Newcoming Keeper

[Mirandarachnid]

I have a list of needed items for the general caring process already compiled in an Excel Spreadsheet, with some budgeting included. Mainly, I'm just trying to cover all the basics - enclosure, substrate, hide, water dispenser / dish (when large enough), food, I even budgeted an IP camera that I can use to constantly monitor them even when I'm not present. This way, if I needed to keep an eye on them (I would hope for no bad reasons, just something like they're in molt and I want to monitor the process), I won't need to worry if I'm not home for the time being - biting my nails, wondering how my little babies are doing. Perks of being an IT nerd!

Man, I wish I could set up a camera to monitor my T's!

You may already have one, but I find myself using a hot glue gun pretty frequently. Then again I tend to modify my enclosures a bit so that I have a nice view and lots of ventilation. Fake leaves are nice to keep on hand, I'll glue a few together to make a hide for a tiny sling. Some small plastic pipettes will be helpful for adding water to the sub. If you end up buying the brick of coco fiber, I found out that a pumpkin carving saw is perfect for hacking off chunks if you don't want to prepare the whole thing at once. The brick is a headache though, to be honest. Oh, and disposable gloves aren't a bad idea. You won't have to worry about the hair so much with the tiny slings, but it'll be good to get into the habit of covering your skin while you're doing rehouses or maintenance.

Happy keeping!

 

[Mericuh]

Awesome choices! Love Euathlus sp. Red (obviously)

 

[DangGucci]

Thank you all so much for the support and great information/tips! I will try to apply every detail of information I can to better myself as a Keeper. I slightly put things on hold because I needed to get the Boyfriend Stamp of Approval before proceeding - we are GOOD TO GO, and not just for one, but for BOTH! I’m beyond elated right now, he’s the sweetest for letting this happen. He has a slight arachnophobia, but I think the Euathlus Species will completely replace his arachnophobia with arachno-obsession like me, those lil ones are too cute!!! I’m super happy, I’m gonna start making the orders tomorrow for everything I need.

 

[DangGucci]

Man, I wish I could set up a camera to monitor my T's!

If this is something you or anybody else has truly considered and is wondering how it could be done on the cheap, I would love to disclose my setup once I have it completed, as well as share any more information/assistance on how to set one up in any given environment.

This way you can all share in the marvels of technology to monitor your next molt, or keep an “eye” on your ICU.

 

[Mericuh]

Thank you all so much for the support and great information/tips! I will try to apply every detail of information I can to better myself as a Keeper. I slightly put things on hold because I needed to get the Boyfriend Stamp of Approval before proceeding - we are GOOD TO GO, and not just for one, but for BOTH! I’m beyond elated right now, he’s the sweetest for letting this happen. He has a slight arachnophobia, but I think the Euathlus Species will completely replace his arachnophobia with arachno-obsession like me, those lil ones are too cute!!! I’m super happy, I’m gonna start making the orders tomorrow for everything I need.

I actually got the Euathlus sp. Red to overcome my fear of spiders. I got one because they are slow moving, stay small, and most importantly, curious so I would have to deal with him casually trying to explore outside of it's enclosure lol!

 

[DangGucci]

Alright I have a few questions about my items:

• Substrate
  • I wanted to do 50/50 EcoEarth and Walnut LizzardLitter, but I think I can get away with just the EcoEarth right?
• Enslosures
  • While they're babies, can I get away with the container they come in? Or I could just use deli containers too, right?
  • About how big should their enclosure be when they're about 1" - 1.5" ?
• Feeding
  • I found Mealworms on Amazon, live, at 1/4" size. Is this a good size for a 1/2" B. Smithi or a 1/4" Euathlus Sp.? Maybe cut in half?
• Temp/Humidity Sensor
  • The one I got is a digital standing one. I didn't picture putting it inside the enclosure(s), but rather just outside to monitor the immediate surrounding atmosphere. Is this feasible for accuracy and comfort of the two? I'm more worried about the ambient temperature than humidity, I can maintain a decent humidity level here.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Nightstalker47]

Alright I have a few questions about my items:

• Substrate
  • I wanted to do 50/50 EcoEarth and Walnut LizzardLitter, but I think I can get away with just the EcoEarth right?
• Enslosures
  • While they're babies, can I get away with the container they come in? Or I could just use deli containers too, right?
  • About how big should their enclosure be when they're about 1" - 1.5" ?
• Feeding
  • I found Mealworms on Amazon, live, at 1/4" size. Is this a good size for a 1/2" B. Smithi or a 1/4" Euathlus Sp.? Maybe cut in half?
• Temp/Humidity Sensor
  • The one I got is a digital standing one. I didn't picture putting it inside the enclosure(s), but rather just outside to monitor the immediate surrounding atmosphere. Is this feasible for accuracy and comfort of the two? I'm more worried about the ambient temperature than humidity, I can maintain a decent humidity level here.

Thanks for the feedback!

Don't bother with the walnut shells, they are primarily used for reptiles. Eco earth would do better on its own, soft, allows for burrowing and absorbs moisture well.

Enclosure type will depend entirely on the size of your slings. Deli cups or vials are both fine options.

Meal worms are great feeders. They usually come in various shapes and sizes. Your going to want to offer them pre killed to your 1/2" sling either way. If their too large, you can simply cut them into appropriately sized pieces. Kills two birds with one stone when you have several slings to feed.

Ideally, temps should be in the range of 70-80°. Tarantulas are pretty hardy, and can take some drops in temperature. As a general rule, you don't want temps getting any lower then 65°.
Don't waste your time/money trying to measure humidity. Those gauges are notoriously inaccurate, and completely useless when it comes to caring for spiders.

Welcome to the hobby.

 

[WoofSpider]

If this is something you or anybody else has truly considered and is wondering how it could be done on the cheap, I would love to disclose my setup once I have it completed, as well as share any more information/assistance on how to set one up in any given environment.

This way you can all share in the marvels of technology to monitor your next molt, or keep an “eye” on your ICU.

I've tried this before. The problem I had was that I was using a cheap camera that I couldn't adjust the focus on and they didn't focus close enough to get a decent picture of my little guys. If you find a camera that works out please let me know, but I think you are going to need to spend a fair bit of $ on that.

Alright I have a few questions about my items:

• Substrate
  • I wanted to do 50/50 EcoEarth and Walnut LizzardLitter, but I think I can get away with just the EcoEarth right?
• Enslosures
  • While they're babies, can I get away with the container they come in? Or I could just use deli containers too, right?
  • About how big should their enclosure be when they're about 1" - 1.5" ?
• Feeding
  • I found Mealworms on Amazon, live, at 1/4" size. Is this a good size for a 1/2" B. Smithi or a 1/4" Euathlus Sp.? Maybe cut in half?
• Temp/Humidity Sensor
  • The one I got is a digital standing one. I didn't picture putting it inside the enclosure(s), but rather just outside to monitor the immediate surrounding atmosphere. Is this feasible for accuracy and comfort of the two? I'm more worried about the ambient temperature than humidity, I can maintain a decent humidity level here.

Thanks for the feedback!

1. I'm not sure what "Walnut LizzardLitter" is. Google just turned up this. And it that's what you are talking about, then I can't really comment on it as I've never seen anybody using it. Personally I use 100% EcoEarth coconut fiber for all of my Ts and none of my guys have had issues with it. Just be careful not to over-water it because mold can form (Generally not a big deal, but can be a nuisance).
2. It all depends on the size of the T. A lot of people use vials (what they will likely be shipped in) for keeping slings. Just make sure it has adequate ventilation and enough space for the T to molt. If you upload pictures here when you put the enclosures together, we will be able to give you more advice.
3. Mealworms are great for tiny slings. All of my guys that are 1/2" or smaller get mealworms. And yeah you will need to cut them for anything 1/4" and smaller.
4. Skip temp and humidity sensors. They are useless in this hobby. Most humidity sensors are wildly inaccurate and you will drive yourself crazy chasing a "perfect" number. The best way to regulate humidity is with a water dish if the enclosure is large enough to accommodate one. If not, then just wet some of the substrate every week or so. If you notice the T hanging out on the moist substrate all the time, then consider wetting some more. It's hard to explain how to keep an enclosure properly moistened, but you will pick it up quickly. The species you have chosen are pretty hardy anyway and will be forgiving. The B. hamorii will want it dry as it grows up though. Not sure about the E. sp red as I don't own one, but I've heard they are pretty tolerant of whatever humidity.

One thing that I would add is that both of the species that you have selected are really slow growers. The E. sp red especially so. You might want to consider adding something that grows a bit quicker if you are comfortable with that. If you do decide to do that, I suggest C. cyaneopubescens (if you want something colorful) or L. parahybana (if you want something inexpensive).

Good choice on the vendor too. I've got a few from net-bug that are doing well.

P.S. Good to see another techie in the hobby. I pay the bills as web developer myself. And being a web developer that keeps tarantulas opens you up to a world of terrible "web" puns.

 

[DangGucci]

Don't bother with the walnut shells, they are primarily used for reptiles. Eco earth would do better on its own, soft, allows for burrowing and absorbs moisture well.

Enclosure type will depend entirely on the size of your slings. Deli cups or vials are both fine options.

Meal worms are great feeders. They usually come in various shapes and sizes. Your going to want to offer them pre killed to your 1/2" sling either way. If their too large, you can simply cut them into appropriately sized pieces. Kills two birds with one stone when you have several slings to feed.

Ideally, temps should be in the range of 70-80°. Tarantulas are pretty hardy, and can take some drops in temperature. As a general rule, you don't want temps getting any lower then 65°.
Don't waste your time/money trying to measure humidity. Those gauges are notoriously inaccurate, and completely useless when it comes to caring for spiders.

Welcome to the hobby.

All I see is dollar signs, my good friend. Thank you for the amazing advice!
So for the environment I simply need a temperature sensor right? I found one for $8 that I could keep near them. I usually keep my room cold, so I want to start getting my room to a more nominal temperature.

 

[DangGucci]

I've tried this before. The problem I had was that I was using a cheap camera that I couldn't adjust the focus on and they didn't focus close enough to get a decent picture of my little guys. If you find a camera that works out please let me know, but I think you are going to need to spend a fair bit of $ on that.

1. I'm not sure what "Walnut LizzardLitter" is. Google just turned up this. And it that's what you are talking about, then I can't really comment on it as I've never seen anybody using it. Personally I use 100% EcoEarth coconut fiber for all of my Ts and none of my guys have had issues with it. Just be careful not to over-water it because mold can form (Generally not a big deal, but can be a nuisance).
2. It all depends on the size of the T. A lot of people use vials (what they will likely be shipped in) for keeping slings. Just make sure it has adequate ventilation and enough space for the T to molt. If you upload pictures here when you put the enclosures together, we will be able to give you more advice.
3. Mealworms are great for tiny slings. All of my guys that are 1/2" or smaller get mealworms. And yeah you will need to cut them for anything 1/4" and smaller.
4. Skip temp and humidity sensors. They are useless in this hobby. Most humidity sensors are wildly inaccurate and you will drive yourself crazy chasing a "perfect" number. The best way to regulate humidity is with a water dish if the enclosure is large enough to accommodate one. If not, then just wet some of the substrate every week or so. If you notice the T hanging out on the moist substrate all the time, then consider wetting some more. It's hard to explain how to keep an enclosure properly moistened, but you will pick it up quickly. The species you have chosen are pretty hardy anyway and will be forgiving. The B. hamorii will want it dry as it grows up though. Not sure about the E. sp red as I don't own one, but I've heard they are pretty tolerant of whatever humidity.

One thing that I would add is that both of the species that you have selected are really slow growers. The E. sp red especially so. You might want to consider adding something that grows a bit quicker if you are comfortable with that. If you do decide to do that, I suggest C. cyaneopubescens (if you want something colorful) or L. parahybana (if you want something inexpensive).

Good choice on the vendor too. I've got a few from net-bug that are doing well.

P.S. Good to see another techie in the hobby. I pay the bills as web developer myself. And being a web developer that keeps tarantulas opens you up to a world of terrible "web" puns.

Thank you so much for all your advice! Ok so I can safely skip a temperature sensor too, then. I'll try to keep my room a comfortable level. I don't mind having something that grows slowly; I just want something I can raise from little to big over time

And I didn't think about the Web jokes - I'll have to start weaving some ;D

 

[Thekla]

Well, for your E. sp. red sling (if it's indeed already about 1" - 1,5"), I'd use a slightly bigger enclosure. Maybe a 4" cube or something similar. My 1" sling is wandering around all the time. IME they like to have a bit more floor space than other slings.

 

[Wolfspidurguy]

Hi Tarantula lovers!

I have been watching countless YouTube videos, stalking these (and other) forums, and even dreaming recently about owning my very own couple Baby T’s. Now, as a birthday present to myself (24 on the 24th), I’ve decided to jump onboard! I will be documenting all of their lives to the best of my ability, but I wanted to start off by introducing myself and the two species I will be adopting into my loving family (no, I have not ordered them yet, as I would like to be 100% prepared for their arrival):

•Brachypelma Hamorri (ex. B. Smithi) the Mexican Redknee
•Euathlus Sp. Red - Chilean Red

I found some sold at net-but by Anastasia, and would prefer that they are females as I would like to raise them on the long-term, give them a very comfortable life, maybe one day even introduce them to a mate but I don’t think I would be upset having just one female, I would just be on the hunt for a female to pair with whichever male I get, once he’s all grown up!

I will be posting back very often probably with questions that I have not found the answers to (far-and-few between, these forums are a Goldmine of information), but mostly I will be updating on the status of my babies once I have them!

Many thanks for joining me on the adventure, and helping me along the way!

~DangGucci

Great choices! i feel like i should tell you some things i wish i was told before i got into the hobby:

1) subscribe to tarantula jesus (aka the dark den) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC178kThBUvGNps5cabRP_2Q most of the time if you have a question he has an answer on his channel somewhere and will sometimes answer questions you didnt realise you had but definately needed the answer for.

2) have money to spare. even throwing together what should be a relatively cheap enclosure can be super expensive if your keeping non wild caught things because you cant use dirty equipment or use substrait of feeders from outside because the Ts arent used to the bacteria outside. i was supposed to buy my first T (which should be here tommorow. Brachypelma albopilosum 0.5") was supposed to be bought with a Hadrurus arizonensis and a Scolopendra polymorpha but setting up the Hadrurus arizonensis enclosure with just the sessentials costed so much i couldnt afford to buy the Scolopendra of Haradrurus.

3) be ready to drive somwhere at any time or find someone who can drive you. something happening with a T or running out of feeders or just needing more supplies can occur at prettymuch any point in time (especialy in winter). seriously my mom is pretty much sick of the sight of petsmart at this point.

4) be ready to google and learn alot of scientific names. this one is self explanitory

5) be ready to see the name "@Ungoliant" alot. shes pretty much everywhere here and she'll become a very important ally. shes super nice and is usualy down to help new keepers and veterin keepers. i would not be in the hobby if it wasnt for her and her patience with my impatience and ignorence in basic things about invert keeping when i first got into the hobby (thank you @Ungoliant for that btw ). seriously shes so helpful that her bio is actauly a quote from someone that says "I really do think that Ungoliant is on an unholy quest to just shut down the Questions subforum" --EulersK.

6) be ready to keep other inverts other than Ts. even if ones mind is dead set on keeping only Ts they usualy end up seeing something oline or irl that they want to keep

7) this kind of ties into the last one; have one or two catch cups with you as often as possible then going somewhere

8) get plastic bins with clip on lids and enclosure supplies. plastic bins from home depo work great for makeing enclosures and enclosure supplies such as subtraite, bark, fake plants, ext. because you never know when someone will molt and outgrow an enclosure or youll find an invertibrate you want to keep

9) 2 good places to buy invertabrates are http://www.kenthebugguy.com/ and http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/ . i cant recomend ken enough he is one of the only stores that has both resonable invertabrate prices and qnd haveing the cheaper two day instead of one day shipping option makes that price even better and ive not heard of any DOAs from ken so it seems DOAs from him are pretty rare. bugs in cyberspace ive heard good things about but ive never ordered from there because the one invert i went there for was always out of stock but theres alot of realy cool stuff there includeing ogrfaced spiders (rarely in stock but still there which is cool) and there shipping isnt too costlym and niether are there inverts. the only downside is you must purchase at least 12 dollars worth of stuff.

10) have fun and make friends on the boards

(i didnt feel like correcting my spelling mistakes

 

[DangGucci]

Well, for your E. sp. red sling (if it's indeed already about 1" - 1,5"), I'd use a slightly bigger enclosure. Maybe a 4" cube or something similar. My 1" sling is wandering around all the time. IME they like to have a bit more floor space than other slings.

It's not yet, but I'd like to be ready for when they are about that size I found some online that I might buy now since they'll take a bit to ship from China. But I have the time to wait considering I'm buying them at about .5" and .25" Give or take half a year to a year for both, depending on their environment temperatures and feeding habits.

 

[DangGucci]

Great choices! i feel like i should tell you some things i wish i was told before i got into the hobby:

1) subscribe to tarantula jesus (aka the dark den) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC178kThBUvGNps5cabRP_2Q most of the time if you have a question he has an answer on his channel somewhere and will sometimes answer questions you didnt realise you had but definately needed the answer for.

2) have money to spare. even throwing together what should be a relatively cheap enclosure can be super expensive if your keeping non wild caught things because you cant use dirty equipment or use substrait of feeders from outside because the Ts arent used to the bacteria outside. i was supposed to buy my first T (which should be here tommorow. Brachypelma albopilosum 0.5") was supposed to be bought with a Hadrurus arizonensis and a Scolopendra polymorpha but setting up the Hadrurus arizonensis enclosure with just the sessentials costed so much i couldnt afford to buy the Scolopendra of Haradrurus.

3) be ready to drive somwhere at any time or find someone who can drive you. something happening with a T or running out of feeders or just needing more supplies can occur at prettymuch any point in time (especialy in winter). seriously my mom is pretty much sick of the sight of petsmart at this point.

4) be ready to google and learn alot of scientific names. this one is self explanitory

5) be ready to see the name "@Ungoliant" alot. shes pretty much everywhere here and she'll become a very important ally. shes super nice and is usualy down to help new keepers and veterin keepers. i would not be in the hobby if it wasnt for her and her patience with my impatience and ignorence in basic things about invert keeping when i first got into the hobby (thank you @Ungoliant for that btw ). seriously shes so helpful that her bio is actauly a quote from someone that says "I really do think that Ungoliant is on an unholy quest to just shut down the Questions subforum" --EulersK.

6) be ready to keep other inverts other than Ts. even if ones mind is dead set on keeping only Ts they usualy end up seeing something oline or irl that they want to keep

7) this kind of ties into the last one; have one or two catch cups with you as often as possible then going somewhere

8) get plastic bins with clip on lids and enclosure supplies. plastic bins from home depo work great for makeing enclosures and enclosure supplies such as subtraite, bark, fake plants, ext. because you never know when someone will molt and outgrow an enclosure or youll find an invertibrate you want to keep

9) 2 good places to buy invertabrates are http://www.kenthebugguy.com/ and http://shop.bugsincyberspace.com/ . i cant recomend ken enough he is one of the only stores that has both resonable invertabrate prices and qnd haveing the cheaper two day instead of one day shipping option makes that price even better and ive not heard of any DOAs from ken so it seems DOAs from him are pretty rare. bugs in cyberspace ive heard good things about but ive never ordered from there because the one invert i went there for was always out of stock but theres alot of realy cool stuff there includeing ogrfaced spiders (rarely in stock but still there which is cool) and there shipping isnt too costlym and niether are there inverts. the only downside is you must purchase at least 12 dollars worth of stuff.

10) have fun and make friends on the boards

(i didnt feel like correcting my spelling mistakes

TONS of great advice, thank you for the great contribution! I saw Dark Den so much on YouTube that your recommendation to Sub him confirmed him a new Subscriber. He's definitely very dedicated to the hobby and helping everyone learn the most.

 

[Thekla]

It's not yet, but I'd like to be ready for when they are about that size I found some online that I might buy now since they'll take a bit to ship from China. But I have the time to wait considering I'm buying them at about .5" and .25" Give or take half a year to a year for both, depending on their environment temperatures and feeding habits.

Hehe, I got it... you're planning way ahead. Your 1/4" E. sp. red sling will probably take ages to get to that size. So, yes, you've got loads of time to get a nice follow-up enclosure.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Alright I have a few questions about my items:

• Substrate
  • I wanted to do 50/50 EcoEarth and Walnut LizzardLitter, but I think I can get away with just the EcoEarth right?

I use coco fiber substrates for all of my tarantulas.

• Enslosures
  • While they're babies, can I get away with the container they come in? Or I could just use deli containers too, right?
  • About how big should their enclosure be when they're about 1" - 1.5"?

1/4” - 1”: I keep it in smaller one, then move it to a bit bigger one when it’s about 1.5”.

• Feeding
  • I found Mealworms on Amazon, live, at 1/4" size. Is this a good size for a 1/2" B. Smithi or a 1/4" Euathlus Sp.? Maybe cut in half?

If it’s too big, you can always cut it into desirable size or use 1/4” baby crikets/roaches.

• Temp/Humidity Sensor
  • The one I got is a digital standing one. I didn't picture putting it inside the enclosure(s), but rather just outside to monitor the immediate surrounding atmosphere. Is this feasible for accuracy and comfort of the two? I'm more worried about the ambient temperature than humidity, I can maintain a decent humidity level here.

I don’t use one.

 

[DangGucci]

UPDATE:
I made my purchases for everything I wanted/needed (that I didn't have already) :

• Exo Terra Coco Fiber
• Pipettes for water placement accuracy and control
• A pair of straight and curved feeding tong, and
• Thought everyone is recommending against the necessity for one, I got a relatively cheap but accurate temp sensor to help me get an idea of what temperature my room will be during the day while I'm gone and while I'm home.
  • Reason is I usually leave the AC off in my room when I leave, so it warms up a bit. My idea is to keep it on at the same temp and leave it like that for good once I find a comfortable level, as I usually keep it extremely cold in here and bundle up. Now I want to start warming it up in here to a level that will help the slings grow a bit quicker, but at the same time, keep me comfortably cool. I'm thinking a good 74 degrees while I'm present, and then maybe closer to 78 degrees when I'm out to work, should be good.
• For enclosures, I'm going to get small deli dish containers and nail them to a piece of wood for stability and labeling ease (I'll probably stop by Publix for them since I could just ask the deli for some)

• Mealworms - a bunch of live ones on eBay

And last..... but certainly most important:

I made my payment and sent an e-mail to Anastasia from Net-Bug for the slings! I'M SO HAPPY! I'm a little nervous though because I haven't heard back yet But I'm sure I'll hear back soon enough!

 

[Ungoliant]

For enclosures, I'm going to get small deli dish containers and nail them to a piece of wood for stability and labeling ease

Are you talking about nailing all of the enclosures to the same piece of wood?

I wouldn't permanently affix an enclosure to another surface -- particularly the same surface as the other enclosures -- as it is often it is helpful to be able to move/manipulate one enclosure independently of the others.

 

[DangGucci]

Are you talking about nailing all of the enclosures to the same piece of wood?

I wouldn't permanently affix an enclosure to another surface -- particularly the same surface as the other enclosures -- as it is often it is helpful to be able to move/manipulate one enclosure independently of the others.

I think I’m a little more worried about the containers they’re in accidentally getting bumped or going unnoticed since they’re so small. Definitely true though, I do want to be able to keep them slightly separate/independent of each others movement. Maybe I’ll get a small piece of wood for each small enclosure to be fastened to, would this be more feasible?

 

[Ungoliant]

Maybe I’ll get a small piece of wood for each small enclosure to be fastened to, would this be more feasible?

Maybe, as long as it's small enough that you can still easily manipulate the container. I don't know that I would drive a nail through the bottom though; any moisture you add to the substrate may leak through, and the nail will rust.

I'd try some velcro or a glue that sticks to both wood and plastic.

Another alternative would be to put the sling enclosures inside a larger container, so you won't accidentally knock them off the shelf.