Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 3, 1994 TAG: 9407020021
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: EXTRA6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Karen Davis
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Captive-bred tarantulas are healthier and generally live longer than wild-caught spiders, because they experience less stress and shock, said Brian D. Horne, animal curator for the Science Museum of Western Virginia at Center in the Square.
Horne, an arachnid enthusiast himself, has lent his own pet Chevron tarantula, a species found in Trinidad, for the museum's double-header exhibit titled ``Reptile Zoo'' and ``Insect Zoo, Arachnids, Too.'' The exhibit remains at the science museum through Aug. 31.
Also in the exhibit is a member of the world's largest tarantula species, the Goliath Bird-Eater from South America. Males of this species can have a leg span of about 10 inches and weigh several ounces. Although they may occasionally consume a small bird in the wild, their diet consists primarily of insects - crickets, beetles, flies, roaches and such, Horne said.
Of the 400 known tarantula species, only two types are dangerous to man, Horne said. In most cases, their bite is nearly harmless, usually no more painful than a bee sting. Some tarantula species, if threatened, will warn you of their intention to bite by rearing back on their hind parts and showing their mouthparts.
While tarantulas use their fangs to subdue their prey, their body hairs offer another excellent line of defense. The hairs are in fact bristles, tipped with glassy barbs, that break off easily from the body, especially on the back end, where a predator is more likely to venture too close. These defensive barbs, called ``urticating hairs,'' can penetrate the skin and cause stinging, sneezing and eye irritation, enabling the spider to escape.
Depending on the species, pet tarantulas can cost from $10 to $250 or more. Some of the more expensive varieties, so-called ``designer'' spiders, are being captive-bred for their spectacular colors and markings. Suppliers typically can be found listed in the classified advertising sections of reptile hobbyist magazines.
Aside from being a terrific conversation piece, tarantulas are easy to keep as pets, requiring little attention and affording their owners a unique opportunity to study their habits up close.
``I consider mine like having a living work of art,'' Horne said. ``You put [the tarantula] in an attractive aquarium, and it's something you can enjoy watching.''
``Feed about a dozen or so live crickets a week,'' Horne said. Live crickets are available at most bait shops and pet supply stores and have to be housed in similar accommodations as the spider. Tarantulas typically do not eat dead prey or plants.
When tarantulas feed, they use their fangs to inject venom, which is really a digestive enzyme, into the live prey. The enzyme liquifies the prey's internal organs, which the spider sucks outs, leaving behind a shriveled, dried-up husk, Horne said.
Small amounts of insecticides can be deadly to a pet tarantula, therefore, avoid exposing it to fly sprays, flea-control chemicals, ant and roach sprays and similar products commonly used in the home. In addition, nicotine is a natural insecticide, so avoid smoking too close to your pet tarantula.
If you notice that your tarantula suddenly loses its appetite and turns over on its back, it may be getting ready to molt. Molting is a natural phase of the spider's growth in which it sheds its rigid exoskeleton and replaces it with a new, larger one. This shedding process generally takes no more than a day. Mature spiders generally molt once a year, while younger ones tend to molt more often.
By examining the leftover exoskeleton, a person with a well-trained eye can determine the sex of a tarantula, Horne said. Female tarantulas can live as long as 10 years, while the males are much shorter lived, he said.
During sequential molts, a spider also can regenerate lost limbs over time, if it happens to narrowly escape a predator's jaws minus one of its eight multijointed legs.
To learn more about these remarkable creatures before acquiring one, visit the science museum's exhibit and observe how the tarantulas are housed. The museum also plans to host an Insect and Arachnid Expo on July 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with entomologists from around the region providing special presentations and answering questions.
Tarantulas look
fierce but actually
make good pets
While a tarantula may not be everyone's idea of the ideal house pet, enough people are fascinated by them to prompt more and more hobbyists into commercially collecting and breeding ``designer'' spiders for the pet trade.
Captive-bred tarantulas are healthier and generally live longer than wild-caught spiders, because they experience less stress and shock, said Brian D. Horne, animal curator for the Science Museum of Western Virginia at Center in the Square.
Horne, an arachnid enthusiast himself, has lent his own pet Chevron tarantula, a species found in Trinidad, for the museum's double-header exhibit titled ``Reptile Zoo'' and ``Insect Zoo, Arachnids, Too.'' The exhibit remains at the science museum through Aug. 31.
Also in the exhibit is a member of the world's largest tarantula species, the Goliath Bird-Eater from South America. Males of this species can have a leg span of about 10 inches and weigh several ounces. Although they may occasionally consume a small bird in the wild, their diet consists primarily of insects - crickets, beetles, flies, roaches and such, Horne said.
Of the 400 known tarantula species, only two types are dangerous to man, Horne said. In most cases, their bite is nearly harmless, usually no more painful than a bee sting. Some tarantula species, if threatened, will warn you of their intention to bite by rearing back on their hind parts and showing their mouthparts.
While tarantulas use their fangs to subdue their prey, their body hairs offer another excellent line of defense. The hairs are fiberglass-like bristles that break off easily from the abdomen. These defensive barbs, called ``urticating'' hairs, can penetrate the skin and cause itching and stinging, enabling the spider to escape its natural predators.
Depending on the species, pet tarantulas can cost from $10 to $250 or more. Some of the more expensive varieties, so-called ``designer'' spiders, are being captive-bred for their spectacular colors and markings. Suppliers typically can be found listed in the classified advertising sections of reptile hobbyist magazines.
Aside from being a terrific conversation piece, tarantulas are easy to keep as pets, requiring little attention and affording their owners a unique opportunity to study their habits up close.
``I consider mine like having a living work of art,'' Horne said. ``You put [the tarantula] in an attractive aquarium, and it's something you can enjoy watching.''
``Feed about a dozen or so live crickets a week,'' Horne said. Live crickets are available at most bait shops and pet supply stores and have to be housed in similar accommodations as the spider. Tarantulas typically do not eat dead prey or plants.
When tarantulas feed, they use their fangs to inject venom, which is really a digestive enzyme, into the live prey. The enzyme liquifies the prey's internal organs, which the spider sucks outs, leaving behind a shriveled, dried-up husk, Horne said.
Small amounts of insecticides can be deadly to a pet tarantula, therefore, avoid exposing it to fly sprays, flea-control chemicals, ant and roach sprays and similar products commonly used in the home. In addition, nicotine is a natural insecticide, so avoid smoking too close to your pet tarantula.
If you notice that your tarantula suddenly loses its appetite and turns over on its back, it may be getting ready to molt. Molting is a natural phase of the spider's growth in which it sheds its rigid exoskeleton and replaces it with a new, larger one. This shedding process generally takes no more than a day. Mature spiders generally molt once a year, while younger ones tend to molt more often.
By examining the leftover exoskeleton, a person with a well-trained eye can determine the sex of a tarantula, Horne said. Female tarantulas can live as long as 10 years, while the males are much shorter lived, he said.
During sequential molts, a spider also can regenerate lost limbs over time, if it happens to narrowly escape a predator's jaws minus one of its eight multijointed legs.
To learn more about these remarkable creatures before acquiring one, visit the science museum's exhibit and observe how the tarantulas are housed. The museum also plans to host an Insect and Arachnid Expo on July 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with entomologists from around the region providing special presentations and answering questions.
Karen L. Davis is a Roanoke free-lance writer and pet owner. Her column runs twice a month. Send general-interest questions to The Pet Podium, in care of of the Features Department, Roanoke Times & World-News, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke, Va. 24010-2491.
by CNB