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Tarantula Cost

Tarantula Spider Cost

Tarantulas are known to be low-maintenance exotic pets. Just requiring a feeding two times monthly, some can go for 7 months without eating with no symptoms of distress.

Known to be venomous, a tarantula can not kill a human with its bite, and would just cause pain similar to that of a bee sting.

The expense will primarily depend on the cost of the tarantula itself and on just how much you wish to invest in its environment. This short article will provide you with the list of basics in creating an appropriate shelter along with elements to think about when purchasing a tarantula.

One-Time Expense of Owning A Tarantula

Tarantulas usually cost from $20 – $200, however, some websites offer these types of pets for a price that is either considerably higher or lower depending upon the rarity of the genus and their size.
You might also like our articles about the cost of an iguana, a finger monkey, or a praying mantis.

The following are a few of the immediate expenses aside from the pet cost:

Shelter Expenses

Tarantulas need a fairly moist environment so they are generally kept in terrariums. Shelter size is based upon the leg span of the spider and it is suggested that the smallest measurement should be 3 x leg span by 2 x leg span by 1 x leg span.

You might wish to purchase a larger cage right from the start so you will not need to rebuild the terrarium each time your spider molts. An 18″ x 18″ x 24″ high cage for an arboreal tarantula or a 24″ x 18″ x 18″ wide cage for a terrestrial tarantula will cost $131 to $143.

Substrate

When purchasing substrate for the cage, you should try to avoid vermiculite or coco coir due to the fact that these products are tough to manage in terms of water content and hard to burrow on. A 100% natural substrate made from sphagnum peat moss, fine sand, and bentonite clay will cost $12 for 7.57 L.

Add-ons

A 3.5″ x 3.1″ x 1.2″ synthetic rock water dish with steps and a non-porous surface area will cost $2. You can utilize other little bowls for water, however, ensure they are heavy enough and steady so they will not tip over.

If you purchase an arboreal tarantula, you will require a setup where it can climb up and build its nest on. An 18″ x 10″ x 6″ natural grape wood vine branch with various smaller-sized branches will cost $12.

A hideaway will also work when the tarantula wishes to hide or feels threatened. A round natural cork bark about 12 inches long with an 8-inch diameter will cost $12.

You should also purchase a smaller sized cage for transport or a place to put the tarantula when you are cleaning its shelter. An 11.8″ x 7.7″ x 5.7″ plastic breeding box with a feeding door will cost $19.

What should be included?

When you purchase a tarantula, you will receive it in a little plastic container. If it is a small one, then the container will be a pill vial. You can keep the spider or spiderling in that vial till it reaches the first molt that makes it too big for the container.

Recurring expenses you will encounter when owning a tarantula

Food Expenses

Adult tarantulas can be fed once a week or even less while spiderlings should be fed more frequently. They do need live food and in this case, crickets are the very best option since they have more nutrients than mealworms and can not burrow into the substrate.

Nevertheless, crickets are very difficult to have delivered. Banded crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) are much better for shipping since they are more resilient and can handle temperature level spikes.

A box of 500 1/8-inch banded crickets for smaller-sized tarantulas will cost $20 while a box of 500 1-inch banded crickets for larger tarantulas will cost $25.

You shouldn’t expect all the crickets to be alive when they get delivered to you, however, those that do make it through will last a couple of weeks when kept in a container or tank with correct temperature levels and moisture.

If you purchase a surplus of crickets, you will need to feed them to keep them alive. In appropriate conditions, the crickets will even breed. Gut loading will also make them a more healthy meal for your tarantula.
A gallon of cricket feed which also includes a mineral and vitamin premix will cost $17.

Hygiene Expenses

Tarantulas do not need to be bathed in soap, nor need any brushing. You do need to clean up the cage and replace the substrate at least one time every 3 months. Tarantulas are not messy eaters and excrete a quick-drying fluid that has no odor. The water bowl needs to be cleaned up daily to prevent the development of germs or mold.

Medical Expenses

There are vets that can examine the health of tarantulas, however, none genuinely specialize in these invertebrates. Studies about them are also pretty limited, so treatment procedures are quite limited.

Adding to this is the fact that tarantulas will easily pass away from an injury to their bodies due to their soft exoskeleton, which means that the pet will be dead long before you reach the veterinarian. Nevertheless, if the injury is on their leg, they can self-amputate and restore the limb.

With all these in mind, tarantulas do not need a comprehensive medical regime, unlike other family pets.

Factors That Impact The Cost

The size, age, and genus affect the rate of the tarantula. The size is determined by the leg span, similar to the diameter of a circle, determined from the tip of one leg to the tip of the opposite leg. This will be measured in inches.

In some cases, this specific measurement will not be provided and you will just be able to pick between the relative “small”, “medium”, and “big”. For the exact same genus, a larger tarantula will be more pricey.

You might also be offered the alternative to purchase an adult tarantula or a spiderling. Spiderlings are less expensive and will offer the owner the satisfaction of seeing them molt into their adult bodies. Nevertheless, these are more difficult to take care of. They can pass away by being consumed by their live food, by molting, or from other accidents. Adult ones are more costly, however, they are much easier to look after. Once again, for the exact same genus, an older tarantula will be more pricey.

The genus can be simply put as the “breed” of the spider. Tarantulas from other nations or those with lovely pigmentation will mean higher prices than typical or local breeds with plain pigmentation.

Associated with the genus is the way the spiders live in their environment. Arboreal tarantulas like to climb up and build their nests on trees while terrestrial tarantulas like to stay on the ground. Some terrestrials even burrow.

Although this does not directly impact the pet tarantula cost, this will impact the manner in which the shelter is established, and eventually, its expense. Arboreals will require a taller terrarium and a decor that they can climb on while terrestrials that burrow will need a much deeper substrate of about 6 inches.

In some stores, you can select your preferred gender but keep in mind that finding its gender is challenging and can be incorrect. The gender of the tarantula does not impact the rate. Nevertheless, a female tarantula will considerably live longer. Females can live over thirty years while males can only live up to 7 years. This distinction in lifespan might bring differences in the expense of taking care of the pet.

Where to Purchase and Other Helpful Tips

Blackwaterreptiles sells popular tarantulas like the King Baboon Tarantula with a 2-inch leg span for $40. They also offer unique and pricey spiders like the Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula for $200 for a 3-inch leg span and $125 for a 1-inch leg span spider.

Tarantula on SandYou can choose whether you want a male or a female. In addition to tarantulas, they also have a full shelter package for tarantulas, however, this will cost an extra $40.

You need to consider that there is an extra flat rate of $45 for the shipping of the live tarantula.
Undergroundreptiles provide tarantulas at low prices like the Pinktoe Tarantula which costs $20 for a spider with a 2-3 inch leg span, however, they also offer more costly ones like the Mexican Redknee Tarantula which costs $85 for a spider with 2-3 inch leg span. You can not choose the gender at this store.

You can also have feeder crickets and cricket food delivered with the spider (not in the same container, of course) for $15.

Tarantulas are not meant to be handled. Plenty of things can happen when they are let out of the cage. The most common result is that they flee and hide in a nook where it is more difficult to take them out. They might end up being aggressive and bite. They can fall from tables or other platforms and these accidents can quickly burst their abdominal areas.

These are “all look, no touch” pets. Unless you have a great deal of experience with tarantulas, keep them in the terrarium, for the safety of your family and the tarantula.

Alec Pow

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