Tarantulas of the World

The Goliath Birdeater also known as the T.blondi Is one of the largest species of tarantulas in the world. The females are massively built and are husky in size reaching lengths of 10 to 12 inches while males reach an average length of 9 inches. As with most species of tarantulas the males have smaller bodies and longer legs as compared to the females. Males usually live between 4 to 6 years while females can live well over 20 years. The T.blondi has been frequently publicized as being the world’s largest tarantula (as per the Guinness Book of World Records), however there are in fact two other species who grow larger than the T.blondi, the Pinkfoot Goliath tarantula (Theraphosa apophysis) and the Brazilian Salmon tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana). Regardless of all of that The Goliath Birdeater still remains one of the most known tarantulas out there with many hobbyists having them as the center of attention for their collection. This however is a tarantula for the more expert of spider connoisseurs.

Habitat:

In the wild the Goliath Birdeater are found in the tropical rain forests on slopes and hillsides throughout the regions of Northern South America. In captivity as pets they require really big enclosures for their massive sizes. As a full grown adult they should be in no less then a 20 gallon tank that is more wide then it is tall. They are poor climbers due to their massive size and weight. It is key to not have them in a tall enclosure because of this. A fall higher then a few inches might result in serious injuries or death to your Goliath Birdeater. This species is also known for burrowing so be sure to add plenty of substrate in your enclosure. We would recommend about 4 to 5 inches of it, with a hide for it to go under as well. They come from very humid wet environments in the wild and we recommend you damp your substrate enough so that it can burrow and have the substrate hold. As well as having a corner in your enclosure wet to give it the adequate humidity it needs. Make sure to always have a water bowl always full in the event that it needs to hydrate. You can spray the enclosure once a week if you see the humidity dropping. You have to clean the tank often due to the environment you will have your tarantula in. It can easily become a haven of fungus and other bacteria. The enclosure should also maintain a temperature of about 77 to 85 degrees with moderate humidity at all times.

Feeding:

Though being called a Goliath Birdeater, the T.blondi rarely actually eats birds in the wild. In the wild it’s diet consists primarily of rodents, small lizards and insects. Due to their size they do require an immense amount of food compared to other species of tarantulas. You will see that you perhaps have to feed a grown adult a great amount of large insects a few times a week. Though many people feed them partially grown mice we recommend you not make this the primary food source for your T.blondi. Reason being that it might get an overly high amount of calcium which might end up making it harder to shed its exoskeleton during the molting process. A steady but mixed diet should also consist of large crickets and large roaches. Though it might take more insects then a mouse to keep your tarantula satisfied it will surely help its diet. It is important to remove all traces of leftover food and spitballs (food boluses) after feeding to prevent any type of dangerously unsanitary conditions due to the food spoiling because of the warm humid environment.

Attitude:

The Goliath Birdeater can be extremely aggressive. It has one of the most irritating/harmful urticating hairs of all spiders. That is at times their number one form of defense. These can get lodged in your skin, eyes or even inhaled which can result in serious injuries. When threatened they also stridulate (produce sound) by rubbing their pedipalps which are covered in small bristles together as a sign to back off. It is recommended to not handle these animals due to their sheer size. A full grown t.blondi would require both your hands and even so that still might not be enough to fully grab the animal. The smallest of moves can cause the tarantula to jump out of your hands and fall which will surely result in its death.  Another reason to not handle them is their immense fangs that can pack a powerful bite. Though their venom is not potent enough to harm humans their enormous fangs can surely cause medical harm. People who do handle t.blondis have been doing so since their tarantula was a spiderling and the tarantula has gotten used to being picked up. If that is not the case with you, simply let your tarantula be.

This is by far a collector species with it mostly only being kept as pets by experienced hobbyists. While most of the people prefer carpet cleaning services at affordable deal .We must understand that when it comes to tarantula handling should only be done due to maintenance, enclosure cleaning or mating attempts. Should you handle your tarantula, do so with utmost care and do it from the time they are still slings so they get used to being handled. Following these simple steps should be enough to help you with your own t.blondi. As always feel free to comment if you have any experience with this beautiful pet or simply have a question.

Spiderlings or slings are young or baby tarantulas ranging anywhere from .25 inches to 1.5 inches in length depending on how old it might be. The reason why so many people now opt in to buying a spiderling is due to the fact that they are usually a lot cheaper then adults and it is fascinating to watch them grow. As for growth rate, some species are very fast growing while others are extremely slow growing. It is best you chose which species is right for you. If your a beginner tarantula hobbyist we would recommend you start with a 1.5 inches or bigger spiderling. However here are some steps you can take to care for your sling.

Housing:

Depending on your species of tarantula spiderling it is key to know what enclosure and environment to have for your sling. Some common examples are

• Terrestrial Tarantulas (Chilean Rosehair, Mexican Redknee, Brazilian Fire Red, etc): Smallest enclosures possible such as small pill jars of different sizes depending on your sling’s size until you can eventually move it into a deli container and eventually a 5 gallon tank (once a juvenile over 2 inches).
• Arboreal Tarantulas (Pinktoe, Red Slate Ornamental, Pokies, etc): Small enclosure with height such as tall pill jars in different sizes depending on your sling’s size as they do love to climb and be up from the ground. As they get older you can switch them into tall spice jars until big enough to eventually switch to taller terrariums (once a juvenile over 2 inches).

You will find that slings do tend to burrow a lot more then your average tarantula, so be sure to add a extra substrate to the enclosures so they have enough space to do so. It is also important to make sure that each lid of your enclosure have air holes in them to provide your tarantula with adequate air to breathe. Make sure these holes are not big enough to where your sling can escape.

Food:

Feeding can be difficult as these spiderlings require much smaller prey then a full grown tarantula. You can crush a small cricket and leave that in their enclosure so they can eat off of it. As they do start to grow a little you can eventually just add smaller insects such as small juvenile or pinhead crickets as well as fruit flies. Once you see your sling getting closer to 1.5 to 2 inches you can start feeding it slightly bigger prey.

Water:

Spiderlings that are less than 1.5 inches cannot drink from waterbowls, they will surely drown. It is best to just water the substrate slightly (in which we do recommend eco-earth) or even just put some droplets to rest on top of the substrate or you can simply add a small plant leaf with a couple of water droplets on it. Once your tarantula does grow closer to 2 inches you can use a plastic bottle cap as a water dish in its small enclosure before being able to move to a big water dish. This all should provide plenty of water and humidity for your young tarantula.

Heat:

For spiderlings just make sure they are kept in a warm room. Being that they are so small it is not recommended to use a heating source on them as this might end up being too hot for their small enclosures. In addition do not place them under direct sunlight as this tends to stress out your tarantula. A room temperature of about 75-85 degrees should be adequate for them. You do not have to worry about light as most tarantulas actually prefer the darkness over light.

Following these instructions will most definitely help you with your sling. As always we are all here to help so feel free to drop us a comment for any additional help.