Tarantulas:: Hysterocrates gigas
Temperment: aggressive
Habitat: terrestrial/burrowing, tropics
Care: advanced keepers

Native to Cameroon these spiders are the He-men of the spider world. Provided with adequate soil they will dig amazing burrow and tunnel systems. Their fourth pair of legs is thickened and enlarged to aid them in their Herculean digging efforts. In the wild they are often found in termite mounds. Given that they live in this unique microhabitat care must be taken to reproduce these conditions in captivity. They need darkness and humidity to survive, without these two things they will certainly die. If you do not want your spider to burrow (if they do you will rarely see them) you should provide a cork bark tube or small section of PVC pipe to substitute for a burrow. Make sure that during the daytime they can get to someplace dark in their enclosure. Keep the top of their enclosure covered with Plexiglass, not screen, to maintain higher humidity. Include a large flat water dish, plastic jar lids work well. If you don't have a locking lid place a brick on top of the cage, or your spider will escape. They are extremely strong and can pop most lids up with ease. Given the large size they attain adults can be fed several crickets per feeding, or pinky mice.

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