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Chilean Rose Tarantula
(Grammostola Spatulata)
DESCRIPTION: One of the most popular tarantulas.
The body of the male Chilean rose is a brighter metallic pink than that of the female.
This species is peaceful.
ADULT SIZE: Body up to 2.5 inches long.
LIFE SPAN:
RATING: Suitable for beginners.
DIET: Crickets.
HABITAT: A woodland terrarium with a sand substrate 4-6 inches deep kept slightly damp.
They dig shallow holes to live in. Provide a shallow water dish.
TEMPERATURE: 68-71F (20-22`C). Cooler at night.
HUMIDITY: 60-80%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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Martinique Pink Toed Tarantula
(Avicularia Versicolor)
DESCRIPTION: This dark brown spider has pink toe tips.
Its docile nature and small size make it seem dainty!
ADULT SIZE: 3 inches across
LIFE SPAN: 2-3 years.
RATING: Suitable for beginners.
DIET: Crickets.
HABITAT: A woodland terrarium with a sand substrate 4-6 inches deep kept slightly damp.
These spiders need vertical pieces of bark or sections of giant bamboo for climbing.
Provide a shallow water dish.
TEMPERATURE: 77-83F (25-28`C.) Cooler at night
HUMIDITY: 70-85%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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Birdeating Tarantula
(Theraphosa Blondi)
Otherwise known as the Brazilian Goliath Tarantula
DESCRIPTION: This dark brown spider has pink toe tips.
Its docile nature and small size make it seem dainty!
ADULT SIZE: 3 inches across
LIFE SPAN: 2-3 years.
RATING: Suitable for beginners.
DIET: Crickets.
HABITAT: A woodland terrarium with a sand substrate 4-6 inches deep kept slightly damp.
These spiders need vertical pieces of bark or sections of giant bamboo for climbing.
Provide a shallow water dish.
TEMPERATURE: 68-71F (20-22`C). Cooler at night.
HUMIDITY: 80-90%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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Mexican Red-Kneed Tarantula
(Brachypelma Smithi)
Similar also is the Mexican Red-Legged Tarantula
(Brachypelma Emilia)
DESCRIPTION: This is a heavy-bodied dark brown tarantula with distinct reddish orange patches on the legs.
ADULT SIZE: Up to 4 inches across the legs.
LIFE SPAN: Males live up to 9 years and females can live up to 24 years.
RATING: Suitable for beginners.
DIET: Crickets and occasionally a pinkie mouse.
HABITAT: A desert/grassland type terrarium with a sand substrate 4-6 inches deep kept slightly damp. They also like to dig. Provide a shallow water dish and mist twice weekly.
TEMPERATURE: 77-82F (25-28`C) Cooler at night
HUMIDITY: 70-80%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula
(Aphonopelma Seemanni)
Otherwise known as the Striped Knee or the Bamboo Tarantula
DESCRIPTION: Several colour variations of this spider exist from black to chestnut,
all with strongly defined lighter lines running the length of the leg.
ADULT SIZE: Up to 4 inches across the legs.
LIFE SPAN: Males 3-5 years, females 10 years+
RATING: Suitable for beginners
DIET: Crickets and mealworms.
HABITAT: A desert type terrarium is best with sand moist and deep enough
for them to dig a vertical burrow.
TEMPERATURE: 74-79F (23-26`C.) Cooler at night
HUMIDITY: 70-80%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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Cobalt Blue Tarantula
(Haplopelma Lividum)
DESCRIPTION: This tarantula has a grey/brown body and beautifully distinctive
cobalt/electric blue highlights to the hair on its legs. It is however fast moving and unfriendly.
ADULT SIZE: Up to 4 inches across
LIFE SPAN: Males 10 years, females 15 years.
RATING: Suitable for those with previous experience
DIET: Crickets and mealworms.
HABITAT: A woodland/desert type terrarium with a substrate of moist sand and moss in which to burrow. Pieces of cork bark can be added for additional hiding. Provide a shallow water dish and mist 3 times a week.
TEMPERATURE: 68-71F (20-22`C). Cooler at night.
HUMIDITY: Up to 85%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours
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King Baboon Tarantula
(Citharischius Crawshayi)
DESCRIPTION: This is Africas second largest tarantula. They are stout-bodied and covered with fine,
dense brown hair that makes them look like velvet. They can be aggressive.
ADULT SIZE: Up to 8 inches across the legs
LIFE SPAN: Unknown. Babies, however, are slow growing which would suggest a long life span.
RATING: Suitable for those with previous experience
DIET: Crickets and mealworms an occasional pre-killed pinkie mouse may be accepted.
HABITAT: A desert type terrarium is required with a substrate of moist sand for burrowing.
Moistened moss can also be provided in a shallow water dish. TEMPERATURE: 77-86F (25-30`C)
Cooler at night.
HUMIDITY: 50-70%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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DESCRIPTION: These are characterized by a long body of interlocking joints; two pairs of
legs per segment and short antennae. They are sociable creatures and live well in groups.
ADULT SIZE: 1.5-6 inches, depending on the species
LIFE SPAN: About 1-3 years.
RATING: Suitable for beginners
DIET: Decomposing wood and leaves, and chopped fruit.
HABITAT: A few are from dry woodland and grassland areas but most are from tropical
areas and need a moist substrate. All live in dark, enclosed places, rarely venturing out except
at night. Provide rotten logs, bark pieces or stones as hiding places and a small water dish.
Mist the cage lightly 2-3 times a week.
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DESCRIPTION: These are characterized by a long, slender, multi-segmented body with one pair of legs per segment and long antennae. There are fangs on the first body segment that contain a mild venom, the bite can be painful but not fatal. Centipedes can be cannibalistic.
ADULT SIZE: 2-5 inches, depending on the species
LIFE SPAN: About 3-5 years.
RATING: Suitable for beginners
DIET: Crickets, mealworms and an occasional pre-killed pinkie mouse.
HABITAT: Most are from tropical areas and need a moist substrate. Use a non-scented bark substrate kept barely damp. Provide hollow tubes slightly wider than their body width as hiding places and a small dish of water.
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DESCRIPTION: Scorpions have 8 legs and have a pair of claws on pinchers that are used to deliver
food to the mouth. The tail is curled up over the back and topped with a stinger. Depending on the type the venom is not usually dangerous. Scorpions are shy creatures and should be picked up by grasping the tail.
ADULT SIZE: 1-6 inches, depending on the species.
LIFE SPAN: 5-8 years depending on the size, smaller scorpions live longer.
RATING: Suitable for beginners.
DIET: Crickets and mealworms.
HABITAT: Most scorpions are desert creatures and like to burrow. Provide a bark or wood chip
substrate with larger pieces of bark for hiding. A small dish of water serves as drinking water and a humidity source. Mist forest varieties 2-3 times weekly.
HUMIDITY: 60-80%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
(Gromphadorhina Madagascariensis)
DESCRIPTION: The hissing roaches have unique shiny backs and hiss when touched. The Madagascar has a mahogany colouration. Note: If you have a pregnant female there will be plenty of young.)
ADULT SIZE: 3 inches.
LIFE SPAN: 2 years
RATING: suitable for beginners.
DIET: Almost anything! Offer fresh fruit or moistened dog nuts but change it daily. Provide water in a shallow dish filled with cotton wool or pebbles so the young won’t drown.
HABITAT: Hissing roaches are very adaptable. They evolved in a warm climate and do well in a plain terrarium with woodchip substrate. Use cardboard tubes for hideouts.
TEMPERATURE: 77-83F (25-28`C.) Cooler at night
HUMIDITY: 60-70%
LIGHTING: 8-10 hours.
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