Exotic Pets You Can Actually Live With
The next big things in exotic pets carry such names as Corn snakes, African hedgehogs, and Northern blue-tongue skink

By Steve Dale | 15 July 2009

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TARANTULA
Peter Parker is right about spiders' senses; they can sense things mere mortals can't by feeling minute vibrations. That's how they catch dinner -- live crickets, kingworms or a feeder mouse weekly.

Arachnologist Rick West of Victoria, British Columbia, warns against impulsively buying tarantulas. There are 850 species, but for pets, only buy those bred in captivity. The most popular are the Chilean Rosehair, Pinktoe (a species that likes to climb - unusual for a tarantula), Mexican Red-Knee, and the 10 ½-inch Brazilian Salmon tarantula.

West warns to be careful about handling tarantulas; these pets aren't for children. West isn't worried so much about the kids as he is the spiders. They're surprisingly fragile. Drop a tarantula and its abdomen can crack, then because its blood doesn't coagulate, a splintered tarantula can bleed to death. A tarantula first aid kit must include super glue to close such wounds.

West says there's no record of a person ever succumbing to a tarantula bite. However, when threatened, many species will shed fine hairs that can cause skin irritation; if you rub your eyes, the damage can be significant.

Females are preferable as pets, living up to 30 years. Males are lucky to survive eight years, and they look spindly. Captive bred tarantulas generally cost US$30 to US$125.

 
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