Prospective Resident re: scorpions - scorpions

Andreab777...

That would freak me out too. I have researched extermination companies on the internet and Arizona Pest Control in Tucson seems to offer a very comprehensive program. Among other things, they will insure there are no openings in your house through which the trespassing scorpions can enter (pipe or plumbing portals, loose screens, cracks, etc.) I plan to call them today to have my condo done before I move there in six weeks. Apparently all it takes is an opening the width of a credit card to allow entry. Their number is 520-275-5014. I hope this helps, and let us know of your experience with them please.

Gary Manassas VA

Hi all!! I found this by doing a search on Google on cat and scorpion. I did this because we just moved to Cochise County in South Eastern Arizona, and we have found a few scorpions. I am used to scorpions, but my main concern was our house cat. She is from Mississippi, and there were no scorpions there. This morning I woke up to find a half dead and slightly mangle scorpion in our bathroom, and I thought that she might have done it, and then I was pretty convinced of it when I found her in the bathroom looking at it again, as I had not disposed of it yet. It was a pretty good sized one, and she seems to be ok.

I saw on discovery channel (or something) a cat fighting a scorpion, and the cat toyed with it, pawing it many times, easily killing the scorpion.

Hello all. I am "terrified in Toledo", the crazy lady who wrote back in May about my fear of tarantulas. I have lived in Tucson now for four months, on the outskirts of town (Ventana Canyon to be exact), and have seen one scorpion and it was a small one, dead on the floor the day we moved in. Of course, this was not a warm welcome, but I haven't seen one since and I'm thinking that the one was brought in with the new carpeting that went down. Who knows. Needless to say, my two cats were extremely interested in it, so I asked my veteranarian the exact same questions. I was told that it was highly unlikely for a cat to die from a scorpion sting, if it ever happened at all. He said that their fur is thick, as well as their paw pads and nose and a sting would be unlikely. He also said that it was possible for my dog to get stung on the nose while outside, but the worst that would happen would be a swollen nose.

I have a wonderful exterminator (Orkin) who emphasized the importance of sealing up cracks and door sweeps in order to prevent scorpions from entering the home (I guess they can feel the nice cool air coming from under the door). We have sealed everything up and haven't had one problem.

Good luck and enjoy Tucson. It's a beautiful city with a lot to offer!

The probability of coming across a scorpion in the more rocky or hilly area of Tucson or Phoenix is fairly high. We've been in North Scottsdale for 6 years now and have 2-3 in the house each year. We consider ourselves lucky with two small kids and pets as it's not uncommon to have many more. The liklihood of being stung is smaller with a cat around. They are pretty well known to be natural hunters of these critters. Folks who have been around for a while just know that sooner or later they'll cross paths with scorpions. Unless there is a reason to be concerned about an allergy to a potential sting, you'll learn to co-exist without fear.

I lived in a home in Mesa that had TONS of scorps. I was bitten twice, but I got over it. Its not too bad for an adult. I learned that scorps in the city mostly come from nest underground from orange groves. When these groves are cleared for new homes, out come the scorps. I got 3 chickens (hens). They eat scorps like candy! and you get the eggs too! I had less scorps in the house after the chickens ate them from the outside of the house, yard... I hike all over the desert, almost every weekend, and have never been biten out in the desert.

People looking to move to Arizona seem to be extremely worried about Scorpions and taking all sorts of measures to prevent them coming into your house. I've lived here my whole life, and I've never seen a scorpion (outside of captivity, that is).

There are scorpions here, in some areas more than others. But it really isn't nearly as bad as most people might think.

I'm the guy [Gary20110] who was moving from Virginia to Tucson last fall...and stressin' out over the scorpion thing.

Well...I've been here since October...and happy to say I've become complacent about the subject now. I've never seen one either outside or in. I do have extermination bi-monthly. The condo is four years old and there are no cracks or openings through which such a trespasser could enter.

I realize we are now coming into the more active season for scorpions and related unwanted critters...so I'll be alert...but they can't be in here if they can't get in here.

I live in the northwest area...hear coyotes yowling at night once in a while...from afar. And apparently there are some javelina around the area though I've never seen them.

So hopefully this might be of interest to anyone else who may be planning a move to this region and has a concern similar to what I had. Just have to watch for rattlesnakes I guess...since they will blend in with their surroundings.

Hi, I've lived in Arizona (Chandler) for 22 years and never had a scorpion in my house until about 3 years ago. They have been building freeways and new homes in our area. Every night my husband goes outside with a blacklight and finds around 3 scorpions. We have had up to ten inside this year . one crawled on my daughters arm, and another one was inside of her backpack she put her hand in it but didn't get stung. I had one on my back at the store and someone told me it was there but no one was willing to get it off. Luckily I brushed it off myself and didn't get stung. So now I am very fidgety any time I feel something tickling my skin. We have been sprayed but I am very leary. I have dogs. Does any one know anything aout scorpions stinging dogs? Thx lj

I have lived in Phoenix since 1984 and have only recently run into a scorpion. I do live on the northwest edge of Phoenix next to the desert. The scorpion was outside on our patio. my wife walked outside and felt it brush against her foot. I took a black light hooked up to an extension cord to find it(I original thought she miss identified the critter). My only point is that over twenty years here and the first one seen. Lived in Rawlins, Wyo for 6 years and saw two of them.