The young spiders remain in the burrow for some time after hatching and then disperse by crawling in all directions. Tarantulas do not occur in colonies because they do eat each other. Tarantulas may live for many years. Most species require 10 years to mature to adults. Females continue to moult after reaching maturity and, therefore, are able to regenerate lost legs.
Males live for only one year or less after maturity.
A tarantula can be kept as a house pet. Tarantulas can be fed live crickets or other insects. When adequately provoked, Tarantulas will bite and their formidable fangs can produce painful puncture wounds. There is another route of envenomation by the tarantula - urticating hairs located on the abdomen serve as a deterrent to predators. These are hairs that cause itching and burning.