General Care Requirements

Spiders include ground-dwelling, burrowing and arboreal species with very different housing needs. This guide focuses on established juvenile and adult terrestrial tarantulas such as the Mexican red-knee (Brachypelma hamorii) and Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea). Spiderlings, arboreal tarantulas and jumping spiders require different arrangements.

Natural Habitat

Mexican red-knees occupy seasonally dry habitats in western Mexico, while Chilean rose tarantulas inhabit relatively dry landscapes in Chile. Both use protected ground-level retreats. Conditions inside a burrow are more buffered than exposed air temperatures and humidity, so a dry landscape should not be interpreted as a need for completely dehydrated housing.

Housing

Provide a secure, ventilated enclosure with useful floor space and limited fall height. For an adult around 12–15 cm in leg span, approximately 40 × 30 cm of floor space is a practical starting recommendation.

Add approximately 10–15 cm of compactable, pesticide-free substrate and a low cork hide or starter burrow. Adjust enclosure height and substrate depth so the distance from the substrate to the lid is no more than approximately 1–1.5 times the spider’s leg span.

Avoid sharp ornaments and heavy structures that can collapse. Terrestrial tarantulas can climb enclosure walls, and a fall onto a hard object may rupture the abdomen.

House these species individually. Provide a shallow water dish without a sponge, and keep the entrance to the retreat accessible.

Temperature, Moisture & Lighting

Stable room temperatures around 21–26°C are suitable for routine care of these examples. Avoid direct sunlight, intense heat lamps and heating beneath a burrowing animal. If extra warmth is necessary, warming the room is generally easier to control safely than heating a small enclosure.

For established juveniles and adults, keep most of the substrate surface relatively dry while maintaining access to water and some moisture in a restricted area or deeper retreat. Small spiderlings lose water more readily and should not simply receive a miniature version of a completely dry adult setup.

A normal day-night cycle is sufficient; intense display lighting and routine UVB provision are unnecessary. Do not repeatedly saturate the enclosure merely to achieve a particular humidity reading.

Feeding & Moulting

Offer appropriately sized captive-bred insects, such as crickets or cockroaches. An established adult may take a small meal approximately every 7–14 days; growing juveniles often feed more frequently. Adjust to abdominal condition and appetite.

Remove uneaten prey. Food refusal can precede a moult or occur during extended fasting, particularly in Grammostola. Maintain water access and monitor condition without repeatedly disturbing the retreat.

A tarantula lying on its back may be moulting: do not turn it over. Keep live prey away during and after the moult. Resume feeding only when the new fangs have hardened and darkened, commonly after approximately 7–14 days in adults.

Lifespan

Females of these slow-growing species may live for 20 years or longer. Males generally have much shorter lifespans and usually live only a limited period after reaching maturity.

Common Health Challenges

• Dehydration: Lack of water and unsuitable moisture conditions can cause weakness and moulting difficulties.
• Moulting complications: Disturbance, injury and poor condition can prevent a successful moult.
• Abdominal injury: Falls and sharp furnishings can cause life-threatening damage.
• Prey injuries: Uneaten insects may attack a vulnerable moulting spider.
• Persistent decline: Loss of condition, abnormal movement or visible organisms attached to the spider warrant advice from an experienced invertebrate veterinarian.