So, you want to keep a pet tarantula?
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Re: Tanks
Aquazoo (sold by EasyExotics) are the ones I use & I'm sure I've seen some in the photos the LostKat has posted. There's another brand with a sort of "baywindow" front - similar prices but I can't remember what they are called
My local pet shop does both.
Having said that; even the smallest of the above two types are too big for T's smaller than about 2" legspan IMHO. For them I use Tesco's pasta-lunch-pot tubs.
Aquazoo (sold by EasyExotics) are the ones I use & I'm sure I've seen some in the photos the LostKat has posted. There's another brand with a sort of "baywindow" front - similar prices but I can't remember what they are called
My local pet shop does both.Having said that; even the smallest of the above two types are too big for T's smaller than about 2" legspan IMHO. For them I use Tesco's pasta-lunch-pot tubs.
Crapola... my A.Seemani has mites... AND I think that they were on her when I got her 
grrrr
so..
Fridge method? (pop her in the fridge for 10 mins)
Vaseline method? (dabs her with a vaseline covered QTip)
or Mite trap method? (pot of vaseline with a few dead cricks in the bottom)
grrrrso..
Fridge method? (pop her in the fridge for 10 mins)
Vaseline method? (dabs her with a vaseline covered QTip)
or Mite trap method? (pot of vaseline with a few dead cricks in the bottom)
that was a quick reply!The reason why I though they had come with her is that she has always had these "white dusty" patches - I'd always assumed that they were from the toilet roll she'd been wrapped in when she was sent to me... in fact it might still be toilet roll dust... lol
The mites themselves are on the sides of the tank and in her waterbowl.
I can't see any around the jaws, she was sat on the peat so I had to poke her gently with a small torch to get her into threat posture so I could see underneath her properly. She tagged the torch the on the second prod - scarry experience - and then must have decided it was too hard to tag again as she didn't the times afterwards
And yes, I put some new silent cricks in with her on Wednesday
EDIT: In which case my Pinktoe might have them too /cries...
Mites in the waterbowl/substrate are EASY to sort. 
You can either strip each tank, disenfect, rinse and put in new substrate, or do what I do.
Let the soil get dry - no misting at all! Keep a small water bowl in one corner (something like a pop bottle cap) Keep the bowl half full.
Every night, you should see loads of mites congregating on the inner edge of the bowl. Empty the water away, scrub the bowl clean and fill it half way again. Put it back in the tank (don't spill any) and let the same thing happen each night.
Eventually all the mites will find their way to the bowl (they will go to the wettest point in the tank)
You can either strip each tank, disenfect, rinse and put in new substrate, or do what I do.
Let the soil get dry - no misting at all! Keep a small water bowl in one corner (something like a pop bottle cap) Keep the bowl half full.
Every night, you should see loads of mites congregating on the inner edge of the bowl. Empty the water away, scrub the bowl clean and fill it half way again. Put it back in the tank (don't spill any) and let the same thing happen each night.
Eventually all the mites will find their way to the bowl (they will go to the wettest point in the tank)
Well I picked up my new Salmon Pink at the weekend; it’s currently around 3 inches long
I'm very impressed at this T's appetite as it’s eaten over a dozen small crickets in 2 days although I'm worried about over feeding it if that’s possible?
Also I've noticed the aggressiveness of this juvenile and will flick hairs at the slightest of disturbances.
I’ll get some photos up soon as my m8 remembers to bring his digi cam round..
I'm very impressed at this T's appetite as it’s eaten over a dozen small crickets in 2 days although I'm worried about over feeding it if that’s possible?
Also I've noticed the aggressiveness of this juvenile and will flick hairs at the slightest of disturbances.
I’ll get some photos up soon as my m8 remembers to bring his digi cam round..
New T
I've not updated for a while so I thought I'd better post a quick one before I go to work this morning.
I have two new T's in my posession, both spiderlings. The first is one I've been after for ages and am extremely pleased with. He's a very small and very fragile looking Avicularia metallica. He's very pretty now but nothing compared to what he'll look like as an adult. Can't wait for him to grow up. He's unnamed at the moment but here are a few piccies.
Secondly, since their moults both Louis (A. versicolor) and Sash (A. purpurea) have grown loads.
Louis has really bulked out and is eating like a horse at the moment. He's currently being starved though because he's reached the point of 'woooah that's one FAT T!'
Sash is still tiny, but he's less spindly than he was and I'm a lot happier with him now as he's finally killing live prey. Before he moulted I was having to kill cricks, rip them open and leave them at the entrance to his tube web - not fun.
And finally, I have one more T to show you but I'm not going to tell you what it is. I've got it for Leon. It's the fastest T I've ever seen. It went hell for leather all over my hands, bed and legs before I managed to get it in its tank. It's gorgeous though and it's really fluffy, awwww.
Any ideas??
I've not updated for a while so I thought I'd better post a quick one before I go to work this morning.
I have two new T's in my posession, both spiderlings. The first is one I've been after for ages and am extremely pleased with. He's a very small and very fragile looking Avicularia metallica. He's very pretty now but nothing compared to what he'll look like as an adult. Can't wait for him to grow up. He's unnamed at the moment but here are a few piccies.
Secondly, since their moults both Louis (A. versicolor) and Sash (A. purpurea) have grown loads.
Louis has really bulked out and is eating like a horse at the moment. He's currently being starved though because he's reached the point of 'woooah that's one FAT T!'
Sash is still tiny, but he's less spindly than he was and I'm a lot happier with him now as he's finally killing live prey. Before he moulted I was having to kill cricks, rip them open and leave them at the entrance to his tube web - not fun.
And finally, I have one more T to show you but I'm not going to tell you what it is. I've got it for Leon. It's the fastest T I've ever seen. It went hell for leather all over my hands, bed and legs before I managed to get it in its tank. It's gorgeous though and it's really fluffy, awwww.
Any ideas??
Whoa! The colouring on Louis is amazing.
Well I'm looking to move my T into a smaller tank and would like to pick your brains please.
I'm going to put my T into a petpal next size up from smallest. How much subtrate should I put in for my B Boehmei?
The subtrate I'm using is woodchip. Would I be better combining it with something (e.g. peat) or just go for vermiculite?
Lastly could someone post a pic on how you are placing the heatmat on the side of the tank please.
Thanks in advance,
Azrael
Well I'm looking to move my T into a smaller tank and would like to pick your brains please.
I'm going to put my T into a petpal next size up from smallest. How much subtrate should I put in for my B Boehmei?
The subtrate I'm using is woodchip. Would I be better combining it with something (e.g. peat) or just go for vermiculite?
Lastly could someone post a pic on how you are placing the heatmat on the side of the tank please.
Thanks in advance,
Azrael
You would be best using potting soil with some vermiculite or ECO earth from pet shops. Wood chips arent a good substrate.
Its up to you how much substrate you use, as the Bohemei will probably burrow if it has enough to do so. I found I never saw mine when I let it, so I lowered the level and just added a hide for it.
How warm is your room near to the spider? a heat mat might not be necessary at the momment.
Its up to you how much substrate you use, as the Bohemei will probably burrow if it has enough to do so. I found I never saw mine when I let it, so I lowered the level and just added a hide for it.
How warm is your room near to the spider? a heat mat might not be necessary at the momment.
Thanks Nexus
The room is not too bad. A bit chilly so over the last week I've had the heat mat turned on when it was a bit cool in the room.
One thing is my T's abdomen has turned black. Should I wait until it's moulted before moving tanks?
The room is not too bad. A bit chilly so over the last week I've had the heat mat turned on when it was a bit cool in the room.
One thing is my T's abdomen has turned black. Should I wait until it's moulted before moving tanks?
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Well I've moved my T into a smaller tank and I have inserted the heatmat inside the tank on the back wall.
When I was moving the spider over I got to see it very good daylight and all I can say is WOW! The colouring is fantastic.
The abdomen is black now and it's not eaten a crick in almost a week. Ignores them as they move past.
How long from the darkening of the abdomen does the T usually take to flip over?
When I was moving the spider over I got to see it very good daylight and all I can say is WOW! The colouring is fantastic.
The abdomen is black now and it's not eaten a crick in almost a week. Ignores them as they move past.
How long from the darkening of the abdomen does the T usually take to flip over?
Anywhere from a day or so to over a month!
You'll notice the T will get very lethargic now, it will move about a lot less, and quite probably lay down a fair amount of webbing.
Stop putting crickets in the tank, remove any uneaten ones. There's nothing crickets love more than feasting on a moulting T
When she does flip over to moult, the most important thing to remember is don't disturb her at all
Just let nature take its course.PS you should have the heatmat outside the tank not inside (gets too hot inside)
I did have the heatmat on the outside at first but when I check the T later on it was up against the back of the tack against the part where the heatmat touched on the outside.
I though that the T was after warmth so I moved the Heatmat inside.
The tank I'm using is a petpal with slightly curved sides.
When I put it on the outside should I sellotape it on?
I though that the T was after warmth so I moved the Heatmat inside.
The tank I'm using is a petpal with slightly curved sides.
When I put it on the outside should I sellotape it on?
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