New rio grande gold!

[JackV]

I’m getting a new tarantula in a few weeks, a rio grande gold, about 2-3 years years of age, probably female. I need some help with the details. My other tarantula is a G Pulchripes, and I’m wondering what I should do different between the two, do I need a heatpad, for the rio grande, or any sort of temperate or climate preferences. I’m very excited and need help giving it the best time.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I’m getting a new tarantula in a few weeks, a rio grande gold, about 2-3 years years of age, probably female. I need some help with the details. My other tarantula is a G Pulchripes, and I’m wondering what I should do different between the two, do I need a heatpad, for the rio grande, or any sort of temperate or climate preferences. I’m very excited and need help giving it the best time.

Welcome to AB.

You want to use scientific naming conventions. What you have is Aphonopelma moderatum.

Start by reading the entire link first below. Most of your questions will be answered there.

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

 

[kingshockey]

expect to have it still after you finish college

 

[viper69]

I’m getting a new tarantula in a few weeks, a rio grande gold, about 2-3 years years of age, probably female. I need some help with the details. My other tarantula is a G Pulchripes, and I’m wondering what I should do different between the two, do I need a heatpad, for the rio grande, or any sort of temperate or climate preferences. I’m very excited and need help giving it the best time.

They are a fiesty species, not docile.

A heatpad???? I mean sure if you want to kill it. Are you using one right now??????????????????????

You need a box, sub, a water dish, cork bark hide and a lid it can't escape from.

 

[HooahArmy]

I have two moderatums and like with all Ts within a specifi species, their personas can vary. While my first and larger one behaves more like a typical Aphonopelma and is rather calm and has been handleable since about 2" about two years or so back, the second is a spicy one who likes to run about and be an assertive hunter. The first also created a burrow that went stright under cork while the second one stands in the open and has webbed over his/her cork and substrate. All this is rather wild since both Ts were from the same brood and are siblings.
Because moderatums are indeed from the hardy Aphonopelma family, their care is going to be realitve similar. These hardy Ts can tolerate a variety of temperatures just like the Rio Grande Valley where they come from; hot, dry summers and frigid winters. I try to mimic desert soil the best that I can by keeping it nearly bone-dry while adding a water dish that I keep filled at all time.The Rio Grande Valley does have standing water. To mime wetter seasons, I will occasionally 'rain' with a watering can and dampen but not saturate the soil. Because these Ts are accustomed to rugged Texan weather, I also keep them with PLENTY of ventilation. They seem to hate too much moisture and will even step away from areas where the soil's too damp.

Bottom Line:
These Ts are hardy as heck. As long as they have a water dish, burrowing substrate, and food, they'll endure. They have survived for ages in chapparal and desert, both of which have extremes in both directions. A quick look online told me that the highs can be in the 90s, lows in the 40s. Odds are, if you're comfortable in a room where you're keeping your girl, she'll be comfortable too!
I left for a 3 month deployment left my two moderatums at home in Southern California with an average of 90 degrees per day. by the time I returned, their water dishes had long since dried, but both 3" Ts were alive and more than happy.

@viper69 also is right. Your buddy will toast with a heatpad. Ts burrow when they want to stay cool in summer or warm in the winter and may accidentally burrow in the wrong direction towards the pad.

 

[Mustafa67]

I’m getting a new tarantula in a few weeks, a rio grande gold, about 2-3 years years of age, probably female. I need some help with the details. My other tarantula is a G Pulchripes, and I’m wondering what I should do different between the two, do I need a heatpad, for the rio grande, or any sort of temperate or climate preferences. I’m very excited and need help giving it the best time.

Search the forum DON’T use a heatpad unless you live in Antarctica or live in freezing temperatures. Use room temperature

 

[Gevo]

Search the forum DON’T use a heatpad unless you live in Antarctica or live in freezing temperatures. Use room temperature

Even then, if you live in a heated house, don't use them! It gets down to -40C where I am, sometimes even close to -50C, but we have home heating.