BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates to extraction of scorpion venom in a manner that is both safe for the human operator and humane for the scorpion.

Scorpion venom is a valuable commodity, e.g., in the field of pharmaceutical research. The venom of the deathstalker scorpion is particularly valuable. However, extracting scorpion venom, particularly that of the deathstalker scorpion, can be both difficult and dangerous.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides safe and humane techniques extracting scorpion venom. In particular, the invention provides safe and humane techniques for extracting deathstalker scorpion venom.

Preferred embodiments include a portable handheld unit. A human operator can use tongs, or some other safety device, to place a scorpion, such as a deathstalker scorpion, onto the unit. Using thumb and fingers of one hand, the operator can manipulate restraining arms that safely and humanely hold the scorpion onto the unit. Once the scorpion has been restrained, the operator can manipulate buttons and switches to (a) clean the scorpion's stinger and portions of the scorpion's tail near the stinger, (b) dry the stinger, (c) move a venom receptacle beneath the stinger, and (d) apply an electric current to the tail near the stinger causing the scorpion to express its venom such that the venom is collected in the receptacle.

After a scorpion's venom has been collected in the receptacle, the operator can, again using thumb and fingers, release the restraining arms and use tongs to return the scorpion to its living area, e.g., a terrarium or the wild. The venom in the receptacle can then be transferred to a larger venom holding receptacle and ultimately sold, e.g., to pharmaceutical researchers.

