Oklahoma Brown Tarantula

This beautiful spider is the Oklahoma Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi). They are native to Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and Missouri. They are sometimes called the Texas Brown Tarantula. Their common name comes from their beautiful chocolate brown coloring. Their carapace is a lovely shade of caramel. Mature males will take on a copper hue on their carapace. These are an averaged sized tarantula with a body size up to 2 inches and a leg span up to 4 or 5 inches. The one pictured here I purchased off of a breeder at a local reptile show. I thought she would make a good addition to my nature programs. Adults and children alike are sure to be fascinated by her, and amazed that we actually do have tarantulas in Missouri. This particular species is not known to be aggressive, and are finding a following in the pet trade. They are especially good for beginner tarantula owners, such as myself. I am gradually working up my nerve to handle her. This is a huge feat for me, a self-proclaimed hater of spiders. Okay...I don't actually HATE spiders, they just scare the poo outta me. You might say this beautiful little girl is my therapy, in overcoming my fears. In the second picture you can see I did let her crawl part way onto my hand. This is going to be a slow process....I can tell that already...LOL

In the wild these spiders prefer dry rocky glades. In Missouri they will be found throughout the southern portion of the state where the habitat is much more suitable to them. Harry S. Truman State Park seems to have a large population of these spiders. Shy by nature, they are quick to retreat and hide from humans. Most people are naturally intimidated by these large hairy spiders, but they are far more scared of you than you are of them (trust me). These spiders are capable of spinning silk, just like any spider, they just do not spin webs. At least not the typical webs that we normally associate with spiders. Instead they will reside in old rodent dens and other natural cavities, and spin a nice silken lining within this hide-out. They will rest inside these burrows during the hottest parts of the day. When the sun begins to set, these spiders become active and leave their dens to look for food. Typically they will dine on grasshoppers, crickets and other arthropods, but it is not unusual for them to feed on young mice, amphibians and baby birds. Yes, many tarantulas can climb, and this particular species is very adept at it. Late in the summer and early fall many who live in Southern Missouri may have witnessed the males of this species crossing the highways and other roadways throughout the Ozark area. These large migrations of males is not fully studied or documented in Missouri as it has been in other states. One may assume they are seeking females with which to mate. I would hate to think of these gorgeous spiders being squished under the tires of all those passing vehicles, and I guess it is too much to ask for motorist to slow down, pull over or otherwise try NOT TO run over them. After all, a lot of peoples natural instinct is to kill spiders, and being able to use a 2 ton vehicle probably offers them some satisfaction in that endeavor.   I could not find any information about their population stability in Missouri, I would assume they are stable. If this species is something you think you might like to own, I would recommend finding a breeder and purchase one. Removing them from the wild  may in fact be illegal, always wise to find out. On top of that you are taking from the wild a natural predator that helps control harmful insect populations. Then there is the consideration, that by purchasing one from a breeder you are more likely to get a "tame" one that is reluctant to bite. Whereas a wild caught one, may be more defensive and prone to try and bite. Anytime you are dealing with a creature like tarantulas, that possess large fangs, there is always the possibility of a bite, so removing one of the variables is probably wise. The captive bred tarantulas have been breed over several generations and are used to human sights, sounds and smells. I will keep you all posted as to how the tarantula handling comes along on my end....