African Huntsman Spider Care Sheet

African Huntsman Spider
ADULT FEMALE
Specimen provided by Frank Somma.
Photo taken by Jon Fouskaris.

The African Huntsman Spider is a big, beautiful, and remarkably fast true spider. Hailing from the land of southern Africa, these agile arachnids have been designated another common name - the Rain Spider. They are called Rain Spiders because in their native habitat, they are known to enter peoples' houses before it rains! African Huntsman Spiders are rare sights in collections and although they do not possess extremely toxic venom, they do not make good "pets". They are very fast-moving, and they can deliver a painful bite. African Huntsman Spiders can make good display animals though, provided they have a climbing area in their tank. The African Huntsman Spider is generally a good eater and one will usually eat ravenously. Overall, African Huntsman Spiders can be rewarding captives for those who keep them, and perhaps they can even act as accurate rain indicators for people who find them in their home.

Range	Southern Africa.
Type	Arboreal.
Diet	Spiderlings eat flightless fruit flies, and pinhead crickets. Adults eat crickets, and other large insects.
Full Grown Size	3 to 5 inches.
Growth	Fast speed.
Temperature	75 to 80° F.
Humidity	Around 75%.
Temperament	Semi-aggressive and nervous.
Housing	Babies can live in a tall clear plastic container with air holes. Adults can live in a 2.5 to 5-gallon tank. Height is more important than floor space.
Substrate	1 to 2 inches of peat moss.
Decor	Branches, cork bark, vines, etc. make good hiding places and climbing accessories.
Other Names	Rain Spider, and African Rain Spider.

*Please note that ALL true spiders have a certain amount of venom. Although most people are not affected by this species, some people may be allergic to the venom, or just more sensitive, making it a dangerous situation. This is one of the reasons that people should not handle this true spider. Affects of this true spiders' natural defenses may vary between people. All true spiders should be considered dangerous, so be careful, because you don't want to find out if you are allergic or more sensitive the HARD WAY!