Philippine Tangerine Tarantula (Selenobrachys philippinus)
Tarantula
$39.99
View animal →
Join dream wishlist
More Spice 4 animals
Spice 4 · Advanced
How the Spice System works
Medically significant ⚠
A sting or bite from this animal can need medical care. Adults only, a locked escape-proof enclosure and no handling.
Rare drop
We don't get these often, and restocks are hard to predict.
CB: Captive bred
Bred and hatched in captivity, not collected from the wild.
Big Z's notes
About this Fella
Orange Cave Scorpion for sale from Big Z's (Tityopsis sheylae). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
One cave in Cuba. That is the whole known range.
Tityopsis sheylae, described in 2020, is known from a single cave in Mayabeque Province, Cuba; searches of the surrounding hills turned up nothing, not even shed skins. The common name promises orange; the description that named it says light yellowish-brown. These arrived at 0.25 to 0.5 inch, juveniles, exact instar unknown. Even the published adults measure in millimetres.
Humidity is the story, and it is why this is Spice 4: Advanced. The authors who described it report that Tityopsis kept below 85% ambient air humidity critically dehydrate and die within 36 hours. That is a floor with a clock on it, not a comfort range, and it is air humidity, not a swamp. Most in the type cave hid under rocks in the cooler, drier chambers; only a few sat out on the wet walls. Evenly damp substrate, small working vents, a flat rock or cork slab to hide under, never a sealed box. No temperature optimum is published: room temperature, no heat mat.
The venom is undocumented. Nobody has published what it does, so Big Z's treats it as no contact: unknown, therefore respected. Catch cup and long tongs. If you cannot hold humidity, pick another animal. If you can, read the matched care guide before it ships.
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 4 · Advanced
- Source
- CB: captive-bred.
- Handling
- None. Forceps and a catch cup for all maintenance.
- Medical
- Medically significant venom.
- Keeping
- Display animal. Kept in its enclosure, not handled.
- Before it ships
- Big Z confirms every Spice 4 order with the keeper before ship day.
Orange Cave Scorpion (Tityopsis sheylae)
Scorpion
Keeper feedbackYour experience can help another keeper.
$74.990.25-0.5" (Scorpling) CB selected
More Spice 4 animals
Spice 4 · Advanced
How the Spice System works
Sold out
At a glance
The quick read on this fella
- Adult size
- 0.9-1.3 in long
- Females larger
- Venom
- Medically significant
- Treat a suspected bite or sting as a medical emergency
- Type
- Terrestrial
- Ground dweller
- Climate
- Cool-moderate room temp · Above 85%
- At all times, substrate damp not wet
- Feeding
- Very small soft-bodied or pre-killed prey
- Log each meal
- Housing
- Solo only
From our Orange Cave Scorpion care guide. Read the full guide
Live animals ship Mon to Wed
FedEx Standard Overnight $44.99 or Priority Overnight $49.99, both with the Live Arrival Guarantee; free overnight on orders $499.99 and up. FedEx 2Day is not offered for Spice 4 and 5 fellas. Pickup in the Phoenix area or at an expo is free (arrange with Big Z first). Weather holds are free and we message you first.
Live arrival support
Every order is packed for that week’s weather. Not sure if Orange Cave Scorpion is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Big Z's here to help
Not sure if Orange Cave Scorpion is your spice level? Message us and we’ll talk it through.
Spice 4 support
Message Big Z if you want help with the enclosure and lid, or want your setup checked before you order.
Care guide Shipping and Live Arrival Guarantee
About this Fella Big Z's notes
Orange Cave Scorpion for sale from Big Z's (Tityopsis sheylae). Comes with a Spice rating and a care guide, and ships packed for the weather.
One cave in Cuba. That is the whole known range.
Tityopsis sheylae, described in 2020, is known from a single cave in Mayabeque Province, Cuba; searches of the surrounding hills turned up nothing, not even shed skins. The common name promises orange; the description that named it says light yellowish-brown. These arrived at 0.25 to 0.5 inch, juveniles, exact instar unknown. Even the published adults measure in millimetres.
Humidity is the story, and it is why this is Spice 4: Advanced. The authors who described it report that Tityopsis kept below 85% ambient air humidity critically dehydrate and die within 36 hours. That is a floor with a clock on it, not a comfort range, and it is air humidity, not a swamp. Most in the type cave hid under rocks in the cooler, drier chambers; only a few sat out on the wet walls. Evenly damp substrate, small working vents, a flat rock or cork slab to hide under, never a sealed box. No temperature optimum is published: room temperature, no heat mat.
The venom is undocumented. Nobody has published what it does, so Big Z's treats it as no contact: unknown, therefore respected. Catch cup and long tongs. If you cannot hold humidity, pick another animal. If you can, read the matched care guide before it ships.
Full care is in the care guide. It covers enclosure size, temperature, humidity, feeding, molting signs and handling limits for this species. Read the Advanced guide, or the shorter Simple guide →
- Lane
- Spice 4 · Advanced
- Source
- CB: captive-bred.
- Handling
- None. Forceps and a catch cup for all maintenance.
- Medical
- Medically significant venom.
- Keeping
- Display animal. Kept in its enclosure, not handled.
- Before it ships
- Big Z confirms every Spice 4 order with the keeper before ship day.
What ships with this order Care + shipping
- A free care guide for this species
- A heat or cold pack when the forecast calls for it
- Tracking and an arrival window before it ships
- Message Big Z about your animal for as long as you keep it
Care guideSpice 4 · Advanced
Matched care guide
View in Care Guides library
Orange Cave Scorpion
Tityopsis sheylae · Spice 4: Advanced. Baby Buddy: 0.25-0.5 in juveniles, constant high humidity, evenly damp substrate, tiny vents, escape-proof openings. Bark Buddy: as they grow, with flat cork or rock cover and a damp base. Make sure the vents don't drop humidity below 85%. Custom humid micro-enclosure: best if it lets you hold humidity above 85%, avoid standing water, and keep small cross-vents.
Tityopsis sheylae
Orange Cave Scorpion
Big Z's Quick Verdict: A tiny Cuban cave scorpion that can dry out and die in under 36 hours if air humidity drops below 85%. Keep the air humid without soaking the substrate, and keep hands off: no one knows what its venom does.
Group: ScorpionsDifficulty: Spice 4: AdvancedSetup: Humid cave micro-setup, flat rock or cork coverHandling: No handling, catch cup and long tongs only
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Care Snapshot
| Temp | Cool-moderate room temp, no direct heat |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Above 85% at all times, substrate damp not wet |
| Setup | Humid cave micro-setup, flat rock or cork cover |
| Substrate | Evenly damp soil/coir, flat rock or cork cover |
| Feeding | Very small soft-bodied or pre-killed prey, log each meal |
| Handling | No handling, catch cup and long tongs only |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Recommended Big Z's Setup
- Baby Buddy: 0.25-0.5 in juveniles, constant high humidity, evenly damp substrate, tiny vents, escape-proof openings.
- Bark Buddy: as they grow, with flat cork or rock cover and a damp base. Make sure the vents don't drop humidity below 85%.
- Custom humid micro-enclosure: best if it lets you hold humidity above 85%, avoid standing water, and keep small cross-vents.
Critical Notes
- No one knows what its venom does, and its relative Tityus has medically significant species. Treat any sting as an emergency.
- Keep air humidity above 85% at all times. Below that, this genus can dry out and die in under 36 hours. Paling is an early warning.
- Humid air, not a swamp. Keep substrate evenly damp with no standing water, never seal it airtight, and keep small cross-vents open.
- No hand contact. Use a catch cup, long tongs, and an escape-proof lid, since it climbs vertical surfaces.
- After a suspected sting, get emergency care immediately and call poison control.
- Remove leftovers promptly and stop live prey around a molt.
Care Basics
- House one animal per enclosure.
- Keep air humidity above 85% at all times and check it at the animal's level.
- Keep the substrate evenly damp, never soaked, with no standing water.
- Use small cross-vents and never seal the enclosure airtight.
- Give flat rock or cork cover and an escape-proof lid.
- Keep it at cool to moderate room temperature with no direct heat.
- Offer very small soft-bodied or pre-killed prey, log each feeding, and remove leftovers.
- No hand contact. Catch cup and long tongs only.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Start with very small soft-bodied prey or pre-killed portions. Captive relatives take mealworms and roach nymphs.
- Go slow, log every feeding, and adjust to appetite and body condition. Remove leftovers promptly.
- Stop live prey around a molt.
Current Big Z's catalog: Yes
Tityopsis sheylae
Orange Cave Scorpion: Advanced Care Guide
Keeper Snapshot: A tiny Cuban cave scorpion that can dry out and die in under 36 hours if air humidity drops below 85%. Keep the air humid without soaking the substrate, and keep hands off: no one knows what its venom does.
Group: ScorpionsDifficulty: Spice 4: AdvancedSetup: Humid cave micro-setup, flat rock or cork coverHandling: No handling, catch cup and long tongs only
Use This Guide Safely
- Confirm the exact animal. Match this guide to the species, locality, size, and life stage on your label. If the ID is uncertain, use the more conservative part of the range and ask before changing the setup.
- Change one thing at a time. Treat temperature and humidity as target zones, then watch posture, burrowing, drinking, feeding, and molt behavior before making another adjustment.
- Respect the handling boundary. If the guide says no handling, fast, defensive, or medically significant, plan transfers with catch cups, locked lids, and no bare hands. For serious bites, stings, or symptoms, seek emergency medical care.
Quick Snapshot
| Temperature | Cool-moderate room temp, no direct heat |
|---|---|
| Humidity | Above 85% at all times, substrate damp not wet |
| Setup Type | Humid cave micro-setup, flat rock or cork cover |
| Substrate | Evenly damp soil/coir, flat rock or cork cover |
| Feeding | Very small soft-bodied or pre-killed prey, log each meal |
| Care Difficulty | Spice 4: Advanced |
| Handling | No handling, catch cup and long tongs only |
Humidity zones: Very Low under 30% - Low 30-60% - Low-Moderate 40-70% - Moderate 60-80% - Moderate-High 70-85% - High 80%+ - Very High 90%+
Enclosure Format / Size Class
- Juveniles (0.25-0.5 in): solo humid micro-enclosure, evenly damp substrate, flat cover, tiny vents, escape-proof openings
- Larger juveniles: solo high-humidity enclosure, rock or cork cover, no standing water, open dish only if it can't drown
- Adults (0.9-1.3 in): secure solo high-humidity enclosure, evenly damp substrate, working vents, several rock or cork retreats
Warnings First
- No one knows what its venom does, and its relative Tityus has medically significant species. Treat any sting as an emergency.
- Keep air humidity above 85% at all times. Below that, this genus can dry out and die in under 36 hours. Paling is an early warning.
- Humid air, not a swamp. Keep substrate evenly damp with no standing water, never seal it airtight, and keep small cross-vents open.
- No hand contact. Use a catch cup, long tongs, and an escape-proof lid, since it climbs vertical surfaces.
- After a suspected sting, get emergency care immediately and call poison control.
- Remove leftovers promptly and stop live prey around a molt.
Simple Care
- House one animal per enclosure.
- Keep air humidity above 85% at all times and check it at the animal's level.
- Keep the substrate evenly damp, never soaked, with no standing water.
- Use small cross-vents and never seal the enclosure airtight.
- Give flat rock or cork cover and an escape-proof lid.
- Keep it at cool to moderate room temperature with no direct heat.
- Offer very small soft-bodied or pre-killed prey, log each feeding, and remove leftovers.
- No hand contact. Catch cup and long tongs only.
Advanced Keeper Notes
Enclosure & Microclimate
- In the wild most hid under rocks in the cooler, less humid cave chambers. Only a few lived in the hot, soaked corridors. Give flat rock or cork cover.
- Above 85% is a floor to clear, not a push to 100%. Keep substrate damp without free water and keep some airflow so the air never goes stagnant.
- Relatives all need shady, humid spots with plenty of refuges like rocks, leaf litter, and rotten logs.
- Keep it at cool to moderate room temperature, avoid direct heat, and log what the enclosure actually runs.
- It lives on vertical cave surfaces, so make every opening escape-proof.
Feeding, Growth & Maintenance
- Start with very small soft-bodied prey or pre-killed portions. Captive relatives take mealworms and roach nymphs.
- Go slow, log every feeding, and adjust to appetite and body condition. Remove leftovers promptly.
- Stop live prey around a molt.
Possible Origin / Range
- Likely native range: Known only from one limestone cave in Mayabeque Province, western Cuba. A presumed cave-only species that hides under rocks in the cooler chambers.
- Habitat translation: A humid cave where it hides under rocks becomes an escape-proof micro-enclosure: air humidity above 85%, evenly damp substrate with no standing water, flat rock or cork cover, small cross-vents, and no direct heat.
Advanced Keeper Details
- Adult males run about 0.9-1.1 in and females about 1.3 in. Anything 0.25-0.5 in is a juvenile.
- Adults are light yellowish-brown and nearly unmarked, and juveniles are pale yellowish-brown. The orange name is a trade name, not a color guide.
- Tityopsis sits in the same subfamily as Tityus and Centruroides.
- Known from a single cave in western Cuba. One survey there found fewer than ten animals.
Related products
Browse Spice 4 products →More from this category
Quezon Blue Earth Tiger Tarantula (Orphnaecus sp. "Quezon Blue")
Tarantula
$29.99
View animal →
In stock
Lot deal
Electric Blue Tarantula (Chilobrachys natanicharum)
Tarantula
$35.99+
View animal →
Only 1 left
Peach Earth Tiger Tarantula (Aspinochilus rufus)
Tarantula
$44.99+
View animal →
Only 2 left
Lot deal
Unicorn Horned Baboon Tarantula (Ceratogyrus marshalli)
Tarantula
$34.99
View animal →
Only 1 left
Venezuelan Suntiger Tarantula (Psalmopoeus irminia)
Tarantula
$34.00
View animal →
Only 3 left
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica)
Tarantula
$89.99
View animal →
Join dream wishlist
Florida Keys Giant Centipede (Scolopendra alternans)
Centipede
$44.99
View animal →
Only 4 left
