Tarantula ID and "how to keep" info needed

[yeatzee]

Long story short I was given a tarantula by a neighbor who couldn't keep it.Considering im not taking care of any inverts other than a couple jumping spiders and have several empty mantis homes, I thought ok why not?

Here's a quick phone image for the ID.



my newest pet! by yeatzee (now 17, but still learning), on Flickr

(excuse the cellphone picture)

So yea...

1. how often does it eat, say crickets? a couple a week?

2. how do they drink?

3. what kind of "substrate should I use? I just dug up a hole in backyard to fill the *temporary* container I had lying around with dirt, but its moist dirt. Im assuming he/she (which is it!) wants sand or something drier?

4. Do they need a jar or something in the container for them to "burrow" into? For molting or something?

5. Should I ever mist the big guy/girl?

Anymore info I should know, please fill me in

 

[Mex_Ghost]

I know nothing about tarantulas, but seems like a brachypelma vagans, if so, I read is terrestrial, so you need to put something like a cave or something to hide, substrate as peat moss or coconut fiber (or a mix of 50% / 50%), humidity of 70%, feeding every three days, but If I´m right about the Sp. you can google to search for more information about it.

saludos

 

[yeatzee]

I know nothing about tarantulas, but seems like a brachypelma vagans, if so, I read is terrestrial, so you need to put something like a cave or something to hide, substrate as peat moss or coconut fiber (or a mix of 50% / 50%), humidity of 70%, feeding every three days, but If I´m right about the Sp. you can google to search for more information about it.

saludos

Ya that looks like a fit! Thanks, and I just checked its a male