So, you want to keep a pet tarantula?

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Originally posted by Lopéz

If I woke up and they weren't there I'd have a heart attack - because that would mean they were loose somewhere.....not good.
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Have you ever had a bad situation involving Tarantulars? Have any of yours ever escaped?
 
Originally posted by Universal
Have you ever had a bad situation involving Tarantulars? Have any of yours ever escaped?
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Left the lid of my Chile once and got distracted.
When I came back hours later she was missing.

A frantic search of low down dark areas foundher nestling under the radiator. I collected her up and plopped her back in the tank.

The Baboons will never get the opportunity to escape, due to their altogether more hostile nature.
 
Woah! I've just ordered my emilia and I am more chuffed than a chuffed thing from chuffedsville on chuffeday :cool: I'm also insanely excited! She will be arriving on Wedsnesday morning.

Just to show you what sort of size my baby will be when she arrives on Wednesday morning, I've found pics of different life stages of an Indian Ornamental - one of the most beautiful tarantulas - because I couldn't find any spiderling pics of my emilia.

IOspiderling

This is the sort of size that my emilia will be when I get her. Just 2 cm's legspan at the very most. Very sweet and very fragile.


IOjuvenille

All together now... AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. After a few moults and a bit of growing, the young tarantulas are known as juvenilles. This is the stage which Leon's baboons are at. About 5cm legspan


IOadult

And eventually, after a few more years of eating and moulting and growing, you end up with this absolutely gorgeous specimen.

B. emilia will take about 3 years to reach maturity, and they have been known to live for up to 30 years (females). :eek: Now all I have left to do is to set up the tank, buy some crickets, microwave the moss and shell (waterbowl) for the tank and do some hardcore waiting around until Wednesday. Can't wait!
 
Originally posted by iam
Can the babies pierce your skin Lostkat?

Nice purchase :D
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Well they feed on small crickets at that stage and can pierce their leathery skins easily, so skin shouldn't be a problem at all. It would only be a little nip anyway, and I don't intend to annoy her so much that she'd want to bite me :)
 
Originally posted by iam
Hehe, just seemed really small tis all. :)

Mind you, if you lose something that small, I doubt you'll ever find it again until it creeps into your bed :eek:

:p
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Absolutely no chance. She's not leaving her tank until she's got some colouring on her and I can see where she's going :) I'm not going to risk handling her until she's at least at juvenille stage.
 
Originally posted by Master Skooter
How much care is needed to ensure that they reach juvenile age?

Are they pretty hardy or do they die easily?
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They're pretty tough little blighters actually, although I am still absolutely terrified of doing something wrong :) I'm sure that once I get used to her, we'll be fine.

I've been searching the net for days, researching on spiderling care. I've read, printed and collected together a small folder of care sheets for spiderlings and species-specific care sheets, so I know what humidity to keep them at, how often to feed them and how much room they need etc. Also, if I have a question that needs to be answered immediately, I have my folder close at hand. I've also ordered two highly recommended tarantula books as reference guides.

From all the gumph I've waded through during the past week, I've compiled a list of the most important basics to ensure that your little blighter is healthy and happy:
  • Knowing what to do when they moult - i.e removing all food from the tank etc.
  • Making sure that all objects placed in the tank are sterile (including water bowls, moss, peat etc.) to prevent fungi and disease.
  • Feeding them enough (5 or more small crickets a week depending upon size/species)
  • Keeping their humidity correct , especially during moulting - regular misting of the tank and refilling waterbowl.
  • Giving them the right amount of space in a container - too much and they can't find food, too little and any detritus lying around is likely to stress and kill them. My container is 21cm by 11cm - I checked that this size was fine with the lady who is supplying my spiderling
  • Keeping them warm enough - heat mat!
  • Making sure the little minx can't escape :)
  • Minimum stress - no bright lights, and I won't handle her either until she's bigger
See, not too difficult to do!

I'll post a pic of her tank tomorrow once I've sterilised everything and set it up.

Hope this is helpful. Any more questions just ask - It'll make sure I really do know enough to be given the responsibility of a spiderling :)
 
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When you expecting your new spiders then Lopez/Lostkat?

(~Yeah I did read the bit that their not strictly spiders, but you know what I mean :))

Be sure to post pics :)
 
Originally posted by Wallace
When you expecting your new spiders then Lopez/Lostkat?

(~Yeah I did read the bit that their not strictly spiders, but you know what I mean :))

Be sure to post pics :)
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All on Wednesday even though we both order on different days from different places - I only ordered mine today, but it was a phone order so much quicker :)
 
Originally posted by Wallace
When you expecting your new spiders then Lopez/Lostkat?

(~Yeah I did read the bit that their not strictly spiders, but you know what I mean :))

Be sure to post pics :)
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Oh they are spiders in the general sense of the word, just not "true" spiders. ;)

Sure will get some pics (though they won't be amazing quality off my cam)
They should arrive just before tomorrow lunchtime - I then have the unenviable task of getting them out of whatever container they come in and into the tank - a 5 minute spell in the fridge may be needed to calm them down a touch.
 
YAY!! Guess who's just arrived via Royal Mail Special Delivery? :cool: :D

She's just warming up and surveying her new tank at the moment.

She's well sweet! Brown body with yellowish brown legs, and about 2cm across. All that will change though when she's moulted a few more times. Here's a terrible pic of her just to show you how tiny she is:
spidey


I'll get a better pic when she's more settled. Don't want to stress her out too much :)
 
Awwwww, schweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!! :D

I'm still reading into it, but hopefully my GF & I will be joining u in becoming the proud parents of a ickle hairy beasty! :)

As potential owners, would it be best to just get 1 between us to start, or would it be ok to choose 1 each?

Also spiderling or juvenile?
 
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Originally posted by Master Skooter
Awwwww, schweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!! :D

I'm still reading into it, but hopefully my GF & I will be joining u in becoming the proud parents of a ickle hairy beasty! :)

As potential owners, would it be best to just get 1 between us to start, or would it be ok to choose 1 each?

Also spiderling or juvenile?
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Well you might as well get one each to be honest because the heatmats are wasted otherwise. If you get 2 tanks and stick one heatmat along the back you spideys will be more than happy. Plus 1 spider won't eat a whole box of crickets - they can share, so feeding costs no more. I am going to get another one when I find the one I want at the right price :)

Keep us informed :)

[edit] Spiderling or juvenille
Depends upon how confident you are that you can look after it, and how much you are prepared to pay. Juvenilles are more expensive than spiderlings. My spiderling was £12, so a juvenille would probably be £20 or more. If you do loads of reading up on spiderling care then you will be fine.

Here's some sites to get you started:

http://tarantulas.differentdawn.com/general/sling.html

http://www.webspinner.demon.co.uk/spiderlings.html
 
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I think you've been conned matey, that top one is just a mutated house spider, I could have given ya dozens of those for free!;)
 
Originally posted by DirtyMinx
I think you've been conned matey, that top one is just a mutated house spider, I could have given ya dozens of those for free!;)
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lol :)

glad to see youve got your spiders lopez :)

Jono :)
 
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