Chilean Rose Tarantula

1. The common ostrich is a large flashy animal that will likely be a zoo visitor favorite. It will bring new visitors to the zoo. It is the fastest bipedal animal and the largest bird in the world, which will to draw zoo visitors to it (Bradford, 2014). Having large interesting birds is a great way to educate the public on birds as a whole, while gaining its attention and by doing so in an interesting way.
2. Welfare considerations for the common ostrich include providing clean water and a proper diet; ostriches are omnivorous, but mostly consume plant matter. They should have enough room to run, and other ostriches, as they are social creatures, places to seek cover from sun, rain, and the public, and enough enrichment to prevent stereotypies (Bradford, 2014). Because this animal is not in need of conservation efforts, we must consider whether or not it is ethical to keep it in captivity. This animal will bring money and visitors to the zoo as well as serve as an educational
The Chilean rose tarantula is easy to care for, does not require a large space, is inexpensive to care for, easy to handle for keepers and zoo visitors, easy to replace, and is interesting to visitors. The tarantula can provide a positive experience by allowing visitors to interact with and touch an animal they do not usually come in contact with. This experience could also increase the public’s appreciation and understanding of spiders.
2. Welfare considerations include providing clean water, a proper diet, including live insects, enough space to walk around, temperature regulation, and places to hide (tarantula). If a tarantula can be found with a rescue/rehoming organization or through another reputable zoo I will obtain the tarantula from there before turning to the pet trade. While there are reputable breeders in the pet trade, I do not want to support the continuation of the exotic pet trade because there are so many ethical problems within it.
3. None