The Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (Brachypelma hamorii) is a large North American arachnid featured in the Standard Edition of Planet Zoo.
Zoopedia Information[]
General[]
Population in the Wild: Unknown
The Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (or Brachypelma hamorii) is a species of spider that lives in the scrublands, deserts and forests of Mexico. It has a black body and legs, orange-red coloration on the joints and, like all tarantula species, a body that's covered in sensitive hairs. They measure around 10cm long with a leg span of 15cm and are nocturnal, living in burrows during the day and spending their nights hunting for prey. They feed on insects, small amphibians and small mammals.
Social[]
Mexican red knee tarantulas are solitary animals and are likely to be aggressive towards each other if kept together in a terrarium.
Reproduction[]
The male spins a web on the ground onto which he deposits sperm, then absorbing it onto his palps (mouth appendages). After going in search of a female's burrow, he will attempt to coax her out, approaching her and using his front legs to hook back her fangs. He will deposit the sperm from his palps into a furrow on her abdomen, which she will store until she is ready to lay between 200 and 400 eggs in an egg sac. She guards this in her burrow for 1 to 3 months, carrying it with her when she leaves, until the spiderlings hatch. They are protected by their mother in the burrow until their first molt, after which they will venture out and become independent.
Animal Care[]
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Trivia[]
Zoopedia Fun Facts[]
- Mexican red knee tarantulas do not need to eat often. After a large meal, they may not hunt again for another month.
- The Mexican red knee tarantula has two small 'claws' on the end of each of its legs that allow it to climb smooth surfaces.
- The Mexican red knee tarantula uses its legs to pick up tiny vibrations in the ground when hunting and ambushing prey.
- The end of the Mexican red knee tarantula's legs are able to sense smell and taste as well as touch.
- The venom of the Mexican red knee tarantula is not strong to humans, and the bite is said to be equivalent to a bee sting.
Gallery[]
