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Asian Forest Scorpion Caresheet and Bioactive Guide

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Asian Forest Scorpion Caresheet and Bioactive Guide

Asian Forest Scorpion (Heterometrus sp.)

Difficulty: Beginner. This species has relatively simple care requirements. They are nocturnal, easy to find in the pet trade, and require minimal interaction. 

Written by Richard Stewart of Tarantula Collective 3/4/2025

Heterometrus species of scorpions are commonly known as the Asian Forest Scorpion, Asian Black Forest Scorpion, or Malaysian Black Scorpion. They are a terrestrial, tropical species native to India, Malaysia, and Indonesia. These scorpions are avid burrowers, spending much of the day hidden underground. Unlike some other popular scorpion species in the hobby, Asian Forest Scorpions do not thrive on sand and require a more humid environment. Typically their full size is about 5 inches in length but can grow as large as 6 inches. They have a medium growth rate with a life expectancy of up to 8-10 years with males living slightly shorter lives than females. Because of the low potency of their venom, reluctance to sting, large size, and ease of care, the Heterometrus species are probably the most popular pet scorpions around the world.

It’s worth noting that the common name “Asian Forest Scorpion” is used to describe many different species of Heterometrus in the hobby. Particularly Heterometrus spinifer, Heterometrus longimanus, Heterometrus cyaneus (now Javanimetrus cyaneus), and Heterometrus petersii, with petersii being the most commonly encountered at pet stores. To further complicate things, there has been some confusion and reclassification over the years within the genus, especially because many species within Heterometrus look very similar and identification can be tricky, even for experts. Scorpion taxonomy is constantly evolving as researchers conduct further genetic and morphological studies, which is why it is always important to continue researching the most up-to-date husbandry information for your pet scorpions. 

As if things weren’t complicated enough, sometimes Asian Forest Scorpions (Heterometrus sp.) are mislabeled as Emperor Scorpions (Pandinus imperator) and vice versa. If you are buying your pet scorpion from a reputable breeder that specializes in scorpions and arachnids, you can typically trust you are getting the correct species. These days Emperor Scorpions are more expensive than Asian Forest Scorpions, so mixups are much less likely, but still possible. One way you can tell them apart is Asian Forest Scorpions are generally more defensive than Emperors. You can also tell the difference by looking at the telson (stinger). Asian Forest Scorpions have a black telson, while Emperor Scorpions have an amber or yellow telson. Additionally, Emperor Scorpions have larger, more heavily granulated claws, whereas Asian Forest Scorpions’ claws are smoother. Emperors, native to Africa, are more dedicated burrowers and tend to have a calmer demeanor. While Asian Forest Scorpions are not what I’d call aggressive, they do seem a bit more inclined to pinch or sting when provoked. That said, their venom is not considered medically significant and poses no risk to humans (or cats and dogs) aside from rare cases of anaphylaxis.

What You Need for a Bioactive Adult Asian Forest Scorpion Enclosure: 

Or, you can use the complete species-specific bioactive vivarium kit for Asian Forest Scorpions!

Terrarium Size

These scorpions appreciate it when you give them deep substrate so they can burrow down and hide during the day, but they also like to roam around at night. So it is important to choose an appropriately sized enclosure for your Asian Forest Scorpion. For adults, the smallest size enclosure would be a 10-gallon aquarium or terrarium equivalent, but they would probably enjoy a 15 or 20-gallon-long enclosure better. The Asian Forest Scorpion is a terrestrial species (some say fossorial) so you want an enclosure that is wider than it is tall while ensuring that it is deep enough to provide them with about 5 inches or more of substrate. They are a tropical species that prefers their environment to be humid, so airflow is another important consideration. 

The most common setup is probably a 10-20 gallon horizontal aquarium filled up halfway with substrate. These scorpions cannot climb smooth surfaces like glass, but they are escape artists so a strong, locking lid is a must. The thick metal mesh lids with locking clamps work well for aquariums and are readily available. Stay away from the finer, thinner mesh lids, and opt for the heavy-duty mesh. This type of lid will require some modifications to restrict airflow if you want to keep the humidity up in the enclosure. Another option is to cut your own or purchase a prefabricated acrylic lid for a glass aquarium. There are also large acrylic enclosures made specifically for scorpions and other arachnids that provide both cross-ventilation and strong locking lids. It can really be as simple or as fancy as you would like. My favorite enclosures for tropical scorpions like this would be the Terrestrial XL - Sliding Lid, Terrestrial XL, or 18" Cube by Tarantula Cribs. The Exo Terra Natural Terrarium Small Low (18” x 18” x 12") would also work well as long as you sloped the substrate up and towards the back to give them room to burrow. It will work even better if you use one of the standard ventilation 18"x18" Exo Terra Replacement Lids as these will allow for cross ventilation while still keeping in some humidity.

Can you keep multiple Asian Forest Scorpions in one enclosure?

It is possible to keep Asian forest scorpions communally under very specific conditions, such as providing a large, well-structured enclosure with multiple hides, plenty of space, and abundant environmental enrichment to minimize competition and stress. Some keepers have reported success with communal setups, but this is generally considered risky due to the species' naturally territorial and defensive tendencies, especially as they mature.

It’s important to note that while young scorpions (scorplings) do live together for a short time after birth, clustering on their mother’s back for protection, this behavior is temporary and purely maternal care, not evidence of natural communal living. Once they molt and become more independent, they will naturally disperse and begin to show more solitary and territorial instincts.

Because of this, most experienced keepers—including myself—prefer to house Asian forest scorpions individually to avoid unnecessary stress, injury, or cannibalism. While communal setups are sometimes possible, they should only be attempted by keepers who are well-prepared to closely monitor the group and intervene if necessary. Keeping scorpions communally means they will be breeding and producing broods, so you need to be prepared for the communal enclosure to grow with time as well. 

Lighting and Heating

As this species is both nocturnal and an invertebrate, there are no real special lighting needs. They have no real UVA or UVB requirements to speak of, so any lighting provided will mostly be for the benefit of the plants growing in the enclosure and to give a day/night cycle for the scorpion's circadian rhythm. As with many invertebrates, keeping their habitat around room temperature (72 degrees Fahrenheit) is ideal. Asian Forest Scorpions are typically photosensitive and will retreat into hiding when the lights are on. They are less sensitive to the red wavelengths of light, so if you use a red headlamp or flashlight when viewing them at night, they typically are unbothered and will go about their natural behavior. 

These scorpions are also UV reactive, meaning they will glow under a black light. This is very useful when trying to find a hiding scorpion in their enclosure. It is also an interesting thing to show your friends when they are checking out your pet scorpion, but resist the urge to use a blacklight too much. Black lights are useful and fun, but they can be very stressful for your scorpion. To the best of our understanding, arachnids are less sensitive to red wavelengths of light while being more sensitive to blue wavelengths. So while to humans, UV blacklight might not seem very bright and would be a cool light to have on your scorpion at night, to the scorpion that light might appear as bright as the lights during the day. This could quickly stress out your scorpion and ultimately be fatal. So only use blacklights for short periods of time and never use them as nighttime lighting.

It is important to keep in mind that the use of heat lights, incandescent, or halogen lights is not recommended. Scorpions are ectotherms, meaning they can not regulate their body temperature and rely on environmental heat sources. However, providing a heat source that is too intense can quickly dehydrate the scorpion and lead to desiccation as well as creating a greenhouse effect in the enclosure making it too warm and humid for the scorpion to survive. Scorpions do not like the light, and the heat from lights dries the air out too quickly, so the best option to keep your scorpion warm is to use an Under Tank Heater. 

The key to successfully using a heat mat on your Asian Forest Scorpions enclosure is to adhere the heat mat to the side of the enclosure. NEVER place the heat mat under the enclosure. Arachnids will instinctually burrow deeper, when they are too warm, to escape the heat. In nature, the forest floor might be hot and humid, but by burrowing down, they can find a cooler and more comfortable environment. So if the enclosure gets too warm, the scorpion might end up burrowing down closer to the heat pad and that could have fatal consequences. So place the heat pad on one side of the enclosure to give your scorpion a temperature gradient across the enclosure. They will have a warm side and a cool side. Anytime you are using a heat mat it is very important to also use a thermostat to ensure the enclosure does not get too warm. It is also very important for the safety of the animals as well as you, your family, and your home. So always use a thermostat when you use any type of heating element. 

Some great options for lighting and heating your Asian Forest Scorpion enclosure are: 

Humidity

The humidity requirements for the Asian Forest Scorpion are about what you would expect for a species that comes from tropical rainforests. You can go all out and connect them to a misting system, set them up in a fancy bioactive enclosure, and really recreate a slice of the jungle floor. This is an ideal setup, though it can be a little complicated and expensive if you do not already have a misting system. Luckily this species does not require a regimented misting schedule and their humidity needs can easily be met without any special tools or equipment. 

If you are setting up your terrarium using an aquarium and a screen lid, you will need to restrict some of the airflow. This can easily be done by blocking off the middle of the lid with an acrylic sheet, plastic, or some other material, and leaving one-quarter of the mesh lid uncovered at both ends. This will create some cross-ventilation while maintaining some humidity. You can widen or narrow the amount of the lid that is covered in the middle to help increase or decrease humidity, but you never want to completely block the lid as the scorpion will need fresh air to breathe.  While this is functional, it is not the prettiest. So if you are looking for something more aesthetically pleasing, then an acrylic lid with a door and pre-drilled ventilation holes that can be siliconed and sealed into the opening of the aquarium is probably your best bet. If you are using an acrylic enclosure or an Exo Terra enclosure with an acrylic lid, then the ventilation will not be as much of a concern. 

The key to achieving optimal humidity is your substrate. You really want to pick a good substrate that will absorb and retain water while also being able to hold your scorpion's burrow. We will talk more about that in the next section, but the reason it is so important is because the substrate is where the humidity comes from. In the arachnid world, we like to refer to this as “moisture level” as opposed to humidity. The reason is that humidity is a very important metric in reptile and amphibian hobbies, and a lot of importance is placed on tracking and hitting certain humidity percentages. In the arachnid and invertebrate world, that isn't so much the case. A lot of time and frustration can be spent trying to hit an arbitrary humidity level some guy on the internet made up for his care sheet when all they were really trying to convey is that the environment is tropical. So whether the scorpion care guide says 70% or 90% humidity, as far as arachnid enclosures are concerned, it means tropical or kind of moist. There is no need to stress out about maintaining a certain percentage of humidity, as long as it is not arid.

The trick is to use a damp substrate. You want it moist, but not so saturated that you're squeezing out of water when clenching it in your fist. It also will help a lot to break up some dry sphagnum moss and saturate it with water. Once it has absorbed the water, mix it in with the substrate. By placing the heat mat on the side of the enclosure, the heat will slowly evaporate the water, creating humidity in the enclosure. I like to have a hide on the warm side and one on the cool side. I keep the water dish on the warm side and regularly overflow it to keep the warm side damper and the cool side drier. This creates a nice gradient of both humidity and temperature for your Asian Forest Scorpion so they can move around their enclosure to thermoregulate and have plenty of places to hide. 

Substrate 

This is probably the easiest section of the care guide. I have used all manner of substrates for all manners of arachnids over the past 25 years. All with varying degrees of success but they all had their drawbacks. These days though I use the Terra Aranea substrate for all my arachnids. Even the scorpions that thrive on sand, the bottom layer is always Terra Aranea. Terra Aranea is the ideal substrate for this species as it was specifically designed for scorpions, tarantulas, and other invertebrates. This substrate absorbs and retains water well without the constant issues of mold growth as you have in some other types of substrate. It looks very natural, holds burrows very well, and can be used straight out of the bag as is, or it can be used as a bioactive substrate. As I mentioned earlier, I like to mix in some sphagnum moss that has been soaked in water, as well as some Leaf Litter, and BioShot, along with some tropical springtails. This will provide an amazing environment for both the plants and the clean-up crew to flourish. You will want to provide between 4-6 inches of substrate depth for the plants as well so they will have enough room to root well and to help provide stability to the hides and burrows.

Decorating the Enclosure

When choosing decorations for your Asian Forest Scorpion’s enclosure, you want to avoid anything that is heavy and/or anything with sharp edges. You also want to remember that it will be a tropical environment, so avoid any decor that is susceptible to mold, like sandblasted grapevine. Cork bark is light and mold-resistant and makes for great scorpion hides. Get a large cork bark tube and cut it in half vertically and then you have two half rounds which are the perfect shape for hides. All you need to do is cut it to the desired length. Some people like to stack rocks to create hides, which can work but poses the danger of the scorpion shifting the rocks and causing them to collapse on top of them. So if you choose to decorate with rocks, remember the scorpion may burrow underneath them, so avoid heavy rocks or the stacking rocks too high. 

A water dish is a key element to your Asian Forest Enclosure as it not only provides a fresh source for drinking water but also helps maintain a humid environment. It is important to choose a shallow water dish your scorpion can easily crawl in and out of with no problems. If your dish is too deep, you can add some clean aquarium gravel to create a ramp out of the water dish for your scorpion. Scorpions can drown in their water dish if they become trapped and the water level is too high. A large, shallow water dish will also have more surface area and the water will evaporate more, helping maintain a tropical environment. This does mean that you will need to keep an eye on the water dish and refill it as it dries out.

Feeding Your Asian Forest Scorpion

I give my smallest scorplings (baby scorpions) small, pre-killed, crickets or roaches, though once they are large enough to take down live prey I stop pre-killing the prey. You don’t want to feed them any live prey larger than ⅔ the size of the scorpling. These babies will scavenge, so there is no harm in playing it safe and dropping pre-killed prey near the entrance of their burrow. You can use a small bottle cap as a watering dish, just make sure any water dish you use is no wider than your scorpling's leg span. You can also spray a little water on the side of their enclosure and they will drink from the droplets. If you want more information on how to feed scorplings, check out this video:

Juveniles can be fed one medium cricket once a week. You can feed more or less prey, depending on their appetite and the size of their abdomen. If their abdomen appears swollen but they’re still taking food, I may only feed them every other week until they refuse food or molt. You can tell they are starting to get overfed when their exoskeleton on the sides seems to look like your scorpion is getting too fat for the “armor” they are wearing. It may not make sense right now, but you will understand it when you see it.

You can feed adults 2 or 3 large crickets every week or two. The Asian Forest scorpions are excellent eaters as adults as it is very fascinating to watch them capture their prey. Again, try not to overfeed your scorpion, but if their abdomen isn’t looking way too big, you can feed them closer to every week or ten days. You can also mix it up a little and feed them mealworms, dubia roaches, red runners, green hornworms, or even wax worms occasionally. The most important thing to consider when choosing the best feeder for this species is that the feeder will cross paths with the scorpion. Mealworms and most roaches will quickly burrow into the substrate and the chances of the scorpion finding them are slim. Red Runner roaches and crickets seem to be the best feeders, but if you have the time and patience to tong feed your scorpion, then mealworms and dubia roaches might work wonderfully as well. 

It is important that you NEVER need to dust your feeders when feeding arachnids. There is some anecdotal evidence and strong beliefs on the internet that using calcium supplement dust on scorpion feeders can actually be very harmful and lead to issues with molting. The best way to ensure your scorpion is getting all the necessary vitamins and minerals from their prey is to gut load the feeders. Provide the crickets or roaches with some fresh fruit and vegetables 24 hours before feeding them to your arachnids. Stay away from the store-bought gut loader and gel feeding cubes. Some leafy greens, carrots, oranges, apples, or really any produce you have rotting in the vegetable drawer of your fridge will work great!

It is also important to mention while discussing feeding that scorpions are famously known for going on hunger strikes. When a scorpion is in premolt, they will typically hide away in their burrow for weeks or months at a time. During this time they will usually show no interest in eating. Some keepers get very concerned that their scorpion is hiding and not eating, but this is very typical behavior. When the scorpion is stressed, like after being shipped or moved into a new enclosure, they might go weeks without eating until they settle in. Not only will they not eat while preparing for a molt, but you should also wait 10-14 days after an adult scorpion molts before even attempting to feed them because they need time to allow their exoskeleton to harden before trying to take down prey. And sometimes, for no reason whatsoever, except maybe that they just aren't hungry, your scorpion will randomly refuse to eat from time to time. When this happens, do not panic. Anytime you feed your scorpion, check back in on them in a few hours, and if they have not eaten the prey or seem disinterested, remove the prey and try again next time. It is best not to leave live prey in their enclosure for extended periods of time. The prey could further stress them out, leading to an even longer wait for them to relax and eat. If the scorpion molts while live prey is in the enclosure, the cricket or mealworm might take advantage of the scorpion in a vulnerable position and start chewing on them as they are hardening up and unable to protect themselves. So anytime they refuse food, just remove the feeders and try again in a week or two. 

Handling

If you go on most scorpion message boards and Facebook groups, the handling of pet scorpions is generally frowned upon, mainly because a lot of scorpions are highly venomous. The concern is that most people do not know the difference between scorpion species, so if they see someone handling an Asian Forest Scorpion, they might think it is okay to hold their Ebony fat-tailed scorpion because they “kind of look similar." Ebony fat-tailed scorpions are from the genus Androctunus and have a powerful, fast-acting, neurotoxic venom that can be very dangerous. Luckily, the Asian Forest Scorpion is not a highly venomous species, but that does not mean it should be handled. You can not say every Asian Forest Scorpion is the same because they all have different personalities, attitudes, or dispositions. Some scorpions maintain a relaxed temperament for years and become defensive suddenly after a molt or vice versa. Determining the temperament of your scorpion before attempting to hold them is key. This can be done by gently touching them with a paintbrush to see how they react. If they are not defensive, then they may allow you to softly push them onto your hand so you can pick them up. It is important to remember that no scorpion wants to be held, and even though they may tolerate being handled, it is a stressful experience for them. Handling is also dangerous for the scorpion because if they were to fall from a distance, they could have a fatal rupture of their exoskeleton when they hit the ground. Therefore, it is important to sit on the ground or handle your scorpion over a table to ensure they are safe from any falls. If you want to learn more about how to safely handle arachnids like scorpions and tarantulas, as well as the pros and cons, check out this video:

Where to buy an Asian Forest Scorpion?

As this is one of the most popular scorpion species in the pet hobby, you can typically find them for sale anywhere exotic animals are sold. The question you should be asking is “Where is the BEST place to buy an Asian Forest Scorpion”. Here the answer is clear, you should find a reputable captive breeder. Unfortunately, this species, and many other arachnids, have been subjected to illegal poaching in the wild and some of those specimens are introduced into the pet hobby. Buying wild-caught adult scorpions might be less expensive initially, but these specimens can come with hidden costs. They may be carrying nematodes or other parasites that could easily spread to other arachnids in your care. You may receive a gravid female and will one day have a brood of scorpions to care for. Not to mention supporting poachers by buying wild-caught specimens only encourages them to continue their harmful and often illegal activities. So support your local bug dealer and find a reputable breeder at your local reptile show or by checking out this list of arachnid dealers I highly recommend: https://www.thetarantulacollective.com/dealers

One way to separate the good from the bad when it comes to scorpion dealers is by looking at how the scorpion is labeled. If it has the scientific name so you can see the genus and species (or at least the genus) then the odds are pretty good they know what they are talking about. If they only have the scorpion labeled with the common Asian Forest Scorpion, then that should raise a red flag. Ask the dealer a few questions and see if they know the species name. If they do not know a lot of information, it is possible they are just flipping an animal for profit and odds are it is wild caught and should be avoided. The reality is that there are plenty of ethically sourced and captive-bred Asian Forest Scorpions available in the pet trade. There is never any reason to support wild-caught poachers anymore, the damage they do is not worth the few bucks you might save.

Overall this is a fairly simple scorpion to take care of, they grow to a nice large size and can be seen wandering around their enclosures at night. Very rarely do I ever see my scorpions out during the day, but occasionally it can happen. This is a fascinating, readily available, and inexpensive species that will make for a fascinating pet. If you have never kept a scorpion before but are interested in getting your start in that aspect of the hobby, this is one of the species I can highly suggest for beginners.

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