How long do Goliath Birdeaters live?
Females live about 15-25 years and males 3-6 years after maturing. The huge body size means even a short fall is usually fatal, so adults are almost never moved.
What do Goliath Birdeaters eat?
Adults eat large crickets, roaches, superworms, and occasionally a pre-killed pinky mouse every 2-3 weeks, with a large water bowl. Spiderlings take crickets weekly.
Enclosure setup
Use a 20+ gallon terrestrial tank with 6-8 inches of damp coco fiber, a big hide, and a deep water dish. Keep 75-85°F with 75-85% humidity and ventilate well to avoid stale air.
Common mistakes with Goliath Birdeaters
Key errors are too small a tank, humidity swings that dry the book lungs, handling that triggers a hair storm or fatal fall, and feeding live vertebrates that can injure the spider.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Using a tank too small for an 11-inch spider to turn around.
- Letting humidity drop, which damages the respiratory system.
- Handling it and triggering hair-kicking or a fatal fall.
- Feeding live mice or lizards that can bite the spider.