How to Grow and Care for African Tarantulas,” video presentation on www.petbugs.com
Step 1: Test for suitability by letting your tarantula crawl around on one of the hands in a pair of white cotton gloves. This will give it some protection from your hands and any chemicals used to clean its container, should you approach it directly.
Step 2: Move your hand so that the tarantula can enter the glove. If it climbs all or most of the way inside the glove, that is a good sign that it may be ready to change homes.
Step 3: Cover the floor of a new container with 1 to 2 in of soil. Then add a shallow layer of peat moss and crushed coconut shell, ideally pre-moistened before adding to this layer.
Step 4: Make a hole in the soil, enclosing the tarantula with your index finger and thumb. Let it work its way out of the soil on its own with the help of its sense of touch, if needed.
Step 5: Drop the tarantula in and carefully cover it with soil. Then replace the new container’s lid and tape it securely to keep the tarantula inside.
Step 6: Feed it. Tarantulas prefer live insects and can be rescued from their cannibalistic ways (and from being prey) by breeding crickets as food for them.
Step 7: A week after its move, it may shed its exuviae (old exoskeleton). This could be a sign that things are going well.
Step 8: After two or three weeks, try blowing gently on its abdomen with nothing in front of you. You are trying to make it nervous so that it will be prepared to run away if necessary. Repeat every few days until it runs. Remove your finger to see if it comes back.
Step 9: Once its running has improved, watch it from a distance to see if it can run away. It might near a leaf with a white plant tag hanging on it. If so, remove your finger and see if it goes to the spot and stays there where you can pet it.
Step 10: When you are able to touch it from a distance, move your hand around the leaf. Try to make it nervous, perhaps by doing quick lunges toward the tarantula before backing away.
