About Androctonus ssp.

I've been wanting to get back into scorpions for a while now. I've kept emperors and red claws and such in the past but never any of the species that are considered dangerous.
Of course everything you read about Androctonus, deathstalkers, etc, stresses the fact that they are ONLY for advanced keepers. I don't fully understand the reasoning in it.
I keep venomous snakes (only small crotalids) and I fully understand the danger of cobras and other hot serpents. A keeper truly needs a high level of experience to keep many of the hot snakes as you can easily find yourself in an extremely dangerous situation due in no small part to the animal's ability to create one.
Even with the more agressive tarantulas I see where just anyone shouldn't be keeping them. They can climb glass, many jump and/or flick hairs. The threat level is higher in several areas and here too the T has more of an ability to influence a situation.
I can't correlate this to the scorpions though. If the cage is completely escape proof, and you do not put yourself within their limited strike range where is the extreme danger that requires the keeper to be a borderline expert? They are limited in their attack abilities in comparison to hot snakes or tarantulas. I sort of equate them to my lionfish. If I refrain from sticking my arm in the tank, he'll refrain from stinging me
I'm just wondering, do I fail to have the appropriate level of respect for the highly venomous species of scorpions? While I will never own a mamba or any snake even approaching them, nor would I consider keeping the agressive species of tarantulas, I just don't have these apprehensions when it comes to the scorpions. It seems that with reasonable care on the keepers part, it should be extremely easy NOT to get stung.

Even when I kept emperors I never touched them. I made a set of forceps with the ends padded with foam rubber for safe transfer without harming them. I just have a hard time imagining a situation arising where the keeper would be unavoidably forced to come in close proximity to the scorpion.
So setting aside the actual toxicity of the venom, are they hyped a little as to their danger or are there some issues I am not seeing that actually do increase the potential of a sting?

Hey Clay
You have some points there as I keep a 'few' of the worse scorps in regards to the sting or danger level, but lets not forget some of these scorps can squirt venom out the stinger. Not as limited in attack as some would think.
As far as touching these guys...I also have a padded set of hemos and a long set of tweezers, and I wear goggles when feeding and cleaning my androc's.
I just don't think that someone that has experience with pandinus sp. should mess with some of the more hot scorps without consulting someone that has them and fully educates them on the care or dangers unforseen.
I also keep some of the more agressive T's and some of the 'nicer' T's

but lets not forget some of these scorps can squirt venom out the stinger. Not as limited in attack as some would think.

I would consider that ability to be a far more significant danger. I've read a few books with sections on androcs as well as numerous accounts of them on the net, but have never seen any mention of the ability to squirt venom. You'd think that not only is that a fascinating aspect of their physiology, it would be more than a little important to anyone looking into the care requirements of the genus and would merit mention.
Basically what I have seen is some variation of "not for novice keepers" and little else as far as warning to their danger.
The ability to squirt venom would definately be a factor to discourage me from keeping them. Without that aspect it seems that regardless of how agressive a scorpion is, actually getting stung requires serious keeper error.

I just don't think that someone that has experience with pandinus sp. should mess with some of the more hot scorps without consulting someone that has them and fully educates them on the care or dangers unforseen.

That was part of the reason for the thread. I wasn't planning on getting any next week or anything, but I thought one day I'd like to keep some and wanted some additional information from those who had kept them.
I think I'd prefer scorpions who don't have the ability to squirt venom however lol.

A lot of the parabuthus have this ability and it is something to witness, hard to believe that an animal with VERY limited site can put the squirt where it is needed.
And yes I agree it would take a big mistake to come in contact with the business end, but ...well ya know ....human error

So i'm pretty naive when it comes to scorpions. We have a bunch of parabuthids back home and we're always made aware to stay clear of them. But just how venomous are they...enough to put you in hospital, or enough to put you 6' underground?

I would that all assumes how healthy you are...

As healthy as the next person