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| Curly Haired TarantulaEnclosure Selection Health Feeding BreedingEnclosure Size Suitable Materials Substrates Décor Temperatures Hides Lighting Plants Maintenance Enclosure size A 5-10 gallon glass aquarium is usually plenty to house these animals, as they do not tend to move around much. A 12" x 12"x 12" enclosure works perfectly. Material Your enclosure can be of a variety of materials, the most commonly used being glass. There is a tendency for temperatures to fluctuate quite quickly in glass tanks as there is such poor insulation. The problem arises not only from heat loss but also from heat gains, so it is preferable not to locate the enclosure in direct sunlight. Wood can cost a fair bit more and is unsuitable for the high humidity levels required. They can be sealed and protected, but for such a small animal a glass or plastic tank is usually more than adequate and much more cost effective. These spiders are very strong for their size so ensure that lids are held down securely, and also be sure that there is plenty of ventilation. Avoid draughts wherever possible. Substrate As a substrate, you can use damp peat moss, soil or vermiculite. These spiders love to burrow so it should be at least 2-3 inches deep and just moist enough to stick together without being wet. Unsuitable substrates include wood shavings, sand, newspaper and paper towels as these will not allow the animal to burrow properly. Décor You can create some quite beautiful vivariums for your tarantula, using some clean and dry branches and rocks. With a bit of patience and trial and error a safe, natural environment can be produced. Wood and rocks can, of course, be bought at rather extravagant prices. Depending on where you live this may be your only option but if you are lucky enough to have access to a public forest where you are allowed to remove one or two suitable branches this can be more economic. Various rocks and stones should also be collected and cleaned in the same manner as the branches. If you cannot source natural materials locally then a local aquarium specialist or reptile supplier will have dried and cleaned sections of wood in many interesting shapes which can be cleaned as below and used to furnish the enclosure. Recently there has been a significant rise in the availability of fake rocks and structures that you can purchase and place directly into the vivarium. These can look very realistic and are worth considering, since they are very lightweight compared to their natural counterparts. To clean items for use in a vivarium, use a stiff brush to remove all loose material, and in the case of wood strip it of its bark. Mix up a 5% bleach solution and thoroughly scrub the surface, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Rinse well and allow to dry completely before use. When setting out, make sure branches cannot slip and that rocks and structures cannot topple over. Not all types of rock and wood will be suitable for your vivarium. Avoid any sappy woods such as evergreens (conifers etc) and rocks which appear porous. Any rocks which are especially smooth and shiny may contain high amounts of metal minerals so should also be avoided. Temperatures Temperatures should be maintained at somewhere between 75F and 85F with little or no drop in temperature at night. If your house reliably stays within this range then no supplemental heat will be needed but if it is likely to go below 75F, particularly in winter, you will need to provide a heat source. Heat mats can provide a low amount of heat and are easily regulated, so provide a good heat source for your spiders enclosure. There are a few manufacturers of thermostats, and the heat mat manufacturer may recommend the one that works best with their product. To gauge the size of mat needed, aim to cover at the most about 50% of the floor of the vivarium. For glass tanks, the mat should be placed externally with a small amount of ventilation space underneath. This can be achieved using a small piece of cardboard or wood under each corner. Providing air movement reduces the risk of the glass overheating and cracking. If you have a wooden vivarium however the mat will have to be placed on the inside, preferably under the substrate. Care must be taken not to allow the tarantulas to come directly into contact with the mat when they burrow. I strongly recommend avoiding hot rocks. They are unreliable and in some cases can cause serious burns to your new pet. There is a high instance of faults developing within them, resulting in hot spots in excess of 100F. All temperatures should be measured using a digital thermometer with a probe. If possible, it should be left in place with high/low alarms set if available. This will provide an immediate alert to any problems that occur. Humidity must be kept high, at least 70-80% Hides The hides are where your spider will spend much of the day, as they are nocturnal animals. Hides can be fashioned from anything, such as a broken plant pot, a piece of cork bark, or a small structure made from stones. There are also a number of artificial hides available which can look great. As long as there is room inside for the tarantula and it is safe and clean the possibilities are endless! Lighting Lighting can be very basic. Curly haired tarantulas are nocturnal and will rarely venture out in the daytime. For this reason no special UVB lights are needed, and a simple strip light will be sufficient in most cases. Any vivarium with live plants will need at least one full length full spectrum tube to provide enough light to allow the plants to thrive. For optimum plant growth the lights should be on a 12/12 timer, which will also provide a reliable day/night cycle for the spider. Setting the lights on a timer removes a lot of hassle, as it is best to ensure lights go on and off at the same time each day. Timers are available very cheap from B and Q in the UK and Home Depot in the US. Plants You can incorporate live plants into your setup to improve aesthetics, and create a more natural look. You can either use wide and shallow pots with a sandy compost mix, or use a moss/soil substrate and plant them directly into this. There are also attractive planters available made to look like tree stumps and other natural features. There are many species of plant suitable for your enclosure, ask any member of staff at a reptile shop or a vet for advice. Vivaria with live plants require suitable lighting. In order for your plants to thrive you will need to install at least one fluorescent strip light, fitted with full spectrum tubes and running the full length of the tank. Plants will need watered one or two times a week. Maintenance Vivaria need regular cleaning and maintenance to ensure a long and healthy life for your spider. There are a number of things that should be done routinely, either daily, weekly or monthly. Daily Scoop out any faecal matter lying around the enclosure Change the water in the water dish, clean thoroughly every 2 days Mist the enclosure and check temperatures and humidity Weekly Clean food dishes and hides in a 5% bleach solution Other Change substrate every 6 months Clean entire cage with a 5-10% bleach solution and rinse thoroughly every12 months.
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