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  5. Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion (Hottentotta caboverdensis) - 1/4-1/2 in
Spice 5 lane - read first
Spice 5 / 5 1 is easiest; 5 is hottest. Rated from care, speed, temperament, venom, and escape risk.
Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion, Hottentotta caboverdensis
Medically significant ⚠ This animal's venom can need real medical attention. Adults only, a locked escape-proof enclosure, and no free handling, ever. Rare drop We don't get these often. Small batches, unpredictable restocks; if you've been waiting on one, this is the window. Captive bred Born and raised in captivity, not taken from the wild. Usually calmer, better-adjusted, and quicker to settle in.

Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion (Hottentotta caboverdensis) - 1/4-1/2 in

Scorpion

$49.99
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Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion (Hottentotta caboverdensis) - 1/4-1/2 in
This fella Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion (Hottentotta caboverdensis) - 1/4-1/2 in 1/4-1/2" (2/3 Instar) $49.99

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Live arrival support Big Z packs every order with weather-aware care. Not sure if Cape Verde Alligator Back is your spice level? Message us anytime, happy to talk it through.
Big Z's here to help Not sure if Cape Verde Alligator Back is your spice level? Message us anytime, happy to talk it through.
Spice 5 support Big Z's on the dot for these: reach out anytime if you want a hand with the enclosure and lock-in-lid plan, or just want it looked over before you order.
Big Z's notes

About this Fella

Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion for sale from Big Z's (Hottentotta caboverdensis). Spice-rated keeper notes, care guidance, and live-arrival packing where eligible.

The scorpion that becomes a colony on its own

This one has a genuine party trick: Hottentotta caboverdensis is parthenogenic, meaning females reproduce without males. One juvenile, given time and good care, slowly grows into a whole colony with zero help from you. Add the ridged “alligator-back” tergites it is named for, off the dry rocky islands of Cape Verde, and you have one of the most distinctive scorpions you can keep.

It is still a Hottentotta, which means it is still a true buthid (fast, defensive, medically significant venom), so it is an advanced-keeper animal: no handling, secure enclosure, the whole protocol. But it is a fascinating one: a self-expanding desert colony you can watch build itself out over the years.

The numbers live in the care guide. Enclosure size, temps, humidity, feeding schedule, premolt signs, handling boundaries: it's all in the care guide for this exact fella. Start with the full Advanced guide, or click for the quick Open the Simple version →

Care + shipping

What ships with this order

  • Comes with a free species-oriented care guide
  • Heat / cold pack as needed for the week's forecast
  • Tracking + arrival window before ship-day
  • DM access to Big Z for the life of the animal
Matched care guide

Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion

Hottentotta caboverdensis - Spice 5 — Extreme (Medical Significance). Baby Buddy — for 2i–3i instars (escape-proof ventilation only); Burrow Buddy — for larger juveniles and adults

Advanced + PDF Open simple guide
View in Care Guides library
Read shipping & LAG Build the habitat
About this Fella Big Z's notes

Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion for sale from Big Z's (Hottentotta caboverdensis). Spice-rated keeper notes, care guidance, and live-arrival packing where eligible.

The scorpion that becomes a colony on its own

This one has a genuine party trick: Hottentotta caboverdensis is parthenogenic, meaning females reproduce without males. One juvenile, given time and good care, slowly grows into a whole colony with zero help from you. Add the ridged “alligator-back” tergites it is named for, off the dry rocky islands of Cape Verde, and you have one of the most distinctive scorpions you can keep.

It is still a Hottentotta, which means it is still a true buthid (fast, defensive, medically significant venom), so it is an advanced-keeper animal: no handling, secure enclosure, the whole protocol. But it is a fascinating one: a self-expanding desert colony you can watch build itself out over the years.

The numbers live in the care guide. Enclosure size, temps, humidity, feeding schedule, premolt signs, handling boundaries: it's all in the care guide for this exact fella. Start with the full Advanced guide, or click for the quick Open the Simple version →

What ships with this order Care + shipping
  • Comes with a free species-oriented care guide
  • Heat / cold pack as needed for the week's forecast
  • Tracking + arrival window before ship-day
  • DM access to Big Z for the life of the animal
Read shipping & LAG Build the habitat
Care guideSpice 5 lane - read first
Matched care guide

Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion

Hottentotta caboverdensis - Spice 5 — Extreme (Medical Significance). Baby Buddy — for 2i–3i instars (escape-proof ventilation only); Burrow Buddy — for larger juveniles and adults

Advanced + PDF Open simple guide
View in Care Guides library
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