What Is the Life Cycle of a Tarantula?
Tarantulas begin life as eggs in egg sacs before hatching and leaving their mothers’ burrows. They are solitary creatures, meeting only to mate during warm months. Males live for 10 to 12 years, but females can live to be 30 years old.
Tarantula egg sacs contain between 500 and 1,000 eggs. The mother places the eggs in her burrow or hideaway, where she guards them until they hatch. The newborn spiders remain with their mother until the remaining yolk from their eggs is used up. As they mature, tarantulas molt, shedding their outer layer of skin and creating a new one. After several years, tarantulas become sexually mature and begin mating. Males search for females, and when the two meet, an identification ritual follows. If the female is receptive, they briefly mate before she returns to her den. The three living modes of tarantulas are burrowing, living in trees and wandering. Most create burrows, which act as their permanent homes.
