Description: tarantulas are quiet animals that need little space. Keeping them as pets can be fascinating, and especially rewarding if you are successful at having your tarantula grow from a sling into a healthy adult. There are over 800 species native to many different regions. They are roughly divided into “old world” (from the eastern hemisphere) and “new world” (from the western hemisphere). Tarantulas generally should not be handled unless necessary to do so. A female tarantula as a pet is best as, depending on species, they can live up to 20 years.

Requirements: in general, the best beginner tarantulas are ground dwellers or burrowers as they tend to be slower moving, for example the Chilean Rose (Grammostola rosea) (pictured). Arboreal species such as the Pink Toe (Avicularia avicularia) are also extremely popular but are a little more challenging as they are quite fast and agile, spending a lot of their time in branches or leaves up high. Tall enclosures are needed for arboreal species, and enclosures three times the leg span long and twice the legs pan wide are needed for terrestrial species.

Diet: mainly insectivores.