Giant white knee tarantula, Acanthoscurria geniculata

Do Giant white knee tarantulas make good pets?

Giant white knee tarantulas are one of the larger species commonly kept as pets, and are very popular due to this and their striking markings on the legs. They are quite an active species, often out and about and on show, making them a great choice for a display tarantula, however, they can be quite defensive and flick urticating hairs when threatened, so handling should be avoided and care should be taken when carrying out enclosure maintenance.

At Swell Reptiles, all of our Giant white knee tarantulas were captive bred in the UK, meaning you can rest assured that your new pet came from a reliable source, with minimal negative impacts on their native ecosystems.

Which enclosure should I get for my Giant white knee tarantula?

We recommend an enclosure size of around 45 x 45 x 30cm (18 x 18 x 12”) for an adult White knee, which will give them enough space to move around and create underground burrows. This can either be in the form of a decorative glass enclosure, such as the Exo Terra Glass Terrarium 45x45x30cm, or a similarly sized acrylic or plastic box type enclosure, such as the Tarantula Room Square Terrarium 41cm x 41cm.

Do Giant white knee tarantulas need to be heated?

Giant white knee tarantulas do best with a warm end temperature of around 26°C (78°F). In many instances, this can be achieved without much extra help, but you may need to attach a heat mat up the back or side of the enclosure, hooked up to an on/off thermostat to maintain this temperature if you have a cooler home.

What humidity does a Giant white knee tarantula need?

To maintain proper hydration, a Giant white knee tarantula should be kept within a humidity range of 70-80%. To achieve this, a loose, moisture-retaining substrate such as coco soil should be used, which will also provide good burrowing opportunities. You will also need to periodically add humidity to the enclosure by misting with a handheld spray bottle, it is useful to install an accurate hygrometer to keep track of humidity levels and mist when required.

How do I decorate a Giant white knee tarantula terrarium?

Giant white knee tarantulas are not too fussy when it comes to decor, providing you give them some form of hide, either using a hiding cave or pieces of natural decor and a shallow water dish they will be content. You may wish to make the enclosure a little prettier using other pieces of decor, and foliage from live or artificial plants.

What do Giant white knee tarantulas eat?

Like all tarantulas, White knees are insectivorous and should be fed a varying diet of different livefoods, including crickets, locusts, cockroaches and mealworms. It is important not to leave any uneaten livefood in the enclosure with your tarantula, as many can bite and pose a threat to moulting or freshly moulted tarantulas.

How do I buy a Giant white knee tarantula?

If you like the look of our UK captive bred Giant white knee tarantulas and would like to take one home, please feel free to come into our store and see us.

We will ask to see some photos of your set-up and ask a few quick questions to ensure you are ready for the commitment of one of these beautiful pets. We reserve the right to refuse adoption to anyone we feel is unprepared to adopt.