Arizona Tarantulas have become fairly rare due to urbanization of their natural habitat. They used to be numerous on the dry grass- and brush-covered hillsides in Central Arizona. When they are found, they are usually in colonies or groups of several Tarantulas. Tarantulas live in burrows or gaps under rocks. They will often utilize an abandoned rodent hole, which they will at least partially line with silk to make it into a comfortable home. They use their fangs and legs to move soil around to "remodel" their new habitat.

Arizona Tarantulas can be quite large-the body can be 2 ½ inches long, and the legs can have a span of up to seven inches. Their food supply includes crickets, beetles, sow and pillbugs, and other spiders. They will sit and wait for their next meal to walk by, pounce on them, and sink in their fangs injecting a poison. While the bite can be deadly to their usual prey, Tarantulas are really not very poisonous, and the bite is only mildly painful to humans. It can cause a little swelling, but Tarantulas usually have to be severely provoked to get them to bite.

Many children like to have Tarantulas as pets, and pet stores usually sell a species imported from Mexico. The desire to keep them as pets has also cut down on the local population. They only need to eat about one cricket per week, and have a little water to survive. Tarantulas can have a long lifespan, with some females living up to twenty years.

Life Cycle:

Mating occurs during the summer and fall months inside a burrow in the ground. It takes 10 years for a tarantula to reach maturity. Unlike the male, females molt after reaching maturity. Tarantulas can have a long lifespan, with some females living up to 25 years.