Tarantulas like fresh air and sunlight?

Irithyllian

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 5, 2021
Messages
126
Not a super serious question but still on my mind.

I’ve been curious if T’s like natural feelings sometimes, for example, my jumping spider, because it does have vision I set it’s small enclosure in the window so it can see the sun and outside during the day and move back once night hits.

yes it has a cork bark so it can avoid the sunlight if it prefers, I also only put it there when it’s close to dusk so the sun isn’t too intense, would slings gain anything from the same thing?
 
Last edited:

Kibosh

Arachnoknight
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
257
No on the sunlight. Most Tarantulas live in places where they can escape it to the best their environment allows. Light normally means death for them either from dehydration or predators. If they are in the desert they hide deep in burrows during daylight hours. Rainforest it's almost always in the shade or once again they are in deep in burrows.

Fresh air? Yet to find a life form that doesn't need it. Even a squid in the deepest darkest parts of the ocean loves that fresh fresh Oxygen.
 

Scp682

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Messages
227
They're not like mammals that need that, they try to get away from the sun and exposure to elements. Totally different biology.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
The light transmitting through the window increases heat. Depending on how hot or how long someone would leave it there I’d imagine it would be like turning an enclosure into an easy bake oven.

I have my T’s in the corner of the room out of direct sunlight on the same wall as the sliding glass door which is open 90% of the time. The natural light and view is reserved for the parrots. Not sure they appreciate the death row view of the bbq/smoker, but they have other birds to see and a garden to look at, not sure my T’s would appreciate it as much.
 

Charliemum

Arachnocompulsive
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Mar 5, 2021
Messages
755
My cricket thief likes to sit in the sun I have often caught him moving on his branch to stay in the light and out of the shade he is my only spider that does though.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Not a super serious question but still on my mind.

I’ve been curious if T’s like natural feelings sometimes, for example, my jumping spider, because it does have vision I set it’s small enclosure in the window so it can see the sun and outside during the day and move back once night hits.

yes it has a cork bark so it can avoid the sunlight if it prefers, I also only put it there when it’s close to dusk so the sun isn’t too intense, would slings gain anything from the same thing?
I would do it- I disagree with everyone regarding sunlight and Ts

There’s a study with a scorpion species that has at least one gene involved in circadian rhythm. These are HIGHLY conserved genes in animals. I would expect to find them in Ts too.
 

Spoodfood

Feeder of Spoods
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Jun 4, 2020
Messages
473
I’m not sure if Ts would enjoy sunlight necessarily, but jumping spiders are frequently found on sunny sides of buildings and in sunny areas. They definitely do gravitate towards sunlight and enjoy it in my belief.

One thing to keep in mind, many tarantula species come from desert or very hot environments. The reason why they do really well in captivity in our homes is because they don’t actually get that heat in the wild. They burrow down deep where it’s cool or find shady areas to hang out. Our room temperature is probably closer to what they’re used to in the wild as opposed to the average temperatures in their endemic location because of this. So when you are reading about where your Ts come from, that’s something to think about. They stay out of the sunlight.
 

joossa

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Messages
333
I keep my T in a room that has a south facing window sill. The T's enclosure does not get direct rays of the sun, but the room does get very bright via the sunlight coming in from the window and warms up as it gets into the afternoon hours. Then, it becomes more dark and cooler (10F cooler) as it gets into the evening hours. This simulates a nice day and night cycle and I feel, personally, is beneficial to my T and at worst, causes no harm.
 
Last edited:

Irithyllian

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 5, 2021
Messages
126
I would do it- I disagree with everyone regarding sunlight and Ts

There’s a study with a scorpion species that has at least one gene involved in circadian rhythm. These are HIGHLY conserved genes in animals. I would expect to find them in Ts too.
I just try and think of things that might feel a little more natural to them, anything to make them feel ‘happier’ hahah.
My room does get a fair bit of natural sunlight as well as two lights for the plants in some enclosures, so I think that they still get that rhythm but, I just worry maybe the air in their enclosure gets old and stagnant and maybe some fresh air from outside coming through the ventilation holes is something they like. Strangely enough on that same topic, my pokies actually tend to be out almost more during the day than at night
 

LucN

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
315
From the cabinet they are housed in, there is a bit of light that comes up on the opposing wall, so they do get a little bit of daylight. It doesn't reach the cabinet, so I'm not concerned about sunlight striking the cages. Thus far, there hasn't been any issues. Fresh air ? I'm wary of opening the window given that insecticides are sprayed around the area during some parts of the year. It may not be likely for the wind to carry fumes, but I'm paranoid by nature.
 

Spoodfood

Feeder of Spoods
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Jun 4, 2020
Messages
473
From the cabinet they are housed in, there is a bit of light that comes up on the opposing wall, so they do get a little bit of daylight. It doesn't reach the cabinet, so I'm not concerned about sunlight striking the cages. Thus far, there hasn't been any issues. Fresh air ? I'm wary of opening the window given that insecticides are sprayed around the area during some parts of the year. It may not be likely for the wind to carry fumes, but I'm paranoid by nature.
I would worry about that as well. I definitely wouldn’t call that paranoid. Many people where I’m from have consistent yard treatment for fleas and fire ants. You can even track in pesticides on your shoes that can harm your Ts. Not paranoid, smart and aware I’d say with that one!
 

Dry Desert

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
1,552
I would do it- I disagree with everyone regarding sunlight and Ts

There’s a study with a scorpion species that has at least one gene involved in circadian rhythm. These are HIGHLY conserved genes in animals. I would expect to find them in Ts too.
I agree 100% with viper69.

Every living thing needs a daylight/night time clock. This is why some plants open during the day and close at night .Many inverts are Crepuscular, and are not 100% nocturnal. Others actively hunt during daylight on very overcast days. They may burrow during the day, or seek shade in the forest, but their bio-clock is essential for day/night and seasonal changes.
Because a lot of " keepers" have their inverts in a dark cellar/room with in a basic enclosure and are thrown a cricket every 2-3 days and "seem to be okay" doesn't provide that creature with its natural requirements.
Day light - Night Time 24/7 clock is essential, along with good fresh ventilation for any animals well being.

It all goes back to things " doing okay" and thing thriving. Place a human in a dark area 24/7 throw in a steak every 3 days and after 6 months ask if they are okay!
Please don't tell me inverts and vertabrates are different - on basic natural requirement THEY ARE NOT.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I just try and think of things that might feel a little more natural to them, anything to make them feel ‘happier’ hahah.
My room does get a fair bit of natural sunlight as well as two lights for the plants in some enclosures, so I think that they still get that rhythm but, I just worry maybe the air in their enclosure gets old and stagnant and maybe some fresh air from outside coming through the ventilation holes is something they like. Strangely enough on that same topic, my pokies actually tend to be out almost more during the day than at night
I believe there's a video of Poki species in a park on a tree during day time.
 

Irithyllian

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 5, 2021
Messages
126
All of these things in mine, I’m not too worried about pesticides, where I live people around me aren’t too much on their yard like that, and mine that I rent is fenced off so there’s not a whole lot of people adjacent to my window sadly though my windowsill isn’t large enough for an actual enclosure so only tiny slings inside deli cups and such get window time
 

WhiteRose79

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
2
I realise this is a year old however I just asked the oracle 'why do Tarantulas sit out in the day time' and it lead me here. Its 11:00am here in the U.K. Its cloudy outside though the room in which my T's are kept Is bright enough to read a book. Sure enough my P.Metallica is sat out on her branch close to the entrance of her log hide. I wonder if this kind of light is perceived as shade by the Tatantula? Mine can often be seen out during the day when its cloudy but never when It's full sunshine I have noticed.
 

Attachments

Top