Give her as many crickets as she can eat and clean out any food that she doesn’t eat. A female tarantula will not mate if she hasn’t molted in the past 6 months. Molting is when a tarantula sheds its skin. If you find a dry, crusty tarantula shell in the habitat, then you know that they molted.
Never introduce a female into a male’s habitat or she will most likely kill and eat the male.
If the female gets a hold of the male before you can remove him, use a stick or a small paintbrush to separate them. Don’t use your fingers or you could get bitten! You can return the male to his habitat. He can breed again later or just go back to being a pet!
The only way to know if the pair mated successfully is to wait to see if the female lays any eggs. Eventually, she will stop eating while she guards and rotates the eggs. You can stop giving her food when she stops eating, but you need to continue to give her water.
A tarantula egg sac usually contains between 100 and 1,000 spiderlings. [7] X Research source
Spiderlings have poor eyesight, so they struggle to see their food in a larger container. [11] X Research source As they get bigger, make sure the container is about 4 times the leg span of your spiderlings. [12] X Research source
To add some humidity, regularly mist the spiderling containers with water. When misting, don’t spray the spiderlings directly and make sure each container is dry in 1-2 days. If it’s still wet, you’re using too much water. [15] X Research source
Pinhead crickets are smaller in size and perfect for your spiderlings. Always make sure the crickets aren’t any larger than 1/2 of the spider’s body length. [17] X Research source
Keep the temperature between 70–80 °F (21–27 °C). [19] X Research source
A spiderling will usually molt and grow in size every 3 months. As they get older and larger, they will molt once per year. A typical tarantula takes about 2-5 years to mature fully, with males maturing faster than females. [22] X Research source The average male tarantula will reach maturity after 2 years. Female tarantulas may need 2-3 more years.
You can use an aquarium as a habitat, but make sure it has a lid that seals shut. It can help to put a book or something heavy on top of the lid of the habitat to make sure the tarantula can’t get out. Tarantulas are very territorial, so never keep 2 in the same habitat, except to breed them. This terrarium will primarily house your female tarantula, and you’ll introduce the male tarantula right before breeding.
You can purchase vermiculite and chipped bark or cocoa fiber at pet supply stores or even garden supply stores. Don’t use potting dirt or compost because it may not be sanitary for your tarantula. If you have a species of tarantula that likes to dig or burrow, you may need to make a layer about 6 inches (15 cm) deep.
You can use a hollow log that you find outside, but make sure it’s clean and dry so it doesn’t rot in the habitat. You could also purchase one from a pet supply store. Use a broken ceramic pot as a shelter by burying the edges in the ground cover so it’s nice and dark inside of it. Make sure the entrance to the shelter is large enough for the tarantula to fit through.
If your habitat is colder, then use an electric heat-mat to heat one half of the tank so your tarantulas can regulate their body temperature by moving to the warm or the cooler side of the habitat. Don’t let the habitat get warmer than 86 °F (30 °C) or it could harm your tarantulas.
Keep an eye out for mold inside of the habitat. If the humidity gets higher than 80%, ventilate the habitat by opening the cover to let some of the humidity out. Either move your tarantulas to another habitat or hold them in your hands until the humidity level goes down.
You can purchase live crickets at pet supply stores or you can order them online. Consider raising your own crickets so you have a continuous supply of healthy, live crickets for your tarantulas.
Change the water if it starts to build up any scum on the surface.
