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Tarantulas are among the easiest pets to care for,but even they have certain basic housing and feeding requirements
that must be met if they are to thrive. If you remember that almost all tarantulas are adapted to living in a relatively burrow
or wed environment at stable temperatures, you should have no problems with at least the common species.
Humidity: You can assume that all tarantulas need a relative humidity of about 65 percent in their retreats,whether
a burrow or under an under an overturned partial flowerpot. This level may vary within about 5 to 10 percent in either direction.
Temperature: Though many common tarantulas come from dry, hot desert and savanna areas, high
temperatures are not desirable when keeping tarantulas. In fact, temperatures much higher than 86 degrees fahrenheit
make the tarantula uncomfortable causing stress and increase dehydration, they can lead to a quick death or a week of stress
and then death. Most keepers contend that their captive-kept tarantulas do best in a terrarium with an ambient temperature
of roughly 70*F-85*F,which thankfully is about the same as common room temperatures.
Basic Terrarium Setups:
Start by considering that only one tarantula can be safely housed in a single terrarium. If you place two tarantulas
in a cage, one will kill the other, often the day or two following the first molt when the body is soft and the spider is
defenseless. One tarantula, one cage. (Exception occur with the tree dwellers,). Tarantula climb very well and will go up
smooth glass and plastic surfaces, so the lid must fit tightly.
Substrate: you can use small
round pebbles, sand, potting soil, peat moss, and sphagnum moss,vermiculite. Stay away from dirt from the garden; it dries
to dust and often is contaminated with fertilizers and pesticides.
Water Bowl : you can provide
moisture to your spider either by misting the cage walls each day with room temperature water or by providing a shallow water
from which the spider can drink.
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