Australian Tarantulas

[Dave Jay]

The Phlogius sp. 'stents' Number 3 must have been busy too, there's webbing in the open and it's nice entrance way is full of dirt. The burrow is now blocked.

 

[Dave Jay]

"Psst, your arse is hanging out dude"
P.'stents' Number 1 eating his cricket where I can't see him.

 

[Dave Jay]

P. 'stents' Number 3 looking nonchalant while the cricket explores.

 

[Crone Returns]

P. 'stents' Number 3 looking nonchalant while the cricket explores.
View attachment 267469

They're pretty cute.

 

[D Sherlod]

Great looking pics of some awesome looking T's

 

[Dave Jay]

They're pretty cute.

Great looking pics of some awesome looking T's

Thanks!
Yeah, the plumipes is really cute, like a little teddy bear! (not everyone at our place agrees)
The stents are cute too though. I rarely see them out so I take pictures when I can. I'm taking them through acrylic 'self cleaning' fish tanks though so it's hard to get decent pictures, and I have to angle the camera to avoid glare and reflections, so the perspective can be a bit off, exaggerating the tapering of the tanks but I post any decent ones.
Btw , more tarantulas will be in the post tomorrow I hope, so I should have another few species by Wednesday. Stay tuned! Lol!

 

[Dave Jay]

So on Tuesday night the Selenotypus plumipes came out and was walking around, usually she is just at the burrow entrance. I took a picture or two and she appeared to run away, but then swung around and attacked the front of the enclosure. Then she started to climb and I adjusted the light on the shelf above making a couple of thunks on the shelf and she repeated the 'run then swing' attack manoeuvre, then started climbing again so I ran my finger along the strip of tape to make sure the lid was secure and she repeated the manoeuvre again! Obviously this must be part of her defence, appear to run luring an opponent close enough for her to strike . Very interesting to see behaviours repeated like that, obviously an instinctive behaviour, after all I wasn't following her, or trying to annoy her. There were no signs of growing agitation or aggression that you might expect to see, she was just walking and climbing. Such pretty much unprovoked aggression for such a little spider!

Note - Naturally this didn't all happen over a couple of minutes, more like over an hour or so. Since then she has blocked her burrow and extended it horizontally .

 

[Wolfspidurguy]

I've been reading this forum every waking hour for a few weeks, watching videos, reading blogs etc.
On Wednesday (5.17 Sunday here atm btw) I receive my first Tarantulas, all OW of course.
For 5 years or so I've been successfully (mostly) keeping scorps.
I've watched so many "how to" videos regarding tarantulas I've entered some kind of fugue.

dude have you ever kept a huntsman i REALLY want one

 

[Dennis Nedry]

I used to have a Selenotypus sp "Carbine" sling and it was super laid back. I rehoused it once and I just scooped it out of the old enclosure with a spoon and popped it in the new one, thing barely moved. C'mon man you're supposed to be a scary OW

 

[Dave Jay]

dude have you ever kept a huntsman i REALLY want one

I had an orange badge huntsman and I thought it died in the last heatwave, but when I was preparing for the arrival of the tarantulas I cleaned out its enclosure and there definitely was no body, the suspicion I had that my wife had released it is pretty likely imo, she's never liked me keeping spiders because they should be free, and I agree somewhat. I kept this one because it was staggering along the kitchen bench and stayed in a death curl for about a week before recovering. I think it had a run in with a daddy long legs, there was one present, and apart from laundry powder, dishwashing liquid and shampoo etc we don't use chemicals.

 

[Dave Jay]

I used to have a Selenotypus sp "Carbine" sling and it was super laid back. I rehoused it once and I just scooped it out of the old enclosure with a spoon and popped it in the new one, thing barely moved. C'mon man you're supposed to be a scary OW

I move my scorpions with spoons because they just run on the spot till you tilt the spoon, I don't know if it'll work with slings, but I have been buying long handled spoons when I see them in opportunity shops, they may be useful.
When I was collecting centipedes in the mallee the best method I found was to use a spatula, slide it under them and flip them into a tub and snap the lid on before they right themselves. I found many methods to get them into a tub, but no other way to get the lid on safely. So I was the weirdo walking around the bush with a toolbox and a spatula!

 

[dangerforceidle]

I move my scorpions with spoons because they just run on the spot till you tilt the spoon, I don't know if it'll work with slings, but I have been buying long handled spoons when I see them in opportunity shops, they may be useful.

This won't work for tarantulas, no. They'll be able to run around on the spoon like they would substrate or wood or glass.

 

[Dave Jay]

This won't work for tarantulas, no. They'll be able to run around on the spoon like they would substrate or wood or glass.

Oh for sure, I know they won't run on the spot like scorpions do, but I still may be able to transfer them by scooping out the substrate under them and moving them smoothly and calmly to another enclosure. At worst I'd just have to coax them off the spoon into the enclosure instead of running up the spoon handle.

 

[Dave Jay]

I have expanded my collection since last updating.
Firstly, the replacement Phlogius sp 'stents' came, much bigger than the original ones, close to 3" dls which means the enclosures I had ready are a bit small but I wanted to get them settled asap after 4 days in the post not wait while I set up bigger enclosures. Both of them ignored the starter burrows and have made homes above ground, one in the corner and one at the very top of the enclosure.

 

[dangerforceidle]

Oh for sure, I know they won't run on the spot like scorpions do, but I still may be able to transfer them by scooping out the substrate under them and moving them smoothly and calmly to another enclosure. At worst I'd just have to coax them off the spoon into the enclosure instead of running up the spoon handle.

Haha, ok, just making sure.

I'm really enjoying your and your wife's photos, by the way.

 

[Dave Jay]

Haha, ok, just making sure.

I'm really enjoying your and your wife's photos, by the way.

Thanks! I like photography, and spiders are better subjects than fish!

 

[Dave Jay]

@Chryso , here's the first two Phlogius crassipes "kuttabul" that arrived, sadly one was doa. The supplier was happy to send a replacement, so I paid for another and wasn't charged shipping. Unfortunately by the time the replacements arrived the other had died. One of the new ones died within a week too. The remaining sling seems to be doing fine so far. I can't fault their customer service in anything except for their packing. On both occasions the two tubs were put into a full size postage box with just one piece of bubble wrap that would have done little to stop the tubs smashing around inside the box during postage and nothing to insulate them against heat or cold. It seemed like production line packing, one box , one piece of bubble wrap per order no matter how many tubs are packed into the box. It's a shame as otherwise their customer service was A1.

 

[Laufo]

Hey guys I’m jumping on the back of this thread for newbie advice too. I’m also in aus and started out with an adult Selenotholus Kotzman. I’m hearing conflicting advice re. Watering dish. I was told she wouldn’t need a water dish, just lightly damp substrate, but I see here that some people say add a water dish. Thoughts?

 

[RonnyT]

A water dish is always good to have, its better to have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.

 

[Laufo]

A water dish is always good to have, its better to have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it.

Thank you!