Silk Spinner's Tarantula Tips

Welcome to Silk Spinner's Tarantula Tips. Here you will find a list of detailed tarantula keeping tips I have put together from my own personal experience.

As a quick reference the subjects detailed here are: The Spider Essentials Tool Kit, Humidity, Heating, Ventilation, and The Intensive Care Unit.

(Coming soon: Moulting, Rehousing, Sexing, and Packaging/Posting tarantulas.)

Silk Spinner's Tarantula Tips:

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Tip 1 -The Spider essentials Tool Kit

A number of tools are needed for tarantula keeping, and certain ones are really not optional if you want to exercise safe and practical maintenance, feeding and rehousing.

Items I recommend for your spider kit are:
 
1. Long tongs – an absolute must! The longer the better. 20cm are okay for docile spider, but I recommend 30cm tongs for the more aggressive spiders – also longer tongs work better for tall arboreal tanks.

Tongs can be used to drop food items into an enclosure, allowing you to drop food close to a spider without the risk it will grab your fingers. They can also be used for lots of spider maintenance. You can use them to pluck out light water bowls so you can wash them. Use them to move plants and substrate around in the tank if the spider has moved everything about. You can use them to extract discarded moults and food left overs and any other unwated materials.

Remember, tarantulas can move faster than you, so it is usually not safe to assume you can put your hand in their tank with them inside it. This is why tongs are invaluable.

It should however be remembered that tarantulas are perfectly capable of running straight up a pair of tongs and onto your arm, where they usually continue heading north. It should not be considered safe to nudge a spider with a pair of tongs to get it to move to a more desirable spot, this runs the risk the spider will panic and race up the tongs or it may try to bite the tongs and could easily break a fang on the metal.

Tongs should only be used for moving tank items, replacing tank items, cleaning out food left overs and waste and moults and feeding. If your tarantula begins to try and attack your tongs, you might need to wait until it has calmed down and returned to its hide, or you could catch your spider in a tub such as an empty cricket tub or deli cup so you can store it safely whilst conducting tank maintenance.

2. Catch tub – It is really important to have a clean empty tub that can safely fit your tarantula inside – this should be large enough to be bigger than the spiders full leg span. The tub should be clear so you can see into it, and should have a snug fitting lid that can be removed. Empty cricket tubs or deli cups work well.

The catch tub can be used when moving your spider from one enclosure to another, however they are most valuable to have to hand during feeding and tank maintenance.

Even if your spider always sits there good as gold not moving a muscle, you can never guarantee it will not at some point decide to make a dash for it. Species dependant they can escape in under a second if they want to.

For this reason I recommend conducting any activity that involves opening your spider’s tank on the floor – this way if it does escape it will not fall off a table. Also make sure there is a good amount of clear space around your working spot so the spider has a distance to run before it will make it under any furniture – because it will become a nightmare to catch if this happens.

This is where the catch tub without its lid on by your side is valuable. If the spider runs for it, you can use your tub to catch it. Be very careful not to trap your spider’s legs.

For very fast specimens such as H. maculata putting the tank/enclosure in the bath tub for maintenance is another good tip. Don’t be fooled, your spider can easily climb the bath tub, but this gives you a clear catching zone to work in. If your spider is small, ensure the plug is in and that you have blocked the overflow hole to prevent mishaps.

3. Pipettes – A must for spiderlings. Spraying very small spiders can cause them to bolt and lead them to making a made run for it. Whereas maintaining the correct humidity with a few drops from a pipette is much easier when working with small spiders, also a good way to fill little water bowls – for example I use pop bottle caps for inch sized and larger spiderlings.

Another good use for a pipette which I have found is using it to find out if a spiderling is hungry or not. It can be dangerous to leave live crickets in with spiders – especially spiderlings as the crickets may actually eat them, especially if the spider moults.

I sometimes use a pipette to drop a tiny drop of water near a spiderling and watch the reaction. Hungry spiderlings often charge towards the water drop thinking it is food. This is a good indication that the spiderling wants to eat. It is however not full proof and does not work on all species. The best practice tip is use the pipette as a guide, but use common sense as well, and never leave a live cricket in wise a spiderling unsupervised. If the spiderling does not take the cricket in a few minutes, take the cricket out.

4. Fine mist spray bottle – This is another must have, especially if you keep Avicularia or arboreal tarantulas. Light misting can help maintain humidity, however it should be remembered some spiders are sensitive to overly damp conditions so the spray bottle must not be over used.

Species dependant, spray the tank when needed. You should lightly spray, and never completely soak a tank. To know when to spray you can use a humidity reader to help you, with experience you will find you know what is about right. You should not spray water directly onto your spider, this will stress it.

Terrestrial species do not tend to enjoy the spray bottle, so if you are spraying try to spray away from where the spider is. A better way for terrestrials can be to slightly over flow the water bowl every now and then, moistening the surrounding substrate. But for species that require higher humidity the spray bottle is certainly useful.

5. Disposable gloves – Some species of spider have particularly irritant urticating hairs, or you yourself may find you are very sensitive to them. Here is where gloves can help, they are especially useful if cleaning out the tank as many spiders line their burrows wit urticating hairs so moving the substrate will expose you to them.

Make sure the gloves have not been treated with any chemicals before use. It always better to use a pair that have not ever been used before as you do not want to introduce harmful chemicals to your spider – brand new washing up gloves are okay and other disposable plastic gloves.

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Tip 2 - Humidity

Humidity can be very important for tarantulas as many species can easily die from dehydration. Not enough humidity can lead to the death curl, which although can sometimes be treated, prevention is better than cure and some spiders will not recover from having become badly dehydrated. Therefore as a tarantula keeper getting humidity correct is very important.

Some species such as Mexican desert species require very little humidity and prefer dry conditions. However every tarantula should have access to water with a water bowl made available at all times. The water bowl should be smaller in circumference than your tarantula’s leg span and it should not be very deep – this will prevent accidental drowning.

Sometimes I have seen it advised that a piece of sponge should be placed in your tarantulas water bowl, however this really is not necessary – spiders can drink standing water just fine, and also the sponge may harbour and become a breeding ground for germs which could prove harmful to your pet, so I advise against this.

Another huge NO NO for tarantulas is Bug Gel. Spiders cannot drink Bug Gel and it provides them no humidity. It is of no benefit to the spider at all and can even lead to them dying of dehydration. Please don’t use Bug Gel in your spiders water bowl – even if you have been advised to do so by a pet store (I find many pet store’s very misinformed when it comes to tarantula’s and Bug Gel). Nothing is better for your tarantula than a nice clean bowl of water.

For terrestrial spiders I find humidity can often be achieved by simply overflowing the water bowl when needed. This will make the surrounding substrate moist and will avoid having to spray the enclosure, which many terrestrial spiders find stressful.

Remember do not soak your enclosure. Overly wet conditions can prove as fatal as overly dry conditions.
 
For spiders that require high humidity lightly spraying the enclosure can be very good for maintaining these levels. Do not ever directly spray your tarantula, this will stress it and may cause it to bolt. Instead spray the substrate a little and if you have any plants (fake or real) give them a light spray as well.

For gauging the humidity in your tarantula’s enclosure you can buy a hydrometer. This is usually in the form of a small disc that can be secured to the wall of your spider’s enclosure and it will give a reading as to what the humidity level is. Remember the hydrometer may not respond immediately when you up the humidity so don’t keep spraying until the hydrometer reads right. Simply add a light spray then wait about ten minutes then you can take another reading for a more accurate idea of what the humidity actually is.

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Tip 3 - Heating

All tarantulas require warm temperatures to thrive. No tarantula should be subjected to temps of under 20°C for long periods as this can harm or even kill them. Ideally the temperature should be maintained at about 23-28°C (as a general guide, not species specific).

Heat mats can be used for tarantulas, however I do not advise it as they are prone to drying the spiders out. I do not use heat mats for any of my spiders. If you do feel you need to use a heat mat you should ensure it is accompanied by a thermostat to prevent it from overheating. Also it is best put the heat mat on the side of the tank as not only do tarantulas not like heat from beneath, having the mat below also dries out the substrate faster, which can result in a dehydrated/dead spider (species dependant).

For me I have found the best way to heat tarantulas, especially if you have a large collection is to simply keep the room or place where they are kept ambient at the desired temperature (23-28°C will suit many species). This is cheaper than providing individual heating per spider and does not run the same problems as can be caused by heat mats. It does of course mean you are unable to set a specific temperature per animal, however by doing your research on the species you have you will be able to discern whether this approach is suitable for your collection/pet.

Normal central heating can provide enough warmth in a room that is well insulated in winter and if the summer is pleasant you will find you can probably turn your heating off during this time. You should use several thermometers placed around the room to ensure you are maintaining a good environment. If certain spots are warmer/colder than others ensure you do not place any enclosure in an area where it is too hot or cold.

Also remember the higher the temperature, the faster enclosures can dry out. Keep a close eye on the humidity of your spiders, particularly if you have any particularly sensitive to humidity drops such as Avicularia.

What if there’s a power cut? Well, don’t panic, most spiders can survive for a short time with lower temperatures and will suffer no ill effects. It is important however that if a spider is subjected to low temps that you do not warm it up too fast (this can be fatal), simply allow its environment to warm gradually and the spider should be fine.

Severe winters can make it hard to maintain good temperatures, and if the cold becomes extreme it could easily kill your tarantulas. If the weather is particularly harsh you should check your temperatures to ensure they have not dropped too low and add extra heating if necessary.

Ideally you are aiming to provide a warm environment within the temperatures that are suitable for your tarantulas whilst ensuring these temperatures do not fluctuate greatly.

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Tip 4 - Ventilation

Ventilation is very important for tarantulas, in particular it is important for many arboreal species, but good ventilation plays its part for all species, even the deep burrowers.

Why is ventilation important? Mainly because it helps prevent stagnant air and a saturated environment which can prove fatal to tarantulas, it also helps to reduce potential mould and fungus growth which can also prove fatal.

Achieving ventilation is actually easy, basically you just need to have enough air holes to ensure good air circulation within the enclosure, however too much ventilation can prove to be as fatal as too little. This is because tanks with lots of ventilation dry out very fast, and this can make maintaining higher humidity levels difficult and can result in the death of the tarantula if it is sensitive to drops in humidity.

Therefore you may find yourself tasked with achieving a delicate balance.

Here are my personal tips on what can work.

Firstly for arboreal tarantulas enclosures without any air vents are definitely a no no, the tarantula will not thrive and the environment will not be suitable. For arboreal tarantulas cross ventilation can be important. Just simply placing air holes in one place such as in the lid of the enclosure may not work well. Instead placing an array of holes around the circumference of the enclosure and at different levels may give better results. This can be particularly good for species such as Avicularia versicolor which are one the of species that need a very good ventilation/humidity control to thrive.

So if you have good ventilation, how can you ensure good humidity? Well in my experience it is better to have good ventilation and have to spray the enclosure more regularly than the other way about. For species that are sensitive to humidity levels check your enclosures daily, spray as needed to top up the humidity if required. You can consider adding live plants to an enclosure which can help keep humidity higher, however plants can be difficult to maintain and also remember your spider will not really like the light which the plants will need to live, so getting it right with this can be difficult.

As well as where to place the vents and how many to place you should also consider what the vents should be made from. If you are constructing your own enclosure you may want to drill holes into it. This is fine, but please think carefully about the enclosure occupant. Don’t make the holes to big – spiders are excellent at squeezing through little gaps and spiderlings in particular will escape if you have misjudged the air hole size.

Lots of glass enclosures have mesh over an area for ventilation. Custom Aquaria are often built this way and I find these arboreal tanks work very well for most arboreal tarantulas. However mesh vents can cause problems and if using mesh vents I do not recommend mesh being on the lid of an enclosure. This is because tarantulas have tiny hooks on their feet which they use to grip surfaces. These hooks can become stuck in mesh and I have personally experienced seeing a tarantula dangling from the roof of its enclosure by one leg because the feet hooks had caught in the mesh. Of course this is very dangerous, the tarantula could lose its leg and fall which could be fatal, or could struggle free and fall which could also be fatal. I find tarantulas are prone to getting their feet hooks caught in particular if the lid of their enclosure is mesh, therefore mesh vents are best placed on the side of the enclosure and limited to a size that is not larger than the tarantulas leg span.

Another type of enclosure popularly used is a plastic faunarium. These have plastic grated lids that offer lots of ventilation and work well for many species. However this is a lot of ventilation and will lead to a dry enclosure – perfect for many terrestrial brachypelma, not so good for spiders that require higher humidity. Firstly combat this with a water bowl (these should always be available to every spider whatever the enclosure) then if you are trying to maintain a higher humidity you can reduce the amount of water loss by adding cling film to areas of the grated lid to reduce the ventilation and hold in extra moisture. Getting the balance for your spider correct may take a little trial and error.

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Tip 5 - The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) 

The Intensive Care Unit or “ICU” is something every tarantula keeper should be aware of how to build and use. It is primarily used to treat dehydration and can be a vital tool for rehydrating spiders. It should be remembered that the ICU cannot treat every spider ailment, and is primarily only good for rehydration, however if your spider is showing signs of being on its last legs, as a last attempt to revitalise it the ICU can be used.

When should you use an ICU? If you find your spider all crunched up with its legs curled beneath it, it is very likely your spider is dehydrated. The legs curl beneath it during dehydration because the spider relies on water pressure inside its body to extend them. This is known as the death curl, because untreated it will be fatal. If you find your spider in the death curl condition and it is unable to move much or at all, you are definitely going to want to try and use an ICU.

How to make an ICU – ICUs are really easy to make, they basically consist of a plastic tub/pot, some moist kitchen towel and a couple of small air holes. Smaller tube work better, the size you should be aiming for is something just bigger than your spiders stretched out leg span. The tub should also be shallow.

Take your tub and punch three to four tiny holes in the top (you don’t want too may because you are trying to create a very high humidity environment). Line the bottom of the tub with moist paper towel. You should note the paper towel should not be drenched or dripping wet and neither should a layer of water be present (you do not want your spider to drown – remember they breathe through book lungs on the underside of the abdomen. I find wetting the towel and wringing most of the water out again works well.

Once the tub is lined with moist paper, place your death curled spider into the tub. Put the lid on and put in a warm dark quiet place.

It’s hard not to, but try and refrain from checking for at least an hour. Give your spider time to recover.

In the mean time sort out your spiders enclosure. Raise the humidity to the correct level and top up the water bowl. Moisten the substrate a little if needed. Remember don’t go overboard. Do not saturate the enclosure.

Now, the ICU is not a miracle cure and it cannot save every spider. If your spider has been in the death curl for too long a period it may unfortunately be doomed. By don’t give up too easily. Check your spider after about an hour for spiders of improvement – its legs should start unfurling. If it is going to recover it should with time climb to its feet.

You may have to leave the spider for a day, over night and maybe even longer in the ICU. If you are fortunate and the ICU works, you will be able to return your spider to its enclosure once it is showing signs that it is able to stand and walk again. Place it near its water bowl. Monitor humidity carefully and don’t stress the spider by poking it to see if it can move, it needs peace and quiet to recuperate. Let time heal and do your part by maintaining a good enclosure environment.

If the ICU does not appear to be working, how can you tell when it’s too late? Well, firstly remember, a death curl spider that cannot move at all is not necessarily dead. It may be so badly dehydrated it is effectively paralysed. Therefore spiders in this condition should always be given the chance of ICU recovery. There is however one sure fire way to tell when your spider is beyond any kind of hope. Its unpleasant, but the best way to judge a dead tarantula is smell. A bad smell is a pretty clear sign your spider has passed away, that coupled with a shrivelling abdomen and you can be certain further treatment will not work.

So, in conclusion, although the ICU is not a full proof solve everything miracle, it can be a vital life saving tool which every tarantula keeper should be aware of the benefits of.

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Tip 6 - Moulting (coming soon, page under construction watch this space)