So, you want to keep a pet tarantula?

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Lopez, LK, Terry has moulted!!! (the tarantula my m8 bought)

I will not be home till next monday, so i cant see him for a while, but apparently the colours are much brighter now and hes growing well :D

I shall try to get piccies when i get home. We were worried about his not eating since he arrived, but presumably now when hes hardened up again after a few days he will be eating well again!!! I cant wait to see him fully happy and eating :p
 
I've just made an order for;

2 1.5cm Avicularia versicolor spiderlings(1 for me, 1 for el binto)

Spiderling colourform
Aversicolor4.jpg


Adult colourform
Aversicolor5.jpg


1 1.5cm Psalmopoeus irminia spiderling (for el binto, because he's wanted one for ages and I couldn't see him go without :D )

Pirmana.jpg



STUNNING aren't they.I'm well excited! Sent off the cheque today. I suppose I'd better get making mine a new home. I'm tempted to get a P. irmana of my own, but I really don't have enough space for anymore. Grrrrrrrrrrr
 
I saw the Psalmopoeus irminia get mentioned on a website, so I looked it up on Google and thourght it was ugly. Stop proving my wrong!
 
Originally posted by Lostkat
I've just made an order for;

2 1.5cm Avicularia versicolor spiderlings(1 for me, 1 for el binto)

Spiderling colourform
Aversicolor4.jpg
Click to expand...


Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, i'm SO jelious!!! :mad:

Serious tho, fair play u two, can't wait to see them grow from beautiful S'lings to even more beautiful adults. :cool:

I'd still love one :(
 
masterskooter if there is one spider that could change your gf's opinion i think this one would be it. Beautiful AND known to be docile to boot. How is she handling knowing you have a mantis btw? is it working out?


btw. lopez, am i right in thinking only the female suntigers are a dark black? the male is a more browny colour?
 
nexus: a. versicolours have a reputation for being docile however they are pretty quick.

SaBBz: the guy lopez and LK are getting a spiderling of a P.iriminia are 6 pounds each (i know because i'm getting a versicolour from the same guy :D) tank wise, it's pretty cheap really, for spiderlings anything escape proof and well ventilated would do, plastic petpal tanks range from a few pounds to less than a tenner for one and the substrate isn't expensive either. Probably the most expensive item would be a heat mat and that's a little over a tenner. I recall lopez made a rough price list in this thread sometime ago, might be worth checking out. btw. p. irimnia or "venezulan suntigers" have a reputation as being fast and very pretty aggressive. But it's a stunner :D
 
Originally posted by hsp70
nexus: a. versicolours have a reputation for being docile however they are pretty quick.

SaBBz: the guy lopez and LK are getting a spiderling of a P.iriminia are 6 pounds each (i know because i'm getting a versicolour from the same guy :D) tank wise, it's pretty cheap really, for spiderlings anything escape proof and well ventilated would do, plastic petpal tanks range from a few pounds to less than a tenner for one and the substrate isn't expensive either. Probably the most expensive item would be a heat mat and that's a little over a tenner. I recall lopez made a rough price list in this thread sometime ago, might be worth checking out. btw. p. irimnia or "venezulan suntigers" have a reputation as being fast and very pretty aggressive. But it's a stunner :D
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Yup, A. versicolors are docile, but can move when they want to. They're also known to jump, so you have to be careful when handling. However, they are also notorious for randomly dying on you for no 'apparent' reason, but if you're 100% serious about getting a T, are going to look after it properly and don't just want it as a 'show off' pet, then you should be ok. The key to success is reading every available care sheet on them. It's also worth getting one of the books which I recommended earlier.

I seriously would NOT recommend a P. irmana to anyone who's not kept T's before though. Like hsp70 says, they're very fast and aggressive. I'd love one of these but I don't feel ready to handle one in my collection yet, so I'm going to wait. :(
 
Originally posted by hsp70
masterskooter if there is one spider that could change your gf's opinion i think this one would be it. Beautiful AND known to be docile to boot. How is she handling knowing you have a mantis btw? is it working out?
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I don't think any Tarantula will change her opinion :(

She loves the Mantis tho.........so maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel :p

Maybe i could swap the Mantis for a T........think sh'ed notice? :D

Ur also getting a Avicularia versicolor i see? Jammy bugger! ;)
 
Well, a few things to sort out here thismorning as usual :D
Most stuff's been basically covered, but here's a re-cap.

Originally posted by hsp70
btw. lopez, am i right in thinking only the female suntigers are a dark black? the male is a more browny colour?
Click to expand...
Nope, all P irminia are black with orange markings. The P cabridgei of the same genus is a lot duller - brown and olive markings.

Originally posted by SaBBz
How much would it be to start off one of these as that is a beautiful spider. I mean for the tank etc etc

Many thanks.
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Heat mat - £5-£15
Tank - £5-£10 (you can keep baby babies in a polystyrene coffee cup though)
Peat/vermiculite substrate - £4 or so
Tarantula - £3-£15 for a baby, depending on availability/ease of breeding/desirability.

The P irminia is indeed a gorgeous tarantula. Not aggressive as such, but extremely nervy and prone to doing a runner - and when they do decide to bite, it tends to be multiple. You're looking at being tagged 5 or 6 times before you realise, and that is going to hurt a lot.
I wouldn't get one as a first species, not by a long shot.

Originally posted by Nexus
What's the temperment like on the Avicularia versicolor?
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Very docile and gentle, but timid and therefore a bit nervous like all Avicularia spiders. They jump if frightened (usually away from you, and downwards) so you need to be gentle if you are going to hold it. Not an aggressive spider at all - I don't think I've ever seen an Avic go into the "threat" position.

This website gives a good idea on how "n00b friendly" most species found as pets are.

Green = good for beginners
Yellow = intermediate
Red = experienced keepers only
 
Almost forgot!

After over a week of sulking and generally not doing a lot, Idi was showing the other classic premoult signs - swollen abdomen despite not eating, and faded markings.

Came home this morning to find the little oik has moulted overnight.

One freshly moulted, bright gold Idi:

Idi16


Note his regenerated leg (the regenerated leg is the front left - folded back slightly under his body - it was missing before the moult)
The new leg is still floppy, small, and not 100% functional - it might even drop off again at some stage. It normally takes at least 3 moults for a leg to regenerate properly so I'm not too concerned

And here's the old skin:

Idi17


Although not a great deal larger, his legs arenow far chunkier - more like Mugabe's. If he doesn't start growing soon Miguel will overtake him!
 
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