Care Tips

Acclimation ACCLIMATING you new spider is key within the first 48 hours upon receiving it. Keep the new Tarantula in the mid 80 degree range. Do not let it get colder than 80 degrees . Make sure it has a humidified warm container with moist substrate to recover from the shipping process in. I keep my tarantulas in cabinets that are about 84-86 degrees with moist substrate and humidified environments. If you let your tarantula get too cold or too dry right away it is likely that the stress of the temperature and or humidity change may cause great stress. Keep areas of the substrate moist. Feed only one cricket at a time and make sure it eats it. Remove the cricket if the spider does not eat.

Ants can be a major problem. Dirty living conditions attract ants. They will invade the tarantulas enclosure and overpower it, resulting in death. During warm summer months ants are most active, so be sure to keep an eye out around your spiders tanks during this time.. keeping things clean is the best way to detour ants. If you have an ant problem.. Move all the tarantulas to another location ,clean all the tanks and area very well ….You can sprinkle some flower around the area to help keep away the ants ,but this is only a temporary fix.. Ants hate anything stuck to their legs so they will avoid the flower.. If this does not work..follow the trail until you find out where they are entering the house… put another food source outside the house such as a piece of candy or sandwich..The ants will become interested in the secondary food source and will likely forget about the tarantulas.. Put insecticide down the hole only when you know your spiders will not be affected…

Bald Abdomen Because some terrestrial Tarantulas flick hair in times of stress, they can develop a bald spot on the abdomen.. This is usually caused by handling or crickets left in the cage. This is a natural defense mechanism .. If this happens, just remove any uneaten live food items from the cage and avoid handling. The hairs can irritate your eyes and other parts of your body, much like fiberglass. The hair will grow back in time. Usually on the next molt.

A bent leg will not usually result in the death of your tarantula.. This can occur when they molt for the first time as the egg sac is very tightly packed with spiderlings leaving little room for the newborn baby spider to shed properly.. Bent legs can also occur when is is shipped in a small vile and it molts during shipment. Usually with the next molt ,it will return to normalcy , but if severe enough ,the tarantula may parish.

The bolis is the discarded inedible parts of the food item . The Tarantula will basically liquefy the insides of the cricket or other food item with its venom. Then it sucks out the contents and eventually turns it into an inedible little ball of parts which it discards . The bolis will grow mold and fungus on it and attract scuttle flies. Be sure to remove it as soon as possible.

Breeding Tarantulas Always put the mature male Tarantula in the females enclosure. Do not clean out the females tank for several weeks prior to mating. She will lay out sensory webbing in order to detect the male. He will drum on those webs with his feet so the female will know he is not food. The mating process will soon take place and the male should be removed shortly there after. Tarantulas are cannibalistic and the female will try to eat him if she can. A few weeks /months later she will spin an egg sack ,holding it in her mouth for a few more weeks/months. Maintain the temperature at 80 degrees and reduce the humidity. Remove the water dish and do not offer food during this time. Just leaver undisturbed until the babies hatch. Then, remove the female and collect the babies. Return the female to her enclosure and resume normal care .Feed her heavy for the next few weeks.

First, put in 2-3inches of very moist cocoa fiber substrate material in a 5 gallon tank or container .Put a bunch of female crickets(the ones with the ovipositor-looks like a stinger) inside. Put a reptile heat pad on the bottom glass or put container in heated cabinet and cover the top with styrofoam. Keep the humidity level high and temperature about 88 degrees. 24 hours later, take the female crickets out. Wait about 15 days and you will have hundreds ,if not thousands of baby crickets. Remove the baby crickets and house normally.

Brumation is like hibernation, but just not quite so deep.. Like a deep sleep and on warm days they will come out to feed and then go back to sleep.. The animal slows down but not to the point of true hibernation.. The New river tarantula is from an area that this type of behavior occurs.. It is possible that it may not eat for months.. You can try to warm it up , but if it wont eat then you must cool it down or it could possible starve to death before summer returns.. This behavior can often be curtailed by keeping the spider warm through the winter as normal and then maintaining warm temps into the winter.. If the fall comes and the cage temp falls for a period of time, then the natural actions of the spider take over resulting in brumation.

CABINET Heat tape and styrofoam is used to keep the heat inside. This method works very well as a direct heat source. Space heaters have a tendency to dry out the environment and do not provide adequate amounts of direct heat to the spider. If you keep your spiders inside a heated cabinet,then the heat and humidity is locked inside thus making the spiders warm a cozy.

Care-tips-summertime For tropical species it is important to make sure that condensation is forming inside the enclosure.. Putting the holes on the sides of the container (not the top) will help keep the heat from drawing the moisture out as it rises. Keep the enclosures away from the windows as the sun can be devastatingly hot even coming through the window in an air conditioned room. Remember that the suns rays will be magnified , like a car, if left there even for a few minutes. Air conditioned rooms will keep you comfortable in your home but the spider will get cold and to further the problem , the air that comes out of the vent in the wall is extremely dry. Keep a thermometer inside the enclosure and make sure it reads in the mid to upper 80 degree range. They might survive at lower temperatures , but they will not “thrive”. Therefore making them susceptible to diseases and molting problems. Keep them in a heated microclimate if possible..Tropical spiders may like it warmer and more humid and desert dwellers may like it a bit drier and cooler.. You can slow down the drying process by putting some Styrofoam on top of the tank or even putting all of your tropical spider enclosures inside of a big tank with Styrofoam on top(microclimate). A microclimate is much cheaper to operate and is a sure fire way to generate direct heat and humidity.. If your house if air conditioned, it might be necessary to use a heat pad on the back to keep the temperature up. Cold air will transfer to a humidified enclosure very quickly.. so you must have some kind of barrier such as a tank or cabinet(microclimate) to keep the air that surrounds your tarantulas stable.. Otherwise your tarantula might get too cold or too hot or dried out , resulting in death. Tropical tarantulas have evolved the ability to get rid of water and heat from their bodies very quickly and have no way of retaining it , therefore we must compensate for air conditioning… Desert tarantulas can retain water and heat pretty well so a heated , humidified microclimate may not be necessary for some North American species during the summer months and typically burrow deep into the earth in the wild seeking humidity and relief from the hot desert terrain. Keeping them a bit moist will simulate a burrow and the spider will be more active and visible for your enjoyment. Misting is not condensation..it’s just wetting down the tank and will not last . Definitely not a substitute for humidity.

Care-tips-wintertime Tropical tarantulas must be kept in the mid to upper 80 degree range. Therefore making them susceptible to diseases and molting problems. Keep them in a heated microclimate if possible. Condensation should be visible on the sides of each container. The heated air that comes out of the vent in the wall or from a space heater is extremely dry. Keep a thermometer inside the enclosure and make sure it reads in the mid to upper 80 degree range..Tropical spiders may like it warmer and more humid and desert dwellers may like it a bit drier and cooler.. You can slow down the drying process by putting all of your tropical spider enclosures inside of a big tank(microclimate) with Styrofoam on top… A microclimate is much cheaper to operate and is a sure fire way to generate direct heat and humidity. . A heat pad on the back of the tank may be necessary .Tropical tarantulas have evolved the ability to get rid of water and heat from their bodies very quickly and have no way of retaining it , therefore we must compensate for the very dry heated air that comes out of the vent or from a space heater. Desert dwellers might brumate or even hibernate during mid winter rarely take food during this time.. Desert living species should have condensation as well because that’s the way the burrow is in the wild. Misting is not condensation..it’s just wetting down the tank and will not last . Definitely not a substitute for humidity.

Cleaning The best way to clean out a tank or enclosure is with vinegar and water mixture(1 part vinegar/10 parts water)...This mixture has been used for a long time and is still used today.. to remove any bacteria and germs from fish tanks,bird cups,cages and general use for all types of animals.. Zoos and veterinarians will use this mixture in huge quantities...There may be other cleaning products, but i have never had any problem at all . It has been an old school way to clean safely with out any residual effects to the animal enclosures its used on.   Let dry in the sun as sunshine also kills bacteria.

Cocoa Fiber Cocoa fiber is a brick of compacted coconut tree stalks. It is ground to a fine mulch. It looks like dirt and holds water very well and is resistant to mold and fungus. This is recommended for all tarantulas.. I mix it 50/50 with vermiculite. First open the package and soak in about a gallon of warm water. After it absorbs the water ,break it up and it’s ready for use.

Communal tank set up Tarantulas can be cannibalistic.Some more so than others.... but the trick is to create enough hiding places using decorations such as broad plastic leaves,branches,cork bark in a big enough tank so that they can all(same species) have their own space. Feeding will need to be done in a plentiful manner. Once they realize that they are cohabiting in there together ,they will tolerate each other.. For a communal set up of 3-5 Avicularia braunshauseni (1-1.5 in) ...I would recommend a 5 gallon tank . Not all tarantulas can be kept communally.

Containers Containers of all different kinds are available. For slings,I like these. For adults I use 2 -3 gallon plastic tubs or reptile tanks or aquariums.

Cooling by Evaporation Do not use a container or tank with holes in the top because the heat will escape and suck all the humidity out with it causing the “cooling by evaporation effect”. This problem is especially common in winter months because that’s when central air heaters in your home kick in and or space heaters are used..The extremely dry air coming from the wall vent or space heater complicates things even worse.. The best thing to use is ….plastic containers with small holes in the sides so condensation builds up.. The use of a micro-climate or a direct heat source will add additional stabilization to the air surrounding the tarantulas living environment. If you find that you have to mist the tank, then reduce the number of holes..Misting accelerates the “cooling by evaporation effect”.

Create a Microclimate Multiple Enclosures Put the heat tape in the inside back for maximum heating or on the outside back for less heating. Locate the enclosures closer or farther away from the heat tape or reptile heat pad as necessary to maintain correct temperature.Temperature should be about 80-84 degrees. Cover the top with styrofoam to lock in the heat and humidity. Back off the styrofoam a little to reduce heat to the desired level if necessary.Keep the substrate moist at all times. Use a thermometer placed inside the enclosure with the spider to determine the actual body temperature of the spider. A common mistake is to assume that the spiders body is the same temperature as the air in the room. It will usually be cooler.

CRICKETS AS A FOOD SOURCE- Crickets are the most common food item fed to tarantulas. Make sure your crickets are kept clean , well fed and hydrated before feeding them to your spider. An unhealthy starving, dehydrated cricket can do more harm than good. If your crickets are starving or dehydrated ,it can actually chew a hole in your tarantulas body as it seeks nutrition, thus killing your pet.Feed your spider as many crickets as it wants a couple times per week. Do not leave any crickets in the tarantularium with your spider uneaten. Simply put the cricket back into the cricket container for later use. Use oranges to hydrate your crickets .In turn your tarantula will become well hydrated as it eats the crickets. Feed your crickets vitaminized fish flakes and in turn your spider will receive the vitamins as it feeds on the crickets. Keep your crickets clean. Dirty crickets can bring mold ,fungus and mites into the tarantularium that might make your spider sick. A happy cricket makes a happy tarantula.

Crickets can be dangerous if left in the enclosure when the tarantula is “off food”. When a tarantula is full or preparing to molt ,it will not eat. A hungry cricket, will chew on your spider and possibly kill it. If your spider does not eat the cricket within a few minutes of contact, then remove it immediately. Do not let a cricket stay inside the enclosure with the spider . You may end up with a dead tarantula and a fat cricket. Do not throw handfuls of crickets inside the spiders enclosure. Feed one or two at a time until it gets full.. Remove any uneaten crickets.

Cross Breeding Hybridization or Cross breeding is a practice that is not recommended and frowned upon because it creates an impure gene pool. Some species within the same genus will cross breed but the chances of cannibalism is high and there will be no profit from the babies. Few people will buy them ,if any. There is a high risk in many ways and nothing good can come from it.. It’s best to respect the tarantulas the way they are .

Desert Dwellers Desert living types of Tarantulas are primarily found in North America and Africa . Terrestrial species should be kept in an environment that will allow them to burrow. They do this seeking moisture and relief from heat or cold . Do not keep them totally dry. Some can burrow up to 6 feet deep. Many North American species hibernate or brumate during winter months and can refuse to eat or even move. In the spring they become active again and quickly molt their skin and begin to eat readily. During summer months I keep mine about 80 degrees with some moisture in the substrate and moist burrow to hide in. During winter, I let them cool down in preparation for breeding . If you are not going to breed yours, there is no need to cool them down. Just continue to keep it at 80 degrees with some moisture. A common mistake is assuming that desert living tarantulas like it dry . I found that by keeping some moisture in the substrate, the spider can molt , feed and continue to grow properly.

Digital Thermometer It’s best to use a digital temp/humidity gauge .. it will show the daytime high and night time low.. as well as humidity.. it also has a probe so you can get the most accurate readings as possible.

Divided tank Do not keep two tarantulas in a divided tank with a common lid. I think it's best if you house them in separate enclosures.. Keeping them in the same tank with a divider and common lid can be dangerous. One might slip over the top and get into the other ones section and eat the other one.

Do’s and Don’ts
1.DO keep your tarantulas at 78-84 degrees.
2.DO NOT let them get dry.
3.DO pour water into the substrate so that the relative humidity stays high.
4.DO put a thermometer inside the container to get the accurate temperature reading.
5.DO NOT assume that a thermometer on the wall is the same temperature as the spider. Chances are the spider is much colder .
6.DO remember that air conditioners put out extremely cold air .When this refrigerated air hits the moist tarantulas container ,it causes a super cooling effect. The tarantulas body temperature could be as much as 20 degrees colder than what the thermometer on the wall is indicating. This costly mistake is the most common reason for death.
7.DO NOT keep your spider in a room with air conditioning.
8.DO keep your spider in a hot , humid room.
9.DO NOT mist the tank as it gives you a false sense that the environment is humid. If you have to mist the container ,then that is an indication that osmosis is not taking place. Instead, increase the temperature and pour water directly into the substrate,cover the top .This will create osmosis condensation and a higher relative humidity. Misting just makes the inside of the container wet and does nothing to help hydrate the spider. Condensation indicates that the spider is receiving water from the high relative humidity in the air.
10.DO make sure the substrate stays moist.
11.Do look for condensation inside the container.
12.DO remember that a tarantulas body is designed to get rid of heat and water quickly. Most come from equatorial areas where the biggest problem is too much heat and too much rain (aka the jungle). They have evolved to cool down quickly and dry out . They heat up slowly .
13.DO NOT assume that your spider is too moist or too hot. They can be found living naturally in temperatures of 100 degrees or more and come from areas where extremely high humidity is common.
14.DO remember that a cool ,dry climate is what kills tarantulas fastest.
15.Do keep your tarantulas warm and moist .Not cool and dry.
16.DO acclimate your spiders to their new home by keeping them in mid 80 degree temperatures and moist substrate.
17.DO make sure to feed one cricket at a time to ensure that your spider is not made nervous by too many crickets in the cage all at once.
18.DO NOT use any kind of wood inside the enclosure as it can grow toxic mold.
18.DO keep in mind that terrestrial species burrow in order to keep their bodies hydrated .They may come from a climate that is arid, but underground it is humid ,like a cave.
19.DO NOT leave uneaten food items such as crickets inside the tank for more than an hour. They can chew a hole in the body of the spider.
20.DO NOT use heat lights .They dry out the spider and the environment.
21.DO keep them in a heated cabinet.
22.DO make sure the container had some condensation build up on the inside. This will ensure that the spider is receiving water from the humid air surrounding it.
23.DO NOT use potting soil. It has nitrification factors and fertilizers in it. It can decompose and burn your spider ,grow mold and fungus as well as contain parasites.
24.DO use cocoa fiber (brick,aka bed-o-beast or eco earth) mixed with vermiculite for the substrate and keep moist by pouring water into it.
25.Do check for condensation in the inside of the container daily.
26.DO NOT poke holes in the top of the container .Instead poke holes on the side of the container .This will keep the humidity higher inside the container and keep the warm, moist air trapped inside.
27.DO keep your crickets properly fed and hydrated so the spider gets as much nutrition and water when it eats them.
28. DO keep your spiders in a heat controlled cabinet or warm room.

Dubia roaches can be an excellent food source. Keep them warm and clean,feed cat food and fruit. They reproduce very well.

Dyskinetic Syndrome Based on my own experience, this is my opinion of reasons why a tarantula might have Dyskinetic Syndrome(DKS). - DKS is a syndrome, meaning that there is no known cure or known reason why it happens, only speculative opinions . It has yet to be proven by science that it is a genetic problem or that it is contagious. My theory is that it may be caused by exposure to an insecticide. Typically insecticides are used in the manufacturing of peat moss ,potting soil ,walnut shell and many other materials commonly used for planting and gardening. For example, potting soil was being used as a substrate for a person keeping a reptile with no harmful effects even though there was insecticides in the soil. However ,his tarantulas were twitching and suffering for weeks until death occurred. The insecticides put into materials not designed for tarantulas are systemic and will cause nerve damage and dehydration to spiders. Once injested or exposed ,they will never leave the body. These chemicals or insecticides are not airborn , but more likely present in the substrate material. Every person that I have ever talked to about DKS has used a substrate material made for something else besides tarantulas. Another example is walnut shell bedding used for reptiles. This stuff is deadly. Walnut trees are sprayed routinely with systemic insecticides to prevent worms and beetles from eating the nut. After the walnuts are processed and shelled, the meat of the nut is sold as food for human consumption and the shells are sold as pet substrate and for other things. The insect killing poisons will remain to a degree on the shell. And can not be removed. Even though a spider is not an insect ,it can still die from many types of insecticides and therefore it is critical to never use any kind of substrate that is not 100% free from any type of insecticides. I use vermiculite only or cocoa fiber.

Egg Sac Tarantulas are oviparous. Their eggs hatch outside of their body. The female will produce a heavy sheet of webbing and lay her eggs and deposit the sperm on top of them. She will then wrap them up into and egg sac and continue to deposit large amounts of webbing onto it, forming it into a ball. She will rotate the sac frequently to allow the sperm to completely inseminate the eggs. The female tarantula will carry the egg sac in her mouth, guarding it until it is ready to hatch. Up to 2000 eggs can be laid by some types of tarantula.Some species such as Pternochilus murinus (OBT) make a hammock style egg sac and attach it to the side of the enclosure or onto a piece of cork bark.

Egg Sac Care I am old school when it comes to Egg Sac care and I prefer to let the mother Tarantula do the nurturing..I feel it is best because she knows more than me about her babies.. As long as you provide an environment that will allow the babies to thrive through the incubation period, then it stands to reason that she will be able to do the best job in her own enclosure that she is used to.... after all, they are her babies.. Some people like to take the egg sac from the mom and incubate it themselves.. This will require a lot of work , but it can be done.. Temperature should be 80-82 degrees , but can vary a little bit either way depending on species. There should be some moisture , but not in the vicinity of the egg sac. A mixture of nearly dry cocoa fiber and vermiculite is recommended. Do not feed the spider . Remove the water dish. Make sure the enclosure is clean and free of debris.

Ethics and Responsibility I have met the most professional, likable people in my long years of pet industry work. I have also seen unrespectable, bad and just plain wrong things as well. In a effort to push Tarantula keeping into mainstream format, I implore you to behave in the most respectable, professional manner. This goes for sellers and buyers alike,myself included. We must maintain and conduct ourselves as professionals so that this hobby can be enjoyed by future generations. Please..Please..Please.. Do not slander, discredit, lie, steal or do anything that will cause a shadow of negativity on our beloved hobby. We are already at a disadvantage because of the stereotyping that goes on every day in movies and media. This hobby is not yours, not mine , but “OURS”.As a whole we must communicate and help each other to become the best we can be.

External parasites Imported tarantulas can carry external parasites. Mites,lice and flies can be found on tarantulas found in most import houses. This is because typically they are kept in less than clean conditions…It is important that you find out if your tarantula has been imported and if so, make sure to quarantine it away from your collection . External parasites can be difficult to get rid of if they manage to get into your collection. A few weeks after it sheds it’s skin ,it should be relatively safe to introduce to your collection .

FLIES Those pesky little flies that get into the spiders tank are called “scuttle-flies”. They are attracted to decaying food remnants that the tarantula leaves behind after feeding. These little flies are similar to fruit flies , but hop or scuttle around, instead of flying. The fly eggs will hatch within 48 hours and maggots emerge to begin feeding on anything, including your spider. Cleanliness is the only way to keep these scuttle-flies from taking over . Remove the uneaten exoskeletons and body parts from crickets and any other food items and check for fly eggs and maggots whenever it’s time to feed or even on a daily basis.. Use a sticky fly strip placed above or near the enclosure with a piece of cricket on it to help catch any flies buzzing around .

FUNGUS Fungus can grow on your tarantula and will kill it in a few days. Do not use wood or paper products in your tarantularium. If fungus starts to grow on your spider, clean out the entire environment and treat the spider with anti fungal foot fungus cream(miconazole 1%). Spread it lightly on the afflicted area with a q-tip and keep warm and less humid than usual. Re apply in a few days if necessary.

Feeding Larger Tarantulas; Do not leave uneaten food items such as crickets or mice alone with your spider. They can be easily injured by a fearful or hungry food item. Always gut load your crickets or roaches before feeding them to your spider as this provides a healthier ,more complete meal. Roaches will typically not injure the spider if left alone for periods of time inside the tarantulas enclosure, but they can hide or burrow making it harder for the spider to locate.Remove any uneaten body parts as they can cause mold or fungus.

Feeding Spiderlings Sometimes tiny spiderlings are too small to feed on small crickets. Just cut a small cricket in half and offer it to the baby spider. Remove the uneaten portion of the cricket the following day. Do not offer crickets that are too large as they can bite the legs off the spiderling. Do not offer insects from outdoors.

Feeding Spiderlings 2 Never leave an uneaten alive cricket inside with a spiderling. The cricket might chew on the baby spider in the middle of the night resulting in possible death. Feed your new spiderlings crickets that are about the size of the abdomen . If the spiderling can not overpower the food item easily,it may not eat it and or become injured by the cricket during its attempt to kill it. If tiny crickets are not available,you can cut the cricket in half and the baby spider usually will feed on the carcass. Remove any uneaten cricket parts the next day to prevent mold and fungus from growing. Be sure to gut load your crickets prior to feeding.

Gauges Gauges for measuring temperature and humidity levels are very important, because if the spider gets too cold or too dry, it can have complications molting or consuming food. Tarantulas are endothermic and do not have the ability to regulate their body temperature like a mammal . Tropical tarantulas have little or no ability to retain water so they dehydrate easily. Be sure to use high quality gauges for the most accurate readings.

HEAT TAPE Heat tape is typically used in colder northern areas of the United States to keep the plumbing from freezing during winter. It is easily adapted for use in keeping tarantulas and other animals. You can order it from www.helixcontrols.com. It is available in different widths and wattages. I use them inside my cabinets to heat them in an economical manner. The heat tape can be used in a strip across a shelf and tanks placed on top. It can be cut to different lengths to fit just about any application.

HEATING keeping tarantulas warm: Do not use a heat light. It will dry out the tank and kill your spider. If you have a 10 gallon aquarium, use a small under tank reptile heat pad on the back or bottom of the tank. Put a piece of Styrofoam across the majority of the top. This will help retain the heat and humidity. Do not use space heaters as they also dry out the air and cause fungus to grow ,not to mention that they are very expensive and dangerous to keep running. Use a thermometer to help you regulate the heat. If you have a lot of spiderlings just put them all inside the heated tank or cabinet ,leaving them in their small homes. Basically ,what you are making is a hot box.

How big of habitat does my spider need: Keep your spiderling in a container that is big enough to provide room to build a full size web..for instance , a 1 inch pink toe or a Red knee should have a cage that is about 6 x 6 x 6 and a 4inch adult pink toe should have a cage that is about the size of a 10 gallon tank.. Use plenty of plastic plants and cork bark for climbing for the pink toe and use plenty of substrate for the Red Knee.

Handling I do not recommend handling any tarantula. Some may be more docile than others, but there is always going to a chance of biting or hair flicking. Many tarantulas will rely on their colors as a defensive strategy and may appear to be calm ,but in an instant they can run ,bite or both faster than they can be removed from your hand. It may climb inside your clothes and continue to bite. Old world tarantulas generally bite much more readily. Venom can be painful. The hairs on new world tarantulas will make your skin itch quite a bit. Keeping tarantulas is fascinating ,but let there be no mistake..they are wild animals so please be careful.While there are no concrete reports of anyone being killed by a tarantula bite, the risk of anaphylactic shock is a possibility. The hairs can irritate your eyes and soft skin parts of your body,not to mention that if it falls from your hands, it could die.. Some species are docile enough to handle and some will bite readily. Be sure you know what type of tarantula you are dealing with if you decide to handle one.

Heat Lights Heat lights are a big NO NO !!…They will dry out the tank and the tarantula..essentially cooking it.. The idea is to create heat from the bottom up so the substrate gets warm,thus surrounding the spider with warm soil and air..Not only will heat lights burn and dehydrate the spider, but the rising heat will pull all the moisture out of the tank. A heated cabinet ,instead of heat lights is highly recommended.

Hide outs I do not use wooden hide logs. They will mold and grow fungus that will kill your spider. Instead make a hide out from a large plastic cup. Any color will work. Just cut it in half and cut the bottom off. Plastic will not grow anything on it and is easy to clean.

Hissing Some of the larger spiders make a hissing sound(also known as Stridulation).. It is not actually hissing, because they don't have lungs like a mammal ,but rather the rubbing of the stiff combs inside their mouth. It's kind of like rubbing the teeth on a hair comb..Very intimidating.. King Baboons are especially known for this... It is a defensive warning mechanism telling you that they are afraid and will bite if provoked.

Humidity Misting just makes water drops on the sides and gives a false sense of humidity.. also causing rapid evaporation ,resulting in further cooling.. most tarantulas have no ability to smell water and if the tank is humid and the crickets are gutloaded, there should be no need for a water dish.. but i understand if you want to put one in there.. if you notice that the spider is always in the water dish, then its not humid enough.

INCUBATOR How to make Start off by obtaining a few pieces of 1inch thick plywood . Cut to size. My incubator is 4 x 4 x 2 .Glue and screw it together. Make a door of the same material. (Basically you are making a big wooden box)Use a good latch to keep the door shut tightly. Next, line the entire box including the door with 1inch Styrofoam. Put a heat source such as heat tape,heat pad or ceramic heating element and a fan inside. The fan is needed to push the warm air around inside so there will be no heat pockets. Put metal shelving inside. Use a thermoregulation unit such as a helix controller to keep the temperature constant. Set it at about 80-84 degrees. Check or rotate eggs every day.

Instar Tarantulas shed their skin like a snake or lizard. Each stage of growth is called an “instar” . Baby tarantulas shed into the first instar while still inside the egg sac. Followed by the second instar after or during the hatching process. Third, forth,fifth etc… instars are usually about 4-6 weeks apart and will occur less frequently as the spider grows.

Itching Tarantula hairs can make you itch..Like little harpoons, they go in ,but do not come out..The more you scratch at them the more they will itch.. This is a defensive mechanism typically seen on new world terrestrial tarantulas.. They will kick the hairs off the abdomen and into the air..The hairs can cause itching, nose,eye and mouth irritation . Do not handle Tarantulas that flick hair.

KEEPING SPIDERLINGS WARM: It is BEST that spiderlings be kept in a regulated environment. That is not to say that they wont live in a tank without a heat source ,but the temperature swings that occur could cause your babies significant problems with feeding, molting and stress and could result in death. After all , they incubate at 84 degrees and being babies,I find it a more natural temperature to keep them at 84 . I just really think its best if they are put into an environment such as a cabinet with a heat source. That is how I do it.

Keeping spiderlings: Keep them the same way as you would an adult of the same species. I keep my spiderlings in properly sized containers with moist substrate and plastic leaves and branches for hiding and webbing. Put the air holes in the sides of the container because it keeps the heat and humidity in better. Spiderlings should be kept warm at all times ,usually in the mid 80 degree range. Condensation should be present so the baby spider does not become dehydrated. Keep them in a dimly lit area because they don’t like bright lights. A heated cabinet or a micro-climate works very well for maintaining heat and humidity. Feed your spiderlings crickets or roaches that will be easily overpowered . If the spider refuses to eat ,remove the food item within an hour. Do not leave crickets in the cage overnight as they can chew on the spider and possibly injure or kill it. Keep track of the molt and feeding dates to help you monitor progress.

Kritter Keepers Kritter Keepers I don’t like Kritter keepers much as they have too many vents in the lid. This makes it hard to keep humidity and heat inside the enclosure. A container with a few holes punched in the sides and a solid lid keeps the spider much more comfortable. A Kritter keepers can be used inside a heated micro-climate with much less problems.

Live Plants Live plants look great inside the tarantularium, but can cause problems if they are not maintained. I have found that they die because of lack of sun or lack of water, nutrients etc, causing flies or going rotten and become stinky.. Also, many live plants are toxic.. so if the crickets you are feeding to the spider eat a toxic portion of the plant and the tarantula eats it, then it could cause the death of your spider. I would rather use plastic plants.. it just makes things so much easier.. and easier to keep clean too.

Lost Tarantula If your Tarantulas manages to escape from its enclosure ,be careful where you step. It may be right at your feet. Usually they dont venture too far from the enclosure. Use a powerful flashlight to check all the nooks and crannies within a few feet of the tank. Extend the search in a progressive manner and hopefully you will find it quickly. At night ,check on the walls and ceiling as they are nocturnal and will venture out from their hiding place.

MOLD Mold and Fungus will form on any inert material such as wood,moss,sponge,bark,tree branches,dead crickets or other decaying food items. If you are having a problem with MOLD or FUNGUS,remove everything from the tank and clean it with water and vinegar(10 parts water=1 part vinegar). Replace the old substrate with vermiculite and use only plastic decorations. Cork bark is the most resistant of any inert material that I have used ,but eventually it will grow mold too. Mold and Fungus will grow on the body of your spider and kill it. I only use plastic decorations.  The problem of Mold and Fungus comes with keeping tropical spiders in general.. Only use plastics for decorations.. and lastly mix more vermiculite with the cocoa fiber.. All these things will reduce the growth of mold and fungus..but not forever.

MOLTING 2 Spiders shed or moult their skin like a snake. They will refuse to eat and move very little and have a dark abdomen for 3-4 days while in pre-moult condition. Do not handle your spider if you know it’s going to moult as you can injure it easily .Tarantulas will spin a thick web ,like a sheet and lay on its back. It is not dead. Molting usually takes place at night. Make sure to keep warm and moist during this process. Offer food about 3 days after the molting process is completed. Some larger species of tarantula can go for months without eating while in pre-molt condition. Any missing legs will re-grow and injuries will heal upon molting.

Mature Male Tarantulas When mature, in the final stage of life, will typically not eat or eat very little. Having a one track mind, their only goal is to breed. Because they will soon die of old age, they wander around in search of a female to mate with . Their instinct to mate is stronger than the instinct to feed.. Most develop hooks on the inside of their front legs so they can hold the females fangs in position while breeding occurs. After mating he will be lucky to escape without being eaten by the female.. This will likely be the last nourishment for her until her egg sac hatches several months later.

Misting I do not use a spray bottle for any of my spiders. If set up correctly ,condensation will form on it’s own. Just keep the substrate moist (or part of)and use a container with a solid lid. Air holes put into the sides of the container will still allow the spider to breathe normally and the solid lid will help trap moisture and heat from escaping through the top. Condensation will form naturally if kept in this manner resulting in a healthier spider that can shed easily.

Mites Grain Mites... commonly come in with crickets... and will attack the spider when it sheds its skin..but don't normally live on the spider itself..Grain mites will also eat left over debris and bolis and uneaten cricket parts..There are however other types of mites that live on the spider that should be avoided as well.. You can help eradicate mites using good cleaning techniques.

Molting –It’s not dead !! Tarantulas lay down a big patch of webbing to lay on and flip onto their backs in order to molt their skin.. IT"S NOT DEAD !! They have about a 4 hour window to come out of their skin.During this time they are vulnerable to attack from predators and parasites . Do not touch your spider while molting because their bodies haven't hardened up yet.The legs could bend or even break off.Death could result. Be sure to keep your spider warm and humid during the molting period.Dehydration is also a real possibility,so make sure to provide a humid environment while molting.Allow at least 48 hours for the spider to recover.Larger spiders can take longer.

My first Tarantula Selecting the right tarantula to start with is important because you want to have a good chance of success in keeping it alive and happy. A Guyana Pink Toe or most any pink toe is amongst the easiest to keep as well as a Rose Hair. Many of the Mexican species are good for starters as well. These species are less likely to bite but some can flick urticating hairs and live happily in the simplest of environments. A few inches of moist substrate ,a piece of cork bark ,water dish if needed and a plastic vine is pretty much all you need. Keep them warm and moist and feed them crickets a few times a week. Tarantulas are a very simple animal to keep as pets. I do not recommend handling spiderlings as they can drop off your hand and become injured. Once you get tarantula keeping dialed in, you will want another and another and another . Most of all ,just have fun!

Nematodes Nematodes are highly contagious. The infected specimen must be kept in isolation ..They will travel into your other spiders tanks and eventually kill everything you have if not eradicated...They typically invade the mouth area and chew on the inside mouth parts until they can access the inside of the body. The best way to remove them is with a stream of water directly into the mouth using a syringe or a spray bottle and must be repeated once a day or more.. Keep the spider on moist paper towels only. The cage or container must be cleaned out completely with soap and water or vinegar and water .Let it dry completely in the sun . Thoroughly clean out the isolation tank daily. It may take days or even weeks until the spider recovers...The chances of recovery are 50/50 at best.

Parasites Some types of Mites lay eggs inside the same hole they make to feed out of.. the mite eggs travel through the bloodstream inside the body. This is especially true with reptiles. A tarantula can look like it is free of mites and then one day.. boom... mites everywhere.  Just like a dog.. you can wash it so its flea free, but the eggs are still inside the body..waiting to hatch.. reptiles too.. Most parasites are this way.. its just the lifecycle of the parasite.. To make sure a REPTILE is parasite free , it needs to be treated routinely with Ivermectin or similar medication...Experienced keepers of reptiles de-worm wheather parasites are visible or not ,.. Problem with this it that Ivermectin kills spiders.. Horses,dogs cats,all mammals,birds,reptiles can be treated.. but spiders can not.. All we can do is keep the tarantulas environment clean to avoid mite infestation. Especially wild caught specimens.

Peat Moss Peat moss is not a good substrate to keep your spiders on. It is not designed for animal use. It will grow fungus very quickly and contains Pine bark and or Cedar bark chips. Both of which are toxic. These organic toxins can cause neurological problems resulting in death. Cocoa fiber(Eco-earth) is a much better substrate.

Potting soil is a no no.. the reason why I say this is because most have insecticides in it ,eggs of various harmful insects,fungus and mold spores ,as well as a high nitrite factor. This makes good potting soil, but the nitrates can cause necrosis of the tarantulas feet and the insecticides can kill your spider. These systemic insecticides may be the mystery element in Dyskinetic Syndrome. The insecticides are not likely to cause any damage to a human, but they are systemic in insects and arachnids and never leave the body and can take weeks to actually harm or kill a large spider.

Power feeding Power feeding is when you feed your tarantula daily ,as much as it will eat in order to make it grow faster. This is usually done in order to get the male to catch up to the size of the female for breeding purposes. It is unknown to me if it will actually shorten the life of the spider. However I would not recommend it.

Pre Molt When the spider is in pre molt.. It will have a large shiny dark abdomen..Moving very little and not eating.. Do not remove any webbing at this time.. Keep the temperatures and humidity at the correct levels. The spiders metabolic rate must be up so that it can escape the old exoskeleton in a timely manner..This is the most critical time in the spiders life.. If too cold or too dry,it will have complications resulting in possible death.

Condition Generally the abdomen will be black and there will be little movement from the spider prior to moult,as well as a blanket of webbing inside or near the burrow.. Also it will refuse to eat. Remove any uneaten crickets as they will chew on the spider. We want to eliminate the possibility of a disaster by  making sure the substrate is moist all the way through and the temperature stays in the mid to upper 80's throughout the night. I use a piece of styrofoam on top of the tank to lock in the heat and humidity. This way if it does molt,it will stand the best chance of completing it within the short window of time that it has to do so. If the temp is too cold and or the tank is too dry, then the skin will harden before it can get out of it.. thus causing death. This is the most common problem during winter .

Quarantine It is best to quarantine any new arrivals for at least 4 weeks before introducing them to your tarantula colony.. Even if you buy a spider from a friend or reputable dealer, quarantine is always recommended . Remember , anything can happen with live animals and even the cleanest of specimens can introduce unwanted bacteria, parasites ,fungus etc.

RECEIVING YOUR NEW SPIDER ACCLIMATING you new spider is key within the first 48 hours upon receiving it. Keep the new Tarantula in the mid 80 degree range. Do not let it get colder than 80 degrees . Make sure it has a humidified warm container with moist substrate to recover from the shipping process in. I keep my tarantulas in cabinets that are between 82-86 degrees with moist substrate and humidified environments. If you let your tarantula get too cold or too dry right away it is likely that the stress of the temperature and or humidity change will cause great stress and possible death. Keep the substrate moist. Feed only one cricket and make sure it eats it. Remove the cricket if the spider does not eat.

S.A.D.S. Sudden Avicularia Death Syndrome is not a defined disease.. It is a syndrome, meaning that no one really knows exactly why this happens…so there is much speculation on the subject.. My take on it is (1) Captive breeding siblings to one another can lead to genetically weak offspring.(2) Not all spiderlings survive in the wild , but in captivity even the weak ones are sold . (3)Most Avicularia species need to be kept above 82 degrees and very humid as babies and can die easily if not maintained properly.(4) I believe that inbreeding plays a major part in this mysterious syndrome.

SET-UP Arboreal First obtain a tank or container that is taller than it is long. Put about 3-4 inches of moist substrate material on the bottom. Then put a couple pieces of nice cork bark inside and decorate with leafy plastic vines etc.. Put the holes in the sides rather than in the top so the heated moist air does not escape. This type of set up is good for Pink Toes and other tree dwelling tarantulas.

SET UP: Terrestrial First obtain a tank or container that is longer than it is tall. Then put about 3-6inches of moist substrate material inside. Put some nice pieces of curved cork bark inside for a hide area . Decorate with leafy plastic vines etc..Put the air holes in the sides rather than in the top so the warm moist air does not escape. Provide a water dish if necessary.

SPACE HEATERS AND CENTRAL AIR: Be sure to keep your spiders in the mid 80 degree range 24 hours a day using a heated cabinet if possible. Space heaters and Central heat often proves to be inadequate during mid winter and can dry out the spider causing possible death. The temperature of the soil will often indicate the actual body temperature of the tarantula . The use of a heat pad on the bottom or back of the tank can be useful if used with a regulator. A 10 gallon tank can be converted into a "micro-climate" easily. A space heater will heat the air in the room ,but not the air in the tank and the soil will remain cold. the space heater dries out the air and condensation can not form.

SUBSTRATE-how to make: Mix one brick of cocoa-fiber with about 1 gallon of water . Allow brick to absorb water for about ½ hour. Add about 5 cups of vermiculite and mix together. Add more water until it can be squeezed out of mixture.

Sand Sand is a No No for Tarantulas.DO NOT USE. Especially commercially produced silica sand will get into the joints of the spider and rub a hole in the skin. Like a rock in your shoe, it will irritate the spider until it becomes an open wound. The tiny grains of sand will cause desiccation and the leg might even fall off. Sand does not hold moisture and only causes harm to the spider. It is a common misconception to use sand for a tarantula. Cocoa fiber and or vermiculite will work much better for holding humidity and burrowing . Some desert living varieties of Tarantula come from sandy areas, but typically burrow underneath it and actually spend little time walking on it. Unless you actually go into the indigenous habitat and collect the earth, then I would recommend that you do not even mess with any kind of sand at all.

Screen Lid A screen lid is a no no.. the spider will get its legs or fangs caught in it and break them off.. This could result in death.. Also the heat will escape through the top and suck all the humidity out with it causing the “cooling by evaporation effect”. The best thing to use is ….plastic containers with small holes in the sides .

Sexing Tarantulas Determining gender can be easy if you know what to look for. The easiest way is to examine the inside of the freshly molted skin. On the inside of the abdomen, between the book lungs is the vent or cloaca. Look for a little flap of skin resembling an inside out pocket. This is a female. This is where the female tarantula holds the sperm from the male after mating until she is ready to use it. Males do not have this flap of skin. Mature males have hooks on the front legs. They use them to hold the females fangs back while mating. Sexing can also be done by looking at the vent from the outside or “ventrally” on tarantulas as young as 5th instar ,but this method is not always accurate. Look for the vent to be covered in hair and larger and wider and slightly raised on the females. The males will have a small vent and usually fairly hairless. Males also are smaller bodied and have longer legs. Sexing baby tarantulas is virtually impossible but females grow slower so it stands to reason that if you are looking through a bunch of the same species of baby spiders ,then the smaller ones are more likely to be female.

Sperm web If you have a Mature Male Tarantula, you may notice a “sperm web”. The male tarantula lays down a thick patch of web and then deposits sperm into it. He then wraps it up and carries it around with him in his pedipalps. When he meets a female ,he will deposit this sperm web into her furrow (or vent). When mating is complete ,he will run away hoping not to be eaten. A few days later he will make a new sperm web in hopes he can repeat the process with another female.

Sponges Do not use sponges as they can cause death to your tarantula if used for anything other than transport….Importers typically use sponges to keep tarantulas humid and also provide water temporarily until they reach the United States. However I do not recommend using sponges for the purposes of hydration on a permanent basis. The reason for this is because mold and fungus grows very easily on this medium. Furthermore, scuttle flies will lay eggs in the sponge . The tarantula will try to get a drink of water from the sponge and get a mouthful of mold, fungus and maggots instead… Definitely not good. A simple water bowl for terrestrials will work fine and arboreals will need treetop water dish and or higher humidity and properly hydrated crickets.

TARANTULA CARE SHEET 1. HUMIDITY :No tarantula should be kept totally dry.Most tarantulas come from tropical environment .Tarantulas need moisture to survive.Many tropical species need a humidity factor of above 80 %. Pour water into the substrate as spraying them makes most tarantulas nervous . The humidity factor will remain high for a longer period of time if the substrate is moist. Be sure to use a water dish for larger spiders. Use a container with a solid lid to help lock in the humidity and retain heat. Vent holes that are close-able on the sides are best. 2. TEMPERTURE : Tarantulas ,like all arthropods are cold blooded and are dependant on the surrounding air temperatures to regulate their body.Most tarantulas should be kept between 82-88 degrees. Try to use heat pads instead of heat lamps or space heaters .It may cause severe dryness.Covering the top of the cage with styrafoam may be necessary to keep the heat and humidity in during colder winter months. 3. SHEDDING: Tarantulas have an exoskeleton that sheds to allow growth.Feeding usually stopes a few days to a month prior to shedding.If you see your tarantula lying on its back,do not touch it ,it’s about to shed its skin.IT’S NOT DEAD. 4. CONTAINER SIZE: Tarantulas do not require a lot of walking around room. Too much room makes it difficult for them to locate the food items. This is especially true for spiderlings.The best substrate for nearly all tarantulas is cocoa-fiber mixed with vermiculite. 5. LIGHTING: Virtually all theraphosid spiders are nocturnal.They do not require bright light lighting and do best in dimley lit rooms. Do not expose them to direct sunlight for more than a few minuites at a time as they can become dehydrated quickly. 6. FEEDING: When feeding , be sure to introduce items singely. This will keep the spider from feeling overpowered and stressed out by the remaining uneaten food items. Care should be exercised to remove any uneaten food items or left overs to avoid parasite problems. Fungus , mold mites and lice are all caused by a dirty tarantularium.Excess live crickets left in the cage can result in your tatantula being eaten alive . 7. Cleaning: Always keep your tarantularium clean and free of discarded or half eaten food items.

Urticating Hairs Many tarantulas will flick hairs into the air when threatened. They do this as a natural defense mechanism. These hairs are like tiny harpoons. They irritate your skin like fiberglass and can cause serious irritation to a persons eyes and other parts of the body. If I have skin irritation from these hairs ,I will use sand paper to remove the top layer of skin where the fine hairs are stuck. Duct tape can be used as well to try to pull out the hairs, but in most cases the hairs will just have to wear off. This can take several hours to several days. The more you scratch, the more you will itch. Sometimes they kick the hairs off when handled or if crickets are left in the cage with them ...it will re grow upon the next molt.. be sure to remove any uneaten crickets as they will chew on the spider and also cause additional hair flicking.

VERMICULITE Also known as Iron Pyrite(fools gold) heated until it fuffs up will help prevent mold ,fungus and retain humidity. Commonly used with potting soil for house plants ,it will keep your tarantularium cleaner and humidified. It’s available at most garden centers and very inexpensive. I use it with every tarantula set-up I have. Just mix 50/50 with substrate material and moisten to touch .Also used for the incubation of reptile eggs.

Venom glands Tarantulas produce Venom, not poison…This venom is an accelerated digestive enzyme that allows them to eat..Without it they will die… This venom can also be used as a defensive tool to ward off predators. However there has never been any reports of human death due to tarantula bite. Some tarantulas will readily bite causing pain and discomfort to the aggressor but are reluctant to inject venom because it takes them quite a while to reproduce it, thus causing the inability to digest food until the venom gland resupplies itself.

Tarantulas will use a water dish ,but many have to take time to figure out that water is available. It’s been my experience that many species of tarantula can not smell water ,therefore one should never assume that just because there is a water dish in the tank that the spider will automatically find it and use it. Arborial species do not venture onto the jungle floor looking for standing water. They simply have evolved the ability to remain hydrated in a humid atmosphere. The tropical jungles of the world are extremely hot and rain occurs almost daily. The equatorial tarantulas that inhabit these jungles actually have evolved the ability to get rid of body heat and water at a faster rate in which they can retain it. These tropical species will not usually seek out standing water nor will they survive in captivity without proper humidity and heat. Never assume your tarantula automatically knows that water is available ,especially newly acquired ones. A microclimate is useful in this case(see making a micro-climate in the care tips section of this website). Many of the North American species are the opposite. They have evolved the ability to smell water and can survive for long periods of time without heat or water. It’s important to know the habitat in which your spider is indigenous to. Some condensation should be visible in the inside of every tarantularium.