Selenotypus facts for kids

Selenotypus plumipes is a very large spider found in Australia. It belongs to a group of spiders called theraphosids, which are also known as tarantulas. This spider is one of the biggest tarantulas in Australia. For now, Selenotypus plumipes is the only spider officially known in its group, called a genus. However, scientists think there might be more types of these spiders because they live in many different places across Australia.

What Does It Look Like?

Selenotypus plumipes is one of Australia's biggest spiders. Adult spiders can have legs that spread out more than 16 cm (about 6 inches) wide. Their fangs can be as long as 1 cm (10 mm)! These spiders are mostly different shades of brown. A special thing about them is that their fourth pair of legs is longer than their front legs. They also have large, bristly hairs on their back two pairs of legs. Because of these hairs, people often call them the "Australian Featherleg" tarantula.

How Does It Behave?

Like other Australian tarantulas, Selenotypus plumipes spiders are usually shy. They like to stay hidden. If they feel bothered, they will try to defend themselves. However, this type of spider is known to be calmer than some other Australian tarantulas. If they get upset, they can make a hissing sound. This sound is called stridulation, and it's like rubbing parts of their body together.

Where Do They Live?

In the wild, Selenotypus plumipes lives in dry, grassy areas. They are very good at living in these tough conditions. These spiders always dig burrows, which are like underground tunnels. Their burrows can be up to 50 cm (about 20 inches) deep. These deep homes help them stay cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold. During bushfires, people have even seen them put snail shells over their burrows. This helps keep the heat out.

What Do They Eat?

These spiders are hunters who eat whatever they can catch. They will eat most small animals they can overpower. There have been true stories of these spiders eating small birds, like baby chickens, from farms. The bite of these spiders is not deadly to humans. However, their large fangs can cause a painful wound. You might feel swelling and pain where you were bitten. In a few rare cases, people have also felt sick to their stomach. The venom of this spider has a very strong chemical that can kill insects.

Keeping Them as Pets

More and more people in Australia are keeping tarantulas as pets. Because Australia has strict rules about bringing animals into the country, only local spider types can be kept. The Queensland Museum says that Selenotypus plumipes is not the best choice for a pet. This is because they grow very slowly compared to other spiders.

Setting Up Their Home

You can keep a tarantula in a glass fish tank. You should use materials like peat moss or coconut peat for the bottom of the tank. It's best to make their home as much like their natural environment as possible. It's important to keep the air moist, especially when the spider is shedding its skin. But make sure fresh air can still move around. Always provide a shallow dish of water. If the tank gets too dry, you should spray it with a little water.

Feeding Your Spider

When they are young, you can feed these spiders often. But as they get older, they only need to eat once or twice a week. They can eat crickets, wood cockroaches, and mealworms. When they are fully grown, they can even eat small, newborn mice called pinkie mice.

Protecting Wild Spiders

Sadly, thousands of tarantulas are taken from the wild each year. Most of these spiders come from Queensland. Taking so many spiders from nature is not good for their populations. Some people who keep spiders are now breeding them. For bigger, faster-growing spiders, breeding them in captivity is a much better idea than taking them from the wild.

Safety First

Even though Selenotypus plumipes is quite calm for an Australian tarantula, it is still venomous. This means it has venom. You should never try to handle or pick up these spiders.