Raising black scorpions as a scene is a dangerous hobby

On the streets of Hanoi, a bike sometimes appears, or pedestrians carry a large net bag, which can hold up to a hundred scorpions inside.

Looking closely, the scorpions were about the size of two adult fingers lying in black, shiny, many people felt shiver.

A vendor named Quang, a native of Thai Nguyen, said the scorpions were collected in the southwestern provinces. They are often bought by customers to make items in restaurants or pick up alcohol for medicine.

When asked about the danger of a scorpion, he said: 'It is numb to be burned by a scorpion, it is not a problem. I've been burned twice before . '. Each scorpion like this is sold for 12,000 VND.

If in the street, black scorpions sold as prey soaked in alcohol or put into a restaurant are on the website, they are sold as unique ornamental creatures. Topics discussed on how to raise and how dangerous this species is discussed are quite lively.

According to Mr. Hien's practical experience, a member of the Vietnamese landscape organism forum, the black scorpion's sting 'causes swelling and pain for a few hours, but then it will subside and come to the day. after that it is almost healthy. ' 'The more it hurts, the more it hurts like a crab's grip,' he added.

Black scorpions are being sold in many places.Photo: Hong Quan

However, Mr. Hien's case may be unique, because the problem with the venom resistance of each person is different.

According to observations of the stings of the insect pests by the late doctor Ngo Van Fund, former deputy director of the HCM City Oncology Center, scorpion stings like bee stings, causing swelling, redness and aches , sometimes bruising. Sometimes, the victim just feels a little itchy at the injection site but soon after, he gets dizzy, sweats, tears, noses, nausea, and stiff limbs.

Even, according to Dr. Le Xuan Hue, working at the Department of Insect Learning Systems of the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, for children and people who are allergic to scorpion venom, the scorpion can be causing anaphylaxis, in some cases will be life-threatening.

For Vietnamese scorpions, from a few grams to up to over 10 grams of venom can kill a healthy person.

Therefore, even if it is safe to have 'marketing', those who come into contact with scorpions still need to be careful to avoid the unfortunate consequences.

In the case of a scorpion burn, the burned person needs to apply ice and spray anti-pain medication on the sting or take an analgesic type of ingredient with paracetamol. For children and people who are more prone to reactions to stings, especially those burned on the face, it is necessary to seek emergency treatment immediately.

There are 8 scorpion species in Vietnam. Scorpion species are sold on the street and through current websites is a black scorpion with the scientific name Heterometrus cyaneus. In the venom pocket of the black scorpion species, it contains over 0.1mg of venom.

And brown scorpion venom Lychas mucronatus killed white mice at a concentration of 32mg of venom on 1kg of mice. Black scorpion toxicity is about 10 times lower. The venom of the black scorpion Heterometrus spinifer kills white mice at a concentration of 290 mg per 1 kg of mice.