Theraphosa blondi

Theraphosa blondi is the largest tarantula in the world! And that impresses anyone who has ever seen an adult specimen. The body length is about 12 cm and the wingspan up to 25 cm, which is why it is also called the Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula. This ground-dwelling species grows quickly and eats accordingly. During moulting they regularly double their size and you quickly have very handsome animals.

 

Theraphosa blondi digs out burrows and uses them as protection, so a forest humus-sand mixture with a ratio of 3:1 and a filling height of 15 to 20 cm should be chosen as substrate. This also helps to maintain a humidity of 70 to 80 % without causing waterlogging. As a burrow dweller, it can nevertheless be seen relatively often and is therefore also present in the terrarium. It often sits in front of its burrow and waits for passing food animals. The spiders on offer can be raised in a BraPlast tin or in a rearing terrarium and later placed in a terrarium.

 

A Hobby Terraristik terrarium with a size of 60 × 45 × 45 cm is well chosen for an adult animal. Furnishings can be chosen according to taste with wood and or stones. A water bowl is also essential for Theraphosa blondi. This species is uncomplicated to keep and will forgive one or two mistakes in keeping. Like most American tarantulas, this species belongs to the so-called bombardier spiders. A somewhat unpleasant itching on the skin is the result. A pair of gloves when handling the animals and a pair of tweezers when feeding them can help.