So, you want to keep a pet tarantula?

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Dying spiders tend to be upright, not on their backs.
Lots of people have thrown away a healthy moulting spider because they thought it was sick or even dead. :(

As an aside, I'm currently in the middle of a transaction to buy 2 more spiderlings (haven't had a s'ling in over 10 years :))

Anyone want to take a guess at what I'm procuring?
 
My money is on the cobalt blue for Lopez's new baby :D Or maybe a bluebottle

LK - Those piccys are fantastic! Must have been amazing to watch, shes much better to look at now too.
 
Originally posted by DirtyMinx
My money is on the cobalt blue for Lopez's new baby Or maybe a bluebottle
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I know someone who recently had a Cobalt Blue lay eggs - it's just a matter of seeing if they hatch successfully.
So far my search for a Green Bottle Blue has been fruitless.

However, I was most pleased to find a dealer with 2 of my favourite species in stock as spiderlings:

Venezualan Suntiger Psalmopeous irminia

Psalmpeousirminia01


Psalmpeousirminia02


"These are a stunning velvety species of tree spider. The colours are simply gorgeous.
These are NOT beginners spiders though. They are incredibly fast, and are reputed to be very aggressive at times, and if you are unlucky enough to get bitten, then the likelihood of multiple strikes is very high."

Temperament: Agressive, fast and nervous

Size: 5.5 inches across

Heat: 75 to 80 degrees

Humidity: 70 to 80 percent

Habitat: Arboreal - Venezuela

"These spiders are not particlarly big, but the velvety black with the yellow/orange rump markings are stunning. The lower legs have rich orange lines. They have the typical splayed scopula of tree spiders, but do not sit in the typical tree spider stance much."

Wanted one of these for a long long time

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The other species is one of my serious all time favourites:

Martinique Pink-Toe Avicularia versicolor

They start out life looking like this:

Aviculariaversicolor01


And mature into equally stunning adults:

Aviculariaversicolor02


Aviculariaversicolor03


"The Martinique Pinktoe Tarantula has to be one of the most beautiful tarantula species in the world! When the spiderlings hatch out, they are a brillant blue color, and by the time they reach adult coloration, the Martinique Pinktoe Tarantula is covered in reds, greens, and even purples."

Temperament: Docile and nervous

Size: 6 inches across

Heat: 75 to 80 degrees

Humidity: 75 to 80 percent

Habitat: Arboreal - Tropical areas of Martinique, Guadeloupe, and possibly the surrounding Caribbean islands

"The Martinique Pinktoe Tarantula is a docile but skittish species that can be quick to run if disturbed. For good reason, Martinique Pinktoe Tarantulas are among the most sought after tarantulas in the hobby"


Very happy that I've found both of those at last.
 
Just to report that the baby is doing remarkably well and she's certainly darkened a lot since her moult, and is now beginning to show her colours nicely. She's also grown a hell of a lot!
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I also found out that the only way to get the camera to pick up the little red hairs on her abdomen was to use one of the overexposed pics (I was a bit too close and the flash was too flashy)
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Anyway, it now seems as though she's learnt to climb. Before now, she spent most of her time falling off the side of the tank. Today she actually got to the top! Looks like I'm gonna have to keep an eye on the little begger!
jezabel65a.jpg


She doesn't look so sweet and innocent from the underneath does she! Look at them shiny fangs.. they're HUGE! Wouldn't like to catch her on a bad day! :eek:
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Popped down to the pet shop today, I was only going in for some crickets I swear.

Got chatting to the guy and he has a surplus of Honduran Curly Hair spiderlings. Now I've never been that keen on the Curly Hairs, but under the light they are actually a very pretty spider.
Not quite as docile as a Chilean Rose, but handleable nonetheless.
Well after long talk he eventually made me an offer I couldn't refuse ;)
I'm now the proud owner of a baby Honduran Curly Hair.

All together now - "Awwwwwww"

Miguel01


Close up, you can see the red hairs on the legs and abdomen

Miguel02


And as 10p pieces seem to be the universal scale indicator:

Miguel03


Coming from Honduras in Central America:

HondurasMap


I decided a Hispanic or Latin American name would be most appropriate.

So, say hello to Miguel.
 
Originally posted by iam
LOL @ Miguel - very fitting :D

So how much he set you back mate?

/and whats with the views of this thread being smaller than the replies :confused:
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The thread screwed up the other day, nobody could reply to it.
So 2blue4u did some merging jiggery pokery with an old thread of mine, and managed to fix it. :)
Hence, the start date, views and thread id has all changed.

As for how much, well he has a pile on the shelf and they are on sale to the public at a mere £3 each. :)

Ideal first spider. :)
 
Originally posted by Lopéz
The thread screwed up the other day, nobody could reply to it.
So 2blue4u did some merging jiggery pokery with an old thread of mine, and managed to fix it.
Hence, the start date, views and thread id has all changed.

As for how much, well he has a pile on the shelf and they are on sale to the public at a mere £3 each.

Ideal first spider.
Click to expand...

Ah - Blue up to his old tricks then eh :p

£3 :eek: Not bad :D
 
Originally posted by Lopéz
The thread screwed up the other day, nobody could reply to it.
So 2blue4u did some merging jiggery pokery with an old thread of mine, and managed to fix it. :)
Hence, the start date, views and thread id has all changed.

As for how much, well he has a pile on the shelf and they are on sale to the public at a mere £3 each. :)

Ideal first spider. :)
Click to expand...

Aaahhhh I want one now!!!

Miguel = :D :D

They are pretty sweet but I dont think I could bring myself to handle the spiders when they got bigger, do spiders care whether they are handled or not? would it make any difference to their existance if you didnt touch them at all?

Sorry to keep throwing the questions at you but I'm well curious now.
 
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Originally posted by DirtyMinx
Aaahhhh I want one now!!!

Miguel =
They are pretty sweet but I dont think I could bring myself to handle the spiders when they got bigger, do spiders care whether they are handled or not? would it make any difference to their existance if you didnt touch them at all?

Sorry to keep throwing the questions at you but I'm well curious now.
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Spiders don't give two hoots. :)
Many many keepers never handle their tarantulas. The spider gains nothing from the handling process (spiders are incapable of loyalty and affection as displayed in cats and dogs) and have poor memories. What happens to them today is of little relevance to what happens tomorrow.

It is useful to be able to hold your spider for when you need to wash the tank out (once every 6 months, if that)
Of course if you don't want to hold it ever, you can happily nudge it into an empty container of some sort while you clear the tank out, and then nudge it back in again. :)
I've not touched my Baboons by hand, and I'm never going to.

I'm still getting those 2 spiders I mentioned earlier, they will be posted to me as soon as the weather improves (no dealer worth his salt will post livestock when it's this cold.)

Just to tempt me even more, the guy I'm buying them off has offered me first refusal on baby Avicularia metallica, a similar species to the Martinique Pink-Toe.

Aviculariametallica01


Almost all Avicularias are gentle and timid, but fast moving. They make good pets for experienced and novice keepers alike.


Miguel is now happily stomping about in his mini set up.
Spiders need very little room to thrive (tank should be double the length and double the width of the spider)
He doesn't take up any room at all - I could comfortably house another 10 or so spiderlings without even tidying up......:p
 
Originally posted by ToXik-yogHurt
They really only need a tank double their width and double their length? Don't move about much really do they...
I think I'll stick to fish for the moment :)
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Nope.
Apart from wandering males trying to find a mate, the majority of spiders in the wild only cover about 4 square feet in their 15 years or so .....

They move about the space they have quite a bit.
I like to give them a bit more room myself, 4x the width /length is more than enough.
 
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