TARANTULAS Info Sheet

Tarantulas are among the most feared of all the world’s 1 animals. But this fear is misplaced; many smaller spider species are far more dangerous. There are over 900 species of tarantulas distributed across the tropical, subtropical and warm temperate areas of the world. Most tarantula species are mildly venomous - there is not a single case of a tarantula bite causing a human fatality. Tarantulas come in all shapes, sizes and colours. The very biggest species are up to 30 cm across. Many of the large species of tarantulas can eat not just insects, but even birds. The bird-eating tarantulas of South America detect their avian prey by sensing vibrations in the ground. When prey is close, the spiders pounce on their victim, injecting it with venom using their two-centimetre-long fangs! In parts of Peru, there are local legends of similar spiders taking chickens! Like all spiders, tarantulas have eight legs and eight eyes (2 large round eyes close to the animal’s mouth parts, surrounded by 3 eyes on each side). Many species are covered with long hairs, and some tarantula species can flick the hairs at enemies when threatened. Many tarantulas have spinnerets at the base of the abdomen for spinning silk, and some species can also spin silk from the tips of their toes! Image 1: A Mexican red knee tarantula, Brachypelma smithi; Image 2: The Indian blue tarantula, Poecilotheria metallica; Image 3: The Chaco golden knee tarantula, Grammostola pulchripes.

2 3 Image 6:A Venezuelan greenbottle BlueChromatopelma cyaneopubescens. fire 5:AMexican legtarantula,BrachypelmaImage boehmei; tarantula, Acanthoscurria 4:ABraziliangiant whiteImage knee geniculata; How tokeepatarantula For more information, see the because tarantulas are fragile extremely andeasilyinjured. your tarantula, ofbeingbitten, notonlybecauseoftherisk but always keeponlyonetarantula ineach enclosure. Never hold without food for onemonth ormore. will eat around four prey items butcansurvive orsoeachweek, abdomen ofthetarantula that you are feeding. Adult tarantulas from your garden. Prey shouldbesmallerthanthesize ofthe your localreptile shop, orcockroaches, locustsandbeetles their habitat iswarmedandthere isacool zone to retreat to. should be placed of at one side of their enclosure so only part Heating caneasilybeachieved by usingaheat padwhich thehabitat orallowing mouldtosoaking develop. fewwaterenclosure days, every with chlorine-free but avoid essential to allow your Also, tarantula to drink. lightly spray the to allow your tarantula to climbandexplore itshabitat. wood pot plant, or tree some adding drift a compact branches ahollowed log,bark, aceramic plant potoravase. Consider Give your tarantula a daytime hiding spot; e.g. a large piece of coconut fibre, sphagnum moss, sterilised soil, compost, orpeat. lid. Glassorplasticfishtanks lockable work well. 30 cmlong, 30cmwideandtall, andpreferably witha for upto 20years incaptivity. anenclosure that isat least Select Wonderful Pets book. refer topagetarantula thefourteen chapter intheWeird and creatures. you If are interested in keeping tarantulas, please of theinformation required theseexquisite to lookafter The anddoesnotincludeall following isabriefsummary Tarantulas are territorial andwillcanabaliseoneanother, so Feed your tarantulas live prey, available suchascrickets from Tarantulas needrelatively warmconditions of22–30ºC. A small water water dish containing is 1 cm of chlorine-free Place into theenclosure a6-7cmdeeplayer ofvermiculite, Many tarantulas are easyto rear, andsomespeciescanlive to discover thebiology, ecology, diversity Buy theWeird Wonderful and Pets book www.weirdandwonderfulpets.com and how to keep tarantulas. To order your copy visit: Weird andWonderful Pets book. 6 5 4

TArantula INfo Sheet