So, you want to keep a pet tarantula?
- Thread starter Lopéz
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Soldato
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New arrival
Well, here she is. This is my Psalmopeus cambridgei that I ordered from Teresa Jones. It arrived safely about an hour ago and immediately started webbing up it's new tank (alright, it's a sweet jar, but the spider doesn't know,sshhh
) and has had a go at a fairly big locust but hasn't actually killed and eaten it.
Check out these beautiful legs and the markings on it's abdomen. This is a gorgeus spider and very different looking from any of the others that I have.
Well, here she is. This is my Psalmopeus cambridgei that I ordered from Teresa Jones. It arrived safely about an hour ago and immediately started webbing up it's new tank (alright, it's a sweet jar, but the spider doesn't know,sshhh
) and has had a go at a fairly big locust but hasn't actually killed and eaten it.Check out these beautiful legs and the markings on it's abdomen. This is a gorgeus spider and very different looking from any of the others that I have.
Glad you got your P.Cambridgei ok 
Both it & it's swee... erm I mean tank look pretty impressive
I've just agreed a price with Teresa for the Costa Rican Zebra.. so hopefully in the next week or so I shall have my third T
On a slight update note; I came down this morning to find that Houdini, my B.Vagans had suddenly done an incredible amount on his burrow - from a simple hole in the ground, to a complete U bend. Fortunately he's continued it around the side of his jar so I can still see him at all times
Both it & it's swee... erm I mean tank look pretty impressive I've just agreed a price with Teresa for the Costa Rican Zebra.. so hopefully in the next week or so I shall have my third T
On a slight update note; I came down this morning to find that Houdini, my B.Vagans had suddenly done an incredible amount on his burrow - from a simple hole in the ground, to a complete U bend. Fortunately he's continued it around the side of his jar so I can still see him at all times
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Here she is in a threat posture when I took off the lid of her "tank" to have a look. ooh, mean!
And here she is sinking one of those fangs into a particularly large locust's face:
Soory the pics aren't too good, but these vertical "tanks" are not so easy to get good photos from.
Nice to see Houdini has a nice "tank" too Repo
And here she is sinking one of those fangs into a particularly large locust's face:
Soory the pics aren't too good, but these vertical "tanks"
are not so easy to get good photos from.Originally posted by Repo
Fortunately he's continued it around the side of his jar so I can still see him at all times
Nice to see Houdini has a nice "tank" too Repo
Utter pain in the arse, aren't they?Originally posted by si_sleaf
Soory the pics aren't too good, but these vertical "tanks"
Be warned, that threat is not a hollow one - these spiders will follow up their bravado with a series of rapid bites.
I've just been negotiating with Kate's P. irminia this morning, trying to "tame" it
No chance! This thing is hostility personified.
Sure looks a gorgous specimen - very healthy and pretty too.
Repo, the Zebra should make a nice pet - it's always nice to have a big chunky spider to go with all the little spiderlings. Google for a caresheet, there are plenty out there.
Originally posted by SaBBz
Does anyone know anywhere/anyone that sells Mexican Flame Knee Juveniles fairly cheaply?
Cheers guys
Someone on the BTS Bulletin Board is selling a 3.5" female for £25, which is a pretty fair price as these are seldom available.
Something small will be fine - about 6"x4" should be plenty for now.
Brachypelmas will dig if you let them, so fill the tank 2/3 deep with peat so that it can't fall too far if it decides to climb.
Wedge a chunk of bark into the soil and let the spider dig around it or do whatever else it wishes.
You might think it seems cruel to keep them in small tanks, but as most keepers in this thread are starting to realise, tarantulas sulk and stress out in big tanks - they like to feel enclosed and secure.
Brachypelmas will dig if you let them, so fill the tank 2/3 deep with peat so that it can't fall too far if it decides to climb.
Wedge a chunk of bark into the soil and let the spider dig around it or do whatever else it wishes.
You might think it seems cruel to keep them in small tanks, but as most keepers in this thread are starting to realise, tarantulas sulk and stress out in big tanks - they like to feel enclosed and secure.
£20 delivered. It is a female, about 3-4 years old - although she isn’t it's original owner so I guess their might be some leeway in that age. She's about 4-5" in size - which is this species adult size.Originally posted by SaBBz
How much (if you don't mind me asking) and what size is the Costa Rican Zebra Repo? Also is it sexed?
Cheers
lol…Originally posted by si_sleaf
Nice to see Houdini has a nice "tank" too Repo
Yes, slings are cute and dinky; but I'd like an adult one too. Think I'll stop at threeOriginally posted by Lopéz
Repo, the Zebra should make a nice pet - it's always nice to have a big chunky spider to go with all the little spiderlings. Google for a caresheet, there are plenty out there.
Yes, they're all from the same genus, and are extremely closely related. They all require a couple of inches of substrate. Some like B. vagans will dig a big burrow and others won't bother. It's really all down to the individual T.
Leon noticed that my Poecelotheria fasciata (Tamil) had a nasty infestation of non-parasitic mites in her tank due to excess moisture, so we decided to clean her out. Mites in small amounts generally aren't a problem, but if allowed to multipy out of control, they can become a menace and stress out your tarantula.
Despite the Pokie's bad reputation for speed and nervy disposition, she wasn't going to come out of her tank without a lot of persuasion. We finally managed to get her out of her tank into a large mixing bowl and to our shock, she just sat there and posed beautifully for a photo shoot.
Here she is in traditional pokie pose with two pairs of legs forward and two pushed right back along the abdomen. I have no idea why they sit like this, but I am guessing it has something to do with camouflage. She could be very well hidden as a knot or bump on a log in this pose.
Fully spread out pose. You can appreciate why I HAD to buy this at the show. She's by far the most attractive spider in my whole collection. Her markings are amazingly complex, with dots, dashes and stripes all over her abdomen and legs.
This is just to demonstrate how much she grew in her last moult. I can't believe a spider that large could possibly fit in a skin that small. She also completely changed colour. It's amazing!
Here's another nice pic of her against a white background. Really shows her markings well. She is truely a beauty.
Excellent photos How long is her legspan now? the pictures give the illusion of all the T's being huge even though some are only an inch or two big.
Thinking about getting one of these when i order my heat mat later tonight Thought the print on the casing was amusing (considering they're used as food lol )
How long is her legspan now? the pictures give the illusion of all the T's being huge even though some are only an inch or two big.Thinking about getting one of these when i order my heat mat later tonight
Thought the print on the casing was amusing (considering they're used as food lol )
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Minxy - No she's not. She bombs around her tank with alarming speed sometimes, randomly webbing and moving bits of dirt. I've never seen a threat posture off her though
DHR - Just measurered her and she's 5" end to end.. I fully expect her to grow another 3" or so before she's fully matured. She's going to be a big girl
WARNING: Do NOT try this at home!
Well, whilst cleaning out Tamil, Leon decided to dice with death and hold her. Considering she's supposed to be a rather fast and fiesty pokie with a powerful venom.Click here for bite report
To our amazement, she handled very well. Quite slow-moving with a very tight grip (you could feel her hooks digging in hard). She seemed very happy to just explore his arm.
She walks similarly to an Avicularia, waving her legs like mad when she reaches the edge.
Leon then warily handed her over to me and she stomped all over me. I never thought I'd handle a pokie!
Here's a glimpse of her amazing yellow underside.
During handling, she bolted twice. Once when I startled her by moving, and she ran up my shoulder and across back, and when we were trying to get her back into the mixing bowl and she bolted across the bed. She is by no means a slow tarantula, but by careful, gentle handling, we managed to keep her calm. I would never ever attempt this alone, and only did so because both myself Leon felt confident that she could be handled. I would seriously advise that you do NOT attempt to handle any T with an aggressive reputation.
DHR - Just measurered her and she's 5" end to end.. I fully expect her to grow another 3" or so before she's fully matured. She's going to be a big girl
WARNING: Do NOT try this at home!
Well, whilst cleaning out Tamil, Leon decided to dice with death and hold her. Considering she's supposed to be a rather fast and fiesty pokie with a powerful venom.Click here for bite report
To our amazement, she handled very well. Quite slow-moving with a very tight grip (you could feel her hooks digging in hard). She seemed very happy to just explore his arm.
She walks similarly to an Avicularia, waving her legs like mad when she reaches the edge.
Leon then warily handed her over to me and she stomped all over me. I never thought I'd handle a pokie!
Here's a glimpse of her amazing yellow underside.
During handling, she bolted twice. Once when I startled her by moving, and she ran up my shoulder and across back, and when we were trying to get her back into the mixing bowl and she bolted across the bed. She is by no means a slow tarantula, but by careful, gentle handling, we managed to keep her calm. I would never ever attempt this alone, and only did so because both myself Leon felt confident that she could be handled. I would seriously advise that you do NOT attempt to handle any T with an aggressive reputation.
You could be right actually. Apparently the various genuses of T's have a varying number of eyes. They could also differ in their visual capabilities. I'm inclined to think it's something to do with being an arboreal though seeing as it's only the pokies and avics (as adults) who do this strange leg-waving. I'm really not sure though.
Originally posted by DirtyMinx
OMG!! Are you two clinically insane??
Bet you had a couple of brown trouser moments with her
What do you mean by walking with a tight grip? What do they use to cling on? and is it uncomfortable at all?
Minxy, I'm starting to wonder about our sanity too. I can't believe we've been handling one of the most poisonous tarantulas all afternoon, it's mental. Thank goodness she behaved
Tarantulas all have tiny claws at the end of their toes which help them to cling to surfaces.
Obviously, being a pokie, Tamil is adapted to climbing vertical tree trunks etc. which could account for her uber tight grip when walking across my hand. Compared to Pepper (who is a similar size), she really digs her claws in. It doesn't hurt but feels a bit uncomfortable, like someone's pressing a pin lightly against your skin.
Another thing I noticed about tamil is that she's incredibly light compared to all of my other T's. She doesn't seem as stocky as the others, and her abdomen certainly isn't as huge.
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