Tarantulas as pets and how to care for them

Tarantulas have gained popularity as exotic and unusual pets within the past years. There's something cool about showing off your pet tarantula, isn’t there? But as with any pets, there are pros and cons to keeping tarantulas. Pet tarantulas are long-lived, easy to care for, and just Amazing creatures. On the other hand, tarantulas shouldn't be handled too often, and aren't all that active. Once you do decide you'd like to own a pet tarantula, you'll need to decide what kind to get. There are hundreds of types to choose from!

How To Build A Tarantula Terrarium

Enclosure

The best habitat for a tarantula would be a glass or plastic cage or tank. make sure there are absolutely no sharp edges or splinters! these could harm your tarantula.

The size of the tarrarium should be determined by the size and type of the tarantula. A young spiderling needs a smaller cage than an adult Tarantula and a Aboreal Tarantula needs a taller cage than a Terrestrial Tarantula.

Substrate

As far as bedding goese. these are my mixtures.

Aboreal: Crushed Coconut shell bedding mixed with dampend sphagnum moss (moss optional). Only need about an inch of bedding.

Terrestrial: Crushed Coconut shell mixed with Potting soil (optional and with no pesticides!) and a bit of damp sphagnum moss(optional but recomended). Put around 3 to 5 inches of bedding. Some terrestrial tarantlas do not burrow but they will make a round clearing.

Burrowing: Same as Terrestrial but with more potting soil. And put a good 4 to 6 inches of bedding in the tank to allow burrowing.

DO NOT USE WOOD CHIPS! THEY WILL SPLINTER YOUR TARANTULA AND POSSABLY KILL IT!

Hide Away / Heating Source

All Tarantulas like hide aways! Anything from a half log or coconut shell to half a flower pot (with no sharp edges) or rubber plants.

Tarantulas like High Temperatures and High Percentages of humidity. (make sure to look up what your species likes) To regulate the temperature in your Tarantulas tank you have a few options.

The easiest thing to do is just keep your home between 65-85 degrees. If that cant be done then there are other options.

Under Tank Heating Pads: These Pads stick to the bottom of your Tarantulas tank and are not removable. You plug them in and they will heat the tank. CAUTION these can get real hot and have the potential to burn your tarantula! If you use undertank heating I recomend you unplug it for a little while every day! this will keep the tank from getting too hot.

Heat Lamp: Heat lamps require special heat bulbs and can get extreamly hot! I do not recomend them but if you find your self using one, try to only use it for small periods of time.

Space Heater: I use a space heater myself and find it to be the best choice. I have it set to turn on for an hour every three hours. This works best along side a Humidifier. I keep my humidifier on for longer periods of time though.

Spraying a tarantulas tank or keeping a full water dish can provide enough humidity to keep a tarantula happy but when you have multiple Tarantulas a humidifier is the way to go.

other heating options that will work and do not cost any extra includes cable box's, they are always hot and will produce enough heat for a tarantula, human heating pads, old heater furnece, electric stove (pilot light will always produce heat) obviously you would move the tarantulas tank while cooking.

CAUTION!!!

Tarantulas can get burnt and die so always keep an eye on the temperature of their tank/cage.

if the tank gets to hot move it away from the heating source to cool down!

Some Examples

For young spiderlings a small deli cup works as a great home!

I add some sphagnum moss for a place to hide and some soft sand and soil mix to the bottom.

Burrowing Tarantulas will like more Moss while Aboreal Tarantulas would do better with less.

This is my A.Avic Tank it is tall with a rubber plant she can climb and plenty of water.

I add little pebbles to my Tarantulas water dish so they can easily climb through and not drown. shallow dishes do not need rocks but I still recomend them.

It is important to have a tight lock lid on your tarantulas tank. Even if it means using duct tape. My Avic kept getting loose so this is what I had to do!

This is one of my G.Rosea Tanks. she has a hidaway log and water bowl. the tank is also a little large for her. (another pic at top of page)

My young B.Smithi tank

She likes to Burrow so I have plenty of Bedding for her.

My Father and I built this Multi-Unit Tarantula tank. It will hold up to seven tarantulas at a time and has a heating system on the bottom along with a electric outlet and a storage compartment!

Food And Water

Tarantulas have a diet of crickets, roaches, mealworms, grasshoppers, pinky mice and sometimes small lizards. 

tarantulas do drink water so always keep a dish of fresh water in the tank. also a spritz of water around the tank is a good idea every now and then. 

If you have any other Questions please email me at Hughes1312@aim.com