Popular Exotic Pets – Chile Rose Tarantula
Choosing a Exotic Pet: What You Need to Know About Chile Rose Tarantula
Spiders are interesting pets, but there are many different things to consider when finding the newest member to your family, so how do you know that a Tarantula is right for yours? Like any pet, a Tarantula will require lots of love and care to help keep them healthy and well, so in this blog we are taking a look at the Chile Rose Tarantula, and what you can expect if you were to have a one as a pet.
The Chile Rose Tarantula is a colourful, fairly large and very docile spider. Its colours can range from grey, to pink, to a reddish brown colour; and at full size, these popular spiders will grow to about a five to six inches.
Lifespan
Males will live about five years while females can live as long as twenty years.
Company for Chile Rose Tarantula
Chile Rose Tarantulas are content to live by themselves.
Where Tarantulas Like to Live
A small tank is suitable for Chile Rose Tarantulas. The width of the tank should be two to three times wider than the leg span of the spider; and only as tall as the spider’s leg span. Peat moss, soil, or vermiculite can be used as a substrate. A hide will also be needed to keep your Spider happy.
Handling Your Spider
The Chile Rose Tarantula is fast on its feet and quick to run at the slightest sign of danger. They have a quick self defensive system and can often be seen raising their front legs to expose their fangs when confronted with danger. The small and spiky hairs on the abdomen of the spider stand up when it senses danger.
These tarantulas are quite docile and low maintenance. While they are not very venomous; they can inflict a painful bite, and severe allergic reactions to their venom are possible. Caution is recommended. particularly if allergies are known.
Regular handling of tarantulas is not recommended since they can be seriously injured if they fall even a small distance.
Diet & Nutrition
The Chile Rose Tarantula eats a diverse menu including; grass hoppers, crickets, moths, beetles, cockroaches and mealworms. When tarantulas are kept as pets, the best food that can be provided for them are crickets that have been gut loaded on vegetables.
In general your Chilean Rose should be fed twice weekly with a maximum of three food items. The tarantula is not fond of eating dead prey. It is also a good idea to dust the prey with a Calcium and Vitamin D supplement to ensure healthy growth and development of the tarantula.
The spider has the potential to fast for weeks, it has a rather erratic diet schedule.
Health & Hygiene
Tarantulas are not messy pets, and as a result are relatively easy to care for, provided they have a suitably set up habitat.
Moulting
As your Tarantulas grows, it will moult; shedding it’s old skin in a manner similar to snakes. Moulting will be a difficult and stressful process for your spider.
Firstly, your spider will be likely to not have an appetite for a few weeks. You may also notice a clear fluid seeping from its leg joints. Your spider may also lose hairs from its abdomen and develop a bald patch.
When it is ready to moult, your spider will lie on its back – do not be alarmed! It is normal for it to look dead; and there may also be some webbing around its body. Do not disturb your spider, as it may be fatal for your pet. The entire process of moulting will take anything between 15 minutes and several hours.
Once it has shed its old skin, your tarantula will be extremely tender and sensitive; so avoid handling if for at least a week.
Make sure that your spider has fresh water, but do not feed your spider for a few days until its skin has toughened.
Regeneration
Amazingly, if your spider has lost a limb; it can regenerate and grow a new one during the moulting process. Its new leg is likely to be smaller than the original.
Cleaning the Habitat
You should clean your tarantula’s cage whenever it looks like it is needed; with the water dish being cleaned twice weekly. A deep clean is recommended every 4 to 6 months.
Transfer your spider into a secure holding container when cleaning the vivarium, and scrub the tank with a mild disinfectant.
Take Me Home Checklist
Before you take your Chile Rose Tarantula home, it is important that you have a habitat set up for it to move straight into. This list will help you identify what you need, and if you have any questions, our Pet Care Advisors in-store will be only to happy to assist.
- Suitable vivarium
- Heat mat
- Spider substrate
- Shallow water dish
- Suitable decor including hide
- Suitable diet
