Despite the fear of spiders, I have this urge to pet that spider... it's just... I don't know... What's it feel like to have it walk on you?
My New Little Fuzzy Butt...
- Thread starter abi88
- Start date
:coffee2::grinyes: That's what it took!LOL
But no really, it was actually kinda fun....it ticked!!LOL
Abi, that's great! I knew that you would get your courage up sooner or later.
Our Oklahoma brown just started eating again. She had stopped for about a month since we took her egg sack away. Her egg sack was unplanned, so when it was a dud, I was happy. I opened it up and there had to be about 300 eggs. We joked that we were going to hand out Oklahoma brown slings for Halloween. "Trick or Treat"
When they walk on you it is so light weight and it kinda of tickles. Sophia is a big girl but she still isn't very heavy. Hubby bought one "T" that is bigger then Sophia, but I don't know what kind it is.
Our Oklahoma brown just started eating again. She had stopped for about a month since we took her egg sack away. Her egg sack was unplanned, so when it was a dud, I was happy. I opened it up and there had to be about 300 eggs. We joked that we were going to hand out Oklahoma brown slings for Halloween. "Trick or Treat"
When they walk on you it is so light weight and it kinda of tickles. Sophia is a big girl but she still isn't very heavy. Hubby bought one "T" that is bigger then Sophia, but I don't know what kind it is.
Thanks Kats
I'm glad to hear about your Brown eating again!! Look forward to pictures of the new one!
I'm glad to hear about your Brown eating again!! Look forward to pictures of the new one!
Abi, I'm getting a new camera for Christmas. I can't wait to take pictures of the spiders, oh I mean the kids
. The new one I should be able to get nice close up shots. It says I can take a picture in super macro and get less then 2" away. Then I'll have hubby take some of them out while I take the picture. I won't let him take pictures anymore. We went to see Jeff Corwin and all the pictures were blurry, except then one I took with my son.
. The new one I should be able to get nice close up shots. It says I can take a picture in super macro and get less then 2" away. Then I'll have hubby take some of them out while I take the picture. I won't let him take pictures anymore. We went to see Jeff Corwin and all the pictures were blurry, except then one I took with my son.
Abi, I'm getting a new camera for Christmas. I can't wait to take pictures of the spiders, oh I mean the kids
HAHAH!!! That's a funny story there Kats!! Other then I can under stand why you wouldn't let take any more!!LOL I can wait to see more pics of your guys!
Nice find. I used to keep and breed tarantulas myself. Have gone hunting and caught a few California species myself, male as well as females. Wandering males generally live 6 mo's to 1 year after their ultimate molt, but are continually trying to find a way out of the tank to search for females and often strop eating. Peat moss makes the best substrate for maintaining humidity for a safe molt without developing fungus IMO. Most deaths occur from bad molts due to temp or humidity issues. Handling isn't suggested among professionals as the spider can easily spook from a misdirected breath and run right off your arm, so if you handle it be sure to sit on the floor and keep it low, prefferably in a carpetted room.
I bred a Chillian rose once and got about 200 spiderlings. Sold 150 to a dealer for $75 and the rest I gave away or sold to local pet stores aside for a few. I hink at my most I had around 250 tarantulas. I used to run a forum based arachnid enthusiast web site for a year or so too, VERY much like this one. My personal website is mostly dismantled now that I'm no longer keeping arachnids, but here is some of my writing from it for basic info/advice:
General care and maintenance of arachnids
This page is an informational resource aimed at those who have recently acquired, or are thinking of getting, a first tarantula. Much of the following information will not apply if you are an experienced keeper with a large collection, as these people tend to lean more towards setups that allow ease of maintenance while meeting the species specific needs, rather than a setup that is best suited towards showcasing their pets while maintaining the best habitat for the critters themselves, but it should be very helpful to someone with only a handful of arachnids in their collection, who wish to make the most of their display enclosures.
Tarantulas fall in to three main categories.
1: Deep burrowers are those that actually dig deep holes and tunnels and spend most of their time under ground. Examples of these species would include Haplopelma lividum or Hystocrates ederi.
2: Terrestrials are wandering spiders with an opportunistic inclination toward using existing burrows left behind by other creatures, objects such as fallen trees, large rocks, and other debris they can fit into or under in the wild as shelter, or digging much less extensive burrows of their own. A very common example of these types of tarantulas would be the "Chilian rose haired tarantula" (Gramostola rosea) which can be found in just about any pet store that has a reptile department.
3: Arboreal tarantulas live in the trees or in general prefer high places such as the eves of dwellings and so forth to make their thickly webbed nests. An example of these kinds of tarantula would be another common species found in many pet stores, the "pink toed tarantula" (Avicularia avicularia).
In almost all pet stores you will find that tarantulas are sold under the "common names" as opposed to their scientific names. The problem with this is that frequently customers walk out of a store not having a CLUE about what species of spider they've just purchased. The main complication results from several species being classified under the same common names. There are a number of specific species of the Avicularia genus that are commonly called "pink toe" for example. For these reasons it is usually best to purchase tarantulas over the internet from reputable breeders and dealers who sell them under their scientific names. Additionally, many of these dealers handle captive bred stock as opposed to wild caught adult spiders. This helps limit over collection in the wild that has in the past brought certain species to the endagered species list! Additionally, purchasing captive bred spiderlings or juvaniles tends to be much less expensive than buying mature females, and you run very little risk of purchasing a sick or parsite infested arachnid as opposed to buying something that has lived in the wild for a number of years.
Burrowers and arboreal tarantulas are best kept in taller tanks. Obviously, you will want to fill much of the enclosure with substrate material for the burrowers and very little for the arboreal species, instead, using a fair amount of plastic plants and cork bark or grape vine to allow your arboreal tarantula plenty of places to anchor its webbing and climb around. For terrestrials I suggest using an enclosure that is wider than it is tall and use enough substrate to raise "ground level" relatively close to the top of the enclosure, about twice the leg span of your tarantula at most. While leaving plenty of room for your tarantula to move about, this will hopefully limit the distance it may fall if it decides to take a walk up the side of the enclosure. This also applies to the burrowers. Just because they are not arboreal does not mean they can't or won't attempt to climb, and a relatively short fall for one of these species can do serious harm to your pet! Plastic pet pals or Kritter keepers, sold at pet stores, are an excellent choice for an enclosure for most terrestrial and burrowing tarantulas. Although many people use them for arboreals as well and simply set them on one end, I personally do not trust the stability of doing this and would be too concerned about the enclosure falling over. I prefer a ten gallon fish tank with a screen lid that has a small sliding or trap doors. Regardless of your tastes in the matter, ALWAYS ensure that any enclosure you select for your pet can be SECURELY FASTENED SHUT! You would be AMAZED at how easily a tarantula can get out of some enclosures that lack a clasp or catch on the door!
Many of you will want to decorate your pet enclosure. Personally, I think this is half the fun of having a display animal in the first place. Always remember however, that this is your pets home and choose what you use wisely, focusing on the safety of your pet first when decorating. Always use plastic plants, not the laminated silk or fabric ones. The silk and fabric variety can easily snag a tarantulas claws and cause serious problems if your tarantula should fall with a claw hung up on these! As for hides, water bowls, and so forth, use only light weight materials! Terrestrial tarantulas, and even some that are considered arboreals, CAN and DO dig on occasion, and a heavy hide or large decorative rock could collapse the tarantulas excavation and crush your spider! A light weight water dish is mandatory for your pets health, as this will serve as drinkable water source AND source of humidifying the enclosure, which will be addressed later. Also, keep in mind that your tarantula is a predator and you will be putting prey items in the enclosure for it. Don't go overboard on the decorating and wind up providing a large number of nooks and crannies for those prey items to hide and evade your pet. Most of the time, a healthy tarantula will adapt to its new home within a few days and start doing what comes naturally, be that burrowing or establishing itself in a provided hide, or spinning a mass of webs in a high corner of the enclosure to nest in. Some species are a little more reluctant and take longer to begin doing this, so don't panic if you've had a burrowing species for a week and it hasn't started digging yet, or if your arboreal simply sits in a cluster of fake leaves that it has failed to cover in webbing. If you are keeping conditions correctly these behaviors will show themselves in time.
On the subject of keeping conditions right, most tarantulas do well in a temperature range between 75 and 85 degrees in my own experience. Please refer to species specific care sheets however as there ARE some exceptions to this.
Humidity is another aspect of keeping conditions up for your pet. There is MUCH debate as to how important this factor is, and for SOME species it may well not be very important, but it is my own opinion that some other species are very intolerant of an environment that is too humid or not humid enough. The biggest issues in relation to humidity will be making sure it is not so dry that your pet has trouble when the time comes to molt, and that it is not so humid that fungus begins to grow inside the tank! Again, please refer to the individual species care sheets for more specific information as it pertains to the tarantulas in your collection.
...here are some pics from the site of species I've kept as well.
If anyone has any questions, PM me. I'll be happy to share my knowlege.
I bred a Chillian rose once and got about 200 spiderlings. Sold 150 to a dealer for $75 and the rest I gave away or sold to local pet stores aside for a few. I hink at my most I had around 250 tarantulas. I used to run a forum based arachnid enthusiast web site for a year or so too, VERY much like this one. My personal website is mostly dismantled now that I'm no longer keeping arachnids, but here is some of my writing from it for basic info/advice:
General care and maintenance of arachnids
This page is an informational resource aimed at those who have recently acquired, or are thinking of getting, a first tarantula. Much of the following information will not apply if you are an experienced keeper with a large collection, as these people tend to lean more towards setups that allow ease of maintenance while meeting the species specific needs, rather than a setup that is best suited towards showcasing their pets while maintaining the best habitat for the critters themselves, but it should be very helpful to someone with only a handful of arachnids in their collection, who wish to make the most of their display enclosures.
Tarantulas fall in to three main categories.
1: Deep burrowers are those that actually dig deep holes and tunnels and spend most of their time under ground. Examples of these species would include Haplopelma lividum or Hystocrates ederi.
2: Terrestrials are wandering spiders with an opportunistic inclination toward using existing burrows left behind by other creatures, objects such as fallen trees, large rocks, and other debris they can fit into or under in the wild as shelter, or digging much less extensive burrows of their own. A very common example of these types of tarantulas would be the "Chilian rose haired tarantula" (Gramostola rosea) which can be found in just about any pet store that has a reptile department.
3: Arboreal tarantulas live in the trees or in general prefer high places such as the eves of dwellings and so forth to make their thickly webbed nests. An example of these kinds of tarantula would be another common species found in many pet stores, the "pink toed tarantula" (Avicularia avicularia).
In almost all pet stores you will find that tarantulas are sold under the "common names" as opposed to their scientific names. The problem with this is that frequently customers walk out of a store not having a CLUE about what species of spider they've just purchased. The main complication results from several species being classified under the same common names. There are a number of specific species of the Avicularia genus that are commonly called "pink toe" for example. For these reasons it is usually best to purchase tarantulas over the internet from reputable breeders and dealers who sell them under their scientific names. Additionally, many of these dealers handle captive bred stock as opposed to wild caught adult spiders. This helps limit over collection in the wild that has in the past brought certain species to the endagered species list! Additionally, purchasing captive bred spiderlings or juvaniles tends to be much less expensive than buying mature females, and you run very little risk of purchasing a sick or parsite infested arachnid as opposed to buying something that has lived in the wild for a number of years.
Burrowers and arboreal tarantulas are best kept in taller tanks. Obviously, you will want to fill much of the enclosure with substrate material for the burrowers and very little for the arboreal species, instead, using a fair amount of plastic plants and cork bark or grape vine to allow your arboreal tarantula plenty of places to anchor its webbing and climb around. For terrestrials I suggest using an enclosure that is wider than it is tall and use enough substrate to raise "ground level" relatively close to the top of the enclosure, about twice the leg span of your tarantula at most. While leaving plenty of room for your tarantula to move about, this will hopefully limit the distance it may fall if it decides to take a walk up the side of the enclosure. This also applies to the burrowers. Just because they are not arboreal does not mean they can't or won't attempt to climb, and a relatively short fall for one of these species can do serious harm to your pet! Plastic pet pals or Kritter keepers, sold at pet stores, are an excellent choice for an enclosure for most terrestrial and burrowing tarantulas. Although many people use them for arboreals as well and simply set them on one end, I personally do not trust the stability of doing this and would be too concerned about the enclosure falling over. I prefer a ten gallon fish tank with a screen lid that has a small sliding or trap doors. Regardless of your tastes in the matter, ALWAYS ensure that any enclosure you select for your pet can be SECURELY FASTENED SHUT! You would be AMAZED at how easily a tarantula can get out of some enclosures that lack a clasp or catch on the door!
Many of you will want to decorate your pet enclosure. Personally, I think this is half the fun of having a display animal in the first place. Always remember however, that this is your pets home and choose what you use wisely, focusing on the safety of your pet first when decorating. Always use plastic plants, not the laminated silk or fabric ones. The silk and fabric variety can easily snag a tarantulas claws and cause serious problems if your tarantula should fall with a claw hung up on these! As for hides, water bowls, and so forth, use only light weight materials! Terrestrial tarantulas, and even some that are considered arboreals, CAN and DO dig on occasion, and a heavy hide or large decorative rock could collapse the tarantulas excavation and crush your spider! A light weight water dish is mandatory for your pets health, as this will serve as drinkable water source AND source of humidifying the enclosure, which will be addressed later. Also, keep in mind that your tarantula is a predator and you will be putting prey items in the enclosure for it. Don't go overboard on the decorating and wind up providing a large number of nooks and crannies for those prey items to hide and evade your pet. Most of the time, a healthy tarantula will adapt to its new home within a few days and start doing what comes naturally, be that burrowing or establishing itself in a provided hide, or spinning a mass of webs in a high corner of the enclosure to nest in. Some species are a little more reluctant and take longer to begin doing this, so don't panic if you've had a burrowing species for a week and it hasn't started digging yet, or if your arboreal simply sits in a cluster of fake leaves that it has failed to cover in webbing. If you are keeping conditions correctly these behaviors will show themselves in time.
On the subject of keeping conditions right, most tarantulas do well in a temperature range between 75 and 85 degrees in my own experience. Please refer to species specific care sheets however as there ARE some exceptions to this.
Humidity is another aspect of keeping conditions up for your pet. There is MUCH debate as to how important this factor is, and for SOME species it may well not be very important, but it is my own opinion that some other species are very intolerant of an environment that is too humid or not humid enough. The biggest issues in relation to humidity will be making sure it is not so dry that your pet has trouble when the time comes to molt, and that it is not so humid that fungus begins to grow inside the tank! Again, please refer to the individual species care sheets for more specific information as it pertains to the tarantulas in your collection.
...here are some pics from the site of species I've kept as well.
If anyone has any questions, PM me. I'll be happy to share my knowlege.
