About to jump in head first

[Razzledazzy]

Not really as good of advice as it once was...much of what's in there is dated info.

There is a lot to learn from the book though, but if you don't know which parts are dated its not going to be a real help.

I'm assuming people are smart enough to read the addended errata and also confirm things that sound questionable if they already did some primary research but maybe I'm giving people too much credit!

 

[cold blood]

I'm assuming people are smart enough to read the addended errata and also confirm things that sound questionable if they already did some primary research but maybe I'm giving people too much credit!

A beginner reading it would have absolutely no basis to determine what is and what is not good info.

 

[boina]

I'm assuming people are smart enough to read the addended errata and also confirm things that sound questionable if they already did some primary research but maybe I'm giving people too much credit!

Yes, you are giving too much credit. The section about mites is absurd and the ICU idea is really dangerous and still people all over follow it blindly. I love the sections about humidity and temps, though.

 

[Haemus]

Tarantula Canada is good, bought quite a few Ts from them, including a C. versicolor sling at the ReptileExpo last weekend.

I commend you for practicing on wolf spiders, those things can move! I'd swear some of the ones I see at the cottage dwarf a few of my juvenile tarantulas lol

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Edit: Hmmm, Canada. Not sure if G. pulchripes is a CITES species or not. All you can do is ask the seller if they do shipments to Canada.

CITES has nothing to do with Canada or shipping/whatever issues: it's the 'Washington Convention', and it's internationally - even if third/fourth world nations (and often not so third/fourth ones) doesn't exactly always respect that.

Grammostola spp. aren't covered/protected by CITES, only (T's talking now) Brachypelma spp.

Here one of my signed, official, CITES paper for one of the 'brachy' I own.

 

[AnimalNewbie]

Bad reason to get communals.
Goal is not to lose them , some species may go extinct in wild. Your better off getting exotic feeders like anole lizards so no Ts get hurt.

You feed your Ts anoles?
Guess I never thought of it.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

You feed your Ts anoles?
Guess I never thought of it.

I’ve always wanted to try But can’t house more feeders parents would go mad.
craziest thing I’ve fed was mice one or twice in dislike the smell tho. Stick to Dubai’s, or superworms rarely.

 

[Bree24]

Not sure if you’ve made your purchase yet, but if you’re looking for a 5th to round out TCanada’s 5for4 sale, then you should look at P.Sazimai. They’re skittish, but hardy and fast growers. They’re also really pretty.

 

[KyleR2202]

Finally pulled the trigger, after humming and hawing, a few changes were made and I settled on A. seemani, E. rufescens, B. emilia and C. cyaneopubescens. Amanda and family are on vacay next week so I have to wait till the 31st for shipment, but I’m still waiting on corkbark anyways so it’s all good. Really excited, already drilled holes in one enclosure and it looks pretty good. I appreciate everything folks!!

 

[StampFan]

Finally pulled the trigger, after humming and hawing, a few changes were made and I settled on A. seemani, E. rufescens, B. emilia and C. cyaneopubescens. Amanda and family are on vacay next week so I have to wait till the 31st for shipment, but I’m still waiting on corkbark anyways so it’s all good. Really excited, already drilled holes in one enclosure and it looks pretty good. I appreciate everything folks!!

I think the vast majority of these slings you're getting are 1/4 to 3/4 inch slings. You likely won't need cork bark for a T that small (1/4 inch is unbelievably small), and whatever enclosure you are drilling will need *small* small small holes. Pin sized holes for the 1/4 incher. Each of these T's you could easily keep in a pill bottle/vial for a while with minimal to no decoration. Maybe a tiny bit of sphagnum for the GBB to web around. The 1/2 inch emilia could live in a large vial for a few years likely.

TarCan will send these T's to you already in pill bottles as shown here (bottom of page):
https://www.tarantulacanada.ca/info_en.php?page=care
and they can all live in these for quite a while with no issue. No need to rehouse yet.

 

[KyleR2202]

I think the vast majority of these slings you're getting are 1/4 to 3/4 inch slings. You likely won't need cork bark for a T that small (1/4 inch is unbelievably small), and whatever enclosure you are drilling will need *small* small small holes. Pin sized holes for the 1/4 incher. Each of these T's you could easily keep in a pill bottle/vial for a while with minimal to no decoration. Maybe a tiny bit of sphagnum for the GBB to web around. The 1/2 inch emilia could live in a large vial for a few years likely.

TarCan will send these T's to you already in pill bottles as shown here (bottom of page):
https://www.tarantulacanada.ca/info_en.php?page=care
and they can all live in these for quite a while with no issue. No need to rehouse yet.

I made sure not to buy anything under 1/2 inch, 1/4 felt way too small. Not sure if you can tell from the pics, but the holes are tiny, maybe an 1/8 of an inch or less. I’ll glue the leaves to the cork bark when it comes in, just wanted to see it semi set up. I made 5 of them, just incase there’s a freebie I’m at least prepared. For a substrate I used 50/50 cocofibre and topsoil. They’re around 16oz, roughly 3.5 high by 3.5 diameter, I figure the t’s will be in here till they’re 1.5-2 inches. What do you think?

https://imgur.com/gallery/IEE5TYi

 

[InvertAddiction]

I made sure not to buy anything under 1/2 inch, 1/4 felt way too small. Not sure if you can tell from the pics, but the holes are tiny, maybe an 1/8 of an inch or less. I’ll glue the leaves to the cork bark when it comes in, just wanted to see it semi set up. I made 5 of them, just incase there’s a freebie I’m at least prepared. For a substrate I used 50/50 cocofibre and topsoil. They’re around 16oz, roughly 3.5 high by 3.5 diameter, I figure the t’s will be in here till they’re 1.5-2 inches. What do you think?

https://imgur.com/gallery/IEE5TYi

Bit of advice for small slings... less decoration is more. You won't have to worry about it hiding, you can see it, make sure that it eats, etc. Most new keepers tend to freak out thinking they lost their sling because they don't see it, when it's taken up refuge under moss or whatever else is put inside the enclosure. I'd start off empty, just a little makeshift water dish (you can literally make the tiniest water dishes out of anything) example, turn a Monopoly house upside down, bury it flush with the substrate, viola, water dish for a sling.

 

[StampFan]

I made sure not to buy anything under 1/2 inch, 1/4 felt way too small. Not sure if you can tell from the pics, but the holes are tiny, maybe an 1/8 of an inch or less. I’ll glue the leaves to the cork bark when it comes in, just wanted to see it semi set up. I made 5 of them, just incase there’s a freebie I’m at least prepared. For a substrate I used 50/50 cocofibre and topsoil. They’re around 16oz, roughly 3.5 high by 3.5 diameter, I figure the t’s will be in here till they’re 1.5-2 inches. What do you think?

https://imgur.com/gallery/IEE5TYi

Looks fine, you won't really know until you can eyeball the T. Try keeping them in the vial they come in for at least a week or so, see how it works. If it is too small and needs an upgrade you have it ready. Vials are excellent for making sure a small sling like that finds its food. You will be surprised how small a true 1/2 inch T really is. I likely wouldn't move mine into the larger enclosure until at least an inch, but that's just my opinion.

I've never received a spider from TarCan that couldn't stay in the enclosure it arrived in for at least a few months! The only time I've moved one right away is if the vial it arrived in was faded/discolored.

After mine outgrow the vial I use some spiffy cheap little containers from Dollarama. They screw together/stack which saves a lot of shelf space, they're small, clear, easy to clean, light, etc.

 

[dave1981]

I would definitely agree with keeping slings in small vials until at least an inch. These are the type of vials I use. I think they are ideal because these offer just a little bit more room but not too much. Not saying the vials they arrive in aren't perfect because they are. My Caribena versicolor seems to like them.

 

[Mini8leggedfreak]

Didn’t have time to read through everything but if you are wanting a baboon the heterothele villosella and gabonensis are great dwarf old worlds. The gabonensis has better colour but I find the villosella is always out and ready.
ALOT of webbing.
Tarcan has them.

Not saying you should get them right away. Ease into things I’m sure they will have them when you’re ready

 

[Bree24]

Make sure you premake a little burrow on the side of the enclosure (against the plastic or glass so you can see inside the burrow) in case your babies like to hide. Less stress for them, and you may never see them otherwise.

 

[KyleR2202]

So they arrive tomorrow!!! The anticipation which dwindled in the past week has ramped back up to 11. I went out to the dollar store to get a few supplies and found some sweet little 8 oz containers and like y’all said before smaller is better so I set up a bunch of em. I kept one of the bigger ones for the Ephebopus, he’s gonna want to dig. I’m using bubble gum blister packs for water dishes. Sadly the cork bark hasn’t arrived yet , who knows maybe tomorrow, maybe never. Anyways here’s a few pics of each. https://imgur.com/gallery/xmNMinS
I also went to my LPS and got a few crickets and mealworms to gut load. I think I’m ready, got a surplus of catch cups, a paintbrush, couple 10 inch tongs and even a red flashlight for nighttime viewing .

 

[Bree24]

HAHA! I bought those same cups (the little ones) for my slings! Ended up not using them, though. Too small for my 1/2”, too big for my 1/4”. Honestly, I would just go to a pharmacy and ask to bum some bigger prescription pill vials off the guys behind the counter. Walmart gave me six of them for free.

 

[StampFan]

Those are the containers I use, except I soon moved to the same diameter ones that were a bit taller, easier for viewing. Although I still use vials for the T sizes you're getting.

No scientific reason known to gut load insects for tarantulas. Gut loading is a reptile concept around calcium stores. No obvious benefit for T's. No harm though.

 

[aphono]

For terrestrials at least- less can be much more. If you are worried about taking care of little slings and/or would like to encourage growth.. doing less is the way to go. Smaller container, not that much substrate. Very simple set up. Here's an example with B.emilia:

View media item 51684
I'd read about that(keeping it simple is best) and experienced that first hand with two G. pulchripes bought at 1/2 inch early last year. One was in a very simple set up exactly like above. The other was in an AMAC box, with deep substrate, cork bark etc. I'll be honest, the latter was so much nicer to look at and it was cool seeing it doing tarantula things. But... one of sling things to do is to burrow.. and seal it off for weeks at a time. I see messages on here fairly frequently by concerned newbies about their little one not eating for weeks, wanting to "rescue" their buried sling etc. They can handle that just fine- do not dig them up ever, even if they've been buried for 3 weeks.

The amac pulchripes did exactly that.. ate once, twice then closed off burrow and 'refused' to eat for 2, 3 weeks at a time.. finally opens up the burrow. Throw in a cricket. Next day the burrow's closed off again for 2 or 3 weeks.. Repeat.

Condiment cup pulchripes did not dig and as a result got to eat far more often. It recently molted(it also molted more often than amac) and it is easily well over twice the size of amac at this point. Both are perfectly healthy though.

And congrats on your upcoming pets. They're fun.