This strikingly-colored Theraphosidae is none other than Charlotte, the Pet of the Month for January. Charlotte is a three-month-old Mexican Red Knee Tarantula, owned by Sophomore Sydney Gardner. Since the tarantula is only three months old, Gardner compares it to a pet rock because she can´t be handled yet. 

The Gardners adopted Charlotte about a month ago from Petco. Since spiders are nocturnal, they feed her crickets at night every three days. Charlotte’s favorite activity is hanging upside down on the roof of her enclosure. She also has two brothers in the Gardner home: Chewi, a bald python, and Camdon, an orange tabby cat. 

Though Gardner can´t do many things with Charlotte yet, she is very excited to soon be able to let her out of her enclosure when she is old enough.