | ||
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| May 13, 2004 | ||||
Copyright © 2003-2006 By Emily Tenczar