Scorpions

queen koopa

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If I find a spider in my house, I put it outside. Find a scorpion in the house, I’m killin it. Maybe I’ll evolve to putting them outside like spiders.... but really don’t think so. Have bad childhood memories of the nasty big yellow ones. Also I have a lab/pit and a chihuahua that chase large bugs.. that’s prolly a nasty sting on the nose
 

KarenSoCal

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If I find a spider in my house, I put it outside. Find a scorpion in the house, I’m killin it. Maybe I’ll evolve to putting them outside like spiders.... but really don’t think so. Have bad childhood memories of the nasty big yellow ones. Also I have a lab/pit and a chihuahua that chase large bugs.. that’s prolly a nasty sting on the nose
It's weird how our fears and phobias behave. For me, there is a size, fuzziness, and general look aspect of spiders. I see one (in the house), and instantly know whether it is to be left alone, taken outside, or sent to wherever spiders go.

The "sent" ones, like tarantulas and anything big and hairy, are terror inducing.

And those monsters that @CarolM has in her garden! That garden would be flattened to bare dirt!

Thing is, I feel awful after killing them. I hate killing anything.

When my husband and I got married, we made a pact. We would never use a phobia against each other (like supposedly funny stuff...like hiding a big bug to fall on me when I opened a cabinet door...NOT funny!) And he would dispatch big bugs, and I would remove, not kill, snakes.

It was for "in sickness and in health", right?

I need to remind him he has been neglectful of me in this regard.
 

enchilada

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Kinda off topic , but I wonder how do you guys handle reptile shows ? Because there’s tons of scorpions, tarantulas , centipedes and snakes
 

CarolM

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It's weird how our fears and phobias behave. For me, there is a size, fuzziness, and general look aspect of spiders. I see one (in the house), and instantly know whether it is to be left alone, taken outside, or sent to wherever spiders go.

The "sent" ones, like tarantulas and anything big and hairy, are terror inducing.

And those monsters that @CarolM has in her garden! That garden would be flattened to bare dirt!

Thing is, I feel awful after killing them. I hate killing anything.

When my husband and I got married, we made a pact. We would never use a phobia against each other (like supposedly funny stuff...like hiding a big bug to fall on me when I opened a cabinet door...NOT funny!) And he would dispatch big bugs, and I would remove, not kill, snakes.

It was for "in sickness and in health", right?

I need to remind him he has been neglectful of me in this regard.
Lol. My mother-in-law is arachnophobic, so of course she will not come visit.
I don't mind them, everything has been put here for a reason. I just don't like them in my house.
I have always been cautioned that scorpions are very dangerous so obviously have now created this phobia against them. And given the fact I never even knew that we had them in our area, I panicked. Don't get me wrong I still don't like them but at least I now know they are there and can take precautions.
 

CarolM

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Kinda off topic , but I wonder how do you guys handle reptile shows ? Because there’s tons of scorpions, tarantulas , centipedes and snakes
That is different. They are in a controlled environment and you are expecting to see them there. It is a totally different issue when they are a surprise.
 

queen koopa

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That is different. They are in a controlled environment and you are expecting to see them there. It is a totally different issue when they are a surprise.
Exactly. And I have never understood how the phobia overcomes the person even when the animal or insect is in a glass enclosure...
 

Oldbear

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Mar 28, 2017
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Hi
We had a visitor this morning in our kitchen. I have never had one visit me before and did not even realize that we had them in our area.
Any ideas on how I can stop them from visiting again without resorting to poison? As obviously with the torts I cannot chance putting poison down.View attachment 266530

This is the common, local stripe-tailed scorpion. Scorpions are usually found around rocky areas (they can't walk through grass) and often wander into homes. None of our local scorpions are dangerous, though they can all sting. The sting is only painful (anyone can react to anything) but it may leave a tingling sensation that persists for months after the sting.

I don't know of any good repellent, though the other recommendations (peppermint oil, etc.) might work; scorpions are very sensitive.

(I am an arachnologist)
 

Oldbear

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In California this would be the common, local stripe-tailed scorpion, but I don't know about South Africa. Scorpions are usually found around rocky areas (they can't walk through grass) and often wander into homes. None of my local scorpions are dangerous, though they can all sting. The sting is only painful (anyone can react to anything) but it may leave a tingling sensation that persists for months after the sting.

I don't know of any good repellent, though the other recommendations (peppermint oil, etc.) might work; scorpions are very sensitive.

(I am an arachnologist)
 

CarolM

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South Africa - Cape Town
This is the common, local stripe-tailed scorpion. Scorpions are usually found around rocky areas (they can't walk through grass) and often wander into homes. None of our local scorpions are dangerous, though they can all sting. The sting is only painful (anyone can react to anything) but it may leave a tingling sensation that persists for months after the sting.

I don't know of any good repellent, though the other recommendations (peppermint oil, etc.) might work; scorpions are very sensitive.

(I am an arachnologist)
Thank you. I also read online that cinnamon and citric smells like lemon oil will also deter them. That they just don't like those smells. Would that be true?
 

Ciri

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Diatomaceous earth is another non-toxic way to deter them, but it's important that tortoises and turtles or other reptiles don't come into contact with it as they can be injured by it. People here sometimes surround their house with a line of diatomaceous earth. When the scorpion comes into contact with it it damages their exoskeleton. It can kill them if they come into contact wiyh enough of it. Inside the house or in places that aren't windy you can put diatomaceous earth into a short flat container on the floor against a wall.

In Tucson houses that are in older, more established neighborhoods, with less desert usually have fewer scorpions. New houses tend to have more scorpions, as well as houses where there is construction going on nearby. I have lived in houses where I've seen one or two scorpions a year, and others in which I've seen one every seven or eight years. Good luck with the scorpions – I hope they leave you alone!
 

CarolM

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South Africa - Cape Town
Diatomaceous earth is another non-toxic way to deter them, but it's important that tortoises and turtles or other reptiles don't come into contact with it as they can be injured by it. People here sometimes surround their house with a line of diatomaceous earth. When the scorpion comes into contact with it it damages their exoskeleton. It can kill them if they come into contact wiyh enough of it. Inside the house or in places that aren't windy you can put diatomaceous earth into a short flat container on the floor against a wall.

In Tucson houses that are in older, more established neighborhoods, with less desert usually have fewer scorpions. New houses tend to have more scorpions, as well as houses where there is construction going on nearby. I have lived in houses where I've seen one or two scorpions a year, and others in which I've seen one every seven or eight years. Good luck with the scorpions – I hope they leave you alone!
Thank you. Luckily I haven't seen another one yet.
 
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