Most often, people have more or less familiar pets at home. In the first place, of course, cats, dogs, in the second - birds, in the third - aquarium inhabitants (and not only fish, turtles, geckos, toads and frogs also enter here, although they are preferred, of course, less often than guppiks and swordsmen ) Spiders are probably on the last lines of the list of animals that people are ready to see next to them. Arachnophobia is a very common fear. However, if a person still decided to equip a terrarium with arachnids at home, he usually likes the goliath tarantula as the inhabitant of the glass house . The main argument is the size of the spider. The largest representative of these animals is clearly visible and is a rather curious object of observation.
How to choose a spider
In the pet stores where it is sold, you can, of course, ask whether it was brought or received, so to speak, on the spot, but it is not a fact that the answer will be honest. Therefore, in any case, you will have to focus primarily on how the goliath tarantula spider you like looks like . The main sign of his health is mobility and activity. If the spider lies all the time or picks up limbs for itself, most likely it is sick, and it’s difficult. The second version - the watched instance molts. During this process, spiders can even fall on their backs and straighten their legs. When a goliath tarantula molts, it is not worth taking it - then it recovers for a long time and is susceptible to disease. Add to this state addiction to a new place - and get a lot of problems.
A very telling sign is abdominal conditions. It should be round and elastic. Shriveled indicates dehydration, that is, again, you have to nursing your acquisition.
Sometimes a goliath tarantula can flaunt its broken legs. This fact scares inexperienced owners, but in fact it is not an obstacle to purchase: after a couple of links they will be restored. The main thing is that there are no open wounds on the paws.
Two more caveats. If you are not going to breed spiders, buy females - they live much longer. And do not take too big - it is quite possible, these are old people.
How to equip a home
Most spiders are born loners, as evidenced by the comparison “like spiders in a jar” (they cannot coexist peacefully). So it is better to provide an aquarium at the full disposal of one individual. The capacity where the goliath tarantula spider will be settled can be either plastic or glass, in principle, so that it is closed - either with a tight lid or with doors. Spiders climb the glass perfectly, so if you do not want your pet to get out, take care of this. The bottom should be covered with a bed of gravel, moss, coniferous sawdust, vermiculite will be the best choice.
The correct temperature and humidity
If you have chosen a goliath tarantula as your pet, keeping it in the first place requires maintaining the correct conditions of existence. The temperature should fluctuate between 23-28 degrees. Decrease to 15 about Spaukas maintain, but it is better not to leave them in such extreme conditions for a long time. Especially if the Goliath tarantula is full: low temperatures cause rot in the stomach.
No less important is humidity. If it is insufficient, the blonde’s teraphosis (or Goliath tarantula) cannot molt, and in the event of overdrying, it completely dies. The aquarium must be equipped with a bath of water or a reservoir with moistened moss. If temporarily there is neither one nor the other, at least spray the litter every day.
Too high humidity, in turn, stimulates the development of mold, which affects the body and respiratory organs of spiders. So it’s better to maintain a constant humidity of 75 percent.
As for the lighting
Note that the Goliath tarantula has very poor eyesight, but it sees excellently in the dark. So for him it doesn’t matter how you illuminate his home. For observation, low-voltage (up to 25 W) lamps or red light are quite suitable. However, if there are plants in the terrarium, then a biolamp will be needed for their survival.
What, how and when to feed
The name "Goliath tarantula" is misleading. The main nutrition of these spiders are still large insects. Upon reaching a certain size, they are fed with naked mice, give small pieces of lean meat. Insects going to food should be no more than a third of the size of the spider, otherwise there may be problems with digestion. Since it lasts a long time (a day, or even more), they feed the spiders twice a week (grasshoppers, large cockroaches, crickets, flour worms) while they are young and often molt. Adults eat once a week (sometimes less often). More often they are fed only before breeding.
Unfinished food is necessarily removed from the terrarium - if the spider is full, it can be frightened by the energetic movements of large insects, and a soft shell can be damaged by a molting goliath.
If the spider does not eat, it means it will soon molt, or it is full, or it is too cool in the aquarium.
Attention - molting!
Spiders cannot do without it. At a young age, exoskeleton changes often occur, adults molt about once a year. In the process of molting, spiders hardly move or eat. The day before the change, the “skin” generally freezes, lying on its back. Do not worry and check if your pet is alive, just wait. When the old “clothes” come off, under it will be new, soft; the spider becomes completely defenseless. Normal humidity at such a moment is vital, if the air is too dry - the animal dies. It will not be there until the cover has hardened, which lasts several days.
The maintenance of large spiders, as we see, is a troublesome business. However, watching them is interesting. And few of your friends can boast of such pets. And if you overcome the prejudice, you will see how beautiful the Goliath tarantula (photo above).