Caring for Spiders & Scorpions

Spiders and scorpions are well established favourites in the world of exotic pets and if properly cared for, they do well in captivity. Both kinds of animal are fascinating to watch and although much of the detail of the care they need varies with the species being kept, there are a few general requirements to bear in mind when you’re deciding if spiders or scorpions are the right sort of pet for you.

On the whole their demands are relatively modest, they don’t require a great deal of space and they’re very quiet – so they’re unlikely to annoy the neighbours!

Housing Spiders And Scorpions

The most important requirement for your pet’s home is that it should be escape proof – so a secure glass or plastic container is essential. Many spider-keepers go for the kind of small plastic tank with a ventilated lid sold in most pet shops, though an old aquarium or even a big jar can house spiders and scorpions well.

What you put in the tank itself depends largely on the origins of the animal itself; most spiders will do very nicely with a layer of bark chippings or potting compost, which will also do perfectly for the forest dwelling kinds of scorpions. Scorpions which originate from desert areas, however, will need a thick layer of sand.

Suitable hiding places are also useful – but don’t overdo it or you’ll end up having to work hard to see your pet.

Heating And Humidity

Most of the spiders and scorpion species offered as exotic pets tend to come from warmer parts of the world – and mostly from the tropics – so they’ll generally need a little extra warmth to stay healthy.

Heat mats are probably the most popular way to provide it, though there are other good options available from outlets that cater for exotic pets, including hot rocks and soil warming cables. Alternatively, placing your container inside a gardener’s seed propagator can also be a useful way to provide a little gentle warmth.

If you opt for a pad, try to arrange it so that it doesn’t warm all of the tank’s base; scorpions burrow to make themselves more comfortable when it gets too hot – escaping the heat of the sun – but the strategy is doomed to fail if the whole container is heated from below.

Humidity is important for spiders – especially tarantulas – as they need 50-60 per cent humidity to be able to moult properly, so a humidity gauge is an essential piece of equipment for anyone keeping spiders. Providing a small water dish for drinking and a little regular misting from a plant sprayer will keep things to their liking – and it’ll suit the “forest” type of scorpions too. It’s obviously a very good plan to buy a new one, so you’ll be sure it hasn’t been used for insecticides!

All that humidity makes ideal conditions for fungus to grow; keep a look out and remove any compost or bark that shows signs of going mouldy.

Desert dwelling scorpions – and any spiders from similar parts of the globe – obviously need much drier conditions, only occasionally needing a slight misting; although they get most of the moisture they need from their food, a small dish of water is always a good idea.

Food And Feeding

Both spiders and scorpions are carnivorous predators and will consume surprising quantities of insects. Crickets and locusts are ideal; many local pet shops stock them, but if yours doesn’t there are companies which will supply them by mail order.

Scorpions are probably best fed at night, since they are nocturnal and a little secretive in their habits. Once you’ve added the food, it’s best to leave them alone in the dark – scorpions can often refuse to eat if conditions aren’t right, so uneaten food can often mean that all is not well.

Handling

Neither spiders nor scorpions are great pets for handling. Larger spiders such as the tarantulas can be seriously injured or even killed by quite a small drop and they can flick hairs off their abdomen with their hind legs, which can cause skin irritation in people and even the most docile spider may bite or scorpion sting. On balance, handling is probably best kept to a minimum.

With so many kinds on offer, it’s important to do a bit of research on the home, habits and lifestyle of the ones you want to keep – and a good, knowledgeable pet dealer can be invaluable in helping you get the care right for your particular choice.

These fascinating animals make for very interesting pets and since – unusually for invertebrate exotics – they can enjoy a fairly long lifespan in captivity, you could be enjoying their company for some time.