Arachnids

Common Name: Arachnida (/əˈræknɪdə/) is a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals (arthropods), in the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegaroons.

Scientific Name: (Arachnida)

Size: Arachnids range in size from tiny mites that measure 0.08 mm (0.003 inch) to the enormous scorpion Hadogenes troglodytes of Africa, which may be 21 cm (8 inches) or more in length.

Diet: Most arachnids can only eat liquid food, not solid food, so they squirt digestive chemicals into their prey and suck out the juice. Arachnids are predators on insects and other invertebrates, except for many mites, which feed on all kinds of things, like fungus, plants, dead animals, bacteria, and other invertebrates.

Life Span: The life span of arachnids varies greatly between species and type. Some scorpions live 10 to 15 years, although the average is 3 to 5. Spiders may live to only 1 year old, but some of the tarantulas are known to live decades.

Lighting: Tarantulas don’t need bright lights and should be kept out of direct sunlight. 3 They also generally don’t need heat lamps, as most species do fine at room temperature. Some species require high humidity levels, which you can achieve by misting the enclosure daily. Avoid High Powered Lighting. Don’t place bright lights over your tarantula’s habitat. Never force your spider to live under bright lights since tarantulas prefer a dim environment LED strip lights do attract spiders, but they aren’t directly responsible. Many bugs prefer more well-lit environments and will gravitate towards LEDs. Spiders follow food sources, so they’re naturally more likely to set up homes where they can find an abundance of bugs to eat.

Temperature: Tarantulas do best at warm temperatures, in the 24 to 27o C (75 to 80o F) range. Do your Research each Arachnid is different.

Humidity: Mist their terrarium daily. Although tarantulas will not thrive in damp conditions, they do need some humidity; 50 to 80% is ideal.

Enclosure: One nice thing about keeping spiders (if you don’t have a lot of space available) is that they only need a small tank. About ten gallons is sufficient for many tarantulas and other common pet spiders. This is significantly less space than needed for a typical reptile or amphibian. You never have to stick with the minimum enclosure size when it comes to exotic pets. The larger the enclosure you put them in, the more options you have for adding habitat décor or plants (if you want to go bioactive). In general, people new to the hobby tend to pick out enclosures that are too large for their tarantula based on prior experience with other animals. Tarantulas truly do not need a lot of room. Not only do they feel more secure in smaller space, but you will be able to monitor their feeding times more easily.

Enclosures for spiders can be glass or plastic. You can even use a basic plastic tub for a spider enclosure, if you add holes for air ventilation. For best ventilation, holes should go along the upper part of the container’s side walls. Arboreal species (those that climb trees) will do better in vertical enclosures, and terrestrial (ground dwelling) spiders will do better in horizontal enclosures. All spiders will at least need a hide and a very small water dish in their enclosure.

Level of Care: I would classify them as intermediate but as I have stated before there are so many levels of care to different arachnids, please do your research before taking one home.

Old World: Old world tarantulas come from the Eastern hemisphere (Africa, Asia, Europe). Old-world tarantulas are more aggressive than new-world tarantulas and have fewer hairs, but there are other key differences between them, too. They’re very defensive, which means they won’t attack you whenever they feel like it. Instead, they don’t like to be handled as often, so they will often turn defensive and run away. If they feel like they have no other choice, they will also attack you. Their bite can be quite painful, so it’s recommended that you don’t handle them that often. It’s also best if you have some experience with tarantulas if you want to own an old-world species. Another key difference is that new-world tarantulas tend to be more mellow, while the old-world tarantulas have much more potent venom. While there have not been many studies yet on this topic, many tarantula owners will tell you just how painful their bite can be. So much so that it can lead to hospitalization if you’re not careful. Muscle spasms and cramps are common, as is nausea and lightheadedness. Sometimes, it will resolve on its own, but some cases also need medical help.

New World: New-world tarantulas are tarantula species that live in North and South America – also known as the “New World”. The term “new world” stems from the 15th century when Christopher Columbus discovered North America. He called it the “New World” because by then, that part of the world has not been discovered yet. New-world tarantulas are thus species that live in the new world, which means on continents like North, Central, and South America. One of the main differences between old-world and new-world tarantulas is that new-world species have many more hairs than old-world species. These hairs are called urticating hairs, and they play several important roles for the new-world species. The most important role is self-defense where tarantulas can use them to defend themselves from potential predators. These hairs can hurt their attackers significantly, so you should be wary of handling these hairs too much. Additionally, these hairs play a crucial part in the tarantula’s understanding of the world. They give the tarantula a clear idea of what is around them, as they act as another sense that a tarantula can use for its survival. Old-world tarantulas don’t have as many hairs as new-world species, and they’re also not as long. This means they must rely on other defensive mechanisms to survive.

Cost of Care: On a monthly basis, your main cost for a tarantula will be its diet. This can range from around $5 to $10, and you can even decrease that cost if you raise crickets yourself rather than purchasing them from a pet store. For periodic substrate changes, expect to spend between $10 and $20.

Does a Bite Hurt: Spider bites are usually harmless, and spiders don’t usually bite unless threatened. Spider bites can cause redness, pain and swelling, or you might not notice them at all. But consult your doctor if you have been bitten by any arachnid.

Misting: Never mist the tarantula itself, only its surroundings. Misting daily is not necessary if you have the correct type of substrate which should hold the humidity. Peat moss and Eco Earth are the most popular choices to accomplish this. Although for slings, mist so that the water droplets form on the sides of the tank for them to drink from.

How to Tell if Your Arachnid is Sick? Shriveled Abdomen. Dehydration is a common problem among captive tarantulas. Observing Parasites. Parasite’s spell special trouble for tarantulas, as many of the medications and chemicals designed to kill parasites kill tarantulas. Refusing Food or Uncoordinated Movements.

Breeding: Once the male tarantula has matured, and has made a sperm web, he is ready to breed. A female must be of a certain size. Therefore, you need to know the overall size the species will attain, that you planned to breed. If she is matured, most matured tarantulas molt once a year. Place a male tarantula of the same species at the opposite end of the female in her habitat. Then, leave them undisturbed to allow the male to settle down and start its courtship process.

Arboreal: Arboreal tarantulas are known from a few tropical places in Asia, Africa, South and Central America and the Caribbean. These tarantulas generally have a lighter build, thinner bodies and longer legs, better suited for their habitat. Arboreal tarantulas live off the ground in trees in their natural habitat. These species need more height for their enclosures and branches or cork bark to climb on. Many young arboreal tarantulas will burrow or create a silken tube that continues below the surface. This mix makes it easy for them to create these retreats. I add substrate to a depth of about 1/4 the container height and tamp it down firmly.