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Asian Forest Scorpion
Photo: Richard Fuller, CC0
Scorpion
Beginner
Heterometrus spinifer
Lifespan
F 7-8 years, M about 5 years
Adult size
Body 10-12 cm
Temperament
Skittish and defensive, pinches readily
Temperature
21–29°C
Humidity
70–85%
Vivarium
45 x 30 x 30 cm (one adult)
Wikipedia →
A large black forest scorpion from humid forests of South and South-East Asia, including Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, where it hides under logs and debris and burrows by day. Adults reach 10-12 cm and have big, smooth, powerful claws. It is cheap, hardy and widely sold as a beginner species, but it is more defensive than the emperor scorpion. The sting causes local pain and some numbness but is not considered medically significant; the pinch is the bigger problem.
Care information is provided for educational purposes only and does not replace professional veterinary advice.
🔥 Heating
Room temperature is often enough. If it falls below about 22°C, use a heat mat on one side wall run on a thermostat, never underneath, aiming for 24-28°C on the warm side; avoid wooden vivariums, which can overheat.
💡 Lighting
No UVB needed. It is nocturnal and hides from light, so ordinary room daylight is enough for a day/night cycle.
🪨 Substrate
Damp coco fibre mixed with topsoil, at least 10 cm deep so it can dig burrows. Keep the lower layers moist but not dripping, and do not use pure sand.
🍽 Feeding
Juveniles every 4-7 days on small crickets or roach nymphs; adults 2-3 appropriately sized crickets or roaches about once a week. Remove uneaten prey within 24 hours and expect it to refuse food before a moult.
💧 Water
Keep a shallow water dish available at all times, and mist or overflow the dish to keep humidity high. Allow some ventilation so the enclosure does not become stagnant.
🏠 Enrichment
Provide two or three hides such as cork bark and half logs, deep substrate to burrow in and leaf litter on the surface.
🩺 Health Considerations
It suffers dehydration and failed moults if kept too dry, and mycosis (dark patches), mould and mites if kept wet with poor airflow. Wild-caught animals may arrive with mites.
🤲 Handling
Not recommended: it raises its claws and pinches or stings readily. The sting is painful with local swelling and numbness but not medically significant for healthy people, though allergic reactions are possible; move it with tongs or a cup.
⚖️ Legal Restrictions
No licence needed in the UK. It is in the Scorpionidae, not the Buthidae, so it is not covered by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 schedule (which lists scorpions only as 'Family Buthidae: All species' and Hemiscorpius lepturus); it is not CITES-listed and not on the GB invasive species list.
📋 Additional Notes
'Asian forest scorpion' covers several Heterometrus species and shop labels are often wrong; animals sold as H. spinifer may be H. silenus, H. petersii or H. longimanus, which need the same care. Older synonyms include Buthus spinifer, Palamnaeus laevigatus and Palamnaeus oatesii. Males have longer tails and longer pectines; communal keeping is risky and best avoided.