# Leiurus quinquestriatus (Death Stalker Scorpion)



## Matt2012 (Jan 9, 2012)

Hi I am a new member on RFUK and have kept 2 Emperor Scorpions in the past and would like to buy a Leiurus Quinquestriatus Scorpion(DEATH STALKER) I live in Devon and is there anywhere I get one and any websites or phone numbers I could try. Many Thanks Matt:2thumb:


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## bob109 (Jan 8, 2012)

you know you need a dwa?


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## hedwigdan (Apr 17, 2011)

Once you get a DWA you would probably be better off ordering off a German site since they have much better stock usually


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## bob109 (Jan 8, 2012)

hedwigdan said:


> Once you get a DWA you would probably be better off ordering off a German site since they have much better stock usually


got to be a pain got the name of any of the sites or links


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## callum b (Sep 8, 2008)

Bit of a big step to go from emperors to death stalkers. However, I am sure if you keep a completely hands off approach when keeping them the risk is very much lowered. Care is apparently fairly straight forward for this species. Don't forget though that these have potentially the most potent venom of all scorpions, one mistake could result in very serious consequences!! And, as already stated you do require a licence to legally keep this species in the UK.
There are a few EU dealers who I have seen selling them regularly in the past and they are fairly frequently advertised on terraristik.com. I doubt anyone in the UK is selling them.
Why don't you have a look at some of the non-Buthidae desert species? There are a few species available that don't look unlike Buthid scorpions and have as much if not more attitude than death stalkers without the risk. Desert hairies are well known for having attitude but have a mild venom. Smeringus mesaensis are really nice looking scorpions. Less Buthidae looking but with lots of attitude Opistophthalmus sp. are a great arid species.


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## Matt2012 (Jan 9, 2012)

*Re leiurus quinquestriatus*

The main appeal I think of wanting to get a Death Stalker that it is dangerous but obviously caution is required but its like most things and hobbies where people risk there lives in motor racing or mountain climbing or other dangerous pursuits its appealing. I know that there are many people in the UK that have the Death Stalker Scorpion. There are some people that say that they cannot really kill an adult but children and the elderly and people with weak immune systems are more at risk but that is a matter of debate, What would a sting by a Death Stalker Scorpion and can anyone compare what the experience would be like. Thanks :blush:


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## PeterUK (Jun 21, 2008)

Is it going to be worth it ?

A DWA licence in your area is £400 PLUS Vets fees (£150 to £300 ?) PLUS liability insurance which is going to be a few hundred £££'s all for a scorpion that costs about £20 to £25

 DWA LINK


German Scorpion sellers

 LINK 1
 LINK 2
http://www.polyped.de/Bestandsliste_POLYPED.pdf LINK 3


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## Brandan Smith (Nov 17, 2010)

ANyone know the dwa prices in the wakefield area?


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Matt2012 said:


> The main appeal I think of wanting to get a Death Stalker that it is dangerous but obviously caution is required but its like most things and hobbies where people risk there lives in motor racing or mountain climbing or other dangerous pursuits its appealing. I know that there are many people in the UK that have the Death Stalker Scorpion. There are some people that say that they cannot really kill an adult but children and the elderly and people with weak immune systems are more at risk but that is a matter of debate, What would a sting by a Death Stalker Scorpion and can anyone compare what the experience would be like. Thanks :blush:


death stalkers are the most lethal of all scorpions- they can very definitely kill an adult, as even a fat-tailed scorpion can- & the death stalker is far more venomous than that. both of those, btw, are also fast & defensive.


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## gray1 (May 24, 2010)

You should shelve the idea of a death stalker for much further down the line.
Emperor scorpions are docile, to jump from something that is on the side of most well behaved scorpion to one that is the least friendly, but also deadly is a very wrong move.

You should go for something like a hadrurus arizonensis (giant desert hairy scorpion). It has all the aggression without the venom that puts you in a hospital.


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## mattykyuss (Oct 12, 2009)

*re*

if you dont have a dwa ,and the scorp got loose ,would you be prepared to contact the right people ? guy in germany had a animal get loose ,he did not need a dwa to keep this animal ,but the block of flats were it escaped had to be pulled apart ,he was fined 180 thousand euros ,so probaly the end of his keeping ,and a crap life in general ,dont think if a dwa animal gets loose ,well i will probaly find it ,and tub it up ,think if it did find its way next door and they have children ,would be a whole lot of pain and stress for you ,mat


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## callum b (Sep 8, 2008)

To help answer part of your question on how dangerous L.q's really are, here is some information I included in a practice essay for uni. The data is from Libya where death stalkers are found in the wild. However, it takes in to account all scorpion stings in the country, of which some could have been from 'harmless' species such as Scorpio sp. and some of the less toxic Buthidae etc. There are also at least 3 other 'lethal' species that will have made up part of the sting data.

'' For instance, annually, there are around 30 000 scorpion stings reported in Libya, a country that contains 4 of the world’s most dangerous scorpions (Androctonus amoreuxi, australis, bicolor and Leiurus quinquestriatus). Of these 30 000 stings, between 80 – 200 people die. That is only 0.26% - 0.66% of the total stings. 
Any death is unacceptable, but this is obviously a very low amount compared with the number of people who are actually stung.'' 

If the data had been of just L. quinquestriatus I am sure the percentage of deaths would have been higher. However, although dangerous scorpions, such as death stalkers, have a very low LD50, much lower than a lot of venomous snakes, in comparison they can only inject much smaller quantities of venom. Most healthy adults survive scorpion stings due to the relatively low quantities of venom injected and the availability of anti-venin/modern health care. That doesn't mean it is a nice experience though. Have a google around for sting reports. Even tiny 2i L.q can cause some serious pain and breathing difficulties and adults can cause symptoms for several weeks after the initial sting and obviously death if you are really unlucky (or allergic, and you'll never know you are until your stung lol). Heres a good medical report on a L. q sting Leiurus quinquestriatus (Not "first hand" experience.

Keeping a death stalker is really nothing like an adventure sport when in general the risk is a personal risk i.e. you mess up you get hurt/die but no one else does. With a death stalker, if you mess up and allow it to escape for instance, you are putting anyone who enters your house at risk. If the main appeal for owning an L.q is for the danger factor, then you would be keeping it for all the wrong reasons.


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

Matt2012 said:


> can anyone compare what the experience would be like. Thanks :blush:


i was stung on the side of my little finger on my right hand when i was in Israel some years back, and this is roughly how it felt:

like a 6 inch nail being rammed through from one side to the other and then wiggled about for a few days.
loss of use of all my fingers on my right hand for about the same time (the use came back a bit earlier, but it was agony to even breath on them)
shortness of breath, palpitations like you wouldnt believe for about a week. stomach cramps that had me doubled over when they came on for a couple of weeks and after that all died down i was mega weak, legs like jelly, no strength, it was even hard to open my eyelids. Insomnia, but dog tired all the time.

oh, and projectile vomiting from days 2-3.

hope that helps


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## callum b (Sep 8, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> i was stung on the side of my little finger on my right hand when i was in Israel some years back, and this is roughly how it felt:
> 
> like a 6 inch nail being rammed through from one side to the other and then wiggled about for a few days.
> loss of use of all my fingers on my right hand for about the same time (the use came back a bit earlier, but it was agony to even breath on them)
> ...


That sounds like a load of fun!! Or not lol. Did you seek any medical attention??


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

yeh, we were in the Ofer Forest not far from Haifa and one of the lads i was with is a Doctor so straight in no messing.
they just put me on fluids, steroids, anti histamines and kept me in for 48 hours to make sure there was no allergic reaction.

i wanted to stay longer, the food was awesome and the nurses even more so! but they wouldn't let me! :lol2:


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## Kamike (Aug 3, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> i was stung on the side of my little finger on my right hand when i was in Israel some years back, and this is roughly how it felt:
> 
> like a 6 inch nail being rammed through from one side to the other and then wiggled about for a few days.
> loss of use of all my fingers on my right hand for about the same time (the use came back a bit earlier, but it was agony to even breath on them)
> ...


I bet that's high up on the list of things to try again :gasp:

Have you had any other interesting bites or stings?


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## callum b (Sep 8, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> i wanted to stay longer, the food was awesome and the nurses even more so! but they wouldn't let me! :lol2:


Haha, love it. Just been stung by the most venomous scorpion in the world and your more bothered about ogglin' the nurses and eating lol.

Has there been any long term effects like permanent numbness, sore joints, loss of movement in fingers....etc?


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## 8and6 (Jan 19, 2010)

Kamike said:


> I bet that's high up on the list of things to try again :gasp:
> 
> Have you had any other interesting bites or stings?


yup not high up on list! lol
I've had a few close calls with snakes, scorpions and spiders and 3 T bites at home, but the only other thing close out in the field was being stung by a Centruroides spp. in Missouri.
I had summat crawling up inside my left trouser leg and i leant against a tree to get it out and got stung right in the middle of my palm! lolol, to top it all off whatever was in my trouser leg it me. The sting was sore for a couple of days, but no biggy, the bite however itched for a whole week or more! :lol2:



callum b said:


> Haha, love it. Just been stung by the most venomous scorpion in the world and your more bothered about ogglin' the nurses and eating lol.
> 
> Has there been any long term effects like permanent numbness, sore joints, loss of movement in fingers....etc?


too right, the telly was cack though so nothing else to do 

yeh, my right little finger is slightly thicker than my left noticably if i put them side by side, i was told it might be a bit wonky due to muscle fibre scarring, and it locks up every now and again when im typing on the keyboard :/
no big deal though, it could have been worse


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

Whatupp +9203099945999 said:


> I have a lot of scorpionsI can send you pictures of themI I want to sell it You can contact me like this on Instagram Us_Men_999 and WhatsApp +9203099945999


You do realise that this is an ancient thread from 10 years ago? & an irresponsible one at that, about keeping a lethally dangerous scorpion?


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