If you are a beginner to raising exotic pets, the Brazilian black Tarantula, also called Grammostola Pulchara, is a good choice. They hail from tropical and wet Brazil and Uruguay. This black beauty is an amicable and big softie, and that is one of the best reasons to have them as a companion.
If you are a beginner, you have to know the basics to care for your spider. Keep these points in mind, and you will have a hale and healthy pet at home.
Care and Comfort
The Brazilian black Tarantula is the right choice for a beginner tarantula. This is mainly because of their soft and calm nature. It is also easy to look after their housing and care if you maintain a daily and regular check-up schedule.
These beauties are friendly enough that even young kids can have them as pets. So if you are a beginner, you can go for them without second thoughts.
Cleaning and Safety
These spiders are good eaters, and it is easy to clean the enclosure once they are fed. They leave the bolus after eating either in one spot or across the whole enclosure. To avoid bacterial infection, these have to be cleaned out regularly.
Cockroaches and other outdoor insects can breed in the environment. It is easy for them to carry parasites and mites into the spider’s enclosure. So keep a check regularly and change the substrates once a month.
Housing and Environment
The Brazilian Black Tarantula can fit in a 1-gallon tank in their first year. You can switch for a bigger 5 – 10-gallon tank after that. You can go for a long enclosure as this spider likes to roam around and be in movement.
Get a tank with side access windows, which will be more convenient to feed and stop them from escaping. A quality plastic or glass enclosure is suitable for them as cheaper models can easily break or crack. You can also go for custom tanks.
Temperature and Humidity
Maintain 60-70% humidity in the tank at all times. It doesn’t take much work except for a few sprays in the enclosure every day. The substrate doesn’t need to be excessively moist. Use a hygrometer to keep a check of the humidity level in the enclosure.
An optimum temperature of 75 – 85° F has to be maintained in the enclosure. You can also get a heating pad with adjustable settings. You can place this on the bottom of the tank in the small gap usually provided.
Food and Water
Two of the mature food sources which can be fed to the Tarantula are grasshoppers and locusts. You can also feed it with mealworms and Dubia cockroaches, but keep away from crickets. You can also go for small lizards, pinky mice, and moths.
A right-sized lid or cap compatible with the size of the spider can be used for water. They have to be shallow to keep the spider from drowning.
Your pet spiders’ lives and health depend on how you take care of them from the time you initially get them. Follow these simple tips to experience a happy journey with your pet.
