Aphonopelma seemanni (Zebra tarantula)

Origin: Central America
Type: Tree-dwelling tarantula
Size 10-13 cm
Age: Max 15 years for females and maximum 5 years for males

Care
Experience: Novice spider keeper
Food: Insects (crickets, dubias and mealworms)
Feed adult: Twice a week
Feed young: 2/3 times a week
Water bowl: Yes
Water change: At least 3x a week

Power supply
Like almost all other tarantula species, this species also prefers to eat insects such as mealworms, crickets and dubias in captivity. In principle, the spider will eat anything that moves and is smaller than it, but seems to prefer mealworms.

Water
The spider needs a fairly high humidity. Partly by placing a water bowl in the enclosure, the humidity will also remain reasonably high. The spider will also not drink so quickly from the water bowl, because he / she also gets moisture from the fed insects. Make sure that when you provide the spider with water, it cannot drown in it. It is best to put a very thin layer of water in the water bowl of no more than 2 cm. When you moisten the enclosure it is important that you do not spray the spider wet or spray it too close to the spider.

Cleaning
Since the spider loves to build webs, it is usually difficult to remove faeces. It is best to empty the entire accommodation every 3 to 4 months and clean everything thoroughly.
Handling
As with many other types of spiders, the zebra tarantula prefers not to be handled. They can be very defensive and unpredictable at times. In search of an escape route, the animals sometimes dare to drop themselves or make small jumps. The spider still wants to bite when it gets irritated or shoots away stinging hairs. Depending on the location of the bite and the amount of venom administered, this can be a very painful experience. To date, however, no scientific research has been done that confirms the strength of the poison.

Housing
Minimum enclosure size for this animal: 30x15x15cm
Area: 1x body length spider
Day temperature: 25-29C
Night temperature: 18-20C
Humidity level: 70-80% During 4 consecutive months per year, this may increase to 80-90%.
Soil cover: Cocopeat, humus, bark or peat litter

Design
The interior of the accommodation is quite simple. The spider must have somewhere to hide, placing a hollow piece of cork or a piece of tree bark is ideal for the spider to hide in or behind. It is also useful to have a soil in the accommodation that retains moisture well, since the humidity should be around 70-80%. The spider must also have a bowl of water available at all times. You can place the container with water on the floor of the enclosure or attach it to the wall of the enclosure.

Behaviour
Diet: Carnivore
Habitat: Generally found in the wild in trees and shrubs

Character
The spider can be very defensive and unpredictable at times. So keep a close eye on the spider if you intend to put your hands in the terrarium.

Points of attention
The spider (once active) can escape quite easily. So keep a close eye on your spider when you open the enclosure.

Cost and Purchase
Legislation: No CITES or transfer papers are required to own this spider.
One-off costs: This includes the costs for accommodation, lighting, heating and decoration. This can be ready for a hundred euros, depending on the layout, etc. The final amount depends on the quality and size of the products.
Fixed costs: Fixed costs include the costs for the feed, which is a few tens of euros per year.
Unexpected costs: Costs are incurred when your equipment breaks down.