HOUSING

Some people keep these tarantulas in a 5 gallon enclosure but we prefer to see a 10 gallon used (20" x 10" x 10"H). A secure screen top is a must to keep your Mexican Red Leg Tarantula from escaping the enclosure. A Rhode Island Reptile Enclosure would make an ideal enclosure... we'll be happy to set you up with the correct cage, heating, lighting and accessories for your new pet.

 

SUBSTRATE

Substrate choices can include Eco Earth (ie. coconut fiber), Zoo Med Forest Floor (ie. cyprus mulch), peat moss and sphagnum moss (We find that most people do a mix of these beddings).

 

HEATING

Mexican Red Leg Tarantulas need a thermal gradient which varies by species but consists of a warm side around 83 Deg. F and a cool side around 74 Deg. F. The best way to heat your Mexican Red Leg Tarantula's enclosure is with a combination of a heat mat and ceramic heat emitter. We recommend the Intellitemp Heat Mat and Black Heat Ceramic Infrared Heat Emitter to accomplish the heating of your Mexican Red Leg Tarantula's cage. The heat mat and ceramic heat emitter should be located on one side while the other side should not have any heat source. It is a good idea to control the ceramic emitter with a thermostat but make sure to purchase a quality thermometer to keep track of your warm and cool sides. Thermometers and thermostats are available in our heating supply section.

 

LIGHTING

Mexican Red Leg Tarantulas are not known to require a UV bulb to keep them healthy but if you decide to use any type of lighting make sure your temperatures do not go above 84 F.

 

SHELTER

Mexican Red Leg Tarantulas need a dark hiding place plus items like cork bark, driftwood or bamboo tubes. Please note that we have a large selection of hiding places in our habitat Furnishings department plus much more in our decor section. There are a lot of commercial choices available for to use as decor items but if you choose to make some of your own please make sure that it is sturdy enought that there is no potential for collapsing and crushing your Mexican Red Leg Tarantula.

 

WATER

It is essential that you provide your Mexican Red Leg Tarantula with a shallow water bowl with saturated cotton balls or other similar item. The bowl should be large enough that it helps to humidify the cage but not so big that it might have a difficult time getting in or out of the bowl. Place the water dish on the cool side of the cage so that it does not evaporate quickly. IMPORTANT: This species requires humidity in the 60 percent plus range so make sure to mist if needed.

 

FOOD

Mexican Red Leg Tarantulas enjoys most insects like crickets, mealworms, silk worms and wax worms. See our live feeder section of our website for a vast array of live feeder options that are shipped direct to your door.
 

VITAMINS

It is important to feed high quality live feeders to your Mexican Red Leg Tarantula but it is always a good idea to coat the feeders with a bit of vitamin and calcium powders before feeding them. We carry a full line of quality insect food and reptile vitamins and calcium in our Food section.
 

CAGE MAINTENANCE

Mexican Red Leg Tarantulas require minimal maintenance and using one of our scoopers (for sale in our cleaning section) you can perform this task when cleaning becomes necessary. The bedding should be completely thrown out and the entire cage (including all accessories) should be washed with hot water at least once every four to five months.