How to Care for a Geniculate Tarantula

The geniculate tarantula, also known as the white knee tarantula, is native to the Brazilian rainforest. The large, black spider gets its name due to the white stripes around its legs. With an average size of 8 1/2 inches in diameter, the white knee species is one of the larger tarantulas. It matures in three to four years and has a lifespan of up to 15 years. Though this species is desired because of its beauty, the white knee has a nervous temperament and is known to be aggressive.

Things You'll Need

  • 15-gallon terrarium (usually 20-by-10-by-7 inches)
  • Special soil that includes a mixture of clay, earth and sand
  • Heat lamp
  • Thermometer
  • Shallow water dish (approximately 6 inches in diameter)
  • Water mister
  • Hygrometer
  • Bugs (feed)
  • Mice
  • Logs, driftwood or bark (optional)
  • Moss (optional)
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Fill the tank with about 5 to 6 inches of the soil mixture. This species of tarantula is a burrower, and is used to a habitat where it can dig holes.

    • 2

      Outfit the tank to look and feel like the rainforest. Logs, driftwood or bark can be added to the terrarium to give the spider a place to hide. Covering the soil with moss can help recreate the animal's natural climate. Install a heat lamp and a thermometer in the tank to regulate the temperature. The white knee tarantula is used to warmth, so the tank should be maintained between 80 to 85 degrees F.

    • 3

      Keep the humidity of the terrarium around 70 to 80 percent, by placing a shallow bowl of water inside of the tank. Installing a hygrometer can help you keep tabs on the relative humidity. If the humidity falls below 70 percent, hydrate the air by spraying the tank with a water mister.

    • 4

      Feed the geniculate tarantula a mixture of insects and small animals. A carnivore, the spider typically feeds on crickets, roaches, locus and flies. The insects should be live and replenished as soon as they are consumed (about once a day), because this species of tarantula has a ferocious appetite. A live mouse also can be fed to the spider every other month.

    • 5

      Handle the white knee tarantula with extreme caution and sparingly. The urticating hairs that cover their bodies are their primary defense mechanism and can irritate your skin. Though their venom is not normally poisonous, a puncture wound can be severe. Fortunately, biting is not their first line of defense, and it is often done only after provocation.