Children seem to have an innate love of animals. Sooner or later most children are going to start demanding a hamster, gerbil or guinea pig. But what happens when your child becomes fixated on a far less “welcome” choice of pet? In this article we talk to Richard Adams of KeepingExoticPets.com about tarantulas and what you – as a parent – need to know before making a final decision.
Are Tarantulas Good Pets for Children?
While tarantulas are certainly an “acquired taste” they can offer many benefits as pets. They’re virtually silent, don’t smell like some rodents do and require only minimal space in your home. If you set their tank up correctly then it can also be fascinating to watch them going about their daily lives; it’s almost like a science project in your home.
That said, there are a number of other elements that parents should be aware of. Firstly, tarantulas do require rather more specialist care than many more traditional pets. Think of them more like getting a fish tank than a hamster.
Secondly, tarantulas can bite. While some species are quite unlikely to bite but it should always be a consideration.
Lastly tarantulas can be surprisingly long-lived, with some species living for 20 years or more. Buying a tarantula therefore represents far more commitment than a mouse or hamster, which may only live a couple of years.
Tarantulas *can* make good pets if these elements are taken into consideration. A tarantula should be thought of as a pet to watch – not to hold. Children should be supervised at all times when coming into contact with the spider, and as a parent you’ll need to be comfortable enough overseeing the care of the spider. If you’re happy with this then keeping a huge hairy spider at home can be a fascinating experience for children of all ages.
Can Tarantulas Be Handled?
One of the most common questions that tarantula owners get is whether they can be held. It seems that holding a tarantula is a mark of bravery similar to doing a firewalk. The person who dares receives kudos from their friends.
There are two important aspects to be aware of when it comes to handling tarantulas. Firstly, not all tarantulas are safe to hold. If you want to handle your tarantula then be sure to choose one of the slower-moving and more docile species (we’ve listed some of these later on). Trying to hold the wrong species could result in a bite or an escaped tarantula.
On the other hand, tarantulas are actually surprisingly fragile creatures. If they are dropped from a height their abdomens can rupture, almost guaranteeing their death.
So while handling tarantulas is popular, most experts recommend against it for the safety of both the spider and the owner. More experienced keepers may hold their tarantula very occasionally, but most choose to gently coax their spider into a plastic container when it needs to be removed from the cage for cleaning.
What About Irritating Hairs?
Many of us have heard stories about the itchy hairs that tarantulas can kick off their abdomen. These can float through the air, causing irritation and redness on the skin. Tarantulas may even kick these off around their cage, leading to itching after routine tank maintenance. These hairs can be annoying enough if they come into contact with your hands or arms, but they effects can be even more unpleasant if they are inhaled or they get into your eyes.
So if tarantulas pose such a risk in this regard then why keep them? If, as suggested, you enjoy your pet from behind the glass of their tank then you will very seldom be at risk of exposure. The real risk comes after you open up the cage.
If you’re worried about your sensitivity to these hairs then there are a number of things you can do to reduce your risk. Firstly consider wearing gloves when dealing with your spider; latex gloves, rubber washing up gloves or thick gardening gloves are all used by some hobbyists.
A second consideration is keeping your tarantula well clear of your face. In this way if your spider does kick off some hairs then there is far less chance of them getting into your eyes or nostrils.
While many tarantulas have these hairs, some seem far less likely to kick them off than others. They are normally kicked off as a defensive mechanism – to protect the spider and annoy ny potential predators in the area.
As a result, another good plan can be choosing a spider that seldom kicks off their hairs, and simply to avoid annoying your spider. When you open the cage to top up their water bowl or feed them aim to move slowly and carefully so as not to stress your spider. This will minimize the chance of urticating hairs being dislodged.
What Equipment Will I Need?
A benefit to buying a tarantula is that they don’t require too much equipment. Of course you’ll need a secure cage for them. Most people use a glass or plastic reptile cage, but plastic shoe-boxes or other tupperware containers designed for the kitchen can also be used. Just be sure the cage is escape-proof and offers suitable ventilation. If necessary use an electric drill or soldering iron to add extra air holes.
Line the base of the cage with a suitable substrate such as topsoil, potting compost or coconut fibre, add a small water dish and somewhere for your tarantula to hide away and you’re almost done.
It should come as no surprise that tarantulas appreciate a warm environment so you’ll also want to consider how you’ll maintain the spider cage at 20’C+ all year round. Those readers living in warmer areas may be fine year-round anyway, but otherwise you may need to consider some form of artificial heating – at least in the cold winter months.
How Do You Feed Tarantulas?
Tarantulas are carnivores – they will catch and eat almost anything they can overpower in the wild. In captivity this normally consists of invertebrates – cockroaches, locusts and crickets for example.
There’s no need to go catching these insects yourself. These days you can buy tubs of specially bred insects ready to feed to your spider. They’re reasonably priced and can even be ordered online if your local pet store doesn’t stock them.
The only consideration here is how comfortable you feel about handling these insects yourself in order to feed them to your spider. Be certain that you and your child are comfortable feeding live insects to your tarantula before you bring one home!
How Much Time Does Looking After a Tarantula Require?
One of the really nice things about keeping tarantulas is that they require minimal time to maintain. They don’t need to be cleaned weekly like a hamster. They don’t need to be walked like a puppy. They don’t need to be turned out daily like a pony.
In reality, so long as your spider has a water bowl, suitable food and is kept at the correct temperature then it requires very little time each week. Indeed, some might argue that tarantulas are happiest when they are simply left to their own devices to go about their business as they would in nature.
What are Some Good Starter Tarantulas?
There are an astonishing array if different tarantulas available in pet stores. However if you’re buying one for your child then it’s crucial that you choose one that is quite slow moving and docile, making your life as first-time tarantula keeper much easier.
Some good tarantulas for beginners include the Honduran Curly Hair, the Chilean Rose or the Mexican Red Knee. If you fancy something a little bit more special then the glossy Brazilian Black or the amazing Greenbottle Blue with it’s metallic blue legs. All of these spiders grow to some 5-6” across the legs, seldom bite and are quite easy to accommodate in the home.