Animal care - tarantula!

 This may have been a slightly impulsive purchase, but we have added (again!) to the menagerie.

This time we've chosen something a little different, an easy starter tarantula, the pink toed tarantula.

Care and husbandry is remarkably similar to a reptile, but the anatomy of a spider means that handling is very different and a LOT more care needs to be taken.

While this particular species is arboreal, he still cannot be dropped. Tarantula anatomy is incredibly delicate and if dropped from a height, the stomach could easily explode. Here you can see Niamh making sure to handle over a very small height which isn't particularly easy when you have a spider who likes to climb up your head. 

Live prey is taken into the terrarium, and the spider hints herself (fascinating to watch). We feed one small silent cricket twice a week. Misting occurs on 3 sides to provide humidity. Water is given in a tiny bottle cap, smaller than the tarantula so that she doesn't drown.