Not often i use crickets, i breed my own roaches and meal worms. 2/3 more tarantulas survive if breed in captivity than in the wild. In SA there's a ban on keeping Baboon spiders, although we do have some of the most beautiful. We also have the only tarantula specie of baboon spider that is a trapdoor spider (picture attach). Then theres the different horned baboon spiders as well also attached. There's now over 950 different species in the world and more discovered almost daily. Collectors overseas keep and breed Baboon spiders as the market was flooded by the local authorities there so they don't com here and demolish the local habitats to extinction, Development e.g. roads, housing, malls, etc is of great concern as you can imagine the state of the government authorities lack of expertise and approval of development with near zero impact studies. You are not allowed to keep T's in the Western Cape and i think most recently a law was passed for KZN. Very easy to care for if you keep the substrate moist, but not too moist and the correct temperatures (room temp is fine for the majority) Tarantulas just need a water bowl and only need to be fed a few roaches or worms ones every one or two months, i feed mine weekly, but then only one roach or worm and not a few. I build my own enclosures out of 5 mm clear acrylic and in two different sizes. I make extra for people in the hobby that ask and sell to as i buy sheets and have it cut to size to save costs. Acrylic is allot more expensive though, but allot better compared to glass and i call my enclosure SpiderCribs. Advantages of ACRYLIC Terrariums: 1. Many times stronger than glass.2. More impact resistant and therefore safer.3. Insulates better than glass. Acrylic glass is also very clear, allowing 92% of visible light to pass through it. Very thick glass will have a green tint, while acrylic remains clear. It also weathers well, keeping its clarity over the years without turning yellow or breaking down when exposed to sunlight over a long period of time. Another advantage of acrylic is that it is only half as heavy as glass. This makes this material easier to work with, and makes it a better choice for projects where weight is an issue. It can also be sawed, whereas glass must be scored. There are some misconceptions about acrylic, namely that it yellows, turns brittle, and cracks over time. Though this might be true of cheap forms of plastic, it is not so with acrylic. If taken care of, this material can remain new looking for several decades, regardless of age or exposure to sun. Some people worry that it scratches too easily, but unlike glass, scratches may be buffed out. For all of its advantages, there are two disadvantages of acrylic:It is more expensive than glass, and if exposed to a direct flame, it will melt and eventually burn. Burning releases toxic fumes, so safety precautions should always be taken when it is being cut with power tools or bent using heat. When it is not cared for properly, or when inferior acrylic is used, it can scratch, and improperly made joints can be very visible.
