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  5. Cape Verde Alligator Back Scorpion (Hottentotta caboverdensis)
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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)

Scorpion

$49.99
Sold out, DM Big Z to get on the list
Matched Buddy Burrow Buddy

This fella needs ground cover and diggable depth first, so the best checkout pair is a deep Buddy with a starter hide.

View kit Build a Habitat!
Spice 5 care notes

Hottest in the house. Big Z's glad to walk through your enclosure plan with you before you commit. Just reach out.

Size
Live arrival Big Z packs every order with weather-aware care.
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

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 GuideZs library
Read shipping & LAG Build the habitat
About this Fella Big Z's notes

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 GuideZs library
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