Fun Animals Wiki, Videos, Pictures, Stories: Tarantulas

Sunday, September 7, 2014

5 Exotic Pets you can Actually Keep

To some people, owning a dog or cat is too common, so they go for more exotic pets. Although these animals sound very uncommon as pets, millions of people all over the world actually keep them at home.

Here are a few common exotic pets that you might want to check out if you’re planning to get one.

Some may turn their head at the site of one or get grossed out, but many consider this pet to be one of their favorites. The Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches are native to the island of Madagascar and have a lifespan of 1-3 years. Their name comes from the hissing sound they make, which is made by forcing air through small holes in their bodies.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

For those brave few who actually don’t mind having a few cockroaches at home, you can keep these Madagascar hissing cockroaches as pets. They became widely popular because of their unique “hissing” sound, not to mention these cockroaches are much bigger compared to the common cockroach. They don’t need much, just a good living area, they also don’t bite or fly. They’re also inexpensive.

Tarantulas

Probably one of the most common creepy-crawlies turned pet, tarantulas are very low maintenance and they can live almost anywhere. These insects can live up to 10 to 25 years and come in a range of sizes. Tarantula’s actually rarely attack or bite people despite some breeds being quite aggressive. Chilean Rose-Haired Tarantulas are the most common kind of tarantulas that people turn to pets.

Bearded Dragons

If you’re into animals that remind you of magical and mythical creatures, a bearded dragon is the animal for you. They get their name from the scales and spikes found around their heads. These lizards can live a pretty good 5 to 8 years and can reach 12 to 24 inches long. They’re very calm and rarely bite.

Sugar Gliders

Forget about hamsters and guinea pig, these cute marsupials can take anyone’s heart away. Sugar gliders are related to kangaroos and are commonly see in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia. Although small, they do have long lifespans, ranging from 10 to 15 years. But they rarely grow any bigger than 7 inches long and are usually just 6 ounces.

Hedgehog

They may be covered in spikes, but they’re definitely one of the cutest things you’ve ever seen. Commonly seen in Africa, Asia and Europe, hedgehogs can live up to 3 to 8 years. They’re small animals, weighing in at 1.5 pounds. A down side of these as pets is that they do need a bit of maintenance. But as long as you keep their cages clean and give them enough space and privacy, they’ll be happy.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Tarantulas

The 1990 thriller Arachnophobia didn’t exactly have Tarantulas in its plot, but the movie did well in raising questions over the feasibility and practicality of keeping tarantulas as pets.

Directed by Frank Marshall, Arachnophobia’s main “actor” was a Venezuelan spider, a new species which spawned a new breed of spiders with highly lethal venom packed in their bites.

Tarantulas, generally speaking, are not known for having bites which are lethal. It’s one of the reasons why they’re often kept as pets, along with their proliferation when bred in captivity.

When talking about tarantulas as pets, pet owners are not all that burdened by their upkeep, but as pets, tarantulas also have certain particulars and specifics in terms of care and maintenance.

For one, they live a long time, as old as 20 to 25 years, which means that keeping tarantulas as pets should be treated as a commitment. Another is that though tarantulas are generally docile, their appearance is threatening to most humans. The tendency to panic is only to be expected from people who encounter them, which could cause problems for tarantula pet owners, especially if a tarantula manages to get out from its enclosure.

Another thing is that most tarantulas prefer to eat live prey. If you’re the type who isn’t all that comfortable in feeding a pet something that’s still alive, a pet tarantula may not be best for you.

In terms of activity, tarantulas tend to be in constant repose. In other words, they don’t really do much, apart from feeding and/or when on the run. If you think that a tarantula does awesome things during “lounge times”, you’ll be disappointed to see a tarantula staying fixed in one spot, in one pose.

They may not be as venomous as Arachnophobia’s spiders, but their bites are also painful, which is one reality prospective pet tarantula owners should consider before getting one.

So? Think you’re up to the role of owning a pet tarantula?

Tarantula Pictures