:eek: my parents found a tarantula and want to take care of it. Any ideas:confused:

How cool! Feed it well, and keep it!

XenoSapien

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...tarantula.html

Tips for safely taking care of a tarantula

If you are planning to take care of a tarantula as a pet, there are safety guidelines you must know and practice. These safety measures would ensure your own safety and the safety of other people in your household and in your neighborhood. While some people would advise you to consider other pets instead, if you decide to still take care of a tarantula as a pet, here are some safety tips you should always bear in mind.

1.Make sure the tarantula is always safely kept inside an enclosure, which would serve as its cage. The enclosure would ensure that the pet is always kept inside the place where it should be instead of roaming around the house and the neighborhood. For enclosure, you could use plastic cages. A plastic shoe box would just be perfect.

2.Replace the enclosures' locking lids with a lid that is transparent. That would facilitate transparency. Thus, you could readily be able to monitor and watcg how your pet is doing without opening the lid, which could be a great opportunity for the tarantula to escape. Make sure the transparent lid is made of nylon because all other materials can be chewed by the creature. You know what may happen when the spider chews the lid: it may have the chance to escape.

3.Provide shelter within the enclosure. The cave is not the shelter but only an environment that houses the enclosure. A rigid plastic tubing or a cork bark could do the purpose. This way, the creature would be happy and not plan to escape.

4.Feed the pet only with insects, particularly crickets. No need to provide water. Be careful when putting the insect inside the enclosure. Or the tarantula may take the opportunity as a chance to escape.

Tarantulas could be lovable as pets. Watching them live and get on with life is amazing and amusing. However, if you have one as a pet, handle the creature with care. It can be deadly at times.

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http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/taran...tulasaspet.htm
Choosing a Pet Tarantula
Tarantulas have been a relatively popular pet now for several years. They are unique, quiet, and need little space, and keeping tarantulas as pets can make a fascinating hobby. However, they aren't the best choice as a pet that you will be able to handle very much, largely due to stress and danger to the spider rather than danger to the handler (more on that later). There are many species available in the pet trade in a vary of sizes and appearances, and they are usually easy to care for, but that depends a bit on the species. Because the needs for housing and care will vary for different species, it is important to understand the species being considered as a pet.

There are over 800 species of tarantula, belonging to the family Theraphosidae. They are native to many areas and climates - arid, subtropical and tropical. They are roughly divided into two groups: "old world" (from the eastern hemisphere) and "new world" (from the western hemisphere).

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Do you want to keep it? Don't worry about it biting you. I think I heard somewhere that they are docile and if they bite you it is only as bad as a wasp sting. Don't let that turn you down, though. :D