Tarantula (Aphonopelma seemanni)
This species was first described
by Cambridge in 1897.
Described by Ann Webb, in her book 'Wall to Wall
Spiders' as "strikingly gorgeous!" it's
not surprising that many in the hobby aim
to keep at least one of these spiders. It is
certainly one on my list of must haves.
The spider originates from Costa-Rica where it
lives in deep burrows in the tropical rainforest.
The abdomen is usually a brown to black colour
with russet hairs, orange spinnerets and
underbelly complete this arachnids ensemble. The
legs are dark brown/black with distinct
longitudinal cream lines down the legs.
This is not normally considered a suitable
starter tarantula, due to it's generally skittish
nature and it's liberal dose of Houdini genes
(this species tends to be a keen escapologist.)
Because this is generally skittish species,
handling is not recommended.
The requirements in captivity are:
As for keeping them as pets, many people keep
these in large 12x12x12 (inches) tanks.
Unlike the other terrestrial (ground living)
species this species requires high humidity
levels (above 75%).
Substrate for the cage should be of
peat/vermiculite mix, and should be at least 3
(preferably 4) inches deep. These spiders will
dig deep burrows if the substrate is suitable.
An open water dish is a must; humidity must not
fall below 75 percent!
Food: All standard invertebrates
Terrestrial: Rainforest species, deep burrower.
Aggressiveness: Not overly aggressive, can be
Venom Effect: Not yet known, expected to be low
Geographic Range: Can be found in most of Costa
Rica. Also found in Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Requirements: Temperature: 78 Fahrenheit
Substrate: Peat or peat/vermiculite mix (at least
3 inches deep).
Shelter: Flowerpot or Cork Bark
Water: Open water dish
Life Span: Females (up to 18 years), Males
(Mature at between 2 and 3 years old).