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ENCLOSURE
a) Cage setup
Tarantulas are
either arboreal or ground dwelling (burrowing).
- Arboreal tarantulas are quicker and more agile.
- Ground dwelling
tarantulas, in their natural habitat, live in silk-lined burrows
which they dig into the ground.
Ground dwelling tarantulas
need more surface area than height in their enclosure and
arboreal tarantulas need more height than floor area in their
enclosure. Your local pet shop should sell a range of different
enclosures suitable for
tarantulas.
b) Substrate
Peat is a great substrate to use
for tarantulas. It retains moisture and so helps to maintain humidity in
the enclosure.
For desert
dwelling tarantulas, if you want to more “natural” look, you could also use desert sand.
Both peat and desert sand should be sold at your local pet shop.
The layer of substrate should be
a few centimetres thick, particularly with ground-dwelling tarantulas as they live in
burrows in the wild. By having a thick layer of substrate, this
offers the tarantula an opportunity to
burrow if it wants.
Tarantulas seldom burrow in captivity as they would in the wild. If you would like to provide your
tarantula with a place to hide, then a flower pot turned on its side works well. Juveniles
also like to use the centre of a toilet roll to hide in.
c) Decor
Plastic plants are better than
live plants. Live plants require specific lighting and they may carry parasites. Stones and
rocks also make for nice decoration in a tarantula enclosure.
d) Temperature
Heat:
Most tarantulas like to be kept
warm, between 24 – 29 C (75 – 85 F).
Humidity:
Scrubland tarantulas should have
a humidity of between 60 – 70%. Tropical Rainforest tarantulas should have a humidity
between 70 and 90%.
e) Water source
It is important to have a small
shallow dish from which your tarantula can drink out of. Make
sure to replace with fresh water at least once a week. When
dealing with slings and tarantulas too small to drink out of a
water bowl, you can spray into the container once a week.
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