Impulse Buy: H. gigas

[SuperRad]

After having received 3 slings in the mail a couple weeks ago I swore I was done getting T's till at least September. That was until a little birdy told me about a really good LPS that had tons of tarantulas and I was compelled to nab something I wanted for a while. I was on the fence till the owner tossed in a 10 gal with a lid that works great for high humidity situations for free. Whole transaction was $55. Sweet.

Hysterocrates gigas

I was so pumped that I got pretty brave.

And what do ya'll suppose this is?

 

[jr47]

Very nice. But I would not even attemp that with mine. She has a bad temper. Good deal, I gave $35 if I remember correctly for mine. She was about the same size. Now she is just under 7 inch's.

 

[clearlysaid]

I'm apt to say that's a female you have there.

But it looks like it may be molting soon... some of the pics the abdomen looks dark. You should have a very definite answer soon! Haha, either by molt or if it does happen to be male, based on the size in the pics I'd bet it would have its ultimate molt... get boxing gloves.

 

[MalevolentScorp]

Huh, my H.gigas never looked like that... it looks a lot more like C.crawshayi. But who knows..

 

[saminthemiddle]

Wonderful, she's so pretty. I love solid brown Ts, she reminds me of a T. blodi as far as coloring goes.

 

[clearlysaid]

Huh, my H.gigas never looked like that... it looks a lot more like C.crawshayi. But who knows..

I thought that at first, too, as the coloring is a little off. But the backs legs don't "scream" C crawshayi to me... they look more H gigas, haha... that's how I tell them apart, lol. Coloring and the back legs. j/k. Anyway, I know H gigas coloring varies a lot. Right now I have an adult female that is practically black and a male that is, well, tan/brown. But, really, I think a lot of it in these photos is the lighting throwing me off.

 

[jr47]

Ive had mine about 4 years and never has she got that color. She stays pretty much black up to molt and then dulls and gets a little brown. But I think if you look at the rear legs and the long abdomen. its a h. gigas.

 

[SuperRad]

I'm apt to say that's a female you have there.
But it looks like it may be molting soon.

Thanks for saying so, I was thinking the same thing. *fingers crossed*

Anyway, I know H gigas coloring varies a lot. Right now I have an adult female that is practically black and a male that is, well, tan/brown. But, really, I think a lot of it in these photos is the lighting throwing me off.

The first 3 pix on black backround are pretty jacked in terms of lighting, but the others with the T on coco fiber are in line with it's colors in real life. I was reading that a gigas can change color greatly from post molt colors to pre molt colors. Pre molt being a rusty brown like this, hence it getting a common name of Camaroon Red.

I've seen pix online of other H. gigas that looked almost black or slate colored, but then again I saw just as many rich brown ones like mine. Thanks for backing the leg and abdomen thing, they make me believe it's a gigas too.

 

[desertdweller]

Congrats on the sweet deal. Yeah, as addictions go, this one is pretty strong. I'm no longer in denial but in the full throes!

I'd say definitely I'm on the H gigas side too. I also notice the crawshai is more orange than brown and the legs make it obvious.

Beautiful T you got there! Way to handle a toughie.
and if you could just tell me how you got her to pose for the perfect measure?? LOL

 

[fartkowski]

Whn I got my seconed H gigas it was pretty much that same color.
Then it molted to a nice blackish color.
Has it started digging it's burrow yet?

 

[Mina]

Very pretty!! I agree, it looks female to me. If it was a male at that size, I would imagine you would be seeing hooks.

 

[SuperRad]

Beautiful T you got there! Way to handle a toughie.
and if you could just tell me how you got her to pose for the perfect measure?? LOL

I've always been pretty good at getting a T to pose with a ruler. Just got the knack... j/k

As I was getting her out of the jar I purchased her in I noticed she was bashfull and pretty mild mannered. That's why I got enough guff to try to put hands on her. When she was on my black stage for pix and measuring she moved around a little once in awhile but was pretty docile the whole time. I'm falling in love pretty quick. I'm naming her Red Sonja from the Conan the Barbarian mythos.

Whn I got my seconed H gigas it was pretty much that same color.
Then it molted to a nice blackish color.
Has it started digging it's burrow yet?

Not yet, but I recently rehoused her into a huge, high humidity enclosure with plants. She loves the pool and her "palm trees" but has yet to really use the hide or try to burrow much. Guess it looks so good that she doesn't want to go any place else. I'll post a thread on how I made my enclosure soon.

 

[von_z]

Nice T! I am interested in getting one of those at some point.