bird eating spiders
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PhilK
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I wrote this caresheet for the Aussie Scorpion Forum site. All the photos are mine, but go crazy if you want to use them.
*****************************************************
Venom: Safety first people! It's important to note that Australian tarantulas are Old World tarantulas, and as a general rule are much more aggressive, venomous and skittish than their overseas more 'handleable' tarantulas. It is therefore advisable to never handle your tarantula for any reason, or tease it, or kiss and cuddle it. They are extremely fast and can attack with no apparent warning. Their fangs are long and their venom, while not deadly, can cause extreme pain and discomfort and can last for days. These symptoms can be accompanied by vomiting and nausea. If you need to move your tarantula (for example, during rehousing) it is adviseable to use a soft-bristled paintbrush to 'shoo' it into a container that can safely store it. During cleaning/water changes keep an eye on the tarantula's whereabouts at all times.
Photo showing the classic defensive pose, and rather large fangs of the Australian tarantula.
Basics: Australian tarantulas belong to the spider family (clearly) and have two body segments, eight legs, large frontal chelicerae and booklungs. They have an extra pair of 'legs' in the front named pedipalps. To differentiate a tarantula and any other big spider (for example a huntsman) is fairly simple. By superficial looks, tarantulas are fairly stocky and have large, very obvious chelicerae (these are the parts that 'hold' the fangs and venom glands). Under the abdomen of the tarantula, there are pale patches. These are the book lungs, and spiders such as huntsmans do not have them. Tarantulas fangs point downwards, whereas huntsman fangs tend to act more like pincers. Hopefully you won't be close enough to experience how the T uses it's fangs, as they don't hesitate to!
Picture of a Selenotholus sp. 'Glenelva', note long spinnerets (on abdomen), large chelicerae (front of 'head'), stocky body shape and pedipalps. Also the eyes are grouped into a little 'turret' just above the chelicerae. Many sensory body hairs, as spiders are near blind.
Housing: Your tarantula can be housed in a variety of ways.
Spiderlings: It is best to house spiderlings in an escape proof container, as they are very quick and very little. Something like a deli cup or takeaway food container is ideal. At this young age and small size, they are prone to dessication and moisture levels should be monitored.
For substrate, make a mix of 50% cocopeat or similar and 50% sand. Make sure it is slightly damp, and pack it into the bottom of the container to a depth of about 7 or 8 cm, or to the maximum allowable by the container (this is to allow burrowing, which spiderlings definitely do). If you wish, place a piece of bark, spahgnum moss, pebbles or a rock in the container for furniture. This is for aesthetics to the keeper and can be used as shelter or webbing support for the spiderling.
Ventilation can be an advantage, but can allow spiderlings to escape. When you get your spidelings, judge how big they are and whether you can safely add ventilation. If you can, heat an appropriate sized pin up (with a lighter) and put holes along one end of the lid of the container, as well as a few along the tops of the walls of the container. Do not do these all along. This allows a humid and a less humid environment to form. The spiderling can choose where it wants to stay.
Bigger Spiders: Once your spider is a little bigger, you can rehouse it (use the method described under Venom). Any number of containers can be appropriate to house your tarantula. Generally, they do like a bit of floor space to conduct their wonderings over. Glass fish tanks, bigger 'critter keepers' and pretty much any escape proof container can be used. It's important here to note that tarantulas can climb glass and are very strong. They can push off the lids to aquariums if they aren't firmly fastened.
Again, a 50/50 cocopeat/sand mix should be used for substrate and should be packed in to quite a depth. The deeper the better for your tarantula as they love to burrow, and will spend much time down there. Making a shallow substrate to impede burrowing so you can see your tarantula more is not fair on your tarantula. A water dish should be provided, and you may want to add more furniture for shelter and good looks. Fake plants can look great. An unscented cardboard tube can be placed in the enclosure or half buried to allow the tarantula a place to hide.
Humidity: As they are older now they can handle a drier environment, so the top of the enclosure should have adequate ventilation to prevent excess humidity causing fungal/bacterial problems. Give the enclosure a light misting of water once a week and keep a water dish in there. You can set-up a false bottom system if you wish (see other caresheet on this site).
Photo of my tarantula's housing. This is an Exoterra (I think) small enclosure. Has a sliding lid with wiremesh (lid is not in photo). Note water dish, various furniture and fake plants.
Food/Water: Tarantulas are predators, and when hungry strike prey and crush them with their fangs. Usually this piercing is enough to kill, but if the prey is particularly large or feisty, venom will be used. As a rule, they try to conserve venom as energetically it's fairly expensive to create.
Spiderlings: Spiderlings are very fragile, and a prey item can quite easily kill or injure them if they are not interested in eating. It's therefore important to allow the spiderling to burrow (as it will be safe in it's burrow) and to remove any uneaten food after 24 hours. Feed spiderlings pinhead crickets, or very small crickets of an appropriate size, small head-crushed mealworms, and other small insects. Always ensure they cannot kill your spiderling! After eating, the spiderling will sometimes leave a 'food bolus'. This is the remains of its prey and should be removed ASAP as it can harbour fungi etc.
Bigger Spiders: Bigger spiders will feed on larger prey, and adult crickets/roaches can be offered. Occasionally they will eat lizards if offered, but this is usually frowned upon as not only is it unneccessarily cruel, but harbours the potential for your tarantula to be injured by a lizard who fights back. The remains of prey like lizards/pinky mice etc can go off very quickly, and cause major problems if the tarantula has dragged them down the burrow. Best to stick to insects. Again, remove any prey remains to prvent mould growth, and remove any live prey after a time to prevent injury to your tarantula.
Water: Tarantulas get much of their water from the humidity around them and the water in their prey but it is essential to have a water tray or dish in your enclosure somewhere. Some caresheets recommend placing cotton or a sponge into the water to prevent drowining. Do not do this, as this is asking for a bacterial colony to start up in your tank! If you're worried about drowning, put a rock big enough for the spider to climb on into the water dish.
Growth: Spiders, being arthropods like centipedes and scorpions, periodically shed their exoskeletons in order to grow. This is a very vulnerable time for your tarantula and it is important to know something about this.
Premoult: Most tarantulas moult about once a year, but this number will obviously vary with age. i.e. spiderlings will moult more frequently than adults. In the months approaching the moult, your spider will become very 'sluggish' and may disappear into its burrow for months at a time. It may show no interest at all in eating and seal itself into it's burrow. Do not worry and do not dig it up, or force food onto it! This is perfectly normal for a pre-moult tarantula. Feed items can easily kill a tarantula in the vulnerable moult stage, so be sure to remove any.
Moulting: When your spider is ready to moult, it may happen in the burrow or out in the open. Your tarantula will weave a web 'mat' and lie down on it's back. It is NOT dead, do NOT touch it! The typical 'death curl' for a tarantula is on its belly with all its legs curled under it. Not on its back. The spider will then 'pop it's top' and extract itself from its old skeleton. This may take a very long time, but do not panic - they know what to do! If you do have any lingering fears, don't ever act spontaneously. Go onto the internet and research or ask a question on a forum. You may do more harm than good trying to help.
Post Moult: After moulting, your spider will be very soft and vulnerable. Do not feed it now! It's fangs are not hardened yet, and it can fall victim to the prey. Wait a fortnight before feeding. Fangs should look black and shiny, not white. Keep the humidity up before and after a moult for a while to help it absorb water to stretch the new exoskeleton out!
Breeding: I do not know enough about breeding of tarantulas to give any really good advice. I do know that the male approaches the females burrow (you should introduce male to female enclosure, not vice versa) and performs a series of taps. If she emerges and does not eat him, he will 'wrestle' her into position and place his sperm into her genital opening. He will then leave, hopefully alive. She creates an egg-sac and carries it around with her until the little ones hatch out and disperse.
I'm also not entirely sure how to sex tarantulas. Females are usually bigger and less 'lanky' than males. Males have club-like ends to the pedipalps.
There are plenty of websites around that help with tarantula breeding and sexing. Arachnoboards is a forum that is excellent for any information.
Identification: Again, I have not got much experience or expertise on tarantula identification, but there are many tarantula websites and experts around the internet.
Miscellanious: Other useful tips and FAQ
Should I house my T's together?
No. That is all.
Where is my tarantula? I haven't seen it in ages! Should I dig it up?
No. Tarantulas bury themselves for plenty of reasons; moulting, egg-laying, or there own reasons. Best to leave them alone, and they'll come out.
My tarantula hasn't eaten anything in ages. Will it die?
My T hasn't eaten in months and months, and shows absolutely no interest in any prey but is perfectly healthy. Try to throw a cricket in once a fortnight if you are really worried, but try not to get too fussed. They can go for a long time without food. They often do not eat for long periods for various reasons. Moulting may be one of these.
My T is missing a leg!
No worries. Next moult it will have a brand new one.
Please keep in mind this is a crash course in Aussie tarantula keeping. There are many details I'm not an expert on (many, many details!), and some situations require help from a knowledgeable source. The internet has plenty of wonderful sites, but there is one particular forum I highly recommend. If you're getting a T, visit the following site and register as a user. You can ask any question, from inexperience beginner to picky taxonomist, and you will get excellent answers!
The Australian Tarantula Association: http://theata.org/home.php
Hope this knowledge is of use to you!
Phil
A tarantula's smile!
*****************************************************
There you go. Sorry it's so long. If anyone wants to use that caresheet on their website or whatever, swing me a PM so I know about it
*****************************************************
Venom: Safety first people! It's important to note that Australian tarantulas are Old World tarantulas, and as a general rule are much more aggressive, venomous and skittish than their overseas more 'handleable' tarantulas. It is therefore advisable to never handle your tarantula for any reason, or tease it, or kiss and cuddle it. They are extremely fast and can attack with no apparent warning. Their fangs are long and their venom, while not deadly, can cause extreme pain and discomfort and can last for days. These symptoms can be accompanied by vomiting and nausea. If you need to move your tarantula (for example, during rehousing) it is adviseable to use a soft-bristled paintbrush to 'shoo' it into a container that can safely store it. During cleaning/water changes keep an eye on the tarantula's whereabouts at all times.
Photo showing the classic defensive pose, and rather large fangs of the Australian tarantula.
Basics: Australian tarantulas belong to the spider family (clearly) and have two body segments, eight legs, large frontal chelicerae and booklungs. They have an extra pair of 'legs' in the front named pedipalps. To differentiate a tarantula and any other big spider (for example a huntsman) is fairly simple. By superficial looks, tarantulas are fairly stocky and have large, very obvious chelicerae (these are the parts that 'hold' the fangs and venom glands). Under the abdomen of the tarantula, there are pale patches. These are the book lungs, and spiders such as huntsmans do not have them. Tarantulas fangs point downwards, whereas huntsman fangs tend to act more like pincers. Hopefully you won't be close enough to experience how the T uses it's fangs, as they don't hesitate to!
Picture of a Selenotholus sp. 'Glenelva', note long spinnerets (on abdomen), large chelicerae (front of 'head'), stocky body shape and pedipalps. Also the eyes are grouped into a little 'turret' just above the chelicerae. Many sensory body hairs, as spiders are near blind.
Housing: Your tarantula can be housed in a variety of ways.
Spiderlings: It is best to house spiderlings in an escape proof container, as they are very quick and very little. Something like a deli cup or takeaway food container is ideal. At this young age and small size, they are prone to dessication and moisture levels should be monitored.
For substrate, make a mix of 50% cocopeat or similar and 50% sand. Make sure it is slightly damp, and pack it into the bottom of the container to a depth of about 7 or 8 cm, or to the maximum allowable by the container (this is to allow burrowing, which spiderlings definitely do). If you wish, place a piece of bark, spahgnum moss, pebbles or a rock in the container for furniture. This is for aesthetics to the keeper and can be used as shelter or webbing support for the spiderling.
Ventilation can be an advantage, but can allow spiderlings to escape. When you get your spidelings, judge how big they are and whether you can safely add ventilation. If you can, heat an appropriate sized pin up (with a lighter) and put holes along one end of the lid of the container, as well as a few along the tops of the walls of the container. Do not do these all along. This allows a humid and a less humid environment to form. The spiderling can choose where it wants to stay.
Bigger Spiders: Once your spider is a little bigger, you can rehouse it (use the method described under Venom). Any number of containers can be appropriate to house your tarantula. Generally, they do like a bit of floor space to conduct their wonderings over. Glass fish tanks, bigger 'critter keepers' and pretty much any escape proof container can be used. It's important here to note that tarantulas can climb glass and are very strong. They can push off the lids to aquariums if they aren't firmly fastened.
Again, a 50/50 cocopeat/sand mix should be used for substrate and should be packed in to quite a depth. The deeper the better for your tarantula as they love to burrow, and will spend much time down there. Making a shallow substrate to impede burrowing so you can see your tarantula more is not fair on your tarantula. A water dish should be provided, and you may want to add more furniture for shelter and good looks. Fake plants can look great. An unscented cardboard tube can be placed in the enclosure or half buried to allow the tarantula a place to hide.
Humidity: As they are older now they can handle a drier environment, so the top of the enclosure should have adequate ventilation to prevent excess humidity causing fungal/bacterial problems. Give the enclosure a light misting of water once a week and keep a water dish in there. You can set-up a false bottom system if you wish (see other caresheet on this site).
Photo of my tarantula's housing. This is an Exoterra (I think) small enclosure. Has a sliding lid with wiremesh (lid is not in photo). Note water dish, various furniture and fake plants.
Food/Water: Tarantulas are predators, and when hungry strike prey and crush them with their fangs. Usually this piercing is enough to kill, but if the prey is particularly large or feisty, venom will be used. As a rule, they try to conserve venom as energetically it's fairly expensive to create.
Spiderlings: Spiderlings are very fragile, and a prey item can quite easily kill or injure them if they are not interested in eating. It's therefore important to allow the spiderling to burrow (as it will be safe in it's burrow) and to remove any uneaten food after 24 hours. Feed spiderlings pinhead crickets, or very small crickets of an appropriate size, small head-crushed mealworms, and other small insects. Always ensure they cannot kill your spiderling! After eating, the spiderling will sometimes leave a 'food bolus'. This is the remains of its prey and should be removed ASAP as it can harbour fungi etc.
Bigger Spiders: Bigger spiders will feed on larger prey, and adult crickets/roaches can be offered. Occasionally they will eat lizards if offered, but this is usually frowned upon as not only is it unneccessarily cruel, but harbours the potential for your tarantula to be injured by a lizard who fights back. The remains of prey like lizards/pinky mice etc can go off very quickly, and cause major problems if the tarantula has dragged them down the burrow. Best to stick to insects. Again, remove any prey remains to prvent mould growth, and remove any live prey after a time to prevent injury to your tarantula.
Water: Tarantulas get much of their water from the humidity around them and the water in their prey but it is essential to have a water tray or dish in your enclosure somewhere. Some caresheets recommend placing cotton or a sponge into the water to prevent drowining. Do not do this, as this is asking for a bacterial colony to start up in your tank! If you're worried about drowning, put a rock big enough for the spider to climb on into the water dish.
Growth: Spiders, being arthropods like centipedes and scorpions, periodically shed their exoskeletons in order to grow. This is a very vulnerable time for your tarantula and it is important to know something about this.
Premoult: Most tarantulas moult about once a year, but this number will obviously vary with age. i.e. spiderlings will moult more frequently than adults. In the months approaching the moult, your spider will become very 'sluggish' and may disappear into its burrow for months at a time. It may show no interest at all in eating and seal itself into it's burrow. Do not worry and do not dig it up, or force food onto it! This is perfectly normal for a pre-moult tarantula. Feed items can easily kill a tarantula in the vulnerable moult stage, so be sure to remove any.
Moulting: When your spider is ready to moult, it may happen in the burrow or out in the open. Your tarantula will weave a web 'mat' and lie down on it's back. It is NOT dead, do NOT touch it! The typical 'death curl' for a tarantula is on its belly with all its legs curled under it. Not on its back. The spider will then 'pop it's top' and extract itself from its old skeleton. This may take a very long time, but do not panic - they know what to do! If you do have any lingering fears, don't ever act spontaneously. Go onto the internet and research or ask a question on a forum. You may do more harm than good trying to help.
Post Moult: After moulting, your spider will be very soft and vulnerable. Do not feed it now! It's fangs are not hardened yet, and it can fall victim to the prey. Wait a fortnight before feeding. Fangs should look black and shiny, not white. Keep the humidity up before and after a moult for a while to help it absorb water to stretch the new exoskeleton out!
Breeding: I do not know enough about breeding of tarantulas to give any really good advice. I do know that the male approaches the females burrow (you should introduce male to female enclosure, not vice versa) and performs a series of taps. If she emerges and does not eat him, he will 'wrestle' her into position and place his sperm into her genital opening. He will then leave, hopefully alive. She creates an egg-sac and carries it around with her until the little ones hatch out and disperse.
I'm also not entirely sure how to sex tarantulas. Females are usually bigger and less 'lanky' than males. Males have club-like ends to the pedipalps.
There are plenty of websites around that help with tarantula breeding and sexing. Arachnoboards is a forum that is excellent for any information.
Identification: Again, I have not got much experience or expertise on tarantula identification, but there are many tarantula websites and experts around the internet.
Miscellanious: Other useful tips and FAQ
Should I house my T's together?
No. That is all.
Where is my tarantula? I haven't seen it in ages! Should I dig it up?
No. Tarantulas bury themselves for plenty of reasons; moulting, egg-laying, or there own reasons. Best to leave them alone, and they'll come out.
My tarantula hasn't eaten anything in ages. Will it die?
My T hasn't eaten in months and months, and shows absolutely no interest in any prey but is perfectly healthy. Try to throw a cricket in once a fortnight if you are really worried, but try not to get too fussed. They can go for a long time without food. They often do not eat for long periods for various reasons. Moulting may be one of these.
My T is missing a leg!
No worries. Next moult it will have a brand new one.
Please keep in mind this is a crash course in Aussie tarantula keeping. There are many details I'm not an expert on (many, many details!), and some situations require help from a knowledgeable source. The internet has plenty of wonderful sites, but there is one particular forum I highly recommend. If you're getting a T, visit the following site and register as a user. You can ask any question, from inexperience beginner to picky taxonomist, and you will get excellent answers!
The Australian Tarantula Association: http://theata.org/home.php
Hope this knowledge is of use to you!
Phil
A tarantula's smile!
*****************************************************
There you go. Sorry it's so long. If anyone wants to use that caresheet on their website or whatever, swing me a PM so I know about it
Last edited:
tropicaltarantulas
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Hi Phil,
Just to add to your care sheet about drowning, if someone can drown their T I will be very impressed as they actually float. In the case of Selenotholus "Gold" it actually spends part of the year living in its burrow which is completely submerged during the wet season. They have the ability to trap air around their entire body which they utilise when submerged. I have actually witnessed them run into the water and under a submerged rock to escape. I actually recommend a deeper water dish for this species as it will use it to hide if threatened. If people are wondering how they do this if they float, they use the small tarsal claws at the ends of their feet which are retractable a bit like a cats claws.
Cheers
Brendan
Just to add to your care sheet about drowning, if someone can drown their T I will be very impressed as they actually float. In the case of Selenotholus "Gold" it actually spends part of the year living in its burrow which is completely submerged during the wet season. They have the ability to trap air around their entire body which they utilise when submerged. I have actually witnessed them run into the water and under a submerged rock to escape. I actually recommend a deeper water dish for this species as it will use it to hide if threatened. If people are wondering how they do this if they float, they use the small tarsal claws at the ends of their feet which are retractable a bit like a cats claws.
Cheers
Brendan
inthegrass
Very Well-Known Member
PhilK
Very Well-Known Member
They aren't retractable, are they? All other instances of retractable claws involve ligaments... spiders don't have these? I thought they'd just float by utilising surface tension?
Not that I know
Not that I know
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RevDaniel
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Thanks for that. Was a most educational read. I am getting into arachnids so learning all i can about them
PhilK
Very Well-Known Member
If that was directed at me, no worries mate. If it wasn't.. my bad hahaha
Radar
Very Well-Known Member
Tropicaltarantulas....are you Brendan Stent by any chance?
Radar
Very Well-Known Member
haha, brettix beat me to it.
tropicaltarantulas
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Hi,
They move using hydrostatic pressure there is only a small amount of muscular involvement, hence why they have such difficulty moving when dehydrated. If you get a dead spider and inject fluid into it you will actually cause it's legs to extend.
The trapped air around the hairs on their body provides significant bouyancy. Like their own built in dive bubble.
The Selenotholus "Gold" that I have observed actually sit with the front legs out of the water and this allows air exchange.
They move using hydrostatic pressure there is only a small amount of muscular involvement, hence why they have such difficulty moving when dehydrated. If you get a dead spider and inject fluid into it you will actually cause it's legs to extend.
The trapped air around the hairs on their body provides significant bouyancy. Like their own built in dive bubble.
The Selenotholus "Gold" that I have observed actually sit with the front legs out of the water and this allows air exchange.
tropicaltarantulas
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I would rather you didn't use my full name but a bit late for that.
I saw you are studying at JCU what subject? I was doing the vet course but have to put it on hold at the moment.
Radar
Very Well-Known Member
Sorry bout that, you should have denied it, :lol:
I just finished a double major zoology/botany, and have done a fair bit of freshwater ecology stuff as well as population genetics as independent research.
My postgrad work is on hold for now as well, I'm taking a year to decide where I really want to go and get some more money behind me. Good luck with your vet degree
I just finished a double major zoology/botany, and have done a fair bit of freshwater ecology stuff as well as population genetics as independent research.
My postgrad work is on hold for now as well, I'm taking a year to decide where I really want to go and get some more money behind me. Good luck with your vet degree
tropicaltarantulas
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That's ok my reasoning behind it is there have been thefts of collections so it is best to avoid using names.
Not sure if I will go back to vet as it is a lot of work for very little at the end I may go back to my roots which are in emergency medicine.
I wish I had the time to complete as much as you have and I know the feeling about the money
Not sure if I will go back to vet as it is a lot of work for very little at the end I may go back to my roots which are in emergency medicine.
I wish I had the time to complete as much as you have and I know the feeling about the money
PhilK
Very Well-Known Member
Just don't give us your address, and we won't steal your spiders mate!
By the way..
Oooowwww :cry:
By the way..
Oooowwww :cry:
tropicaltarantulas
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LOL
Sorry Phil I have several years of experience on you and I have to weigh what is best for me and my family. I am actually making more doing the job I am at now than most vets make so medicine is what I am turning towards as I miss the thrill of emergency medicine and it pays better than a vet. Nothing like knowing your decisions mean the difference between life and death, beats any other adrenaline junkies fixes.
PhilK
Very Well-Known Member
No worries mate haha I know I'm not about to be rich. Maybe once I own my practice I can embezzle funds and cut costs to make a nice profit
.I wanted to do medicine, but I like animals much more than people. And at the end of the day, I'd much rather tell someone their horse was dying than their son/wife/mother... My big brother is 29 and a pedeatrician (spelling?). Sometimes he spends a whole weekend crying.. *shudder*. I couldn't handle that.
Also, animals don't complain.
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