Quite large in size, tarantulas, spiders are brightly colored. Adult individuals often reach a length of more than twenty centimeters. These animals are not aggressive and unpretentious in care. Therefore, an increasing number of connoisseurs of exotic bred spiders at home. Females live about 15–20 years, males — three times less, dying after mating.
In this article we will consider the main issues related to the care of these amazing animals.
Habitat
Spider tarantulas inhabit all continents of our planet, with the exception of Antarctica. They are most common in Africa, Oceania, Australia and South America. In Europe, individuals of this species are extremely rare in nature. A small number of them can be found in Spain, Portugal and Italy. Moreover, both humid and desert zones can be inhabited by tarantula spiders.
Views
According to the manner of behavior, these representatives of the class of arthropods are divided into burrows, woody and terrestrial. Moreover, during their existence, animals can change their lifestyle. Burrowing spiders dig for shelter in the ground. They use the web to strengthen the soil. Ground spiders also dig shallow burrows or use ready-made shelters.
Arboreal trees live on trees, weaving a web among dense branches of shrubs.
Tarantula Spider Content
Animals feel great both in small and fairly spacious rooms. That is why the terrarium for the tarantula spider can be purchased of any size. The main thing is that he doubles the size of the animal. Wood spiders are best kept in a vertical terrarium, across which you need to place a thick branch so that the pet can find a secluded place for itself. For terrestrial animals, a sufficiently large layer of substrate should be poured into the terrarium, at least five centimeters. In addition to the fact that adults crawl well, they are also remarkable for their remarkable strength. Therefore, housing for an exotic pet should be tightly closed with a lid. The terrarium should have a ventilation window, but not too large so as not to dry out the substrate, which can be used gravel, peat, sphagnum, sawdust, lichen. If there are several individuals of the same species, spiders should be kept in separate containers. This will prevent cannibalism. In winter, the terrarium should be heated so that the temperature in it does not drop below 25 degrees. For these purposes, you can use an infrared lamp or thermal litter for the substrate. Since tarantulas are mainly nocturnal, lighting in the terrarium is not needed. Moreover, bright sunlight is even harmful to animals. The litter should be changed after each molt. And in adults - once every four months.
The home of the tarantula can be decorated with snags, live moss or artificial plants. However, all parts must be well secured. For these purposes, you can use only special
glue for aquariums, other means can adversely affect the health of the pet. Do not place decorative elements with sharp edges in the terrarium. Do not take the animal with your bare hands, since the
bite of a tarantula can be not only very painful, but also very toxic. In addition, the body of the arthropod is covered with numerous brittle bristles. If it enters the mucous membranes or skin, they cause inflammation and itching.
How to feed a tarantula spider?
To feed animals, it is best to use live insects (crickets, bloodworms, cockroaches, etc.). Food should depend on the age of each individual. Young people need smaller food. Adult animals should be fed less frequently, but with larger insects. It is worth noting that on average spiders eat twice a week. Small pieces of raw meat or fish are also suitable as food.
Molting
This process, as a rule, occurs in a prone position.
The spider turns on its back and is in this state for several hours. At this time, on his sides the carapace slowly begins to crack. The animal carefully pulls out its limbs and gets out of the old skin. After
molting, the spider noticeably increases in size and brightens. Between "skinning" arthropods very often lose protective setae from the abdomen. It should be noted that a week or two before molting, the animal completely refuses food. As a rule, during their life, tarantula house spiders molt about 12 times.
Breeding
It is possible to determine the sex of an arthropod only after molting. In this case, the spider should be at least four centimeters. To identify gender, you should carefully consider the inside of the discarded carapace with a magnifier. In females, you can notice a small indentation in the form of a gap, and in males - paired “tongues”. Adults are much easier to distinguish by gender.
Male tarantulas (spiders) have rather long legs. In addition, they are much slimmer than females. The sexual maturity of individuals of this species occurs at the age of five. 14 days after the molt, the male begins to make a special nest, which he fills with seed. After that, the spider goes in search of the female. It is recommended to place it in advance in a more spacious room so that it can get used to and settle in it. A little later, a male ready to mate should also be sent there. When meeting, the spider begins to make complex ritual movements. As a rule, males and females, ready for mating, use certain signals. Most often this is tapping with pedipalps, creaking, rustling. Approaching the spider, the male fills her seed pocket with its liquid. After this, it is necessary to remove it from the fertilized female as soon as possible. After a half to two months after mating, it will begin to reproduce offspring. But before that, the female will weave a large cocoon, into which she subsequently lays about 500 eggs. To save offspring, it is necessary to place the container with the nest in a dark place. Recommended temperature is 24–28 degrees. For the proper development of babies, it is necessary to maintain humidity in the room. Almost all the time, the female holds the cocoon between the chelicera, protecting him in this way. Larvae, appearing at 4–5 weeks, are in the nest until the first molt. The amazing thing is that all this time they do not eat anything. So that the female does not eat her cubs, after the first molting, they should be moved to a separate terrarium or put in small containers one at a time. At the same time, the food for the tarantula should be special. Newborn crickets or Drosophila are best suited.
Young growth is growing quite slowly.
Safety precautions
After talking with your pet, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Leaning over an open terrarium is strictly prohibited. All actions in the predator's dwelling should be done using a special long tweezers. Objects in contact with the animal may only be touched with gloves. It is forbidden to leave the terrarium open without supervision. It is very important that it is out of the reach of other pets. When contacting spiders, remember that they cannot be tamed or trained.
Even the most calm and sedentary tarantula, sensing danger, can bite the owner.
Life span
In Mexico, a spider lives, whose age is more than twenty-six years. This is a record case. As a rule, large enough individuals from desert habitats grow slowly. Moreover, their life expectancy is significantly longer than that of other species. Rainforest spider tarantulas grow quickly, but unfortunately die early. It is noted that predators living in captivity live significantly more than those taken from natural conditions. However, they are less aggressive. Usually male tarantulas live no more than a year after the last molt.
Selection recommendations
When purchasing a spider in a pet store, make sure that it is active. His body should be slightly elevated above the substrate. Pulling legs or constantly lying spider may be sick. A healthy animal actively responds to touch. As a rule, a tarantula raises its front legs, quickly runs away or, on the contrary, attacks. If you look closely, you can see that on his stomach his hair is puffing. In the period before molting, the animals are rather slow. Usually they lie on their backs with extended legs. After - tarantulas also move with difficulty.
One way or another, it is not recommended to buy a pet on the eve of molting. It should pay attention to the abdomen of a predator. It should be rounded. Many arthropods, inhabitants of tropical forests, have a shrunken abdomen during dehydration. Such tarantulas should not be purchased. Broken limbs are able to grow in a spider in a few links. This is not a serious defect. Nevertheless, it is better not to buy a tarantula with open sores on his legs. After all, it can be infected with a fungus or other infections. If, by acquiring this exotic animal, you are pursuing exclusively decorative goals, then females should be preferred. They have a longer life expectancy. You should not buy very large individuals, as they can be of
advanced age.