New sling owner (Brazilian Red/white)

ClegernCode

Arachnopeon
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May 1, 2016
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16
FYI, it was almost certainly not a blondi...often pet stores sell other species as blondi, some aren't even actually close to being Theraposa, many are stirmi, which is what I would guess you had. Good thing about them is that 1. they are nearly identical to blondi in appearance. 2. They are hardier. True blondi are ridiculously scarce and ungodly expensive...stirmi are just expensive:)

You should enjoy your new little chromatus, they really are one of my favorite slings to raise. they have great appetites, fast growth and you get to slowly watch the colors and bands come in, which makes molts even more potentially exciting. Prior to molting they tend not to fast much and they recover quickly from molts as well. Mealworm pieces are great and readily accepted, once it reaches an inch or a little more, wax worms are another great, easy feeder....mealworms can be refrigerated and last many months and are a nice feeder to keep on hand when you have smaller ts.
Thank you :) I appreciate the opinions and it's good to know they grow and recover fast.
 

ClegernCode

Arachnopeon
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May 1, 2016
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16
The fact that you are referring to them as "breeds" and insisting on using common names is what's hinting us off that you are not ready for an H. lividum. As other have said, I'm legitimately not trying to be rude, but recent occurrences have us all on edge about pet store tarantula sales.

In all fairness, you are certainly an inexperienced tarantula owner. And there is nothing wrong with that, but you need to understand your limitations. I'm not exaggerating when I say that some of these species can kill the young, sick, or elderly.
I've owned tarantulas and other exotics for years. I'm not inexperienced and just because I don't refer to them in the full scientific names the way "most" do shouldn't be an indication of my level of experience. I'm a pet owner and that's how I refer to them. They are my pets they have names and personalities all their own and just because I'd rather call them the names we gave them and their generic names doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. I don't care what people expect me to do and expect me to act or say. All I care about is that I'm caring for them in the correct way sonthey will live long and healthy lives. I didn't come on this sight so I could ask about my adult tarantulas who are all doing fine I came on because I've never raised a sling and I want to do it right. I want the new baby to grow to its full potential and not die because I got wrong information from the internet. The sling was a surprise gift and that's why I wasn't as prepared for it as I have been for all of my others. So please I appreciate the concern but if you dont have something constructive or helpful to say on the subject of my sling please keep your opinions to yourself.
 

ClegernCode

Arachnopeon
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May 1, 2016
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16
Yeah... don't (never) let your guard, your attention, down, when dealing with those. They are "Masters" into the art of "let's fall the keeper into a false sense of security".
Oh don't were were always very cautious about her matinence. My boyfriend and I tag team her tank cleaning and feeding and such just to be safe where as all the others we can do individually.
 

Toxoderidae

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Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Messages
1,008
I've owned tarantulas and other exotics for years. I'm not inexperienced and just because I don't refer to them in the full scientific names the way "most" do shouldn't be an indication of my level of experience. I'm a pet owner and that's how I refer to them. They are my pets they have names and personalities all their own and just because I'd rather call them the names we gave them and their generic names doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. I don't care what people expect me to do and expect me to act or say. All I care about is that I'm caring for them in the correct way sonthey will live long and healthy lives. I didn't come on this sight so I could ask about my adult tarantulas who are all doing fine I came on because I've never raised a sling and I want to do it right. I want the new baby to grow to its full potential and not die because I got wrong information from the internet. The sling was a surprise gift and that's why I wasn't as prepared for it as I have been for all of my others. So please I appreciate the concern but if you dont have something constructive or helpful to say on the subject of my sling please keep your opinions to yourself.
Yeah just No. This made me cringe. We use scientific names for a reason, not because they make us sound elite, but because we know what we're dealing with. A Brazilian red/white could literally mean 10 different species. What we say means something. How long you've kept does not mean experience, otherwise I'd be the least experienced on the boards. (started in October)
 
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TownesVanZandt

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May 12, 2015
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1,041
@ClegernCode Don´t take this wrong way, but if your current profile picture is of your H. lividum you are keeping her all wrong! They need to be kept on deep and moist substrate. The tarantula on your picture has way too little substrate and it´s bone dry!

H. lividum is a tropical Asian tarantula native to Southeast Asia and they really need some humidity in order to survive. To keep them like an arid species might have some dire consequences in the end, so if you like, you can post some pictures of your enclosure and we might be able to give you some advice on how to keep Asian terrestrials.
 
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ClegernCode

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 1, 2016
Messages
16
Yeah just No. This made me cringe. We use scientific names for a reason, not because they make us sound elite, but because we know what we're dealing with. A Brazilian red/white could literally mean 10 different species. What we say means something. How long you've kept does not mean experience, otherwise I'd be the least experienced on the boards. (started in October)
Its too
@ClegernCode Don´t take this wrong way, but if your current profile picture is of your H. lividum you are keeping her all wrong! They need to be kept on deep and moist substrate. The tarantula on your picture has way too little substrate and it´s bone dry!
No worries! That's from in the store when we first got her. It's the only good picture we've ever been able to get of her lol. She's got pleanty of substrate and gets pleanty of moisture.
 

Bemottled

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 5, 2015
Messages
114
I've owned tarantulas and other exotics for years. I'm not inexperienced and just because I don't refer to them in the full scientific names the way "most" do shouldn't be an indication of my level of experience. I'm a pet owner and that's how I refer to them. They are my pets they have names and personalities all their own and just because I'd rather call them the names we gave them and their generic names doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. I don't care what people expect me to do and expect me to act or say. All I care about is that I'm caring for them in the correct way sonthey will live long and healthy lives. I didn't come on this sight so I could ask about my adult tarantulas who are all doing fine I came on because I've never raised a sling and I want to do it right. I want the new baby to grow to its full potential and not die because I got wrong information from the internet. The sling was a surprise gift and that's why I wasn't as prepared for it as I have been for all of my others. So please I appreciate the concern but if you dont have something constructive or helpful to say on the subject of my sling please keep your opinions to yourself.
I'm just gonna jump in and say that prior experience with exotics doesn't really help you here.
Tarantulas are very, very different from other exotics. Personality, care, body language, everything, is very different.
Also, as has already been stated, years =/= experience.
Everyone here wishes you the best. That being said, it's a very niche community with a lot of outrightly blunt members. For some people (me, personally) it's a no-BS place to get info. Everyone here just wants you help you care for your Ts (using scientific names definitely helps with that) and sugar-coating is a very inefficient way to put out information.
If this comes off as rude, apologies. I promise I'm not a rude person :p

What kind of substrate is in the picture? I know people have been asking about containers, but I'm looking at the substrate and I have no idea what it is. It looks like black aquarium sand to me.
 

Venom1080

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Sep 24, 2015
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I've owned tarantulas and other exotics for years. I'm not inexperienced and just because I don't refer to them in the full scientific names the way "most" do shouldn't be an indication of my level of experience. I'm a pet owner and that's how I refer to them. They are my pets they have names and personalities all their own and just because I'd rather call them the names we gave them and their generic names doesn't mean I don't know what I'm doing. I don't care what people expect me to do and expect me to act or say.
"other" exotics dont matter when it comes to T experience. thats like me taking on a Taipan because i have experience with large venomous spiders. :) in all seriousness though, learning the scientific name is the way to go in this hobby. its essential, people will have no idea what youre talking about if you tell them about your"Asian black" tarantula(for example), that can refer to many different species. it dosent effect your care for them, maybe. but it can be tough to communicate with other T keepers if you only use common names. theres just no reason not to learn scientific names, it will take some time, yes, but no one expects you to learn in a day.
 

Toxoderidae

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To give you an idea on how insane Ts can be, I'm rehousing one of my Haplos right now, as she is bigger than I thought. She's fallen over 3 times now threat posturing, and is currently in her enclosure, but in such a spot to where putting the lid on would mean I get bit.
 

Sana

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Oct 26, 2014
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1,139
So I'm actually going to respond to the OP. I keep N. chromatus, both slings that started as tiny as yours and a juvie that is a riot to watch. I have kept all of them in plastic storage containers on topsoil as a substrate. I included a bit of sphagnum moss because I like the look and it adds a bit of moisture since I live in a dry climate. I keep all of mine with several inches of substrate. Topsoil seems to be the preferred substrate for burrowing and my slings of this species have all burrowed at some point and seem to be very comfortable with the homes they have created. I fill the enclosure with substrate so that the top of it is no more than twice the DLS (diagonal leg span) of the tarantula. It's just a touch more then generally recommended but my little ones have proven to be fairly speedy and I would rather not have to chase one around the room. That little extra space gives me a split second more to react if one of them is startled. I give each a small piece of leafy plastic plant and a small piece of bark either leaned against the side or across the top of a small hole as a starter burrow. They have all incorporated the plants and bark into their homes. I use a small, shallow bottle cap (usually Arrowhead water bottle caps as they are the shallowest I've found) as a water dish. No gravel or sponge or whatever, just water. I'm told tarantulas float and in any case I've never had an issue with slings and water dishes. The dish provides some humidity as well as a drinking source and I have seen most of my tarantulas drink at one time or another. I keep the substrate moist in one corner, rotating corners each time so that I don't have issues with mold, and dry in the rest of the enclosure. These little ones are tropical and like a little humidity but they don't live in a swamp. All of my enclosures have good cross ventilation, a couple rows of very tiny (safety pin size) holes and a few holes in the lid. This species has so far eaten anything that I have offered them once they feel settled into their homes. It took a couple of weeks in their new enclosures for them to settle but that's not uncommon for any tarantula. At the size yours is I gave them prekilled crickets. Slings will scavenge and my experience with tiny slings and live food has been mixed. some have been intimidated by live prey, even of an appropriate size. N. chromatus in my experience are very food motivated, likely to try to eat anything that moves near them including water. They are also fairly quick and faster to be defensive then other NW terrestrials I have worked with. I never put my hands inside an enclosure with one of them. They would probably think that I was food. This species is beautiful to watch grow as they change a fair amount every molt as they grow into their adult colors.
 

Toxoderidae

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Well I got her in after what felt like an eternity. grumpiest spider ever.
Here she is mid "tantrum"
grump.jpg
 

TownesVanZandt

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To give you an idea on how insane Ts can be, I'm rehousing one of my Haplos right now, as she is bigger than I thought. She's fallen over 3 times now threat posturing, and is currently in her enclosure, but in such a spot to where putting the lid on would mean I get bit.
Are you sitting typing on Arachnoboards with a "Haplo" unattended in an enclosure with no lid? Lol, or did I get this the wrong way?
 

Toxoderidae

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Are you sitting typing on Arachnoboards with a "Haplo" unattended in an enclosure with no lid? Lol, or did I get this the wrong way?
More like I was on the boards with an unattended Haplo in my shower. She was too busy being angry at the floor to notice me, so I took the time to make a quick post via phone.
 
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