any info on tarantula care?

[Sharlynn93]

My daughter wants a tarantula for Christmas...does anyone have any first hand info on care? I have been reading up on it, but see a lot of conflicting information...I am pretty certain it will be a rose hair, just because they are the most docile of the tarantulas...

[Hurrok]

Definitely go for a rose hair, they are pretty docile and are really easy to take care of.

We got ours as a young sling and we had her in a small tuberware container with coconut substrate and a little bottle cap as a water dish. Now that she's over a year old we have her in a 10 gallon tank with a metal mesh lid so that she doesn't get out (they can climb glass), with some sticks and a thick layer of coconut substrate again (they will burrow). No added heat is really necessary but we do have a heat lamp for cold nights during the winter just in case. Just don't put it near a window where it will get too cold as these guys are desert arachnids.

As for food, we feed her mealworms or crickets 2-3 times a week (1 per offering). Although these guys can cut back on food for months at a time as well which is nothing to worry about. Especially common when they are going to molt. As for water, make sure you get a dish that isn't too deep as they have the possibility of getting stuck and drowning.

I'm sure there are other tarantula owners here that can input anything else :)

[Starbuck]

Tarantulas are very easy to take care of, and all have pretty standard care. The smaller (younger) the are, the more sensitive they can be to low humidity and other stressors. Once they are past about 2 inches in body length (for most species) they are very hardy.
I keep mine in 10 gallon, screen tops (you want metal screen, NOT the fine mesh, as their fangs and claws can get stuck and break in the mesh). I keep mine on about an inch of cocohusk, with some bark hides. I mist maybe once a week, and about once a month add a good drench to the soil. I feed mine crickets once a week/every other week, up to 10 crux/feeding, though mine are large adults. They will kill and wrap up the excess crickets and eat them throughout the day. If you feed more frequently than once/week (which is totally fine), do offer fewer prey items, and any prey items that aren't killed in the first 12 hours remove.
When mine was young it molted about once every other month or so, getting more infrequent as it aged. Males will only live 1-3 years after reaching adulthood, while females may live to be over 15yrs old. You cannot sex them until they are about 2 inches in body length.

As for species, i prefer the brachypelmas; rose hairs, flame legs, etc, i personally don't like the arboreal ones very much. You can't really go wrong, they make great pets :)

[Sharlynn93]

thanks so much! she hates snakes (and i really don't like spiders) so this is my compromise to her for me having snakes...lol...although I almost held one the other day, if I hadn't had a ball python in my hands at the time I would have...the workers at petco had one out showing it to a guy (he ended up getting it or it would have been put on hold for me until I got a set-up ready)...it was pretty awesome and very docile...

[smoothie4l]

Everything I was about to say has already been said :P
But I REALLY recommend you take a look at the "Tarantulas keepers guide" it's an amazing read that covers everything and it especially helps with debunking myths that pet stores can pass around~!

I'd look into a Brachypelma Albopilosum ( Honduran curlyhair tarantula ) rather than a rose hair just because rose hairs sometimes have sometimes iffy personality's and often take hunger strikes which can be stressful to the owner..
All Brachypelmas are pretty good curly hair's are just the first one that came to mind ^W^

[Sharlynn93]

I will look into those...but we are in a pretty rural area with limited selection...it's actually not often you find different species...even with the snakes its usually limited to ball pythons and red tail boas around here...

[smoothie4l]

I will look into those...but we are in a pretty rural area with limited selection...it's actually not often you find different species...even with the snakes its usually limited to ball pythons and red tail boas around here...

I know that feeling...
Well just do some research and if you find a specific species you want a good place to get tarantulas is a convention and even buying a tarantula online and having it shipped to you is always a option~!
I'm Canadian so I can't tell you all my favorites but "Ken the Bug Guy" ships all over the states and has a HUGE selection, good prices, and good reviews~!
You can do a google search for him and it's the first site.

[Sharlynn93]

isn't it too cold to ship live animals? hubby was wondering that too because he has been eyeballing a few of the baby snakes we see online, but he is afraid its too cold to ship them...

[smoothie4l]

*shrugs*
Yeah I guess you've got a point there... I've seen it done where they just strap a heat pack to the top of the box and put the spider in a box inside that box :P
Buttttt I'm only speaking as a person whose SEEN it done, I've never tried it myself..
Just keeping options open

[Sharlynn93]

i will see what I can find out :) if I cant make it happen for christmas, maybe for her bday in may, then...really hoping to do it now though, or i am at a loss as to what to get her...lol...she is 18 and hard to shop for...

[smoothie4l]

Best of luck to yah~! :D

[Starbuck]

shipping arthropods is a pretty common thing, they are packed securely and with the same attention to care as shipping a vertebrate (hopefully, if your supplier is any good…). Most of the online guys want to make a good name for themselves so will be very responsible in shipping etc. I would look around online with your daughter and pick one out together, there a lot of really pretty animals out there with similar personalities to rose hairs; skeleton legs, zebra legged, orange rumps, red rumps, golden kneed…. lots of possibilities to end up with a really stunning animal. Often if you are buying a larger animal from one of the private breeders online they can give you a good guess on sex as well.
best of luck! :)

[Sharlynn93]

thanks! :) one of our pet stores does get a few different ones in every now and then...maybe I can have them try and find one for me...shipping costs 2x the cost of a simple rose hair or curly hair...i will update when i find one :)

[drumcrush]

Try checking out Brazilian blacks. I know they're really docile too and who doesn't like the look of a pure black tarantula? :D

[DragonsEye]

...does anyone have any first hand info on care? I have been reading up on it, but see a lot of conflicting information...

Part of the conflict could come down to whether the materials you're reading are focused on various species. There are significant differences.

Definitely go for a rose hair, they are pretty docile and are really easy to take care of.

Generally speaking that is true. HOWEVER, as with any animal (or even people) there can be some significant variation across individuals. While all the G. rosea (rose hairs) I have personally had or come across have indeed been very docile, there are the occasional exceptions. I have chatted with a few folks here and there whose G. rosea apparently had not read the "manual" ... their Ts seemed to think they were Pterinochilus murinus (also known as orange baboon tarantulas or "OBTs" -- Orange Bitey Things). :p

We got ours as a young sling and we had her in a small tuberware container with coconut substrate and a little bottle cap as a water dish.
...and a thick layer of coconut substrate again (they will burrow).

Small slings do run a small risk of drowning if the waterdish is too deep. G. rosea slings will typically do fine with no water dish and just an occasional light misting of their enclosure once a week. If you do get a sling and chose to give it a bottle cap water dish, place a large pebble in the water dish of a size to still give the sling access to the water but no danger of not being able to get out. DO NOT use a sponge or those water crystals used for crickets. The T cannot get sufficient moisture from the crystals and sponges are nothing but breeding grounds for bacteria and fungi. A shallow saucer like those used for small plant pots work well as water dishes for the larger desert dwelling Ts.

As far as burrowing goes ... "may" burrow is more accurate. G. rosea are known for not doing what they are "supposed" to do. I have never had one burrow but supply a decent media depth in case it should get in the mood. I supply a hide but in the 15+ yrs I have had my girl, I would estimate she has spent less than 5% of that time in the hide. She has probably spent more time sitting on top of the hide than in it. But still, it is there if she wants it.


No added heat is really necessary but we do have a heat lamp for cold nights during the winter just in case. Just don't put it near a window where it will get too cold as these guys are desert arachnids..

As far as cold tolerance goes, while they are desert/scrubland dwellers, the temps in those regions does get cold -- down to 32F or lower sometimes. Now during such cold periods the Ts do hide in their burrows where it is warmer. While keeping the T's tank on windowsill or against a window would be ill advised, as long as you household temps don't drop below 55F or so you should have nothing to worry about. Mine sits in my bedroom which remains in the 60's (sometimes upper 50's) during the winter with no heat supplement and has no problem. During such cold times food and water intake will be little to non-existent for the T.

While on the general subject ... do not place the T's tank where the sun will shine on it. It is possible for the tank to overheat. Again while G. rosea is native to desert/scrublands, during the heat of a summer day they hide in their burrows where it is cooler. They don't venture out until dark.


Although these guys can cut back on food for months at a time as well which is nothing to worry about. Especially common when they are going to molt.

One of the disquieting things about G. rosea, is their tendency to go on spontaneous fasts lasting weeks or even months for no apparent reason. While this can be a sign of impending molt, sometimes they just "do it". Mine fasts from November through March or April. I chalk this up to what amounts to a winter dormancy period. Her longest fast was about 1yr. Keep in mind though that mine is over 15yrs old. Little slings -- especially if kept warmer year round -- typically only fast when a molt is due.

Do not attempt to feed the T for a week or two after a molt. It takes longer for their fangs to harden than the rest of the exoskeleton. The bigger and older the T, the longer it takes.

... and all have pretty standard care.

I would have to disagree with that statement. As with snakes or any group of animals, care requirements can vary considerably. That said, G. rosea are among the least demanding with regards to husbandry.

Males will only live 1-3 years after reaching adulthood, while females may live to be over 15yrs old. You cannot sex them until they are about 2 inches in body length.

Again, not quite true. Females do live considerably longer than males. How long each sex lives varies by species. Generally speaking, the slower growing species (like G. rosea and the Brachypelma) do live far longer than the faster growing species. Males of any species rarely last a year after reaching sexual maturity. A well taken care of female G. rosea will easily live over 15yrs barring mishap.

DO NOT count on the bozos typically hired by a petstore actually correctly sexing a T. Nor trust the company either.

Though I realize you essentially said you live in the "boondocks" ;), I'd still suggest you look around for a reptile show within a reasonable driving distance. Your family could make a day outing of the event -- especially if there is some other event or stores located in that town/city you'd enjoy hitting since your "in the neighborhood" any way. :D Often around Xmas time, the herp shows will have quite a good selection. Oh, and despite being a "reptile" show, many also have a goodly selection of arachnids like tarantulas as well. Just Google for reptile shows in your state (or if you are on a border, shows in that bordering state as well). Besides location and time/date info, many sites will also list the vendors that will be there. You can also contact the head of the local society organizing the show and inquire if there will be tarantula dealers there. Not only do shows tend to offer a much larger variety, the prices tend to be far better as well -- both on animals AND on supplies. (For example, the one I go to is about 40 minutes away. Even counting in gas and the $5 entrance fee, getting my supply of frozen feeder mice still costs me about HALF of what it would were I to get the same amount at a petstore.)

[Sharlynn93]

the closest reptile show is in MD (about 4-5 hrs from me) and i work that weekend..I won't be able to make it to one until June...your post was VERY informative, and I thank you for that information :) hopefully I can find one from a reliable source before Christmas, but if not, I will aim for her birthday :)

[DragonsEye]

Wow, that is a long drive. Too bad you don't have family out that way to visit. Then you could really make a vacation of it and let her pick out her own T. :)

[Sharlynn93]

family in VA but that is about as far the other direction...lol...we will figure something out :)

[Sharlynn93]

well, I went to the pet store today, and they had 2 rose hairs there...they both looked quite healthy, one was labeled as a female, the other was unknown...I took the female which was a little larger than the other one, because the manager said this one was very docile and the workers were able to handle it very easily...now, to try and keep it hidden until Christmas! ;)

[kelzerman]

I would be careful of what pet stores label as a female. I am sure it was not properly sexed.

[Sharlynn93]

any way that I can tell for sure? :(

[kelzerman]

send me a molt :) I can sex them or actually

You can go here and this is a sexing guide from another place I linger :)

American Tarantula Society Discussion Board • View topic - Sexing a tarantula (http://atshq.org/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14319&hilit=molt+sexing)

[dbank999]

I found this article about sexing tarantulas..

How to Determine the Sex of Your Tarantula: Rick C West - Birdspiders.com (http://www.birdspiders.com/faq_sex.php)

It is quite interesting but I did not read the whole thing as I am at work :rolleyes:


Disclaimer:
I do not support or affiliate with the author or webpage this article is hosted on; I merely found an article that looked like it would provide some helpful insight to the issue of the sex of the tarantula in question.

[Sharlynn93]

uh. lol. greek to me...i am also limited to looking at it through the plastic container...I don't care for spiders...i'm terrified to touch it...yet...lol

[kelzerman]

I found this article about sexing tarantulas..

How to Determine the Sex of Your Tarantula: Rick C West - Birdspiders.com (http://www.birdspiders.com/faq_sex.php)

It is quite interesting but I did not read the whole thing as I am at work :rolleyes:


Disclaimer:
I do not support or affiliate with the author or webpage this article is hosted on; I merely found an article that looked like it would provide some helpful insight to the issue of the sex of the tarantula in question.

That is a really difficult way to sex and is not 100% accurate. Sexing the molt is a definite answer. And I wouldn't suggest any rookie tarantula keeper to ever grab there T like that. lol

Plus it easier getting your hands on a molt and explore it. Use some soapy water to soften it up and some toothpicks. You can use them like chopsticks if you choose lol.

But it might be a fun thing to do for the two of you together. Nothing like digging around on the inside of the molt. :sorry:

[Sharlynn93]

sounds pretty cool...i know the molting process is one of the reasons she finds them so fascinating, so the first molt will certainly be an exciting thing for her :) idk how old this one is, its not small, so i am figuring its pretty close to being an adult...the body itself from back to front of its head is just shy of 3 inches...hard to tell leg span but seems to be about 5 inches front to back and 4 side to side...

[kelzerman]

yes sounds to me it is an adult. By this size the male would more than likely reach its "ultimate molt" and you would definitely know. He would have hooks on their fist pair of legs just above the metatarsus. He would also have bulbous pedipalps. slightly larger on the tips.

Hey whether its male or female who cares. You have no plans on breeding. Congratulations on your first tarantula. Watch out for the addiction. Hope she loves her new critter!!

[Sharlynn93]

i figured it was adult or close to it...probably why they labeled it female...
http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad187/Sharlynn_Sarnoski/20131218_134847_zps42fb3c78.jpg (http://s934.photobucket.com/user/Sharlynn_Sarnoski/media/20131218_134847_zps42fb3c78.jpg.html)

[kelzerman]

I would guess and say that is an adult female. She's a beauty!!!

[Sharlynn93]

She is pretty neat. I haven't gotten brave enough to touch her yet...lol

[kelzerman]

A little tip to test their temperament is to give them a stroke with a little paint brush on the abdomen and back legs if she doesn't turn around and get all pissy coax her onto your hand. They feel really cool when they walk on you.

[Sharlynn93]

I was told she was handled quite often at the store, she was kinda a store favorite :) she didnt bat an eye when I "shooed" her into her new enclosure...with a paint brush.. (I tried to read everything I could find before I got one)...she seems real sweet. Im gonna resist till Christmas so cynthia can hold her first :)

[kelzerman]

Welcome to the world of tarantulas. I hope you realize you will have about 10 more coming soon. It doesn't just stop at one. Lol

[Sharlynn93]

I don't know about that...lol...we will see ;)