Also known as the Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion, Desert Scorpion or Arizona Desert Scorpion, the Desert Hairy Scorpion is a very popular scorpion among hobbyists.

Though Desert Hairy Scorpions are aggressive and active, they are not considered dangerous to humans, unless you are allergic to their venom. They are quite aggressive and will sting without a second thought if they feel threatened. They should not be handled, but if you must, proceed with a cautious eye (or hand!). Desert Hairy Scorpions are a popular Scorpion species in captivity. In the wild, Desert Hairy Scorpions will eat larger insects, some spiders, and even centipedes and other scorpions, but their diet is much different in captivity. They should be fed crickets if they are kept as pets. Since they are originally from the desert, they are extremely sensitive to water and humidity, so their cages should not be moist. Keep the temperature between 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and the humidity between 55 to 65%. Single adults should be kept in a two and a half to five gallon tank. For substrate, use three to four inches of sand. It is important to remember that their tanks should be wider than they are tall. Babies can live in a small, plastic container with tiny holes to provide enough oxygen.

When mature, Desert Hairy Scorpions will grow to a length of four to six inches, making them the largest of all North American scorpions. They have sometimes been seen as large as seven inches. They are a slow growing species. Their colors are pale yellow and brown or olive green, the pale yellow variety is the most common. They further distinguished by the little brown hairs that stand up on their tails and sharp pinchers. Arizona Hairy Scorpions typically appear red along the anterior appendages.

The Desert Hairy Scorpion is commonly found in the American Southwest in grasslands, caves, and woodland areas. Some have also been spotted in the high altitudes of the Himalayan and Andes Mountains.

The humidity and temperature requirements for Hadrurus arizonensis is 50 to 55% humidity and 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

It is very important not have too much moisture in the tank when keeping Desert Hairy Scorpions. Too much moisture has been known to kill this species. If you live in a humid area, this needs to be taken into consideration. Decreasing humidity is not difficult. Adding a simple overhead UV plant light (not a heat light) and a tank heater under one side of the tank may suffice to dissipate the humidity enough for them to thrive very well. Additional lighting may be provided with full hood incandescent lighting (use the plant lights in the hood). It is usually a good idea to monitor temperature and humidity regularly, and it is very important to maintain the tank at constant humidity and temperatures.

Before introducing a new Desert Hairy to its home it may be a good idea to thoroughly wet the surface of the substrate (sand) and allow it to dry. This will enable it to settle in a way that is similar to sand in the wild. After the sand settles the scorpion will be able to burrow into it without it collapsing on them. Just make sure to wet only the surface sand, up to a maximum of 2 inches, leaving a good 3 inches dry at the bottom. That way they can still dig into it without it being too hard for them to work with. If the sand becomes overly wet, don't worry about it, just use something like a coat hanger to penetrate a small area in the sand and they'll do the rest once they are introduced to their new home. Sand that has been wet this way holds up very well, even when you must move the terrarium. But try to put them in a location that does not require moving very often as this can stress the scorpions.

As for feeding, one or two large crickets should hold the Desert Hairy Scorpion well for a week or two. Despite what many believe, scorpions cannot be overfed to the point of bursting. Instead if they overeat it has been reported that they will spit out some of the food that has been eaten before they continue to eat. In the wild they are much more active feeders in the summer where lots of insects and other animals are readily available. In the winter they tend to eat less because of lower activity. This behavior is largely temperature dependant and can be mimicked in captivity. If one is breeding this is generally recommended.

Like all Scorpions, the Desert Hairy can get mites. Symptoms can include weight loss and missing parts such as tails and pincers. If mites are left untreated scorpions can die.

Cannibalism between males and females is a common problem when people attempt to breed scorpions in captivity. This can be avoided by placing scorpions in a large tank. A single scorpion can easily be housed in a 5-gallon tank, but breeding groups should be housed in large tanks, such as 50-gallon tanks.