What does a tarantula eat at home: zofobas, cockroaches and mealworms

What do spiders feed?

The tarantula spider at home feeds on beetles, cockroaches, earthworms and beetle larvae.
Feeding insects are specially grown to feed arthropods. Young animals are given zofobas or darkling beetle larvae; They are popularly called mealworms. The length of the larva should correspond to 1/3 of the size of the abdomen. If after feeding it does not increase in size, then the individuals are given more food. A sign that the tarantula has eaten is an enlarged abdomen. After molting, adult spiders are given the same soft food as young ones.

At home, the tarantula is fed with darkling beetle, zofobas, Madagascar, Argentine, and Turkmen cockroaches. He can catch a cricket, a grasshopper, a locust, a small lizard. Animals love to hunt them. Insects are placed in a terrarium alive. The remaining feed is removed so that it does not rot.

Care for tarantula spiders is minimal

It is important for them to provide warmth, moist air and soil, and good ventilation. Feeding is carried out once a week

The young are given food every 3 days.

It is recommended to clean the bedding from feces and food residues. To do this, the tarantula is moved to another container. The soil is heated in a frying pan

Handle an animal with great care

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Serving sizes for feeding spiders

How much food can your spider eat at one time? Remember the main rule,

The fact is that a large “lunch” can frighten a young spider, and it will receive nothing but extreme stress. Yes, and a “dish” that is too large is unlikely to be suitable for him. Although, some spider owners neglect these recommendations and give the spider insects larger than themselves in size. But this trick will only work with an aggressive and hungry spider. A well-fed and satisfied person will only be frightened by such an abundance of “game”.

Preparing food for the spider

Worms are food for spiders

In order for you not to have problems with what to feed your spider, we suggest that you start preparing food for it. It's much simpler and more economical. And, since many spiders love to feast on marbled cockroaches (not to be confused with domestic ones), but they are not always available in pet stores, we suggest you start breeding such a colony of cockroaches at home. Even if trouble suddenly happens and they run away, they will not be able to live in the conditions of your apartment, and will inevitably die. Therefore, you don’t have to worry that you yourself introduced these insects into your home.

So, take a small container (glass jar), place egg racks, cardboard, pieces of bark, paper on its bottom - the more the better, and regularly coat the edges of such a container with a thin layer of Vaseline (carefully so as not to get dirty) - this to prevent your marbled cockroaches from escaping. Throw several dozen of these cockroaches into such a container and feed them with leftover food from your table. Bread, vegetable peelings, meat scraps - cockroaches are not picky. These insects are very prolific and grow quickly. Thus, you will solve the problem of what to feed your pet spider for a long time.

How do spiders eat?

After the “dinner” is in the spider’s terrarium (it must be served there with tweezers), the hungry spider quickly rushes at it, grabs it with its fangs - chelicerae, and injects poison into its body. Depending on the strength of the poison, after a few seconds the victim’s body becomes motionless. After this, the spider dances around the victim, weaves a rug from the web, or even weaves the web around the victim itself. Then gastric juice is injected, and the spider begins to eat. He eats leisurely, so such a meal can drag on for several days. When a dry lump of prey remains, entwined with cobwebs, the spider takes it to a corner of the terrarium or throws it into a drinking bowl with water.

Description of the species

The Latin name for the tarantula Irminia is psalmopoeus irminia. It was first found on the South American continent, in Venezuela. The individual was found under the bark of a tree. Arachnologists define the spider's range as the northwestern territory of South America. The animals live in Venezuela, Guyana, an island part of the Atlantic Ocean. The tarantula was described in 1994.

The main color of psalmopoeus irminia is dark. The abdomen is brick-colored. Along the center there is a wide black stripe. It is crossed by horizontal stripes. Orange color is noted on the limbs. Vertical stripes are noted on 2-3 phalanges. The hair pads at the ends of the paws are black. The tarantula's back is dark, but a pattern can be discerned on it. It is decorated with orange and red splashes.

• A medium-sized spider: body length 6 cm, paw span 15 cm. It is a long-livers. The female can live up to 15 years. It reaches a large body size at 10 years of age. Young individuals molt frequently, once every 2 weeks. Their rapid growth occurs until puberty. During puberty, their reproductive organs develop. After this, the spiders are considered adults. Their growth is slowing down. Shedding occurs once a month. Then, once every 6 months. Mature tarantulas shed their exoskeleton once a year.
• The tarantula Irminia reaches adulthood at 8 months. Females develop closer to 2 years. Some keepers, when keeping spiders at home, specifically inhibit the growth of males. To do this, they lower the temperature and reduce the protein diet of individuals.
• The female begins to build a cocoon 2 months after fertilization. A clutch can contain 500 eggs. To ensure that they are distributed evenly throughout the cocoon, the female turns it over with her limbs. She does not leave him without attention, does not leave the nest, even when severely exhausted.
• Nymphs appear after 2.5 months. You don't need to feed them. They feed on leftover egg yolks. After 3 molts, they develop into larvae that look like small spiders. They are fed maggots and zophobas beetle larvae; the size of the larvae can reach 6 cm; spiders are given ¼ part.
• The Irminia tarantula withstands temperature changes well. Some species live in the mountains, at an altitude of 600 m above sea level. A comfortable temperature for them is 19-22 0C. Individuals that prefer tropical forests are accustomed to higher temperatures, 26-28 0C.
• Animals are sensitive to air humidity of 80%.

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The venom of spiders is highly toxic, but individuals are not aggressive. They release poison only during hunting or when they sense danger. The main natural enemies of tarantulas are larger vertebrates. Aga toads can climb into the burrows of young animals and eat spiders and eggs of arthropods.

The keeper's hand in the terrarium can cause stress in the animal. At the slightest change in the spider’s behavior, the hand must be removed. Otherwise, the individual will attack and bite.

Appearance of tarantulas

Different species of tarantulas have approximately the same body structure. Their abdomen, large and fluffy, turns into a very large body-head. The paws are also fluffy, strong and long. The abdomen is covered with protective poisonous hairs, which they comb and discard in case of danger. They weave these same hairs into the web, thus protecting their nest.

Tree species have more elongated bodies and legs; terrestrial ones are more massive, their cephalothorax is wider, their legs are shorter and thicker. America's tarantulas can be recognized by the elongated hairs on their bodies. Compared to them, most Asian and African brothers look simply bald!

The coloring of tarantulas is very diverse - from modest brown-brown to flashy, combining bright colors. There are yellow, brown, red, and blue tarantula spiders.

Big and small dangers for the spider

There are other reasons why you should not touch a tarantula spider. The animal will experience severe stress and will certainly bite you in defense. And he himself will “worry”: he will lose his appetite, become lethargic and inactive. Do you care about your tarantula spider? Leave him alone.

Some species of these arthropods are equipped with extremely poisonous hairs on the body and legs. As soon as it is disturbed, the nervous tarantula spider begins to scratch its legs and pick off fragile hairs from them.

If they get on your palm, they will cause unpleasant itching and burning. If even a few hairs get into your eyes, you can lose your vision for a long time. You need it?

Where and how to keep a house spider

Keeping spiders that are safe for humans at home is not at all difficult. When buying such an exotic, you need to remember that a healthy spider always maintains sufficient mobility, regardless of age.

Sedentary spiders that lack the characteristic roundness in the abdomen are most likely sick, malnourished, or suffering from dehydration. In addition to the exotic, you need to choose and purchase the right terrarium for its maintenance, as well as the most important accessories to fill your home.

Selecting a terrarium

To keep small spiders, regardless of the type, it is advisable to use special plastic, hermetically sealed containers of suitable sizes.

In terrariums that are too voluminous, filled with a large number of decorative elements, such exotics can easily get lost

It is also important to remember that many species are unable to get along with their neighbors, therefore, for example, it is advisable to keep tarantulas alone

A terrarium house, the optimal size of which is two times the length of the maximum leg span, will be cozy for the spider. As practice shows, even the largest specimens feel great in a home measuring 40x40cm or 50x40cm.

According to their design features, terrariums can be horizontal for terrestrial species and burrowing exotics, as well as vertical for tree spiders. When making a terrarium, as a rule, tempered glass or standard plexiglass is used.

Lighting, humidity, decor

Creating optimal, comfortable conditions for the spider is the key to preserving the life and health of the exotic when kept in captivity:

• A special substrate in the form of vermiculite is poured onto the bottom of the terrarium. The standard layer of such backfill should be 30-50 mm. Dry coconut substrate or regular peat chips mixed with sphagnum moss are also very suitable for these purposes;
• The temperature regime inside the terrarium is also very important. Spiders belong to the category of very heat-loving pets, so the optimal temperature range will be between 22-28°C. As practice shows, a slight and short-term decrease in temperature cannot cause harm to spiders, but one should not abuse the endurance of such exotics;
• Despite the fact that spiders are predominantly nocturnal, they cannot be limited in light. As a rule, to create comfortable conditions, it is enough to have natural lighting in the room, but without direct sunlight hitting the container;
• As a shelter for burrowing species of spiders, special “houses” made of pieces of bark or coconut shells are used. Also, various decorative driftwood or artificial vegetation can be used to decorate the interior space.

The humidity inside the spider's home requires special attention. The presence of a drinking bowl and the correct substrate allows you to ensure optimal performance. You need to control the humidity level using a standard hygrometer. To increase humidity, the terrarium is irrigated with water from a household spray bottle.

Terrarium safety

A terrarium for a spider must be completely safe, both for the most exotic pet and for others

It is especially important to follow safety rules when keeping poisonous spiders

It should be remembered that spiders are able to move quite deftly even on a vertical surface, so the main condition for safe keeping is the presence of a reliable lid. You should not purchase a container that is too high for terrestrial species of spiders, as otherwise the exotic may fall from a considerable height and suffer a life-threatening abdominal rupture.

To ensure sufficient ventilation for the spider’s life, it is necessary to make perforations in the form of small and numerous holes in the lid of the terrarium.

Arrangement of the terrarium

The main thing a spider needs is the right terrarium. It must meet several requirements:

• material – plexiglass, ordinary glass or food-grade plastic. An aquarium or a plastic container with holes for ventilation is suitable;
• Dimensions – a large terrarium is not suitable for a spider. Optimally - three times the span of his paws;
• shape - selected based on the type of spider - arboreal spiders need a vertical one, burrowing and ground spiders need a horizontal one.
• the presence of a lid - spiders move well on vertical planes, so they can leave an uncovered terrarium.

Before introducing a tarantula into its home, the terrarium must be prepared. Soil must be placed at the bottom. Experienced owners recommend coconut substrate - it is easy to find in flower shops. An alternative is any other that is clean, has good air permeability and is not very small. The soil needs to be moistened by periodically wetting it with water at room temperature, but avoid overmoistening. When soiled, clean the walls and bottom of the terrarium and change the substrate.

You should not introduce someone to a tarantula. Your pet should live alone. If it is a ground spider, then it will need some kind of shelter. The easiest way is to use coconut shells.

In the wild, tarantulas live in warm countries in warm and dry climates, so the temperature in the terrarium should be maintained at 28-30 degrees. Heaters sold in pet stores can handle this task. You can do without heaters if the room temperature is not lower than 24 degrees. Avoid sudden changes in temperature, which are dangerous for tarantulas.

Tarantulas have poor vision and do not need bright light. Place the terrarium in a dark place so that your pet does not experience stress.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before you get such a pet at home, you should learn about all its advantages and disadvantages. Despite the general negative opinion, keeping a spider at home has several positive aspects:

1. The arthropod does not require a large space; a small aquarium 30 cm long will be enough for it. The tarantula will be an ideal option for someone who lives in a small apartment, but still wants to have a pet.
2. The animal is characterized by low activity and does not make noise. It is the best solution for those who need peace and quiet for comfort.
3. Caring for a spider comes down to feeding 1-2 times a week and cleaning the living space as necessary. 10-15 minutes is enough for everything to be clean and tidy.
4. Food will not cost the owner much, since during the molting period the animal completely refuses food for a long period.
5. There is no need to walk your pet every day, which will be an undeniable advantage for business people who spend most of their time working.

Do not show this spider to people who suffer from arachnophobia

The animal also has disadvantages that can become an obstacle for many people. The main disadvantage is that the spider is poisonous and is often aggressive. Because of this, it is not recommended to keep it in homes where children live.

The tarantula is also not suitable for people suffering from arachnophobia or a pathological fear of any spiders. But there are cases where a mental disorder was treated with the help of this particular type.

For those who like to stroke their pet, hold it in their arms and walk with it, the tarantula spider is also not suitable. The animal is unlikely to like this attitude, which will invariably lead to bites and the development of an allergic reaction. People who are not embarrassed by such nuances can safely have an arthropod pet.

Features of care

The designated pet is an ideal pet for overly busy people.

Since the tarantula spider is quite unpretentious, caring for it is as follows:

Regular cleaning of the terrarium. Daily change of water in the sippy cup

Important: the liquid must be free of chlorine. Feeding a couple times a week

Moreover, if feeding was missed, this will not lead to starvation and exhaustion of the pet. In the wild, tarantulas are able to go without food for a long time. Heating the terrarium in winter using special lamps.

It is necessary to regularly assess the animal's health. Possible diseases are indicated by uneven hair growth on the paws and body, as well as injuries and microcracks on the abdomen.

To breed tarantulas, a male is placed with the female, having previously created favorable conditions for mating (increased temperature and humidity).

After fertilization, the spiders are resettled in different terrariums.

Please note: professional breeders recommend not breeding at home, as the female can kill the babies due to insufficient space inside her container

Is it possible to pick it up?

This is a constant question that worries all tarantula breeders. Despite the toxic poison, the animal does not pose a danger if handled correctly.

Experts recommend gradually taming the tarantula spider from the first days of its appearance in the house. To do this, the pet needs to be held in your hands for several minutes every day, then released into the terrarium.

It may take him different amounts of time to get used to it, but gradually the stress will subside. When introducing a person to a spider, you are allowed to lightly stroke the back of the furry animal.

Shedding period

One of the processes responsible for the growth of the tarantula is its molt, during which the spider sheds its exoskeleton. Within a month, young individuals molt several times, which is much more often than in adult spiders. The physiology of the latter provides for one molt throughout the year.

Assessing the condition and appearance of the pet while caring for it will indicate the upcoming shedding of the integument:

• the spider partially loses its hairs.
• The outer covers acquire darker shades.
• The tarantula completely refuses food.

Sometimes, during the process of molting, a pet loses its hind legs, which come off along with the old skeleton. After a while, they grow again over the next 3-4 molts. This phenomenon is explained by unsuitable conditions for the tarantula.

Please note: the spider must shed its outer coverings on its own. Outside help will only do harm, causing health problems and subsequent death of the tarantula

Having reached reproductive age, male tarantulas stop molting.

Care accessories

To care for a tarantula spider at home, no special equipment is required. Often, there are enough accessories that are used to support the life of any type of arachnid.

Here they are:

• thermometer.
• Air heating lamp.
• Illumination (a suitable option is special lamps for spiders, power 15-25 W).
• Hygrometer.
• Etc.

Care should be taken to have a device to maintain humidity and air temperature, since without suitable environmental conditions the pet will most likely die.

Cleaning the terrarium

The spider's terrarium should be regularly cleaned of waste products and remains of its food. The optimal cleaning frequency is 4-5 times a month.

To protect yourself in the event of an unexpected manifestation of aggression, you should wear thick gloves before manipulating the spider and its home. You will also need long tweezers for cleaning. Otherwise, the spider may attack, considering penetration inside its terrarium as a threat.

However, a bite from this animal can provoke a severe allergic reaction with unexpected consequences. Proper handling of your pet will make its stay in a residential area comfortable for both parties.

How long does a “house” spider live?

At home, the tarantula spider has a much easier time. There are no enemies, there is enough food, all processes are controlled by the owner. But even such pets can die due to the following circumstances:

• Temperature and humidity are not appropriate for the species. Most often, such pets do not survive due to temperature fluctuations in the terrarium. Whether it's too cold or too hot. Each type requires maintaining a certain level of humidity. This indicator affects the molting process, and therefore the overall growth of the pet;
• damage. Many lovers often pick up such pets, sometimes dropping the spiders and thereby damaging the external exoskeleton. Unfortunately, if the tarantula's chitin is severely damaged, the animal may die;
• Cases of mistakes in caring for such pets are not uncommon. Untimely removal of food debris or incorrectly changing the water in the drinking bowl can lead to the formation of pathogenic bacteria that cause many diseases. Unfortunately, not every spider can be cured later.

But if you carefully follow the rules of caring for such a pet, then the average life expectancy for males can be up to 5 – 7 years. Females live even longer, usually up to 15-20 years.

Water for the spider

There must always be a container with fresh and clean water in the terrarium, which is recommended to be changed daily. And, if a spider can survive without food for quite a long period, then without water it will not live long.

Video on feeding house spiders:

Today we talked about what to feed spiders, what food they should not be given, what portion sizes should be, and how often spiders should be fed. We also talked about ways to prepare food for your pet spider.

What do you feed your furry friend? How do you prepare food for him?

In our next publication we will tell you about diseases of house spiders...

We are waiting for your feedback and comments, join our VKontakte group!

The appearance of offspring

If fertilization is effective, then after 2 months the female lays eggs. Shortly before the predicted laying, it is recommended to replace the soil or clean the terrarium. All remaining feed is removed, preventing the process of rotting. The drinking bowl is cleaned and filled with clean water.

Formation of a cocoon by a female tarantula spider

When breeding tarantula spiders at home, it is necessary to follow the rules of hygiene for arthropods. Individuals are fed protein food: darkling beetle larvae, Madagascar cockroaches.

• If the female begins to abundantly weave the terrarium with cobwebs. This means that she is preparing to lay. It lines the bed, which consists of dense fabric.
• The spider lies down on him and releases eggs from her abdomen. They come out along with a viscous liquid. At this time, the female’s abdomen sharply decreases.
• After laying, the individual begins to collect the entire web into a cocoon. It looks like a small ball.
• The spider constantly moves the cocoon to certain places in the terrarium, looking for the optimal microclimate.
• The air temperature in the container is kept at 24 0C, the humidity is increased to 70%, but you should always be based on the characteristics of the subspecies. Some spiders require higher air temperatures and maximum humidity.
• The incubation period lasts 1-2 months, but already at 35 days nymphs appear in the cocoon. The female helps them break the cocoon.

After the spider has formed a cocoon, it is recommended to inspect it for integrity. Young females do not completely cover the clutch with cobwebs. The eggs may die.

To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to take the cocoon from the female by tossing her a dummy. The holes in the cocoon are sewn up with silk thread and returned to the female. If she does not accept it, then incubation is performed artificially.

Nymphs emerge from the cocoon. They are placed in a separate container, provided with high humidity, and maintained at a temperature of 26-28 0C. You don't need to feed them. They feed on egg yolk. After a month they develop into larvae. I distribute the young animals into separate containers and begin feeding.

The larvae are kept at a temperature of 22-26 0C. Air humidity 70%. You need to be prepared for the fact that tarantulas are fertile. The required number of terrariums and food insects should be prepared.

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Lifespan

It is important for people who decide to keep this animal at home to know how long tarantula spiders live in captivity. Females, regardless of conditions, can live up to 30 years

As for males, their life expectancy is much shorter. They usually stop molting after reaching reproductive age, in most cases they die in the same year or after mating.

When maintaining a home, it is important to choose an arthropod suitable nutrition system and optimal temperature. If fed infrequently, the spider will live longer

Cold causes the metabolism to slow down, so the birder's development will slow down.

Natural enemies

Despite their poisonous nature, tarantula spiders quite often become prey for many other animals. Predatory species of centipedes, including Scolopendra gigantea, are quite capable of coping not only with the largest tarantulas, which include Theraphosa blondi, but even with many species of not very large snakes. Another dangerous predator for the spider is a representative of the genus Ethmostigmus, which inhabits Australia and is one of the natural enemies of the tarantula.

Some vertebrates destroy arthropods, including the largest Australian frog, Litoria infrafrenata, or the white-lipped tree frog and the aga toad Bufo marinus. The body of tarantulas is often parasitized by small dipterous insects belonging to the genus Megaselia and the family Phoridae and hawk wasps. The larvae grow and develop inside the spider, causing its death.

A natural competitor for the giant Goliath tarantula is the spider Heteroroda maxima, found in Laos and superior to the Goliath solely in the span of its legs.

What does a tarantula spider eat?

The lifestyle of different species is somewhat different. Some representatives of the genus do not form trapping nets, they watch over prey from shelters, others weave a huge web with a diameter of up to 2 m. The web is so dense that it holds birds, small rodents, lizards, frogs, and snakes. The main diet consists of insects, beetles, and small spiders.

The tarantula infects the victim with poison, paralyzes it, and injects saliva, which liquefies the insides in a few minutes. The spider sucks up the contents, leaving only a chitinous cover of the prey. The toxic substance affects the nervous system, causing spasms and suffocation.

Possible difficulties

Vagans can not only be very aggressive, but also move quickly and actively, even a little nervously. Therefore, it can be quite difficult for an unaccustomed person to catch it. It is better for beginners to know about this feature and either choose a much calmer representative of the genus as their pet, or not let the spider out of their home unless absolutely necessary and carefully monitor it.

A tangible advantage is that the tarantula’s venom is not dangerous to humans, and even if bitten, nothing terrible will happen. The sensations will be similar to the consequences of a bee sting.

The body length of an adult is 6-7 cm

However, it is still somewhat dangerous for humans. If he is frightened or angry, which happens quite often in this species, he gets into a pose expressing aggression and begins to intensively comb the hairs from the abdomen. This is not just a nervous gesture - the stinging hairs have an irritating effect, much like nettle thorns. When they come into contact with the skin, they cause severe redness and itching. This allergic reaction is not too dangerous for most people, but for some it can be very unpleasant.

The spider is molting. What to do?

The exoskeleton (cover) of spiders cannot increase, ensuring the constant growth of its owner. Evolutionarily, this problem was solved with the help of molting, during which the old exoskeleton is replaced with a new, larger one. This is the most important and most critical period in the life of a tarantula. When molting occurs, it is necessary to slightly increase the humidity level in the terrarium. Any interference in the life processes of the spider during this period can result in its death. Therefore, under no circumstances should you disturb or pick him up during molting.

Spiders molt constantly throughout their lives, and the older they are, the longer the intervals between exoskeleton changes. However, unlike females, males stop molting when they become sexually mature. And they live less than their friends - 2-5 years, while spiders live up to 10-40 years.

How to get rid of spiders in the house once and for all?

How to get rid of spiders

1. Clean Up First of all, do some deep cleaning at home. ...
2. Use traditional methods Spiders cannot stand strong odors. ...
3. Buy poisons Among the variety of poisons, it is better to choose aerosols. ...
4. Or ultrasonic repellers You can find special insect repellers in hardware stores.

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Advantages and disadvantages of keeping a spider

Many people keep spiders for the purpose of shocking. Like, look at the scarecrow that lives with me, is it impressive? But such people are in the minority. There are, of course, individuals who are obsessed with spiders, who admire their habits and opportunistic features. But, basically, spiders are owned by those who consider them to be very beautiful pets.

And from this judgment follows the main, in my opinion, advantage of spiders - their appearance. Now you can buy spiders of a wide variety of colors, there are pink, red, pitch black and even bright blue. These are incredibly beautiful animals that are a pleasure to look at.

This type of spider has very interesting, curled hairs.

The main reason why I got myself a spider is its unpretentiousness. Such a pet can be left for a week or more with a clear conscience. If you need to go somewhere, then rest assured that the spider will wait for you and will not die of hunger, since it can go without food for a very long time.

This is an ideal option if you have a small living space. It does not take up much space and does not create noise. If you remove leftover food, there will be no unpleasant smell either. He doesn't shed his fur in the usual sense and you don't need to walk with him - a miracle, not a pet.

One of the main disadvantages is that spiders are quite secretive people. Most likely, your pet will hide in a shelter most of the time.

You can't pet a spider in the usual sense of the word. Even picking him up is not recommended, as this is very stressful for the animal.

A particular disadvantage is the presence of food animals in your home. For example, if you decide to keep a colony of cockroaches yourself, then you won’t leave them for a month.

Well, despite their terrifying appearance, spiders are quite fragile. Even a fall from several tens of centimeters threatens the spider with death. The animals are quite nervous. Factors such as transportation, changing the terrarium, and an abundance of insects can cause stress. Spider stress is bad. The pet may comb its hairs, refuse to feed and, in especially severe cases, even die.

It doesn’t bark, doesn’t bite, doesn’t rush at passers-by... Just kidding, of course, a spider can bite, it has everything for that. But such cases are extremely rare. Of course, the venom of all tarantulas is toxic to one degree or another. But an adult should not have any serious problems.

Captivity

In recent years, it has become fashionable to keep tarantulas at home as exotic pets. Some tarantulas are caught in the wild for these purposes, but most are successfully bred in captivity. Spiders are becoming popular due to their relative unpretentiousness and ease of maintenance [ source not specified 2461 days
], as well as very affordable prices for food and the spiders themselves (especially spider larvae).

Almost all the information about the biology of tarantulas known to us today was obtained as a result of studying those spiders that were kept in captivity, and only a small part of it was obtained from observations directly in their habitats.

Terrarium

The use of both too cramped and too spacious terrariums is highly undesirable. Each spider should be kept in a separate container, as the risk of cannibalism is high. An exception can be made only for nymph spiders, as well as for pairs of tarantulas during mating and a small number of “social” species. In most cases, coconut substrate (crushed coconut bark) or expanded vermiculite is used as terrarium soil. A burrowing spider requires a deep layer of substrate, since this type spends most of its time underground, but in this case you will rarely see the spider. There is an alternative option. You can fill the terrarium with a less thick layer of substrate, but you must provide the spider with shelter, for example half a flower pot, but in this case the spider will not feel normal, and because of this, outbursts of aggression are possible due to fear and lack of natural shelter. The arboreal species requires a snag or piece of bark as a shelter. Spiders easily move up glass, for this reason the terrarium must have a lid.

Nutrition

Avicularia versicolor

eats the belly of a marbled cockroach.

The main species bred to feed spiders are cockroaches of various species (the most famous are the marbled cockroach and Blaberus craniifer), zofobas larvae, crickets and mealworms. The possibility of feeding tarantulas frozen meat or some other food familiar to people is often discussed, but this is extremely undesirable and in most cases can cause the death of spiders. The body length of the food object should be slightly less than (or equal to) the length of the spider’s body (from chelicerae to arachnoid warts). If food items of the required size are not available, tarantulas can be fed insect parts. It is advisable to use food available to tarantulas in their natural habitat, otherwise food refusal may occur. Thus, arboreal species prefer flies and crickets, often ignoring cockroaches and other ground insects

Taming and training

Spiders should not be handled

Tarantulas cannot be trained or tamed in the usual sense of the word. Even the calmest tarantula can bite its owner if it senses danger [ source not specified 2461 days

]. Even with a relatively favorable outcome, problems associated with allergies to spider stinging hairs often arise. In this regard, it is strictly not recommended to pick up spiders. Experienced spider keepers advise carrying out all manipulations in the terrarium using long tweezers. It is often noted that tarantulas, which were often handled in childhood, are more calm towards people, however, such behavior should be interpreted only as a slight dulling of the reaction to the “human” stimulus.

Features of choosing a pet

In order to choose a healthy spider, you need to use a few simple tricks that will help protect yourself from wasting money:

the arthropod must be active and playful

In the case when the specimen you have chosen lies alone on the sidelines, is passive and constantly hides in the house, the animal is most likely sick, and you should not buy such a pet for home;

a healthy spider's abdomen should be even and smooth. If the abdomen is wrinkled or has other pathologies, the spider suffers from dehydration and may soon die; open wounds or ulcerative defects on the body of a tarantula are another reason to refuse to purchase such a spider;

It is best to purchase small spiderlings, since it is almost impossible to determine the age of a tarantula by appearance;

It is important to pay attention to the hairs that cover the abdomen. If they are not evenly distributed throughout the body or vary in size, the animal has health problems; the absence of paws in most cases is not a pathology, since they will instantly grow back after the next molt. This only means that the animal was not transported properly.

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Important! When choosing a tarantula, you need to pay attention especially to females, since males are not distinguished by longevity and live several times less

Is it possible to pick up a spider?

Tarantulas are among the largest representatives of arachnids. Their body size is from 5 cm to 10 cm. The limb span is from 12 cm to 28 cm. Tarantulas, which also have large dimensions, are still smaller than tarantulas. Animals are dangerous. They are absolute predators.

• The spider bites painfully and releases poison. For a healthy adult, the poison is not fatal, but for a child it poses a great threat. Tarantulas, which are natives of South America, have poison of low to moderate toxicity. Asian and African spiders secrete a secretion of strong toxicity.
• South American animals are not aggressive, which cannot be said about spiders from Asia and Africa.
• The body of tarantulas is covered with thick bristles. It is a means of protection for animals. In a stressful situation, individuals begin to clean hairs from the abdomen. They are light and fly through the air. Once in the respiratory tract, the hairs cause suffocation attacks in humans and animals. If stubble gets into the eye, short-term vision loss with subsequent complications is possible.
• Spider bristles consist of a complex protein that is incompatible with the human body. Upon contact with hair, irritation appears on the hands. After each interaction with a tarantula, it is recommended to wash your hands with cold water.
• Animals do not have stress resistance. The calmest spiders are from South America. Africans and Asians are prone to attack and aggression. They regard any foreign object in the terrarium as a potential threat. Tweezers or a stick with food, the keeper's hand causes stress in spiders. They attack using chelicerae, releasing poison.
• Stress in tarantulas is caused by bright light and camera flash. They can hide or defend themselves if you simply blow on them or touch them with a brush.

The length of the chelicerae in tarantula spiders is more than 2 cm. They are sharp. They contain ducts of glands that produce a poisonous secretion. A spider bite is very painful. The affected area becomes very swollen and inflamed. The animal can carry an infection.

Sometimes the spider bites without venom coming out. The bite is called "dry". Such bites can be caused by South American and Australian spiders. They use dry bites to intimidate. Tarantulas always report their attack. They make sounds that are produced by rubbing the pedipalps against the chelicerae. The sounds are loud, reminiscent of a rattle.

Some individuals take a fighting stance. They raise their upper limbs, sitting on their hind legs. The body assumes a vertical position. Most spiders try to run for cover at the slightest sign of danger. They attack if the path to shelter is blocked.

A sleeve, pocket, pants, or scarf can become a hiding place for a spider. A person’s first reaction is to grab and pull out the spider, which is not recommended. He will bite. They advise you to wait until he crawls out of the sleeve on his own. Tarantulas are nocturnal animals, so you can wait quite a long time for its appearance.

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The temptation to pick up a tarantula is great. They look very attractive. It is recommended to take a spider only after all its habits and habits have been studied. The keeper must know what to expect from an arthropod in a given situation. There are several methods for handling a spider. How to properly pick up a tarantula?

Danger to humans

Before you get such an undemanding pet at home, you should find out how poisonous it is. It must be remembered that although this type of spider can bite a person, these bites do not pose a danger.

The animal can bite if it feels its life is threatened, but before that it can rise on its hind legs and create menacing hissing sounds. The tarantula spider bites with chelicerae, at the end of which there are fangs, the length of which is about 2 cm. During the bite, it injects poison.

The bite site becomes inflamed, followed by swelling and swelling. All this is accompanied by pain. After about a week, the negative consequences of the bite disappear. This is especially true for people prone to allergies, as well as those with weakened immune systems. After a bite, such people experience a deterioration in their general health and severe weakness, with nausea, diarrhea, dizziness and headache.

Spiders cannot be trained in any way, so a person must study their behavior patterns. If the spider has poisonous hair, then it is better to handle it while wearing gloves, otherwise it may irritate the skin.

Spiders at home

Tarantula spiders are purchased for keeping at home, as pets. Terrariums are built or purchased for them. These are boxes with transparent walls. All spiders, without exception, need fresh air, so the box for the arthropod should be well ventilated. The shape of the terrarium can be vertical or horizontal. Choose a model depending on the type of spider you plan to purchase.

For arboreal species, a vertical terrarium is required. This is due to the fact that animals live on tree trunks. A snag or branch is placed in the box so that the tarantula has the opportunity to make a shelter for itself. You must be prepared for the fact that the individual will cover both the snag and the walls of the box with a dense layer of cobwebs, which makes it difficult to observe the animal and complicates its feeding.

For ground and burrow spiders, horizontal terrariums are purchased. Instead of driftwood, a thick layer of substrate and plants are laid. Spiders will dig a hole for themselves. If the soil layer is small, the animal will still dig, abrading and breaking its chelicerae.

Tarantulas are thermophilic. They live in tropical rainforest and dry climates. Habitats can include trees, burrows, and ground surfaces. These features should always be taken into account in order to choose a convenient terrarium for house spiders and maintain a certain maintenance regime.

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Content Features

When choosing a tarantula spider to keep at home, you need to pay attention to a number of nuances:

• color The brightest shades are characteristic of males.
• Activity. Absolute calm and passivity, as well as lack of reaction to touch and ambient noise, may indicate the presence of a disease.
• The degree of toxicity of the poison. All spiders are poisonous, but some species are a little calmer and, as a result, safe.
• Gender of the pet. The female is superior to the male both in size and in life expectancy.
• The presence or absence of burning hairs on the body of the spider.
• A type of tarantula.

The designated animal can be classified by species as follows:

• ground.
• Burrows.
• Woody.

Important: despite the clear division, some species occupy an intermediate boundary . Individual spiders are capable of changing their habits at different periods of their existence.

When preparing a terrarium for a new pet, you should proceed from which group the selected animal belongs to.

Dwelling dimensions

A terrarium made of plexiglass, similar to an aquarium, is considered a suitable home for keeping a tarantula spider. The main difference from a fish house is that the spider house does not need to be sealed due to the lack of water inside it.

The glass container must be provided with a lid to prevent the pet from escaping. Several holes should be made on the top panel for ventilation, each with a diameter of 5-7 mm.

The optimal container size is 2-3 times larger than its occupant . If the pet is a young individual that will grow up soon, this must be taken into account.

The best option is a rectangular terrarium, the height and horizontal dimensions of which are no more than 20-30 cm.

With a higher wall height, a house spider can fall from the very top and accidentally harm itself. An excessively long container will cause its occupant a lot of inconvenience when hunting for live food.

When planning to have several spiders at once, you need to take care of a separate terrarium for each of them. As a last resort, you can leave one house for everyone, having previously divided it into blind sections, which will isolate the inhabitants from each other.

If it is not possible to place a “newbie” in an existing container, the latter should be replaced with a glass container with a thread, having previously made several holes in its lid.

Climate

To keep a tarantula at home, it needs to be provided with comfortable environmental conditions. One of the main rules is to have an optimal air temperature (not lower than 25 and not higher than 29 degrees). Changes can be eliminated using a thermal mat or a special heater.

An important factor is the air humidity in the spider plant, which varies depending on the type of pet (70-90%).

To maintain the indicator within acceptable limits, it is necessary to spray the dry substrate in the terrarium with clean warm water. The frequency of the procedure is every 3 days, and only one corner of the spider plant can be treated.

In some cases, manipulations with a spray bottle can be easily replaced with a regular sippy cup, and the desired level of humidity is maintained due to the evaporation of the liquid. Important: the bowl of water must be changed daily.

Arrangement

Maintaining a tarantula spider’s house involves proper preparation of the terrarium, based on the animal’s belonging to one of the species:

• Burrow spider.

It requires good soft soil laid on the bottom of the container in a thick layer (about 10-20 cm). The amount of soil can be reduced by making some kind of shelters inside the spider plant.

For these purposes, a flower pot split in half is perfect, where the pet will often hide. If you do not create the necessary conditions for the spider, it will show aggression, being in constant stress.

The role of soil is played by crushed coconut bark, which needs to be changed every 2-3 months for adults and 1-2 times a month for babies. You can purchase the substrate at pet stores or flower shops.

• Tree spider.

For a comfortable existence, it requires a small part of the tree trunk, which the spider can climb onto. Instead of wood, ordinary driftwood or a large piece of tree bark is sometimes used.

How much does a tarantula spider cost?

These exotic animals are not that cheap, as some of the species cost a lot of money. You can purchase a tarantula spider in various ways: via the Internet or through an advertisement, or by going to a pet store. Depending on the type, you will have to pay from 100 to 10 thousand rubles. Moreover, females are always more expensive.

When choosing a pet for yourself, you should pay attention to a number of factors, including age. It is better not to buy too large individuals, as they may be old

Secondly, you should pay attention to the shell. If they are damaged or have wrinkles or cracks, it is better not to take such individuals, as they may turn out to be sick. It is not recommended to buy spiders before or immediately after molting, since it is not possible to determine how active the animal is.

Which spider to choose for home keeping

There are about 900 species of different tarantula spiders. Don't rush to buy whatever you like. If you have no experience in keeping such a pet, experts advise choosing the safest species - Grammostola and Brachypelma. They are calm, non-aggressive and unpretentious. Aphonopelma, Chromatopelma and Acanthoscurria may be considered. Many spiders are very beautiful, but they are also very dangerous due to their aggressiveness. If you have the necessary skills in handling such pets or are ready to learn this, the choice among tarantulas becomes much larger.

It is very difficult for a non-professional to determine the gender of a spider. But the lifespan of your pet depends on who settles with you - a male or a female. Male tarantulas live much shorter lives, only a few years. If you don’t want to become the owner of such a pet for a couple of decades, then choose a male. Females are larger and generally more attractive in appearance. If the beauty of an exotic pet comes first, then the choice is obvious.

If you have no experience keeping an exotic spider at home, choose an older one. Babies require more attention and care, but you can grow a luxurious, furry beauty from an inconspicuous small spider.