Boa constrictors are one of the largest snakes you can own as a pet. Depending on the subspecies, these massive snakes can grow anywhere from 7 to 13 feet, and can live up to 30 years. Native to Central and South America, these heavy bodied reptiles kill their prey by constriction, hence their...

Leopard Geckos are, in my opinion, one of the most adorable reptiles you can keep as a pet. Native to parts of the middle east, these lizards have a very good reputation in the reptile hobby, and many people claim them to be the best pet reptile for a beginner keeper. Leopard Geckos get their name...

The Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is the largest species of Praying Mantis in North America, with adult females being able to see reach 6 inches in length. As the name implies, these insects are not native to the US, but rather they were accidentally introduced here from Asia in 1896....

Jumping Spiders are very common in most parts of the world, but their abilities are almost completely unique to their family, Salticidae. Not only are they the only spiders that use sight to aim and leap onto prey or from place to place, but some species can jump up to 50 times their own body...

The Greenbottle Blue Tarantula is one of the most colorful arachnids out there. These spiders are native to the dry regions of Venezuela. It is the only species in its genus, Chromatopelma. Females can live around 15 years, while males live only about 3 years. This species can grow quite large,...

Greenbottle Blue Tarantula, GBB (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) There are a lot of terms in the tarantula hobby, and it might seem a bit overwhelming for a beginner. Here is a list of some common tarantula terms and their meanings to help you understand more of what experienced keepers have to...

One of the most infamous spiders in the U.S. is the Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa). Also known as the Violin Spider for the patterns on the cephalothorax, these arachnids possess strong venom, and bites are very painful. The venom sometimes even causes the skin around the bite to rot. A...

Did you know that Wolf Spiders are excellent mothers? When a female Wolf Spider is ready to lay eggs, she weaves a sheet of silk to lay them on. Then, she lays a hundred or more tiny little eggs on the silk mat. After the eggs are laid, the spider then weaves a sac of silk around them. She...

Giant Centipedes are some of the largest terrestrial invertebrates on the planet. Some can even grow to a length of 12 inches! The word centipede means 100 legs, but no centipede has that many. Instead, most have around 42 legs with 1 pair per each body segment. A centipedes first pair of legs are...

Chuck and Anita Kristensen live on a pharm. Literally. These two arachnologists have dedicated their lives to keeping and caring for 75,000 spiders, scorpions, and centipedes to milk them for their venom. These creatures include the most venomous arachnids in North America: Black Widow Spiders...

The spiders belonging to the family Scytodidae, commonly known as Spitting Spiders, are some strange arachnids. Not only do they have six eyes instead of the usual eight, but they hunt by "spitting" a mixture of sticky silk and venom onto their prey! There are over 250 different species of...

There are over 2,000 species belonging to the family Lycosidae, commonly known as Wolf Spiders. Wolf Spiders vary in size and coloration, but there are two things all of them have in common. One is their incredible speed and agility, and the other is the huge front pair of eyes. This combination...