How to Keep Barking Spiders?

How to keep your Barking Spiders? Barking spiders are nocturnal predators which prey on small mice, toads, frogs and insects. How to keep your Barking Spiders? The Barking Spider is unlike its Southern American cousin – the Southern American bird – eating spider – as this specie is not averse to dining on small birds like its Southern American counterpart. These hairy arachnids are able to regenerate body parts such as their stomach lining, female genitalia and are even able to re-grow lost legs and appendages. How to keep your Barking Spiders? There are hundreds of tarantula species found in the planet’s tropical, subtropical and aridly dry regions. They all are different from each other in color and behavior and these traits still depend on the specific environments where they can be found. 

The Shy Type Barking Spider

Barking spider tarantulas are shy and tend to spend most of their lives in the ground. They are burrowers who prefer the cool shade below soil. This also helps them avoid the attention of predators. Barking Spiders are able to emit a sound, which can be likened to a thumb running through the teeth of a comb, when it feels threatened. They do this by rubbing their front legs on their abdomen. The primary purpose of this spider ability is to stave off potentially dangerous predators.   

How to keep your Barking Spiders? These spiders are slow movers and are deliberate with their movements unless they are trying to flee an unsavory situation. Being slow is not at all a hindrance to them when it comes to night time hunting as they are accomplished nocturnal predators. They would usually prey on insects but would also go for larger game if the opportunity presents itself.

Terrarium Sizes

The size of the enclosure should neither be too big nor too large.  The actual height of the interior is variable depending on the species.  You can opt to purchase clear, plastic containers because they are inexpensive, and they allow you to see clearly inside and observe your barking spiders and the interior of the cage to check that everything is clean and in good order. Or you can also buy a small glass tank if that’s what you prefer.

Equip the tank or spider terrarium with sufficient substrate at least 3 – 4 inches so that your barking spider can have something to burrow.  The larger the spider, the deeper should the substrate be.  You can also provide your pet with places to climb inside the cage such as a plastic plant or a tree bark.  Just make sure to not put many elevated structures within the enclosure because your pet could escape.

Substrate Options

The barking spider tarantula is an easy to care for arachnid that is pretty set in its ways and prefers to busy itself with climbing and burrowing. Set up a terrarium factoring in the conditions the spider would actually be in if it were in its natural environment.

How to keep your Barking Spiders? It would be important to recreate temperature conditions its body is acclimated to in order for it to thrive best. Choosing the right substrate also helps in actualizing the spiders natural environment and its innate trait of burrowing underground. Provide the fresh water for it to drink and to help the enclosures humidity needs.

Moss Peat

Moss peat is a good choice of substrate because it is sans fertilizers. Be sure to sterilize the substrate to rid it of mites which may be present in the substrate and which can subsequently attack the spider. Aside from moss peat, you can also choose sterilized potting soil, crushed coconut fiber, horticultural vermiculite, for substrate.  Just make sure that it is pesticide and fertilizer free.  Keep the substrate moist, but do not saturate it with water; you can do this by keeping the bottom depth of the substrate damp, while the upper portion dry except for perhaps a slightly damp corner.

Tank Furniture

Make sure to also put plants, rocks, logs, or tree barks and provide specific lightning. Keep in mind that barking spiders and spiders in general, do not like bright lights.  In fact, lighting can actually dry out the cage’s interior.  If you do want light, select a low-wattage fixture with a red light. Locate the enclosure in place where it will not be under direct sunlight and is free from drafts.  Make sure that they will not be disturbed by your other household pets such as dogs and cats.

Temperature Requirements

These Australian natives are used to warm weather to arid condition in the wild. A rule of thumb is to keep habitat temperatures at about 75 – 85 Fahrenheit with a humidity level between 60 – 75%.  Humidity levels can be increased by lightly spraying water in its captive environment. Should humidity levels increase too much, just try to even out the situation by leaving out any introduction of water to the space for a few days until the humidity levels are off. Too much humidity encourages mold and will be fatal to the spider.

Basic Care Tips for Barking Spiders

How to keep your Barking Spiders? Barking spiders can acquire possible illnesses while they are in captivity; this is generally because of poor husbandry or insufficient diet, but most of the time it is because of poor living environment. Here are some tips on how to maintain the order and cleanliness of your barking spider’s habitat:

Make sure to clean its cage and enclosure everyday

Clean their water dish and replace the water with fresh clear water each day, and remove any exoskeleton, uneaten food or remnants of food. 

Make sure to keep the temperatures at appropriate range

There are many cases of spiders dying from inappropriate levels of temperature and humidity. Molds or fungus could begin to grow in your pet’s cage if it is too moist, this in turn could start contamination and infection on your pet.  If the cage is too dry, daily misting with a substrate that holds moisture is a quick solution. 

Remove uneaten live preys

If you feed your barking spiders live prey and your pet left them uneaten, they should be removed immediately because there is also a chance that they could attack your barking spider especially when they are molting.

Spot Clean Your Spider’s Enclosure

You should do spot cleaning at least every 2 – 3 months to give the cage a deep and thorough cleaning.  You can do this by temporarily placing your spider to another holding container. Once you do, you can then remove all the contents of the tank, wash and sterilize the tank inside out, replace the substrate, clean the water dish, and sterilize all the items inside the tank before replacing them or putting them back.

Some Caveats

How to keep your Barking Spiders? A recommendation for budding hobbyist is a small glass fish tank which will give maximum visibility. Make sure that it comes with a fitted lid with sufficient ventilation, to keep the spider in its enclosure. A fluctuating room temperature in a warm home is best.  Just keep in mind that the warmer you keep your barking spider is, the faster its metabolism will be.  They will have greater appetite, and they will grow faster, but it also means that the substrate will dry faster and they might be more prone to dehydration.  Use your best judgment, and pay close attention to what seems best for your individual barking spiders.