I send all my spiders out when they are big enough to eat food larger than fruit flies. (I do this because the mortality rate is much higher when they are young, they won’t always survive.) Usually they are big enough to be able to tell the sex, but not always. They are still young and fragile. Proper temps and humidity are very very important for a young spider. For this reason I have started recommending that you keep your spider in a smaller enclosure for the first few weeks. I prefer to use grow cups from Bigfatphids, but anything small with good ventilation will work. You don’t want to go any larger than 16 oz. As they grow you should upgrade them into something larger. It is much easier to keep a higher humidity for them in something small. The moisture will keep them hydrated and help them molt when the time comes. (Usually when I get a message from a customer upset because their spider did not make it, or randomly passed away, or got stuck in their molt, this is why. Despite my emphasis on this, people don’t always listen 😔)
When your spider arrives it will be in a small cup. Carefully remove the lid and place the cup in the enclosure. Let the spider come out into the enclosure on its own. Mist the enclosure lightly as well. Don’t be afraid to lightly mist the air above the spider, or the spiders hammock, so some of the water droplets fall and settle on the outside. This way if they are webbed in they know there is water for them to drink. There is a good chance your spider has gone into pre molt during the trip. I feed them well before I send them. It’s very important that you don’t handle them much right now. If they are webbed in their hammock, leave them be. Like I said, put the little cup in the enclosure. If they are out running around already, do not take this as a sign they are not in pre molt and that it’s ok to play with them. Ok I get it, your excited, so yes you can take a few minutes to spend some time with them, but that’s it! Put them in the enclosure, mist, and let them explore their new home and get used to it, so they can find a spot they like and get comfortable.
The reason I emphasize this is because there is a chance that even though they are in pre molt, the trip has them disoriented. They’ve been in a tiny cup in a dark box for 2 days. They are confused. You want them to get comfortable as soon as possible. Don’t go taking the spider out all the time or constantly messing with it. Enjoy them from afar for a few days. Even after. They are not always for hands on interaction, and too much can actually be harmful if you don’t know enough about them and their growth cycles. There have been a few people who have messaged me after the first few days and tell me 1. Their spider has not made a hammock yet, and 2. Their spider still has not eaten for them. It may take them a few days to get acclimated to their new home. One thing you can try is to give spider some natural sunlight. Sunlight is stimulating to them. It should make them more enthusiastic to eat. One really important thing I would like you to remember after you receive your spider, is don’t be afraid to ask questions. You can ask in the groups on Facebook, or you can message me here on this site. I actually encourage this. Please do not worry that you are asking for too much advice. Yes I always like you to do your own research, to learn as much as you can before you even get a spider, but these guys can be so unpredictable that you may need direct answers. It really frustrates me when I get a message that someone’s spider passed away and it was something that could have been prevented, had a person only messaged me. As a responsible breeder who loves all of my little ones, answering care questions once you have one of my spiders becomes my priority, I check my messages often and answer these messages first.
Also please remember, topical flea and tick treatments and preventions you may be using on other pets are harmful and fatal to your spider. Please be careful, always wash your hands before handling them, and avoid using these meds if your going to keep any invert as a pet.
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