The Spider Conservatory

The Spider Conservatory Where fang meets foliage… tarantulas, plants, and education from The Spider Conservatory.

What fictional character does this spider remind you of?This is a male velvet spider (Gandanameno echinata), and that si...
06/05/2026

What fictional character does this spider remind you of?

This is a male velvet spider (Gandanameno echinata), and that silver mask-like face is 100% natural.

I can see a dozen different answers.

Let’s hear yours.

06/05/2026

Preparing my male Gandanameno echinata for pairing.

The silver face made the choice of audio inevitable.

“You will ride eternal. Shiny and chrome.”

Wish him luck.

06/05/2026

Meet Hyllus walckenaeri.

One of the world’s largest jumping spider species… and possibly the world’s tiniest eight-legged puppy.

She came out to say hi, accepted a snack, and then refused to go back inside.

Tell me that isn’t puppy behavior.

06/04/2026

This one is for all those afraid of spiders.

This is a male Grammostola pulchripes. While most people see a giant spider, I see an eight-legged puppy dog.

Just look at him.. calmly exploring, leaving a little silk behind as he goes.

Not so scary after all.

06/03/2026

People often think the hardest part of breeding tarantulas is keeping the male from becoming a snack.

Sometimes the hardest part is getting him to approach the female in the first place.

This mature male Davus sp. Chiapas spent more time going the wrong direction than focusing on the task at hand. Breeding projects don’t always go according to plan, and patience is often just as important as timing.

06/02/2026

Having troubles keeping your crickets alive? Want to breed your own?

This is a bit of a long video, but it should have everything you need to know!

06/01/2026

What are those white tubes!??

I use inexpensive boba straws to create anchor points, webbing structure, and additional hiding spaces for tarantula slings. This simple item encourages natural behavior, gives webbing species more places to attach silk, and can help make small enclosures more functional without taking up much space.

I’ll show several of my sling setups and how the spiders use them.

Do you use boba straws, cork bark, leaves, or something else in your sling enclosures? Let me know in the comments.

3 girls and a boy. Normally I don’t include males in these posts solely because there isn’t much to see. However, this m...
06/01/2026

3 girls and a boy. Normally I don’t include males in these posts solely because there isn’t much to see. However, this male A. geniculata has clear accessory organs and gonopore.

A. geniculata - male
Pamphobetus machala - female
Avicularia avicularia (Metallica) - female
Grammostola Rosea (porteri) - female
Poecilotheria formosa- female

The rosea and formosa are the only two I didn’t know already. But, I’m working on collecting up pictures through the different sizes for reference.

05/30/2026

Ever catch an OBT mid-air? 🕷️

I was rehousing a shipment of new tarantulas when this Orange Baboon Tarantula (Pterinochilus murinus) decided the new enclosure wasn’t part of its plans.

After making a break for it and running right off the table, I managed to catch it, in the air… only for it to try again.

OBTs fast, unpredictable, and always keeping you on your toes.

Have you ever had a tarantula make an unexpected escape attempt during a rehouse?




Nobody is born afraid of spidersWhat people are afraid of is the idea of spiders. The one from the movie. The one that j...
05/29/2026

Nobody is born afraid of spiders

What people are afraid of is the idea of spiders. The one from the movie. The one that jumped out in a nightmare. The cartoon version with dripping fangs and murderous intent.

Because here's what I see in my comments every there's a comment that says some version of "I am absolutely terrified of spiders but that one is actually beautiful."

I have so many of those comments.

They don't chase you. They don't want to bite you. They spend most of their lives sitting still, minding their business, asking nothing from the world.
The fear is borrowed. It was handed to you by movies, by other people's reactions, by a culture that decided spiders were the villain.

You were never given the chance to make up your own mind.

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