Caring for spiders when on vacation

[ayushpandey]

Hi everyone, this is possibly a dumb question but i have always wanted to get a spider as a pet.
I have an option of choosing from the following 4 species. They are the only ones that a local vendor who is registered with the city has. I would prefer to not buy it from just anyone.

• Cupiennius salei
• Damon medius
• Heteropoda tetrica
• Piloctenus cf. haematostoma

I have been researching a lot about them but i never found a clear answer to feeding schedules. Every year around November, i go on a vacation for a month. If i do get a spider, will i have to find someone to feed it while i am gone? I know they need regular feeding about every week or two. Should i not get one because a month is too long to go without food?
I am a bit confused. I'd highly appreciate your help.

 

[Tentacle Toast]

There are no set feeding schedules. So long as it has access to clean water, a healthy tarantula should be able to go a month without eating. Since you're already only a few days away, wait until you get back to buy it.

 

[ayushpandey]

There are no set feeding schedules. So long as it has access to clean water, a healthy tarantula should be able to go a month without eating. Since you're already only a few days away, wait until you get back to buy it.

Definitely. I am not planning to get one in the next month. I will set a few meetings with the vendor to try and learn the best practices. January is probably when i will be able to buy one. Also, tarantulas are regulated/banned here in france. It will probably be another species.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

@Tentacle Toast these are true spiders, not Ts, if that makes a difference. I’ve only kept Ts, other than a week or two in transit with black widows, so I’ve 0 knowledge there.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

@Tentacle Toast these are true spiders, not Ts, if that makes a difference. I’ve only kept Ts, other than a week or two in transit with black widows, so I’ve 0 knowledge there.

 

[catboyeuthanasia]

Of the species you have there, I've only had experience with whip spiders, so take this with a grain of salt.

A healthy adult Damon medius would be fine without food for a month.

Something else to think about would be humidity and temperature during the vacation. Humidity requirements vary across species, but for whipspiders, I pour water on the substrate every 1-2 weeks, since they really like high humidity. Adding some extra moss, or if you are feeling spicy, a plant, might help keep humidity up for longer. As for temperature, if you live somewhere that is prone to power outages like I do, it might be worth having a friend check in on your collection every couple weeks.

D. medius should be a beginner friendly species. Check out this thread:

Tailless Whip Scorpion (Damon Medius) health is suffering, I need advice!

A few months ago I got a juvenile Tailless Whip Scorpion (the west african variety Damon Medius) and he was in bad shape when he arrived, I thought the site was reputable but he was missing an antennae-form leg and seemed underfed and malnourished. Im doing some spot cleaning in his enclosure...

arachnoboards.com

 

[Denn]

[

I have an option of choosing from the following 4 species. They are the only ones that a local vendor who is registered with the city has. I would prefer to not buy it from just anyone.

• Cupiennius salei
• Damon medius
• Heteropoda tetrica
• Piloctenus cf. haematostoma

Honestly, I wouldn’t suggest a single one of those spiders for a beginner. One of those I’d also question anyone that sold one to someone as a first spider.

Cupiennius salei fast spider, probably the most beginner friendly, even then I wouldn’t suggest to beginner due to how skittish it is.

Damon medius… it’s not even really a spider, but a whip “spider”, but out the lot, it’s probably the more reasonable as a beginner. But it isn’t really a spider.

Heteropoda tetrica, a lightning fast huntsman spider, would only recommend if have prior experience with fast, bolty, active hunting spider.

Piloctenus haematostoma…. beautiful spider and one of my favorites, but this is the spider I can’t believe has even been offered to you as a first. One of, if not the fastest true spiders I have ever owned. They are also capable of jumping a fair distance. Great vision for a spider. Incredibly defensive, amongst the most defensive I have ever owned. It will threat pose due to the slightest disturbance and will not relent, and will bite if given the chance. And when I say they are fast, they basically teleport they are that quick.

I hope this doesn’t discourage you from the hobby. Is it just “true spiders” you are interested in, or tarantulas also?

 

[Tentacle Toast]

@Tentacle Toast these are true spiders, not Ts, if that makes a difference. I’ve only kept Ts, other than a week or two in transit with black widows, so I’ve 0 knowledge there.

Very well might. I just assumed...

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

May be a question for @darkness975

 

[jbooth]

It depends. I assume you are getting slings, that matters if so, they can't go as long, especially without water. I'd have someone at least water if I left for more than a week. I'd also probably say start with a wolf spider. They can be fast and jump well, but for the most part they are mellow, hardly ever bite unless forced to, and are out a lot with an awesome food response. Also they can't climb smooth surfaces well like that huntsman lol

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Definitely. I am not planning to get one in the next month. I will set a few meetings with the vendor to try and learn the best practices. January is probably when i will be able to buy one. Also, tarantulas are regulated/banned here in france. It will probably be another species.

Lame they’re banned they cannot survive the winter there. Sorry about that.

 

[darkness975]

The Amblypygi really should not be left alone that long. They can go a month without food but they require higher humidity that will need to be maintained within that time frame.

The others are fast. Be prepared for their teleportation capabilities.

 

[Ratmosphere]

Agree with above. Make sure are all well fed and have water before you leave. A month is a long time.

I leave for overseas next week and will be gone for a week. Trying to get all of mine situated as well.