How to care for a tarantula

So you just brought home a new 8-legged friend. And now that?. This article describes some of the basic concepts of caring for a tarantula as a pet. Follow these steps to have a great start with your strange pet . One of the best ways to care for your tarantula is knowing a little more about how you live in your natural habitat and how to reproduce this environment at home.

Investigate the tarantula

Many tarantulas have many different needs. Make sure you fully understand your nutrition, the temperature and humidity requirements your specific tarantula needs. Most tarantulas eat flies, crickets, small frogs, lizards and mice, depending on the size and species of the tarantula.

Find out where your tarantula normally lives. Some tarantulas live in trees where height is more important than land space. If you have a tarantula that lives on the ground, then it is more important that the tarantula has room to walk. Its native climate will also dictate the ideal temperature and humidity levels that the species needs.

Buy a suitable container for the tarantula

Make sure you use a fish tank that meets the needs of your tarantula. This will vary depending on the size and species of tarantula. Large plastic containers can be purchased at most pet stores. Fish tanks work well, as long as the lid is closed so that the tarantula can not escape. Tarantulas can scale the glass very easily. For a tarantula, a piece of glass is like an "irregular rocky wall" due to "hooks" on its pads / feet.Do not buy something too big, since a tarantula does not need much space.More space makes it easier For your prey (crickets and flies) hide or get away from the tarantula Make sure that the size is about twice the distance between the front and back legs of your pet It should also be three times the separation between the side legs, The tarantulas do not require a large surface to be happy in captivity.

The substrate for tarantulas

The substrate is the earth, the surface that the tarantula needs. It can be purchased at pet stores.

Place about 5 centimeters of substrate in the bottom of the container . This prevents the environment from becoming too dry and retains moisture. Some species of tarantulas are buried in the substrate. The depth of the substrate should not be less than the separation between the legs of your pet with the surface of the substrate, to the top of the container, to avoid injuries due to falls that can break your abdomen.

You can also mix the substrate with earth for organic pots. Just make sure that the land does not have fertilizers or rare chemicals.

Water source for the tarantula

The drinker can be bought at the pet store, or something as simple as a bottle cap.

It must be large enough so that the tarantula can submerge its fangs and drink. Never use sponges because they can have harmful bacteria in large quantities. The container does not have to be very deep.

Decorate according to specific needs

Tree-dwelling species will need branches and tall things to climb, while ground-dwelling species should be discouraged from climbing, as they could easily fall and injure themselves. Remember, the more you put, the more you have to clean ... and you'll have to clean the lair at some point. Some people decorate the interior with silk plants, leaves, etc., but it is not necessary and it is more a personal choice than a requirement for the habitat. A piece of floating wood bought in the store can be good. Remember, the simple is the best.

Shelter for the tarantula

It offers some kind of security for the tarantula in the form of a prefabricated burrow, or partially buries a small clay pot.

This will allow your pet to escape from the light and reduce its stress. Many tarantulas use burrows.

Food for the tarantula

Feeding is cheap and easy . All tarantulas are insectivorous, which means they feed on insects. They are also opportunists, some capable of subjecting small lizards, snakes, birds and mammals, like mice. Crickets are the most popular food, although some fans feed their tarantulas with cockroaches as well. Crickets can be purchased at most pet stores. Some cockroaches are able to raise the glass so it is advisable to learn how to keep them contained. Many people use a petroleum jelly ring around the top of the container, so the cockroaches can not cross the vaseline and escape, because they slip.