How can I feed a spider except for insects. What does a tarantula spider actually eat? What to do if a spider has bitten
Despite the fact that fear of spiders is inherent in the human being by nature itself, many more and more often choose them as exotic pets. Spider owners claim that this is ideal if you do not have time to look after a little friend. If you do not suffer from arachnophobia and want to get an unusual domestic animal, we will help you understand the features of care and maintenance, the types of spiders, as well as all the pros and cons of such a choice.
What spiders can be kept at home
Not all arthropod species can be kept at home.Some of them are deadly poisonous, while others have an unremarkable appearance (for example, a gray spider or a haying spider, which most often live in secluded corners of houses and apartments). Many opt for tarantula spiders, and there are several reasons for this:
- They have a presentable appearance: large size, bright color, shaggy body.
- This species includes more than a hundred subspecies from which you can choose a pet for every taste.
- They live a little longer than other species.
- Can reproduce offspring in captivity.
- The tarantula venom does not pose a mortal threat to a healthy adult.
Popular types of tarantulas are: white-haired, two-tone, giant, striped, horned and others. In addition to tarantulas, the choice is often stopped on tarantulas, spider-crosses, spider-wolves or spider-horses. The listed species rarely bite people (only in case of a sudden attack), but even if this happens, their poison does not cause any serious consequences.
Where to hold
Typically, glass or plastic terrariums with good sealing are used to keep spiders. They can be of horizontal and vertical type: the former are suitable for terrestrial spiders, and for tree species, a vertical type of dwelling with effective ventilation is required. Therefore, it is very important to know the look of your pet in order to recreate the natural conditions for it as accurately as possible.
Most species do not need a lot of space, since they spend passively almost all the time, hiding in hollows, minks and other shelters. However, the length of the home should be at least twice the distance of the span of the pet's legs. In a too large terrarium, the pet will experience obvious discomfort and a desire to hide away. 
The terrarium should also not be too high so that when falling from the walls the pet is not damaged. For example, for adult tarantulas, a container of such parameters is quite enough: 30 * 30 * 20 cm. For young tarantula spiders (up to several links), a plastic container 10 * 8 * 6 cm in size is enough. After 7-10 links, you can buy a home bigger sizebased on the size of the pet.
It is important to understand that the needs of spiders in space are fundamentally different from most animals we are familiar with - an arthropod does not need a lot of space for walking and activity.
Is it possible to keep several individuals in one container
AT natural conditions some species of spiders can live together, and it can even be individuals of different sex and age group. However, in captivity, it is not recommended to keep two or more representatives of the same species in one container - this is associated with high risks of aggression or cannibalism, and as a result, injury or death of pets. It is also necessary to seat the babies after the first molt.
Important!Joint content of spiders different types in the vast majority of cases ends with the death of one of the pets.
For an exotic pet to please you with its presence for a long time, you need to work on the equipment of his home. When arranging a terrarium, it is necessary to think over the lighting, decor and filler, adjust the temperature and humidity. 
What you need in the terrarium
Be sure to have a layer of substrate in the terrarium.Firstly, it will help to recreate more natural conditions for the pet, and it will not sit on bare plastic or glass. Secondly, the main objective of the substrate is to maintain a stable level of humidity inside the container. For this reason, neither sand nor stones are suitable as a filler. The most acceptable options are vermiculite and coconut filler. Both fillers are highly hygroscopic.
The need for decoration is determined by the look of your pet. For example, for spiders weaving a web, a special decor is not required, since soon it will not be visible under a layer of beautiful lace. the main thing - provide the pet with all the conditions for weaving. But for species who like to hide in shelters, you can buy ceramic houses, castles and shards, products from cork oak or artificial plants.
Tightness and ventilation
It doesn’t matter what you use as a food court or glass special terrarium, it must be securely closed with a lid, otherwise one morning you may find that the spider house is empty and its owner is walking around your apartment. But when sealing a container, remember that an arthropod needs fresh air and high-quality ventilation of the container, so several holes should be made in the lid through which the spider will not get out, but will gain access to oxygen. If the pet lives in a plastic container, it is better to make holes on the side wall in two rows: bottom and top. To do this, you can use a hot nail of small diameter. 
Lighting
The need for decoration depends on the type of spider.For example, for tarantulas there is no need to install additional light, as these are night residents who are perfectly oriented in the dark. If you want to set the light, give preference to infrared lamps - their radiation is invisible to the pet. It is undesirable to choose incandescent lamps, and yet if you choose this option, install them outside the container to prevent burns on the animal and drying out of the air.
Temperature
Spiders can tolerate a very large temperature range. The optimal performance is 23-26 ° C. Additional heating may be needed only in the transitional autumn-spring period, when the heating is already off or not yet working. To ensure heat, you can purchase special cords and plates for heating, as well as a thermostat. Devices must be installed either under the container (for wood spiders) or on the walls of the house (for terrestrial species).
Important!The temperature in the room and the terrarium should not exceed the mark of 31 ° C.
Humidity
This indicator is very important for the health and well-being of the pet. The required moisture level for each species may vary. To determine the deficit or excess moisture can be according to the behavior of the pet:
- the spider constantly sits at the drinker, drags soil into it - it is too dry in the container;
- the spider constantly sits on the walls of the tank - this behavior indicates excessive moisture (but sometimes it can just be a pet’s favorite habit);
- tree species descends onto the substrate - it is dry in the container;
It is not worth spraying the substrate from the spray gun; instead, it is better to use a syringe without a needle or a watering can with a thin hole. It is important to determine by eye when there will be enough moisture (the substrate should get wet by 2/3). For adults, the container must have a drinker, it is worth choosing a size so that the pet can not fit in and drown. Keep in mind that you cannot allow swamp breeding in the terrarium. In conditions of excessive humidity, midges, mold and fungus can easily start, which can kill the arthropod. 
What you need in spider care
So, it is obvious that for the maintenance of an exotic pet such accessories will be required:
- sealed container made of glass or plastic;
- drinking bowl;
- filler;
- air heater;
- thermometer;
- decor (depending on the type of spider);
- a small plastic box for isolating the pet (for example, when cleaning the terrarium);
- long tweezers, 20-25 cm (for feeding and garbage collection);
- long brush (helps with a pet transplant);
- additional lighting (depending on the type).
Did you know? For agriculture, spiders are very useful - their main food is insects, which destroy crops. Thus, spiders annually save up to 30% of the world crop!
How to feed a spider at home
Spiders are representatives of obligate predators, therefore they should eat exclusively products of animal origin. The most common food for spiders is feed insects: various types of cockroaches (Turkmen, Argentine, marble), larvae, and flour worms. You need to buy food in specialized stores. It is not recommended to feed your pet domestic cockroaches, flies, any insects or small animals that you caught yourself.
Firstly, one cannot be sure of their health (many insects can be carriers of diseases), and secondly, a spider can be difficult to cope with a large insect, frog or mice, and besides, such food is not familiar to him.The frequency of feeding is determined by the age of the pet.Toddlers and teenage spiders need food 3 times a week, adults need to be fed 1-2 times. The size of one serving should correspond to the size of your pet’s belly. However, in many cases, spiders are able to eat much larger portions. You need to give food with tweezers, the rest after a meal must be removed. 
Important!Do not panic if your pet has no appetite. The rest period from food can last weeks or even months for some spiders.
In no case should you overfeed the spider. This increases the risk of a hernia or injury if it falls from the wall of the terrarium, moreover, such specimens are not suitable for breeding. If the pet refuses food, but at the same time its abdomen is of normal size (it doesn’t fall), there are no injuries on the body, soon there will be no molt and its conditions are good, then you can not worry.Terrarium Cleaning
Thorough cleaning of the terrarium with the replacement of the substrate is necessary once every 8-12 months, as well as if mold or fungus has wound up. There is no need to clean the house more often. You always need to remove food leftovers with tweezers after a meal. At the time of cleaning, the tenant needs to be transplanted into the container. To do this, you need to open the terrarium, using a brush to push the spider to the container. 
Molting period
Shedding is a physiological, very important period for spiders, during which growth and renewal of the whole organism takes place. Shedding is dropping the old hard cuticle and growing new. The process starts under the influence of special hormones.At a time when the new cuticle (exoskeleton) has not yet hardened, the pet is very vulnerable and defenseless.
It is possible to understand that molting is about to begin, according to the behavior of the arthropod: the spider stops eating, becomes inactive. Tarantula spiders create a bed of cobwebs for themselves, lay on their backs and stay in this position until the dumping of the old skeleton ends. The speed of this process depends on the age of the pet: the younger the spider, the faster the molt passes. 
What you need to remember the spider owner during molting:
- do not offer the spider food during this period - live feed insects can damage your pet;
- arthropod should be fed no earlier than 2-3 weeks;
- in no case should you touch the spider, especially when it lies on its back;
- do not try in any way to “help” the pet free itself from the old skeleton;
- you can remove the old skeleton only after the pet turns over and stands confidently on its feet.
Did you know? By strength, the web is equivalent to steel wire. If he could create a rod from a web only 0.5 cm thick, he could stop a tank or a bulldozer. The only reason this durable and environmentally friendly material is not used in industry is the inability to recreate it under laboratory conditions.
How many years live
Of course, the life span of a pet will depend on how correctly you can create conditions for it. However, in general, with good care, spiders of various species have the following lifespan:
- tarantulas - live on average 15-20 years;
- tarantulas - life expectancy is highly dependent on the species, some live in captivity for only 1-2 years, but there are species that can survive up to 20-30 years (females live longer than males);
- a cross - maximum six months live, males die after mating, females - after creating a cocoon;
- little horse - in captivity, females live up to 3 years, males live 1-2 years;
- peacock spider - lives a maximum of 9 months;
- goliaths - females live up to 8-9 years, males - up to 6 years.
Is it possible to pick up
Most often, owners of large species, for example, tarantulas and tarantulas, ask such questions. It should be clearly understood that spiders cannot be considered full-fledged tame animals, they are guided by physiological instincts, which is why attempts to play with a pet, train him or try to rush with him in his arms are completely meaningless and doomed to failure.
You also need to be aware that for a spider, a change of scenery will always be very stressful, especially if the temperature, lighting and humidity of the environment differ from these indicators in the terrarium. Any careless movement can lead to injury or death of the arthropod, especially in the case of small species and babies. Some species can immediately run away from you (for example, horse spiders), and it will be very difficult to find a fugitive in the apartment. Under stress, your pet may bite you, and although the bite will not be fatal, pain is guaranteed. Spider venom can be dangerous if you have an allergy (which you may not even know about). 
All pets have a different character, so some can calmly respond to your attempts to invite him in the palm of your hand, while others will strive to bite as soon as you lower your hand into the terrarium. Based on this, it is not recommended to attempt to take a pet in his arms.
What to do if a spider has bitten
As mentioned earlier, spider bites, which are often kept at home, are not a deadly threat if you are not allergic. Otherwise, anaphylactic shock can occur with the most negative consequences. 
The bite is often accompanied by such symptoms: itching, redness, pain and swelling in the affected area. Occasionally, malaise may occur and body temperature may rise. All symptoms go away after a few days. The bite action algorithm is as follows:
- If a limb is affected, it must be dragged with a bandage or rope above the bite.
- Wash the puncture site with soapy water and treat with an antiseptic.
- Apply an ice pack.
- Use a large number of water for speedy detoxification.
- If necessary, drink an antihistamine.
Pros and Cons of Content
Before deciding to purchase such a pet, weigh the pros and cons of its contents.
Among the advantages:
- does not require much time and money for care and maintenance;
- silent, calm and almost imperceptible animal;
- the behavior of the spider is curious to observe.
- there is always a risk that the spider will bite, run away;
- some species have very short life spans;
- not amenable to training, not a manual pet in the standard sense.
Important!For children, the elderly, people with allergies or other serious illnesses, a spider bite can have bad consequences!
Such an exotic pet will clearly attract the attention of all visitors to your home. If you and other family members do not have arachnophobia or allergies, then it is quite acceptable to have a spider. But if you want to get emotional feedback from the pet, spend more time with it, then you should look at more social types of animals.
Video: keeping exotic spiders at home
Today I want to touch on one of the most important topics in the content of tarantulas spiders, this is feeding. Immediately, I note that the article is written for beginners, and will contain simple tips and rules that experienced keeper have long known.
How to feed a tarantula spider:
Spider tarantulas, contrary to their name, do not eat birds, but feed on small (about the body of a spider) insects that they hunt in their natural habitat. How to feed a tarantula spider at home?
The answer to this question is very simple - feed insects. The most popular feed insects are marble , turkmen , madagascar , argentinian and other cockroaches, as well as larvae zofobasa and flour worm.
These are general rules, many consider it optional to observe them, and videos often appear on the Internet in which the spider is fed with mice, or insects with streets. To be honest, I also like a couple to feed their pets caught singing grasshoppers.
Why you can not feed a tarantula spider with insects from the street:
Small vertebrates in the form of frogs, or newborn mice are very difficult food for the spider, he will eat it for several days, and at this time it will begin to decompose and fill with cadaverous poisons. Also on the forums, sometimes I saw reports that after feeding vertebrates, spiders for some reason became ill with DS. It is not known whether this is connected or not, but, in my opinion, it is better not to risk it.
Again, if you still decide to feed the tarantula spider with small vertebrates, then make sure that the animal is healthy and bought in a trusted place. Pick the animals according to their size, do not give large animals to a tarantula spider, they can damage it.
Also, you cannot feed the tarantula spider with other predatory insects, such as mantises, other spiders or scolopendras. There were times when the prey won the battle and the tarantula spider killed.
Summarize: feed the tarantula spider feed insects suitable size (about the body of a tarantula spider, excluding paws), bought in a trusted place, or from your own colonies.
How often to feed a tarantula spider:
After we figured out what to feed the tarantula spider, let's find out how often it is worth doing.
Feed the adult tarantula spider 1-2 times a week, appropriate in size feed insects. When the tarantula spider has eaten enough, it will stop paying attention to food, but sometimes you need to determine for yourself that the spider is “enough” and stop feeding.
Usually a sign that the tarantula spider has eaten up is an increase in the abdomen in relation to the cephalothorax 1.5-2 times. After this happens, feeding should be stopped to avoid rupture of the abdomen.
Feeding small-age tarantulas spiders is a little more specific, and I put it separately which you can read by clicking on the link .
- Do not feed the tarantula spider after molting for a certain number of days, which can be calculated by the formula: number of molts + 3-4 days. Otherwise, the food may damage the spider, or other, more specific problems may arise.
- If the tarantula spider does not eat, do not sound the alarm, and create topics like "Alba does not eat on the 4th day, what should I do?" Refusal of food is absolutely normal for tarantulas, some of them can go on hunger strikes for a period of 1-3 months, without harm to health. This genus is usually famous for.Grammostola .
- If the tarantula spider does not eat the insect immediately, then you can press the insect's head and leave it for the night with the spider. If by morning, the spider does not eat the insect, then the corpse must be removed.
- Do not leave insect feed in the spider terrarium unattended to avoid a number of problems that may arise. For example, when molting, a hungry cockroach or zofobas larva can damage a spider, a female cockroach can give birth in a container with a spider, and babies scatter through ventilation, and so on.
That seems to be all that I wanted to tell, maybe it didn’t work out very orderly, but there are a lot of tips and some of them are even good. And so, with time and experience, you yourself will understand how and when to feed your tarantula. Thank you for the attention.
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To live, a spider must eat
One of the most important topics in the science of keeping domestic spiders is the topic of feeding. Moreover, the importance of this topic extends to absolutely all types of home content spiders - whether on, or on some other type of these creatures. Therefore, today we will try to learn about the tips and rules for feeding spiders, and about how you can feed such your furry pets, and what to give them is not recommended.
If you plan to start a spider or have already started it, then you need to familiarize yourself with this information without fail ...
How to feed a home spider
In nature, these predators feed on everything that moves, taking into account their size and measuring their capabilities. Living in your terrarium, which you equipped for your domestic spider, such a pet can only rely on your choice in matters of its nutrition. Therefore, we would recommend that you consider options for making a feeding ration for your cute insect spider cutie. Such as Argentinean, marbled, Turkmenian and other types of cockroaches (except for domestic ones - why? Read about this below).
What can not feed spiders
After the point that you can give spiders food, naturally we suggest you consider the point that they should not be given food. So, despite the fact that there is an opinion that a spider can be fed with small vertebrates and even birds (supposedly a tarantula spider, there’s nothing to think about what to eat) - you still shouldn’t feed them with frogs, mice and birds. The fact is that, as practice shows, very often after such feeding, spiders begin to hurt, and then completely die. Indigestion, or some other reason, but we would not recommend taking risks.
Also, you can’t feed spiders with domestic cockroaches, let alone let them hunt them. Cockroaches can be sick, or migrate to you from your neighbors, being already poisoned, and after such a noble dinner your spider can stretch its legs. Oh, you don’t want this to happen?
It is also not recommended to give a spider to insects that you yourself caught on the street. Of course, it’s good that you take care of your pet so much that you turned into a prey for him, but like cockroaches, such insects can be sick or poisoned, and ... goodbye spider.
If circumstances so happened that your spider was left without food, and you don’t have the opportunity to buy such food for him in the pet store (weekends, holidays) so that your pet does not starve, you can still go on a “hunt”. True, collect insects as far as possible from the road. After that, inspect them and rinse with water. If possible - they can be quarantined - if not possible, hope for the best and feed your spider.
As for the ban on feeding frogs, newborn mice, then this is still heavy food for your pet and he will eat it for several days, and during this time it will decompose in the warm terrarium and fill with cadaverous poisons. If you still can't wait to see how your spider cope with the mouse, make sure that the animal is healthy and its size does not exceed the size of the spider itself. Since in such an unequal battle it is not known who will be the winner.
Do not give spiders as food other predatory insects. For example, mantis, scolopendra or other spiders. In this case, it will not be clear who you are feeding, and who acts as a live dinner. So, remember - feeding spiders at home is better with feed insects.
How often do you need to feed a spider
The frequency of feeding depends on the age of the spider
Well, such nuances as what you can give to food, and what you can’t - we have understood. Now, we suggest talking about the frequency of feedings. So, for an adult spider, the following schedule will be the optimal diet - 1-2 times a week. In case you see that the spider does not eat up its meal and does not look hungry, the frequency of feedings can be reduced, and try to feed him once a week. In general, you should be guided by the appetite of your pet: wants to eat - let it eat, does not want to - do not force.
By the way, you can determine if a spider has eaten up, according to the size of its abdomen, if it has increased 2-3 times than before the start of the meal, then it is better to drive the spider away from the food and pick up its remains.
Some spiders are real gluttons, and do not control their appetite. But in this case, they face not obesity, but a rupture of the abdomen, which, in principle, is no longer being treated. So, you must be the nutritionist for your spider.
Little spiders need to be fed more often - they have a growing body, respectively, and their portions should be smaller. Well, giving them live “big” game in the form of mice, frogs is strictly prohibited.
When not to feed a spider
Sometimes it will be useful for your spider to go on a diet. So, for example, immediately after the end of molting, it is not recommended to feed him. In order to find out when it will be possible to start giving him food, use this simple formula: what was the molt in the account (it’s better to write such information in a separate notebook so as not to be mistaken) + 3-4 days to it, so that the body of the spider grows stronger.
If for several days in a row you offer a spider food, but he stubbornly refuses it, you should not be too annoying. Give him the opportunity to starve. Some spiders may not even eat for several months. For them, this is quite normal.
And by the way, remember the golden rule - food residues (alive or already dead) must be removed from the terrarium without fail. Make yourself such a good habit. Then, for example, you will avoid such unpleasant situations as the birth of small cockroaches in your terrarium (if the female cockroach was pregnant) and their attacks on your territory through the ventilation holes.
What to feed the little spiders
We already wrote that small spiders need to be fed more often, and their portions should be small. But where to get such small insects? If there is a shortage in the nearest pet store, we can help you with practical advice.
Get ordinary large insects and ... cut them into small pieces. This is especially convenient with flour worms and zophobos. So, for example, one flour worm may be enough for lunch for 6-7 spiders.
Some sources on spider science and the content of such write that spiders can be fed with bloodworms - this is both convenient and practical. However, we would not recommend you to get involved in such a diet. Yes, the spiders on the bloodworms eat off, begin to molt, but since the bloodworm itself, in addition to its water, contains nothing else, your spider on such “grubs” is unlikely to grow up healthy, large and beautiful. So, think about what you want - convenience for yourself or health for your spider?
As mentioned earlier, tarantula spiders are obligate predators and feed exclusively on animal food.
As you know, in nature tarantulas eat only movable prey, in captivity, however, both young spiders and adult specimens, immobilized food objects, as well as their individual parts, pieces of meat and fish (individually) are eaten.
The most important principle of feeding tarantulas is that the food should be as diverse as possible and not pose a danger to the spiders themselves.
The frequency of feeding and the size of food items depend on the age of the tarantulas themselves. With intensive rearing of juveniles, the method of continuous feeding is recommended, i.e. as one food item is eaten, another is offered. With this technique, used with simultaneous upkeep at elevated temperatures, young spiders grow very quickly, noticeably increasing in size with each molt, and in the first 2-3 ages, the intervals between molts are less than a month. In any case, it is recommended that young spiders be fed at least twice a week. The size of the feed object for young spiders should not exceed the size of their abdomen.
On the other hand, intensive feeding of adult spiders accelerates their aging, so the food supply 2-3 times a month will be considered the optimal mode.
Main feed at home are: various types of crickets (brownie, banana, red-headed, two-spotted), cockroaches (marble, Madagascar, Colombian), flour worm, zofobus (or giant flour worm), locusts, frogs, small lizards, “naked” mice and young mice.
Remember that a spider is in a state without harm to health, with unlimited access to water, do without food for weeks, and large specimens for months. For example, a giant such as Theraphosa blondi , may refuse to feed within 2-3 months before the onset of molting, as well as another 1-2 months after shedding; but for natural specimens Grammostola rosea fasting for up to six months or more is a physiological feature.
Scientists conducted an experiment on the duration of fasting tarantulas. The established maximum period of fasting is two years, nine months and nineteen days ( Baerg, W.J. "Tarantula Spider").
As a substitute for conventional feeds, it is also possible to feed tartar eaters pieces of beef, chicken and fish. But in this case, eating them depends on the particular specimen of the spider, since individual specimens never take such food, while others willingly eat it.
Do not try to feed the tarantula when it is in a state before molting, molting, or immediately after molting!
In this case, an active insect (for example, a cricket) will not be eaten and, moreover, it can damage the tarantula’s covers with its jaws, as a result of which adverse effects on the health of the spider are possible, up to its death.
Try to bother him as little as possible at this time and in no case pick him up.
It is advisable to offer food to a shed tarantula only after a few days, after the spider sheds it exoskeleton finally hardens. In large specimens, as already noted, this period can last up to a month or more.
A well-known fact of prolonged refusal of feed recorded for the Chilean tarantula Grammostola rosea living in places with a pronounced cold period. Obviously, this behavior is also likely for other species of tarantulas, related to 2 group.
In any case, always clean the feed object if it is not eaten during the day. The following proposal to his tarantula is advisable to produce only after a day.
It is also necessary to carefully monitor hygiene in the terrarium and remove organic residues left after eating a tarantula, pieces of fodder animals, and excrement.
As already mentioned, water to tarantulas. When keeping medium-sized tarantulas, it is advisable to install a drinking bowl in the terrarium with water. Large specimens must be provided with access to open water for drinking without fail. At the same time, an average water change is required once a week, since many terrestrial species dump the chewed remains of the feed animal and excrement directly into the drinker.
Newborn and young spiders can do without a special container of water, if there is a layer of moist substrate sufficient to dig a hole.
