Opistophthalmus glabrifrons found (Burrowing Scorpion)

[Vandiliz3r]

Hi Guys..
Yes i have been bitten started of my scorpion collection when i found my first Uroplectus Triangulifer (In my kombuis Cubboard) and now i have also already purchased my first Emperor

But i went hunting in the field for scorpions and was so supprised when i found a Opistophthalmus glabrifrons.
I am not sure what scorpions can be kept and so on but i am very interested in this species... I would like to keep it...

Can someone please give me a list of allowed to keep scorpions or not to keep..

Kind Regards
Vandiliz3r

[Westley Price]

Hey man

There is a sticky topic under the inverts section, albeit old, which outlines the Threatened or Protected Species (TOPS).

From a quick glance, looks like you can not keep your scorp.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=17046

[Vandiliz3r]

Yeah, Seems so i was looking at that on another forum post...
But I am looking still as there seems not to be because it does not fall under the Opisthopthalmus spp catagory... It falls under the Opistophthalmus glabrifrons..
So i am thinking that i am allowed to keep as pet... I am reading this all through Jonathan Leeming's book "Scorpions of South africa"..

I might be wrong and i am not fully aware if i am allowed or not allowed to keep..


Regards

[Vandiliz3r]

Please help me with a stupid question.... is SPP mean species?

if so i will have to let the scorpion go...

[Westley Price]

Yes, it means all Opisthopthalmus species are on the TOPS list and illegal to collect in the field.

[cascade]

Or an easier way to define it, all burrowing scorpions with thick pincers may not be kept with out a keepers permit!

But you may keep a good couple of other scorpions without permits, like Uroplectus species for an example.

[Scorpion]

Chances are that if you don't let that scorpion go exactly where you found it, it will get killed anyway, that is if it isn't returned to its burrow. I doubt if it is an adult that it will burrow again and even if it does, it will take it some time to do so and in the interimitwon't have shelter. This is why it is best to find out these things before you go and take something out the bush - it is always the animal that suffers in the end

[Vandiliz3r]

You know what is funny... It was under a rock..
Not even close to a burrow or anything..

Doubt it will die... it was eating and everything when i fed it..

How do you think people learn about these amazing creatures???

By going out there finding something and then doing research..

So yeah.. How can i find out these things if you dont know what species it is???

[Westley Price]

Vandilizer, how do you think the scorpion got under the rock? Constructing a burrow. It's not necessarily a hole in the ground, but most often they hollow out a small tunnel under a rock, piece of bark or I've even found them under cow dung pats.

Scorpion wasn't trying to bad-mouth you, but simply giving you advise for the future.

The best way to learn from wild animals is not to put them in a cage, where they act unnaturally, but rather to simply observe them in the wild. I have a UV torch (like R300 online incl delivery) and love checking what scorpions are up to at night.

You won't learn much by keeping a scorpion in a fish tank with a piece of bark.

[Vandiliz3r]

I was not attacking him at all..... So my bad.... Any how yeah i have been looking at the UV light for scorpions....

No need to stress all...

Regards

[Buggs]

Hey guys

Just to clarify. As far as I know, the Ischnuridae family (Opistacanthus spp, Cheloctonus spp, and Hadogenes spp) and Scorpionidae family (Opistophthalmus spp.) are illeal to keep without a permit, while the Buthidae family (Afroisometrus spp, Hotentotta spp, Lychas spp, Pseudolychas spp, Parabuthus spp, Karasbergia spp, and Uroplectes spp) are legal to keep without a permit.
The Bothuridae family (Lisposoma spp) is only found in Namibia, so I'm not sure about the legalities there...

Regards
Jo