Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula

The Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula (Brachypelma hamorii) is a type of spider that lives in shrubs, deserts, and forests in Mexico. They have black bodies and legs with orange joints, and like other wolf spiders, they are covered in sensitive hairs. The Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula is approximately 10 centimeters long and can have a leg span of up to 15 centimeters. They are nocturnal animals, staying in their burrows during the day and going out to hunt at night. They mainly feed on insects, small amphibians, and small mammals.

Chinese name: 墨西哥红膝鸟蛛

Latin name: Brachypelma smithi

Alias: 墨西哥红膝头、墨西哥红膝头蜘蛛

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Chelicerata

Class: Arachnida

Subclass: Dromopoda

Order: Araneae

Suborder: Mygalomorphae

Family: Theraphosidae

Subfamily: Theraphosinae

Genus: Brachypelma

Species: Brachypelma hamorii

Distribution: Originally found in desert areas along the western coast of Mexico

English name: Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula

Reproductive mode: Oviparous

Their relatively long lifespan has led to a gradual decline in their native population, with a large number being captured, bringing them to the brink of extinction. They may be one of the earliest types of bird-eating spiders to receive protection, with efforts to protect this species reportedly beginning in the 1970s, primarily through regulating and restricting their exports. Eventually, they were included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

Love to climb pets recommend keeping, control temperature around 25 degrees, not lower than 20 degrees, humidity between 50-80, using coconut soil cushion, cushion can be one side dry and one side wet, young body feeds once every two days, using smaller size live food, generally not more than the length of the spider body, can use mealworms, young roaches, etc., large individuals can use adult crickets, roaches and other live food, large individuals can be fed twice a week, less disturbance to avoid provoking hair-kicking, control good ventilation to avoid soft feet, extremely low difficulty in keeping pets.

Emaciation disease

When you find that the spider's body becomes dull and its skin starts to become dry and yellow, it is likely that emaciation disease has occurred. This condition is generally caused by the spider not eating well, resulting in malnutrition due to long-term starvation.

Gastroenteritis

In contrast to emaciation disease, this condition is caused by overeating. If the owner keeps feeding the spider continuously or feeds it at a low temperature, it can cause abdominal distention and pain, eventually leading to gastroenteritis.

Hemiplegia

Spiders do not have high requirements for their environment, but when the temperature is too high, especially in summer, with high temperature and high humidity, if the spider's cage is too far from the air vent, it can cause the spider to enter a state similar to heat stroke, with paralysis in its legs and unable to move properly.

Constipation

The main cause of constipation is usually lack of water. Besides eating, spiders also need to drink water. If the owner only feeds the spider without giving it water, the water in the food cannot provide the necessary moisture for the spider's body.

Black rot disease

Refusing to eat or move, decreased vitality, and the appearance of black ulcerative lesions on the abdomen are the manifestations of black rot disease in spiders. The reason for this condition is that the water and food are not fresh. If the spider eats food contaminated with bacteria, it can contract black rot disease, which can be fatal.

Mildew disease

Especially in the southern regions, spiders are more susceptible to bacterial invasion in the hot and humid weather of summer. The spider's joints become stiffer and its body becomes damp, creating an environment where bacteria thrive and leading to the occurrence of mildew spots on the spider's body.

Parasites

Parasites can be considered the most disgusting disease for spiders. If it is a small insect, it may not be too bad, but when those bold parasites crawl on the spider's body, it looks very disgusting. Apart from affecting the spider's rest, they may also carry other viruses, causing multiple infections and posing a threat to the spider's life.

The Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula is often considered the most attractive species of all pet tarantulas. Its beautiful appearance and gentle temperament have become legendary, and as a result, it has been brought from Mexico to various parts of the world for artificial breeding, thus avoiding the danger of endangered populations.

Adult males look very similar to females. While their mating is relatively easy, obtaining eggs from the female spider can be a little challenging. Successful mating can be achieved in a simple breeding box with hiding places. The relative difficulty in successfully breeding is offset by the huge number of offspring produced by a single successful breeding. Juveniles are very small in size and are gray in color. They require a humid environment. Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula juveniles eat a lot during the molting period, which is part of their growth strategy. Therefore, if you want the juveniles to grow faster, you can feed them a large amount of food even when they appear to be about to burst.