How to Care for a Brazilian Wandering Spider

The Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria fera) is one the most dangerous spiders in the world and should never be kept by the casual keeper or handled by anyone since it is fast, aggressive and poisonous. This specimen is native to the northern part of South America and is not exported to the United States. The following steps will help you care for this extremely dangerous species.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Use a 5- to 10-gallon tank with plenty of floor space to house each adult individually. A Brazilian wandering spider has a leg span of up to 5 inches and should not be able to touch the ceiling.
2. Lay down 2 to 3 inches of substrate such as peat moss or potting soil and keep it slightly damp. The Brazilian wandering spider does not burrow or web, instead preferring to actively hunt its prey. Bark, driftwood and live plants make good retreats.
3. Keep the enclosure for this spider warm (75 to 80 degrees) and humid (about 80 percent). Humidity should be monitored and can be increased by covering the top of the enclosure with plastic wrap. Make sure the humidity is at least 80 percent when this spider is about to molt.
4. Provide crickets, other large insects, pinkie mice and small lizards as live prey, but be sure to remove all prey animals when your spider is about to molt.
5. Use a shallow container as a water dish for adults.

Tips & Warnings

• All spiders are venomous, but this genus is particularly dangerous since it is extremely poisonous and aggressive. A fully envenomed bite can easily kill a human.