Scorpions are increasingly popular exotic pets, yet their welfare requirements and capacity for suffering remain poorly studied. Good husbandry is essential.
Scorpions possess a centralised nervous system capable of detecting and responding to noxious stimuli. Whether this constitutes subjective pain experience is unknown, but the precautionary principle supports minimising stressors. Key welfare concerns include thermal extremes outside their preferred range, chronic dehydration, and substrate that prevents natural burrowing behaviour. Providing a hide, appropriate temperature gradient, and moist substrate on one side of the enclosure addresses most welfare needs.