Description
- Common Name: Desert Scorpion
- Scientific Name: Scorpio maurus
- Locality/Morph: Wild type
- Sex: Unknown
- Age: Mixed
- Source: Wild Caught
- Native Range: North Africa and the Middle East – Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and surrounding regions
- Natural Habitat: Arid and semi-arid deserts, rocky hillsides, sandy plains, and sparse scrublands
- Diet: Insects and other small arthropods
- Basking Temperature: Not required – maintain 28–32 °C
- Ambient Temperature: 24–30 °C (night drop to ~20–22 °C)
- Average Adult Size: 7–10 cm total length
The Desert Scorpion (Scorpio maurus) is a hardy and highly adaptable scorpion native to the arid and semi-arid regions of North Africa and the Middle East. It is a primarily nocturnal, terrestrial species that spends the day sheltered in burrows, under rocks, or in crevices to avoid extreme heat. At night, S. maurus emerges to hunt insects and other small arthropods.
In captivity, S. maurus thrives in a terrestrial enclosure with a deep, dry substrate suitable for burrowing, such as sand mixed with a little clay or coconut fibre. Provide hiding places using stones, cork bark, or artificial shelters. Temperatures should be maintained between 28–32°C, with a night-time drop to ~20°C. Humidity should be kept low, reflecting its arid natural habitat, with a shallow water dish always available for drinking.
Their diet consists of live insects such as crickets, roaches, and small mealworms. They are efficient, active hunters and generally display strong feeding responses.
S. maurus is not recommended for handling due to its defensive nature and potentially painful sting, although its venom is generally mild. It is, however, a hardy and long-lived species, making it suitable for keepers interested in a classic desert scorpion. Females can live 5–8 years, while males usually live 3–5 years.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
