Post by Lee on Apr 2, 2007 13:41:39 GMT 1
Introduction
Tarantula spiders are becoming more popular to keep as pets due to them needing less room so making them perfect for people who don't have a lot of space for other exotic pets. Their care needs and demands are relatively easy to cater for as they don't need cleaning out as often as the reptilian and mammalian variety of pets depending on substrate used. They are clean animals needing only to daily remove uneaten food. The variety of species available today from breeders and pet shops makes the choice for the person wanting to get into spider keeping a chance to keep a few species and like many groups of animals such as your reptiles, tropical birds and aquatics the colouration on many are truly amazing.
Tarantulas belong to an animal group called arachnids which include scorpions, ticks and mites in which they possess eight legs but even then tarantulas are different to even their spider family members and other arachnids as they:
1)They breathe using two pairs of book lungs whereas other spiders have trachea and one pair of book lung but the main problem is they dry out very easily as like all spiders they extend their legs using blood pressure and the loss of water dramatically lowers that pressure which results in loss of movement and it can cause the tarantula to desiccate(dry out)if not provided with water so good hydration in drinking water and humidity are important to many tarantula species
2)Their fangs go up and down whereas it is sideways in other spiders
3)They have two claws on their pedipalps and have adhesive pads on each foot which are covered in fine hairs called emallae which are found in geckoes too which allows them to climb smooth surfaces and they can sense airborne smells and humidity with organs situated on their feet to make up for not being able to see well despite their number of eyes
Tarantulas can be very fascinating animals to keep and really worth considering as an exotic pet if you have little room and looking for an animal that is undemanding and any pet shop or breeder/keeper will set you in the right direction for the right one for you and bring you many years of happiness.
Spider habits
There are a few types of habits that spiders have that must be taken into account of when you are choosing your pet tarantula and the set up of its cage for its needs
Opportunistic burrowers
These are species that modify pre-existing burrows or use crevices under logs or rocks to make a burrow to keep away from predators and catch unsuspecting prey and the burrows aren‘t heavily lined in silk and are variable in size, examples of these are the large south American tarantulas such as the goliath bird eater(theraposa blondi) and Haitian browns(phormictopus cancerides).
With such species it is best to provide things like cork bark, any pots(you’d be amazed how normal everyday things make perfect décor for tarantulas and other animals.
Obligate burrowers
This means that the burrows are constructed by themselves rarely modifying pre-existing structures as the above do(the opportunist burrowers),examples of such tarantulas that do this are the Asian blacks and cobalt blue tarantulas(haplopelma minax and lividum)and Mexican blonde tarantulas(aphonopelma chalcodes) the silk use is variable they sometimes extend the silk lining into a trumpet shape that may also include twigs and leaves
With such tarantulas it is best to provide a very deep substrate to allow them to burrow and make themselves comfortable.
Arboreal
These are tree climbing tarantulas which they build their retreats in places such as cliff faces, road banks even in buildings which is a reason the Peruvian pink toe(aviculara sp) are usually found in villages and near plantations in their native south America, these types of tarantulas are well adapted to tree life with broad flattened foot surfaces on their tarsi and metatarsi which is basically their feet, other species include other avics such as Martinique pink toes and Trinidad chevrons
These love to climb so pieces of bark and bits of branch make good additions to an arboreal cage to allow them to explore their cages and climb.
Housing your tarantula
Due to their relatively small size, tarantulas can be housed in any suitable sized box and can be as simple or as elaborate with the decoration as you wish, plastic fauna boxes/pet pals make suitable housing for the smaller species of tarantulas and some are stackable so you can have multiple spiders and they go well together making it look tidier but even things like sandwich boxes,plastic food containers(perfect for burrowing and arboreal species as many are very tall) and large storage boxes for larger tarantulas.
Glass cages can be used with much success too as it can give you the scope to provide a decorative set up for your tarantula making it more pleasing to the eye and the main advantage is they come in bigger sizes if you want to use glass for the larger species of tarantulas such as the theraposa blondi but also you can get tank dividers from any pet shop/aquarium stockist which you can make different sections for a number of spiders in a large cage but watch out for any gaps as spiders are cannibalistic and the end result is death of one your spiders and is best to go for a lid that’s securely fitted and allows good ventilation if you do go for this option.
There are different preferences regarding water in tarantulas, some prefer a free standing water bowl whereas others use sponge as the spiders suck the sponge to get the moisture they need but I use the free standing water bowl for my terrestrial tarantulas(ground living) and sprayed onto the foliage when I kept the arboreal species as it can be hard to provide a free standing dish for the climbing species
Heating them is relatively easy, a small heat mat controlled by a thermostat covering about 1/3 of the cage is sufficient for the tarantulas, the temperatures needed is dependant on the type of habitat and places the tarantulas live which is tropical/sub tropical places of the world but in a warm room particularly where other types of animals are such as pet reptiles there is no need for additional heating as long as out of drafts and areas of extreme temperatures.
Substrate of tarantulas can consist of things like potting soil and bark mulch are very popular for their humidity retaining and natural look and these are what I personally like to use but eco earth and orchid bark are also very good tarantula substrates.
Suitable hides can be cork bark, plant pots and other bits of décor for the spiders to hide in but make sure everything used is free from anything sharp to prevent injury to your tarantula and is properly sterilised to kill any nasty bugs
Spiders are best kept singly to prevent any cage mates being eaten or injuries and is very dangerous if not done so although some of the pink toes and ornamentals in spacious cages do very well the better arrangement is separately to prevent things going wrong.
Handling and temperament
Like in every animal you get exceptions in temperament and spiders are no exception, the Asian and African baboon spiders(Pterinochilus,haplopelma and Poecilotheria and many others) and the theraposa blondi AKA goliath bird eater tarantula are some of the more aggressive species available and will bite without hesitation but there are calmer species such as the brachypelma and grammastola species which some accept occasional handling but is really worth being cautious with some as many defend by flicking irritating hairs that can be very itching and irritating but nothing too serious if not gone into eyes and the best way to approach a tarantula for handling is a outstretched palm as close to the cage floor as possible and gently nudge it onto your outstretched palm and lift it out and gently let it pass through your hands and some really stay calm while being handled.
For the safety of your tarantula it is best to handle as close to the ground as possible as a fall from a great height resulting in a split abdomen is very fatal to your tarantula and tarantula blood contains no coagulant so basically the animal bleeds to death but although minor injuries to limbs are easily treated with a fast drying adhesive.
To deal with the nasty tarantulas during cleans outs gently nudge the tarantula into a container with a pen or something similar and as far away from the tarantula as possible to prevent being bitten that is secure and can be closed with ease as many as well as their aggression are very renowned for their speed too but tarantulas are also good display animals..good to observe habits and watch with intrest and some for reasons cannot be handled safely so is best to keep to a look not touch animal.
Foods and feeding
Spiders generally are insectivores and their main foods include crickets, locusts, mealworms, roaches and any similar sized invertebrate but some of the larger species will take mice which always should be offered from defrost due to the complications of feeding live vertebrae foods, the fangs inject the food item with venom which digests the body into liquid so the spider can suck the contents out and all is left is a husk
Their metabolism is quite slow so they do not need feeding as often as you would feed a lizard or mammal so every 2 days should be sufficient and feed them as much as they will eat in a set time as they usually are great feeders unless going through a shed or fasting for certain times of the year..I myself usually feed my tarantulas as much as they will take in 5 minutes as many species are greedier and larger than others so amount can be a little misleading.
If you are a beginner to spiders these species make great pets..
Chilean rose(grammostola rosea)
This spider which originates from south America in scrubland areas is one of the more commonly available of the tarantulas due to their small size and docile nature, their name comes from the reddish colouration on their carapace and are one of the more hardy spiders
With being a slow growing species it is the better choice to go for a sub adult/adult animal if you are starting out with tarantulas due to its larger size and the fact that spider lings of the species can be a little harder to care for with comparison to a adult Chilean rose tarantula and these are very docile tarantulas accepting handling very well and not being too large in size.
Potting soil is a very good substrate for these animals with a few decorations such as bark or pots to hide in with a humidity aim of about 75% and being a terrestrial tarantula floor space is more important than height and temperatures of 75-80f
Curly haired tarantula(brachypelma albopilosum)
This is a largish tarantula named because of the length and curliness of the hairs on their legs and abdomen and are from Honduras, the spiderlings of these grow very quickly and are ferocious feeders greedily accepting anything large enough to tackle, in my experience these are perfect for handling as they are not as skittish as the Chilean rose and are a good size to take large insects.
Like the Chile rose these tarantulas like a good moisture retaining substrate of 80-85% with a temperature of 75-80f for good humidity such as peat moss, potting soil or bark mulch with large pieces of driftwood and small rocks being welcome additions to the tarantula cage and cages not being too high due to them not being too keen on climbing.
Mexican red kneed tarantula..(brachypelma smithi)
Red knees are a popular spider and what most consider as a pet tarantula, these come from Mexico and are a largish tarantula which settle down to become great captives and are very docile but as they are only bred in small numbers adults can be a little pricey but spiderlings are readily available which are relatively easy to house and take care of, they are used in zoos and educational talks as its what most perceive to be a pet tarantula and combined with their size and docile nature are another good choice.
These like potting soil mixed with peat with lots of bark and rocks for hiding and exploring with a temperature of about 85 f being a desert living tarantula but allow a lot of humidity and ventilation to ease shedding of these really nice looking tarantulas.
.
Pink toes(Avicularia)
Pink toed tarantulas are very popular as arboreal tarantulas as they are also very tame and come in amazing colourations particularly the aviculaira versicolor which as an adult is really bright in colour and very in demand by tarantula keepers, they come from south America and are found near plantations and in houses where they catch any flying insects which are attracted by lights.
In captivity if provided with a arboreal set up with plenty of sturdy branches they thrive as a species,it has been said that these tarantulas can be social animals but is not advised due to their cannibalistic nature and really like flying insects such as moths and adult locusts as food but will eat anything put with them
A layer of potting soil is good for this tarantula with a humidity level of about 75-82% with an overall temperature of 75-80f and many keepers provide very naturalistic surroundings for this speices but are so undemanding it can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish.
Tarantula spiders are becoming more popular to keep as pets due to them needing less room so making them perfect for people who don't have a lot of space for other exotic pets. Their care needs and demands are relatively easy to cater for as they don't need cleaning out as often as the reptilian and mammalian variety of pets depending on substrate used. They are clean animals needing only to daily remove uneaten food. The variety of species available today from breeders and pet shops makes the choice for the person wanting to get into spider keeping a chance to keep a few species and like many groups of animals such as your reptiles, tropical birds and aquatics the colouration on many are truly amazing.
Tarantulas belong to an animal group called arachnids which include scorpions, ticks and mites in which they possess eight legs but even then tarantulas are different to even their spider family members and other arachnids as they:
1)They breathe using two pairs of book lungs whereas other spiders have trachea and one pair of book lung but the main problem is they dry out very easily as like all spiders they extend their legs using blood pressure and the loss of water dramatically lowers that pressure which results in loss of movement and it can cause the tarantula to desiccate(dry out)if not provided with water so good hydration in drinking water and humidity are important to many tarantula species
2)Their fangs go up and down whereas it is sideways in other spiders
3)They have two claws on their pedipalps and have adhesive pads on each foot which are covered in fine hairs called emallae which are found in geckoes too which allows them to climb smooth surfaces and they can sense airborne smells and humidity with organs situated on their feet to make up for not being able to see well despite their number of eyes
Tarantulas can be very fascinating animals to keep and really worth considering as an exotic pet if you have little room and looking for an animal that is undemanding and any pet shop or breeder/keeper will set you in the right direction for the right one for you and bring you many years of happiness.
Spider habits
There are a few types of habits that spiders have that must be taken into account of when you are choosing your pet tarantula and the set up of its cage for its needs
Opportunistic burrowers
These are species that modify pre-existing burrows or use crevices under logs or rocks to make a burrow to keep away from predators and catch unsuspecting prey and the burrows aren‘t heavily lined in silk and are variable in size, examples of these are the large south American tarantulas such as the goliath bird eater(theraposa blondi) and Haitian browns(phormictopus cancerides).
With such species it is best to provide things like cork bark, any pots(you’d be amazed how normal everyday things make perfect décor for tarantulas and other animals.
Obligate burrowers
This means that the burrows are constructed by themselves rarely modifying pre-existing structures as the above do(the opportunist burrowers),examples of such tarantulas that do this are the Asian blacks and cobalt blue tarantulas(haplopelma minax and lividum)and Mexican blonde tarantulas(aphonopelma chalcodes) the silk use is variable they sometimes extend the silk lining into a trumpet shape that may also include twigs and leaves
With such tarantulas it is best to provide a very deep substrate to allow them to burrow and make themselves comfortable.
Arboreal
These are tree climbing tarantulas which they build their retreats in places such as cliff faces, road banks even in buildings which is a reason the Peruvian pink toe(aviculara sp) are usually found in villages and near plantations in their native south America, these types of tarantulas are well adapted to tree life with broad flattened foot surfaces on their tarsi and metatarsi which is basically their feet, other species include other avics such as Martinique pink toes and Trinidad chevrons
These love to climb so pieces of bark and bits of branch make good additions to an arboreal cage to allow them to explore their cages and climb.
Housing your tarantula
Due to their relatively small size, tarantulas can be housed in any suitable sized box and can be as simple or as elaborate with the decoration as you wish, plastic fauna boxes/pet pals make suitable housing for the smaller species of tarantulas and some are stackable so you can have multiple spiders and they go well together making it look tidier but even things like sandwich boxes,plastic food containers(perfect for burrowing and arboreal species as many are very tall) and large storage boxes for larger tarantulas.
Glass cages can be used with much success too as it can give you the scope to provide a decorative set up for your tarantula making it more pleasing to the eye and the main advantage is they come in bigger sizes if you want to use glass for the larger species of tarantulas such as the theraposa blondi but also you can get tank dividers from any pet shop/aquarium stockist which you can make different sections for a number of spiders in a large cage but watch out for any gaps as spiders are cannibalistic and the end result is death of one your spiders and is best to go for a lid that’s securely fitted and allows good ventilation if you do go for this option.
There are different preferences regarding water in tarantulas, some prefer a free standing water bowl whereas others use sponge as the spiders suck the sponge to get the moisture they need but I use the free standing water bowl for my terrestrial tarantulas(ground living) and sprayed onto the foliage when I kept the arboreal species as it can be hard to provide a free standing dish for the climbing species
Heating them is relatively easy, a small heat mat controlled by a thermostat covering about 1/3 of the cage is sufficient for the tarantulas, the temperatures needed is dependant on the type of habitat and places the tarantulas live which is tropical/sub tropical places of the world but in a warm room particularly where other types of animals are such as pet reptiles there is no need for additional heating as long as out of drafts and areas of extreme temperatures.
Substrate of tarantulas can consist of things like potting soil and bark mulch are very popular for their humidity retaining and natural look and these are what I personally like to use but eco earth and orchid bark are also very good tarantula substrates.
Suitable hides can be cork bark, plant pots and other bits of décor for the spiders to hide in but make sure everything used is free from anything sharp to prevent injury to your tarantula and is properly sterilised to kill any nasty bugs
Spiders are best kept singly to prevent any cage mates being eaten or injuries and is very dangerous if not done so although some of the pink toes and ornamentals in spacious cages do very well the better arrangement is separately to prevent things going wrong.
Handling and temperament
Like in every animal you get exceptions in temperament and spiders are no exception, the Asian and African baboon spiders(Pterinochilus,haplopelma and Poecilotheria and many others) and the theraposa blondi AKA goliath bird eater tarantula are some of the more aggressive species available and will bite without hesitation but there are calmer species such as the brachypelma and grammastola species which some accept occasional handling but is really worth being cautious with some as many defend by flicking irritating hairs that can be very itching and irritating but nothing too serious if not gone into eyes and the best way to approach a tarantula for handling is a outstretched palm as close to the cage floor as possible and gently nudge it onto your outstretched palm and lift it out and gently let it pass through your hands and some really stay calm while being handled.
For the safety of your tarantula it is best to handle as close to the ground as possible as a fall from a great height resulting in a split abdomen is very fatal to your tarantula and tarantula blood contains no coagulant so basically the animal bleeds to death but although minor injuries to limbs are easily treated with a fast drying adhesive.
To deal with the nasty tarantulas during cleans outs gently nudge the tarantula into a container with a pen or something similar and as far away from the tarantula as possible to prevent being bitten that is secure and can be closed with ease as many as well as their aggression are very renowned for their speed too but tarantulas are also good display animals..good to observe habits and watch with intrest and some for reasons cannot be handled safely so is best to keep to a look not touch animal.
Foods and feeding
Spiders generally are insectivores and their main foods include crickets, locusts, mealworms, roaches and any similar sized invertebrate but some of the larger species will take mice which always should be offered from defrost due to the complications of feeding live vertebrae foods, the fangs inject the food item with venom which digests the body into liquid so the spider can suck the contents out and all is left is a husk
Their metabolism is quite slow so they do not need feeding as often as you would feed a lizard or mammal so every 2 days should be sufficient and feed them as much as they will eat in a set time as they usually are great feeders unless going through a shed or fasting for certain times of the year..I myself usually feed my tarantulas as much as they will take in 5 minutes as many species are greedier and larger than others so amount can be a little misleading.
If you are a beginner to spiders these species make great pets..
Chilean rose(grammostola rosea)
This spider which originates from south America in scrubland areas is one of the more commonly available of the tarantulas due to their small size and docile nature, their name comes from the reddish colouration on their carapace and are one of the more hardy spiders
With being a slow growing species it is the better choice to go for a sub adult/adult animal if you are starting out with tarantulas due to its larger size and the fact that spider lings of the species can be a little harder to care for with comparison to a adult Chilean rose tarantula and these are very docile tarantulas accepting handling very well and not being too large in size.
Potting soil is a very good substrate for these animals with a few decorations such as bark or pots to hide in with a humidity aim of about 75% and being a terrestrial tarantula floor space is more important than height and temperatures of 75-80f
Curly haired tarantula(brachypelma albopilosum)
This is a largish tarantula named because of the length and curliness of the hairs on their legs and abdomen and are from Honduras, the spiderlings of these grow very quickly and are ferocious feeders greedily accepting anything large enough to tackle, in my experience these are perfect for handling as they are not as skittish as the Chilean rose and are a good size to take large insects.
Like the Chile rose these tarantulas like a good moisture retaining substrate of 80-85% with a temperature of 75-80f for good humidity such as peat moss, potting soil or bark mulch with large pieces of driftwood and small rocks being welcome additions to the tarantula cage and cages not being too high due to them not being too keen on climbing.
Mexican red kneed tarantula..(brachypelma smithi)
Red knees are a popular spider and what most consider as a pet tarantula, these come from Mexico and are a largish tarantula which settle down to become great captives and are very docile but as they are only bred in small numbers adults can be a little pricey but spiderlings are readily available which are relatively easy to house and take care of, they are used in zoos and educational talks as its what most perceive to be a pet tarantula and combined with their size and docile nature are another good choice.
These like potting soil mixed with peat with lots of bark and rocks for hiding and exploring with a temperature of about 85 f being a desert living tarantula but allow a lot of humidity and ventilation to ease shedding of these really nice looking tarantulas.
.
Pink toes(Avicularia)
Pink toed tarantulas are very popular as arboreal tarantulas as they are also very tame and come in amazing colourations particularly the aviculaira versicolor which as an adult is really bright in colour and very in demand by tarantula keepers, they come from south America and are found near plantations and in houses where they catch any flying insects which are attracted by lights.
In captivity if provided with a arboreal set up with plenty of sturdy branches they thrive as a species,it has been said that these tarantulas can be social animals but is not advised due to their cannibalistic nature and really like flying insects such as moths and adult locusts as food but will eat anything put with them
A layer of potting soil is good for this tarantula with a humidity level of about 75-82% with an overall temperature of 75-80f and many keepers provide very naturalistic surroundings for this speices but are so undemanding it can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish.