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Boa Constrictors

Boa Constrictors

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

Leopard Geckos

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...

Ball Pythons

Whenever I get asked what is the best kind of snake to get for a beginner keeper, I always answer with Ball Pythons (Python regius). Ball Pythons, or Royal Pythons as they are called in the UK, are slow moving, docile snakes that are readily available in the pet trade. These amazing reptiles do...

Chinese Mantis

Chinese Mantis

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

Jumping Spiders

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...

What is Molting?

Molting is an essential part of a tarantula’s life cycle, it's how they grow! When a tarantula starts to prepare for a molt, it goes into a state called premolt. When a tarantula is in premolt, it becomes sluggish and refuses food, and if the “skin” under the abdomen is visible from hair kicking,...

Great Websites To Check Out!

 Stores   Fear Not Tarantulas -www.fearnottarantulas.com  Fear Not Tarantulas is the best place you can go to get a tarantula, scorpion, or other related invertebrate. They have a huge selection of tarantulas for good prices, and their customer service is phenomenal! They are always happy to...

Tarantula Terminology

Tarantula Terminology

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...

Brown Recluse Look-Alikes

Brown Recluse Look-Alikes

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...

Wolf Spiders: Caring Mothers

Wolf Spiders: Caring Mothers

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

Giant Centipedes

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...

The Spider Pharm

The Spider Pharm

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...

Black Widow Spider

The Black Widow Spider probably takes the gold medal for worst reputation, at least in North America. There are three species of Black Widows in North America, the Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus), the Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus), and the Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus...

Spitting Spider

Spitting Spider

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...

Wolf Spiders

Wolf Spiders

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...

Odd Defense Tactics

Because of their relatively small size, bugs need an effective strategy to keep predators at bay. Most accomplish this by stinging, biting, or having hard exoskeletons, but some have very unusual ways to evade their enemies. One example is the Goliath Birdeater Tarantula (Theraphosa sp.). These...