User My First Tarantulas

[WhiskeyR0SE]

Hi there! Im a brand new Tarantula keeper and would like to share my adventures!

I had stumbled across some tarantula feeding videos on youtube last year and found them oddly fascinating....fast forward to October and I picked up a couple of tarantulas from a local breeder.

the big one is a "Aphonopelma chalcodes", aka Arizona Blonde Tarantula. She (or he, it hasnt been sexed yet) is about 4 inches long.

"Blondie" in her new home:

this itty bitty baby is a Grammostola pulchripes aka "Chaco Golden Knee" Ive decided to name them Elvis/Elvira. They molted a few weeks ago and are almost an inch long now. I'm so excited!

cheers!

Blondie with a cricket

one day, Blondie got thirsty?

also, I changed the flower pot out to a smaller one...i was worried she'd get stuck between the rim and the side of the critter keeper.

 

[AnitaTC]

Congrats on your new ones and joining the hobby! Nice pics and great choices.

 

[The Seraph]

Wonderful pictures! Welcome to the hobby! I should say though, you do not need stones in the water dish. It is very hard to drown a tarantula. Also, break that flower pot in half so it can burrow if it wants. Otherwise, welcome and I do hope you have a good time here!

 

[AnitaTC]

I changed the flower pot out to a smaller one...i was worried she'd get stuck between the rim and the side

They manage, She'll redecorate as she sees fit to anyway. lol.

Also you don't need the rock in the water dish.

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

thanks for the welcome!

When i had the big flower pot was broken in half, but she didnt dig down at all ...just kinda hung out on the surface. Is that normal for A. chalcodes, or is mine just lazy? lol

 

[AnitaTC]

I had an Aphonopelma sp. flagstaff orange that didn't dig or hide but seemed to like to strut her stuff. She was out in her enclosure all the time. Sometimes you just get a bolder spider.

 

[EtienneN]

My Aphonopelma chalcodes is also named Blondie, after the 80s band. She likes to dig tons.

Your little Grammostola pulchripes is a cutie. Mine’s name is Muffin. If you can, or maybe you already did and I’m just too blind to see, see if you can get a small piece of cork bark and snap a tiny piece off to serve as a roof to a burrow for the sling.

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

oh! I dont know if I ever took a pic, but once i moved Blondie into the keeper, I reused the tub she was in for the grammastola sling. I put a fake plant and a little clay dome inside to serve as the hide....however little Elvis/Elvira had other ideas and dug a burrow under the fake leaves!

 

[Ungoliant]

the big one is a "Aphonopelma chalcodes", aka Arizona Blonde Tarantula. She (or he, it hasnt been sexed yet) is about 4 inches long.

Your A. chalcodes is big enough that if you post a photo in the ventral sexing gallery, we should be able to determine which sex it is. Please see this thread for instructions and tips How to Request Species or Sex Identification.

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

Your A. chalcodes is big enough that if you post a photo in the ventral sexing gallery, we should be able to determine which sex it is. Please see this thread for instructions and tips How to Request Species or Sex Identification.

Really?? I thought I'd have to wait till the next molt! That's cool! Ill see if i cant get a pic tonight.

 

[Ungoliant]

Really?? I thought I'd have to wait till the next molt! That's cool! Ill see if i cant get a pic tonight.

Molt sexing is the best way, but depending on species and size, you can often get a good idea by ventral sexing.

 

[Major 78]

Molt sexing is the best way, but depending on species and size, you can often get a good idea by ventral sexing.

Sorry for the dumb question, I'm new to the hobby- but what is ventral sexing? Is it sexing where you take a pic from above and don't take a pic of the molt? Or from behind? Not sure sorry

 

[Liquifin]

Sorry for the dumb question, I'm new to the hobby- but what is ventral sexing? Is it sexing where you take a pic from above and don't take a pic of the molt? Or from behind? Not sure sorry

Ventral sexing is sexing a tarantula based on the underside of the abdomen, where the first set of booklungs are located. This method of sexing is "not" 100% accurate, but it at least gives an idea and guess what gender/sex your tarantula is.

 

[Major 78]

Ventral sexing is sexing a tarantula based on the underside of the abdomen, where the first set of booklungs are located. This method of sexing is "not" 100% accurate, but it at least gives an idea and guess what gender/sex your tarantula is.

Ah, OK. Thanks. Say I did take a pic for ventral sexing, what would I look for to determine Male or Female?

 

[Liquifin]

Ah, OK. Thanks. Say I did take a pic for ventral sexing, what would I look for to determine Male or Female?

That is going to depend on the species you are ventral sexing as some are different from others, but a general rule we use is that males will have a dark patch or dot that is inbetween where the two booklungs are located. While females will just have a simple slit where the first two pairs of booklungs are located. There is an entire thread to help newcomers on sexing T.'s on this forum. Just look for it to help you.

 

[Major 78]

That is going to depend on the species you are ventral sexing as some are different from others, but a general rule we use is that males will have a dark patch or dot that is inbetween where the two booklungs are located. While females will just have a simple slit where the first two pairs of booklungs are located. There is an entire thread to help newcomers on sexing T.'s on this forum. Just look for it to help you.

OK thanks! I took a quick look through it. I'm confident I can sex a T about 3" or so with their molt now. Thank Liquifin, your always super helpful, and friendly!

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

Molt sexing is the best way, but depending on species and size, you can often get a good idea by ventral sexing.

ok, so i tried to get some pics of the blonde's undersides......she was not happy with my prodding. Much hair kicking ensued

are these photos good enough to use to ID?

 

[Ungoliant]

are these photos good enough to use to ID?

The second one might work. Post it in this gallery along with the scientific name of the species and the size of the tarantula (diagonal leg span).

Edit: I see you have already done so.

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

sorry...i got excited

 

[WhiskeyR0SE]

My Aphonopelma chalcodes is also named Blondie, after the 80s band. She likes to dig tons.

Your little Grammostola pulchripes is a cutie. Mine’s name is Muffin. If you can, or maybe you already did and I’m just too blind to see, see if you can get a small piece of cork bark and snap a tiny piece off to serve as a roof to a burrow for the sling.

ok, ive finally gotten a pic of the sling's set up!

here is the enclosure i made with a fake plant and little clay hut: very cute, much cozy!

Buuuuuuut...
here's where my sling prefers to live...
a HOLE in the GROUND!