Tarantulas
- Thread starter farrahsc
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PrettyInInk87
New Member
I highly suggest a tarantula as a pet, most species are very easy to care for and very interesting to have on display. I myself don't handle any of my T's except for my A. avicularia (pink toe) sling (spiderling). A Cobalt Blue I have read are a very defensive species and not a good beginner T BUT if your willing to give a go, I say go for it.
I found this...
The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is one of the more beautiful, yet one of the more aggressive species of tarantula. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula looks almost black at a glance, but upon closer inspection, with certain lighting, this species shows a bright blue overall color! These tarantulas are very popular, but aren't good for beginners. Cobalt Blue Tarantulas are extremely aggressive and fast. Even the spiderlings of this species have been known to show aggression! The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is uncommon in the wild, but is becoming more and more familiar in captivity. These tarantulas spin large webs even though they do spend most of their time in their burrow if given the opportunity. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is an amazing tarantula for anybody who dares to keep it!
Range Tropical forests of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Type Burrowing.
Diet Spiderlings eat pinhead crickets, and other small insects. Adults eat crickets, and other large insects.
Full Grown Size 4 to 5 inches.
Growth Fast speed.
Temperature 80 to 90° F.
Humidity 78 to 82%. All tarantulas that have at least a 3" legspan may drink from a shallow, wide water dish.
Temperament Aggressive and nervous.
Housing Spiderlings can live in a clear plastic deli-container with air holes. Adults can live in a 10-gallon tank. Floor space is as important as height.
Substrate 5 to 6 inches of peat moss, or potting soil.
Decor No decorations are really needed. Moss can be added for floor cover, but leave some areas open for burrowing in the substrate.
Other Names N/A.
I myself would not own one of these guys in spite of their beauty.
I'm such a wuss and don't even handle mine.
I found this...
The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is one of the more beautiful, yet one of the more aggressive species of tarantula. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula looks almost black at a glance, but upon closer inspection, with certain lighting, this species shows a bright blue overall color! These tarantulas are very popular, but aren't good for beginners. Cobalt Blue Tarantulas are extremely aggressive and fast. Even the spiderlings of this species have been known to show aggression! The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is uncommon in the wild, but is becoming more and more familiar in captivity. These tarantulas spin large webs even though they do spend most of their time in their burrow if given the opportunity. The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is an amazing tarantula for anybody who dares to keep it!
Range Tropical forests of Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
Type Burrowing.
Diet Spiderlings eat pinhead crickets, and other small insects. Adults eat crickets, and other large insects.
Full Grown Size 4 to 5 inches.
Growth Fast speed.
Temperature 80 to 90° F.
Humidity 78 to 82%. All tarantulas that have at least a 3" legspan may drink from a shallow, wide water dish.
Temperament Aggressive and nervous.
Housing Spiderlings can live in a clear plastic deli-container with air holes. Adults can live in a 10-gallon tank. Floor space is as important as height.
Substrate 5 to 6 inches of peat moss, or potting soil.
Decor No decorations are really needed. Moss can be added for floor cover, but leave some areas open for burrowing in the substrate.
Other Names N/A.
I myself would not own one of these guys in spite of their beauty.
I'm such a wuss and don't even handle mine.
ChaoticNightsReptile
New Member
In general T's from Asia and Africa tend to be fast and agressive, T's from the North and South America tend to be more calm and placid.
For beginner Tarantula keepers I would suggest T's from the Brachypelma group, like Brachypelma Smithii. In general these are some of the more docile T's you can get.
Avicularia can be another good choice, but tend to be more nervous than the T's of Brachypelma. Some Avicularia spray/throw feces as a defense, yuck.
For beginner Tarantula keepers I would suggest T's from the Brachypelma group, like Brachypelma Smithii. In general these are some of the more docile T's you can get.
Avicularia can be another good choice, but tend to be more nervous than the T's of Brachypelma. Some Avicularia spray/throw feces as a defense, yuck.
farrahsc
New Member
Wow the Avicularia Versicolor have some amazing colors but let me guess they are the ones who throw feces lol?
I'm not looking for something I can get out and play with per say but be able to handle enough to do cage cleanings, health checks, ect...
I've never handled one so the thought of being bite scares me a bit. Although I was also afraid of being bite by a snake and have now been bit several times by milk and corn snakes at work and it was nothing lol.
I'm not looking for something I can get out and play with per say but be able to handle enough to do cage cleanings, health checks, ect...
I've never handled one so the thought of being bite scares me a bit. Although I was also afraid of being bite by a snake and have now been bit several times by milk and corn snakes at work and it was nothing lol.
PrettyInInk87
New Member
Yes and no. My A. versicolor is a very enthusiastic eater and anything that touches her web, she'll attack. I went in once to pet her butt and of course she thought it was food, she spun around, and attacked my finger. Luckily she bit my finger nail and luckily I was wearing acrylic nails. I felt her fangs his and scrape off... SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME!
I would also suggest Avicularia species. My little Pink Toe is such a sweet heart and she/he is the only one I handle. Like stated before, they are very jumpy and skitish but very unlikely to bite. Brachypelma species are notorious for hair flicking but are slow moving. I say go with Mexican Red Knee, Mexican Red Rump, or even a Brazilian Black. Very pretty spiders and at the same time being good beginner spiders.
Samcham1
New Member
you will hardly ever see your cobalt blue. They are burrowers and spend most of their time in the burrow. Versicolors are one of my favorite T's and go through some beautiful changes from sling to maturity. They can be kinda fast and skittish though for some beginners. I agree with ChaoticNightsReptile A couple of good starter Tarantulas in my opinion are Grammostola aureostriata, or maybe a Brachypelma like Brachypelma albopilosum. Brachypelma Smithi and Brachypelma boemhei are more colorful. Brachy's can be hair flickers, but not all are.
aggiejax
New Member
What?
Okay, I'm deathly and irrationally terrified of spiders (no mater how small so I'm pretty sure a T. would kill me!), therefore I will NEVER own one...but what on earth is hair flicking? Y'all mentioned it a few times and I'm curious but too nervous to search it out on Google. Also, I'll go ahead and pose another question...are all T. species venomous? Reworded, are all T. species dangerous or life threatening if you are bit by them? I've always heard that they really can't be handled but I've seen people pull some of them out at the pet stores and let people hold them and was always curious why those lunatics were never bitten? Just curious, thanks!
Okay, I'm deathly and irrationally terrified of spiders (no mater how small so I'm pretty sure a T. would kill me!), therefore I will NEVER own one...but what on earth is hair flicking? Y'all mentioned it a few times and I'm curious but too nervous to search it out on Google. Also, I'll go ahead and pose another question...are all T. species venomous? Reworded, are all T. species dangerous or life threatening if you are bit by them? I've always heard that they really can't be handled but I've seen people pull some of them out at the pet stores and let people hold them and was always curious why those lunatics were never bitten? Just curious, thanks!
PrettyInInk87
New Member
All Tarantulas are "poisonous" or venomous but not all are deadly or lethal. I'm not quite sure what types are though. Most are just like a bee sting, you can either be allergic and have problems or be totally okay. I did have a Orange Baboon Tarantula and their venom is pretty potent, the side affects include heart irregularity, sweating, muscle spasms, trouble breathing, and severe pain at the bite site.
Hair flicking is a type of self defense mechanism some Tarantulas have (not all), they use their back legs to kick the hairs off of their butts which are irritating to the skin and mucus membranes. I'd hate to get those up my nose or in my eyes.
PrettyInInk87
New Member
Don't be scared, be careful. Lol!
Here is my P. irminia set up. These guys are semi-arboreal T's so I have him in a one gallon tall hex tank. Sometimes he'll hang out at the top and other times he'll burrow under the leaves. He's still a baby so it's just right for his size. I don't have the rock in there anymore, was afraid he'd get hurt.
This was my OBT sling set up. You can use this with pretty much any non-arboreal T or a burrower. You can add a small hide... I didn't since OBT's are burrowers.
My B. auratum set up. I use 10 gallons but you can use a 5... I use the 10's because they are easier to come by cheaply and they look nice. This little guy is a wanderer and uses all of his space.
A. versicolor, you can't see the set up but it's just a 5 gallon tall with coconut husk fiber substrate, a small shallow water dish, and a piece of bark leaned against the glass. She usually hangs out on her web but does wander during the night.
A. avicularia, another arboreal T. Have her in a small plastic container with fake leaves just to give her something to web around, small water dish.
PrettyInInk87
New Member
I mist my versicolor every night, they require high humidity but LOTS of ventilation. I also mist my avicularia and sutiger but only mist them every other night or every 2 nights (depends if the soil is dry or not). I let the soil dry between mistings... A. versicolors are awesome spiders and would be a good beginner T. They are very skittish and jumpy but for the most part calm. My first T was a A. avicularia but gave him to my brother-in-law a short time after I got him (I didn't know anything about Ts) then my actual first T's were both my B. auratum and A. versicolor (got them from the same person).
