So this happened

[DixonCyder]

Over this past winter, I've had a wolf spider. (Tigrosa grandis). When I found her, she was freezing to death. And now, as it's a nice day and I'm about to release her and all her slings. And it hits me. I've really enjoyed having her over the winter. She's been very entertaining. ... I have yet to see another spider hit it's prey as hard as she does. You can hear it! She freaking rolls crickets! It kinda bothers me to seperate her from this den she built. But I think she'd rather be free.
I decided I'm getting a T to fill the void.
I used to breed snakes. I do have a role about where I get exotic animals, I won't fund a bad practice.
One of these bad practicers in my area advertised that they were closing down their exotics and everything was half price.
I've seen them in there before. I feel terrible for them. Neither holds a spot in even my top ten...
But it was also hitting me in the feels. And to help them end a bad practice. I stuck while the iron was hot.
I had housing for the stripe knee. So I took it home.
Partner came home and was pissed. Pissed I couldn't get them both, as I didn't have housing for the pink toe. She took care of that problem, and we now have 2!
So many little micro stories skipped in here... The pet store guy almost killed the first one out of fear. And I wouldn't let him touch the other one.
These eight legged bugs have captured me.
Aphonopelma seemanni
Avicularia Avicularia
Tigrosa Grandis

I am no spider expert. But I got most everything covered. The Aphonophelma will be moved to the larger enclosure when we move the tigrosa out of the large one today. And we will only be using the top two pictured, at that point.
Save your criticisms for a post I will be making tonight. I have some questions about the Avicularia.

 

[EtienneN]

Cool welcome to T keeping! The A. semmanni is an obligate burrower (fossorial), though some people incorrectly keep them as terrestrials and they don't die, it's recommended to house them in several inches of slightly moist substrate. To keep the substrate damp all the time just pour in water from a plastic cup down the side of the enclosure and it will percolate down to the lower strata of the substrate. That arboureal enlcosure looks a little big for a juvie/even an adult A. avic, I have my six inch P. metallica in one of those and it's roomy for her. Let me know if you have any specific questions, you can always PM me if you want, I'm happy to help.

 

[DixonCyder]

This post is a follow up


I came home with two T's I rescued from a pet store. The stripe-knee is happy as can be. I've never seen one come out to look at me, every time I come home. Or one that eats as much and as often as this one. I've been calling her the "cricket-monster". ... Going to have to up the size of her food I see. I can't figure out her schedule, if I can't figure out her limit. She's eaten everything I've given her. And it's been quite a lot.
The other one is a pink-toe, Avicularia Avicularia. And it has been leaving me to question. I think she's happy. But I'm not so sure. And as an admitted, non-expert. I'm asking the community for a consensus.
So when I got her, she was being housed in a 12x12x9. With nothing to climb, and nowhere to actually hide, there was not even a shadow to get her out of the light. She was living with 5-6 crickets, and neither could get away from each-other. ... Idk about you, but I like bacon. And I don't want to live with pigs. I assume they also don't want to co-habitate with their food.
My Tigrosa and Aponopelma have both gotten used to me, and figured out where the food comes. Shelob (Tigrosa), has tried to hold her water dish down to prevent me from removing it (she had babies stuck in it). She's hard to shoo lately, like she knows I wont hurt her. And I know Bones (aponophelma) has more than figured out where the food comes from. This pink-toe (unnamed)... I just can't get through. Not yet, anyway. And maybe not ever. It's kinda up to her.
She has plenty of space now, she can actually hide from me now. And there's no food running around rampant in her face.
My problem is that she hasn't moved since I got her. Now, I can get her to move. She's not slow, and she's not lethargic. And the spot she's chosen makes sense to me that it would be her "spot". But she's shown no interest in food. And she only goes for water that I spray up in her area up there.
I think that she is happy, and I should just be more patient, as I've only had her for almost a week now. But with such a vast difference in activity between her and my other two (Aponopelma seemani, W.C. Tigrosa Grandis, and her, the Avicularia Avicularia). I can't help but also be concerned.
You may notice that I'm one of those who knows how to do their homework. My experience is in engineering, it applies because I am a very critical inspector. I check and make sure, everything is giving me exactly the results I'm after. (My heat lamp is at the perfect height for heat application not to be too much or too little. I know you're going to want to attack that). I also grew up in a house in the woods (thanks dad). I understand wildlife, better than I do humans. To avoid being long-winded. Refer to the parable of the scorpion and the river. I expect and want my spiders to be spiders, not pets. (... you should see my photo album. I only post arachnid photos here. But there's so much more).
I've included several pictures. Let me know if there's any advice you have (I may not follow it, but I need it, cause if enough you say the same. I will try it) Let me know if any of you have experience with this spider, and have had similar experiences. Making this a more normal activity for this species. Or the opposite, and you might have had success bringing your critter to life.
If zoom in, the very top left of the arboreal enclosure should reveal some pink toes hanging over the edge. The spot she's been holding down, is in the shade. And the lights run on a schedule. They are not always on. They're even programmed to do a thunderstorm simulation for me, for about an hour. I like to do that when I mist the cages. Idk if they notice. But for my wild caught, I assume she's experienced a thunderstorm before. The other two probably think it's a party.

 

[thebronzedragon]

This post is a follow up to a previous.

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/so-this-happened.319791/#post-2931484

I came home with two T's I rescued from a pet store. The stripe-knee (1) is happy as can be. I've never seen one come out to look at me (2), every time I come home. Or one that eats as much and as often as this one. I've been calling her the "cricket-monster". ... Going to have to up the size of her food I see. I can't figure out her schedule, if I can't figure out her limit (3). She's eaten everything I've given her. And it's been quite a lot.
The other one is a pink-toe, Avicularia Avicularia. And it has been leaving me to question. I think she's happy. But I'm not so sure. And as an admitted, non-expert. I'm asking the community for a consensus.
So when I got her, she was being housed in a 12x12x9. With nothing to climb, and nowhere to actually hide, there was not even a shadow to get her out of the light. She was living with 5-6 crickets, and neither could get away from each-other. ... Idk about you, but I like bacon. And I don't want to live with pigs. I assume they also don't want to co-habitate with their food.
My Tigrosa and Aponopelma have both gotten used to me (4), and figured out where the food comes. Shelob (Tigrosa), has tried to hold her water dish down to prevent me from removing it (5) (she had babies stuck in it). She's hard to shoo lately, like she knows I wont hurt her (6). And I know Bones (aponophelma) has more than figured out where the food comes from (7). This pink-toe (unnamed)... I just can't get through. Not yet, anyway. And maybe not ever. It's kinda up to her.
She has plenty of space now (8), she can actually hide from me now. And there's no food running around rampant in her face.
My problem is that she hasn't moved since I got her (9). Now, I can get her to move. She's not slow, and she's not lethargic. And the spot she's chosen makes sense to me that it would be her "spot". But she's shown no interest in food. And she only goes for water that I spray up in her area up there (10).
I think that she is happy (11), and I should just be more patient, as I've only had her for almost a week now. But with such a vast difference in activity between her and my other two (Aponopelma seemani, W.C. Tigrosa Grandis, and her, the Avicularia Avicularia). I can't help but also be concerned.
You may notice that I'm one of those who knows how to do their homework. My experience is in engineering, it applies because I am a very critical inspector. I check and make sure, everything is giving me exactly the results I'm after. (My heat lamp is at the perfect height for heat application not to be too much or too little. I know you're going to want to attack that (12)). I also grew up in a house in the woods (thanks dad). I understand wildlife, better than I do humans. To avoid being long-winded. Refer to the parable of the scorpion and the river. I expect and want my spiders to be spiders, not pets. (... you should see my photo album. I only post arachnid photos here. But there's so much more).
I've included several pictures. Let me know if there's any advice you have (I may not follow it, but I need it, cause if enough you say the same. I will try it) Let me know if any of you have experience with this spider, and have had similar experiences. Making this a more normal activity for this species. Or the opposite, and you might have had success bringing your critter to life.
If zoom in, the very top left of the arboreal enclosure should reveal some pink toes hanging over the edge. The spot she's been holding down, is in the shade. And the lights run on a schedule. They are not always on. They're even programmed to do a thunderstorm simulation for me (13), for about an hour. I like to do that when I mist the cages. Idk if they notice. But for my wild caught, I assume she's experienced a thunderstorm before. The other two probably think it's a party.

Some of this might not be totally accurate so if someone disagrees with what I say feel free to correct me.

1. Based on your description and the name "stripe knee" I assume it is a Acanthoscurria geniculata.
2. Tarantulas have very poor eyesight and can really only see light and movement so they are almost definitely not coming out to see you.
3. Acanthoscurria geniculata are known for being "garbage disposals" as in they will basically never refuse a meal unless in premolt. You don't want to feed it to its limit because that will just cause a very long premolt fast.
4. Tarantulas cannot get used to you.
5. Tarantulas react to vibrations in the ground so when you pull out the water dish they most likely think it is food and try to catch it.
6. She doesn't know that you will not hurt, in fact she probably thinks the opposite but is just in a different "mood"
7. Tarantulas are optimistic, ambush hunters meaning they wait until food comes to them so it will not remember where food comes from but it will react when food is there.
8. Tarantulas do not need much space. That terrarium you have her in is a bit to big IMO. Also you need to get rid of that screen lid because their tarsal claws (feet) can get caught in the screen and be ripped off.
9. Tarantulas are very sedentary animals in general so it will not move that much.
10. Avicularia sp. are arboreal and hence don't usually go to the ground to drink and instead drink droplets off of leaves or its web.
11. It is OK to think that you tarantula is happy, but remember that they do not feel emotions like we do and so can not feel "true" happiness. It can feel safe but not truly happy.
12. The reason people fight so hard against heat lamps is because they can and DO kill tarantulas. if your house is above 65 degrees for the majority of the time they will be fine. The general rule is if you are comfortable without a jacket or other heating than they are comfortable. If it does get below this than the MUCH safer option is a space heater. It doesn't have to be expensive just a normal space heater.
13. They cannot remember nor do they know what a thunderstorm is and as such this is unnecessary but I don't think it would be harmful.

Also you can get rid of that thermometer as it doesn't tell temperature accurately. I have tested this and it does not work.

 

[DixonCyder]

Half of that... Isn't about a tarantula. Tigrosa grandis is a wolf spider with great eyesight and memory. That happens to ride around on my hand from time to time. Sit on my finger tips and just look at me.
I hear this a lot about a lot of different animals. This is a judeo Christian view of animals. And in every case, we discover we have grossly underestimated the thought processes of any given animal. I do not do this.
While my evaluation isn't science, science has been showing me a trend of agreement. ... Have you seen the video of a man cleaning the feet of a wolf spider? Tell me you don't see it's epiphany, when it becomes aware it's being helped?
And my photo album of wild animals interacting with me says, there's something to my approach. Mutual respect can be earned, with a little credit and understanding.
I've got wild birds chilling in my hand, before flying off. Wild deer, taking food from my hand. All kinds of stuff, and so often, everyone who knows me, has seen it.
Granted I grew up in a house in the woods. And most, aren't that connected to the world they live in.
And when I say, I want to call her happy. I mean, she is, without want. As in content.
But don't make a habit of underestimating. Especially animals in your care. Even my blind friend, looks at me. You related your sense of being blind to your experience with sight.
My name's are correct. Except for maybe the one this post is actually about, because a bunch of those got reclassified. But I doubt that one was one of them.
My question is quite specific. Do you think I checked the temperature in there with that thermometer? How would I know what the temp is at the bottom? Or in the shade where she's at?
The previous post talks about it being cold here.
And I don't need to warm the whole damn room with a space heater to warm them. Do you see the distance I have for that tiny heat lamp.
About half of that was good, but nothing to do with my question. 1/4 was going off about an opinion to their intelligence and the rest was ripping up my setups, when those aren't the subject. And are very well maintained and adjusted.
I'm sorry, I'm an adult. I have my own house, and I prefer the things in it to be more attractive than a Tupperware tub.

 

[thebronzedragon]

Half of that... Isn't about a tarantula. Tigrosa grandis is a wolf spider with great eyesight and memory. That happens to ride around on my hand from time to time. Sit on my finger tips and just look at me.
I hear this a lot about a lot of different animals. This is a judeo Christian view of animals. And in every case, we discover we have grossly underestimated the thought processes of any given animal. I do not do this.
While my evaluation isn't science, science has been showing me a trend of agreement. ... Have you seen the video of a man cleaning the feet of a wolf spider? Tell me you don't see it's epiphany, when it becomes aware it's being helped?
And my photo album of wild animals interacting with me says, there's something to my approach. Mutual respect can be earned, with a little credit and understanding.
I've got wild birds chilling in my hand, before flying off. Wild deer, taking food from my hand. All kinds of stuff, and so often, everyone who knows me, has seen it.
Granted I grew up in a house in the woods. And most, aren't that connected to the world they live in.
And when I say, I want to call her happy. I mean, she is, without want. As in content.
But don't make a habit of underestimating. Especially animals in your care. Even my blind friend, looks at me. You related your sense of being blind to your experience with sight.

I apologise for my misunderstanding with the T. grandis. I saw a scientific name and assumed it was a tarantula. I have seen the video of the wolf spider being helped by the person and I do see that the spider calms down but I do not consider this high functioning brain activity. I see this as more the spider realising that this will benefit it and so lets it continue. If you are implying that the spider and the person made a connection than I must disagree. I have also interacted with many animals in my short time on this earth. Most likely not as many as you have but a fair share. There is truth in that if you give it the respect it deserves it will give you respect in the case of most animals. Many animals will realise you are not trying to harm them and will then calm down. Much of this comes down to each of our approaches. I am an atheist and hence take my approach in a purely scientific direction and so I believe the studies that I read and what I can repeat and in those studies I have found that most inverts have very little brain capacity and so I will continue to base assumptions of them with that in mind. In regard to my comment about you saying your tarantula being happy I apologise for that. I have seen to many new keepers worry about weather their new T is happy or not or will connect with them and made a wild assumption about what you meant by that. As for my suggestions on the care of your Avic, I still stand by it.

 

[PidderPeets]

For your Avic, it would probably appreciate more plants (ideally fake, I see that real plant in there) near the top of that giant piece of wood. That would allow for it to work on some webbing and create an area for it to hang around. But in general, tarantulas are fairly inactive. I will say my Avic is probably among my most active Ts, but that's still hardly more than changing places and grooming herself throughout the day.

I'm concerned with the real plant, and the moisture in the enclosure. Avics don't tend to do well in moist, stuffy conditions, and it can be rather difficult to achieve a safe balance of ventilation with plants and moisture. Are you actually using that hygrometer to determine humidity, or is it just for the small temp gauge? I know many care sheets state that Avic need very high humidity, however, that's extremely outdated information and has since been proven to be quite detrimental to them.

If any of that comes across as crass or rude, I apologize. I just rushed out as much info as possible during my lunch break. Either I'll respond with more info later, or someone else will beat me to it to give you more precise information and explanations

 

[DixonCyder]

Copy that. I can get some fake plants for the ceiling. Ummm. Humidity now is around 60%. And yes, that's what I use that gauge for.
The plant inside is just a regular potted plant, it's not necessarily exotic. Doesn't require humidity, helps manage it. There's a drainage layer below it. Substrate keeps a nice natural level of water, feels like dirt outside. Without having to ever soak it, or worry about too much. Substrate is a special mix that we make here.
I have no intentions on keeping a high humidity. I live in the Midwest United States, though. Humidity is a thing here, in the summer.
Being this is a new addition. I couldn't begin to tell you if she's due to molt. I may try food again, in a few days.
She wasn't kept well, for probably her whole life, up till now. And I was worried this,... Loafing was abnormal.

 

[Anoplogaster]

If we are going to speak of this in happiness terms, I can assure you tarantulas are much happier without heat lamps. They do everything they can to avoid light. Because in nature, light exposes them to predation. With that said, live plants tend to do better with light, which is also a reason in favor of fake plants. Don’t worry so much about regulating humidity, because humidity is nearly completely irrelevant to tarantulas.

I’m also a supporter of space heaters as a much better option. You don’t need to make it uncomfortably warm for yourself. You just need a bit of help achieving a minimum temp, which a space heater can provide for you. Remember, you are coexisting with these animals now. This means you now have a responsibility to make sacrifices for them, even if that means purchasing a heater and bumping the room up maybe slightly higher than what you prefer. In the long run, it will make your spiders happier AND be a much safer environment for them.

 

[DixonCyder]

Alright. Made some changes.
First photo is a repeat, so you don't have hunt to find it in a previous post.
Changes made...
Tigrosa grandis - finally caught her and released her. Cleaned her large enclosure and prepared it for a tarantula.
Aphonopelma seemanni - the previous mentioned tarantula, it inherited the larger enclosure and can be found in the left side. Hide is buried cork bark, with a root over the top of it. No heat lamp. Temp is around 70, and humidity will vary, but is a drier setup. With enough moisture to ease burrowing... At least to start. We'll see if she's into it.
Aviculaira Avicularia - right hand enclosure. Cork bark hide removed and cannibalized by previous setup. Cork wall to replace it. Heat lamp is on in the photo, but not usually running. Temp is around 75, and humidity varies. 50 - 80% depending on weather. Oh yes, almost forgot, added some silk plants this for added cover and comfort. Looks good too.
Both - substrate is a mix we do at home. And we have added some pieces you may not be able to see, to block the light in areas of the enclosures.
Light is the programmable blue tooth light from exoterra. It was there before too. It gets brighter until noon, then gets darker at an accelerated schedule. It's off around 5pm.

 

[Vanisher]

For your Avic, it would probably appreciate more plants (ideally fake, I see that real plant in there) near the top of that giant piece of wood. That would allow for it to work on some webbing and create an area for it to hang around. But in general, tarantulas are fairly inactive. I will say my Avic is probably among my most active Ts, but that's still hardly more than changing places and grooming herself throughout the day.

I'm concerned with the real plant, and the moisture in the enclosure. Avics don't tend to do well in moist, stuffy conditions, and it can be rather difficult to achieve a safe balance of ventilation with plants and moisture. Are you actually using that hygrometer to determine humidity, or is it just for the small temp gauge? I know many care sheets state that Avic need very high humidity, however, that's extremely outdated information and has since been proven to be quite detrimental to them.

If any of that comes across as crass or rude, I apologize. I just rushed out as much info as possible during my lunch break. Either I'll respond with more info later, or someone else will beat me to it to give you more precise information and explanations

I would say perferable live ones! If you choose the right plant! Epipremnum in the picture are the best! They are also called "Photos" of cause plastic plants work as a charm, but live plants have some pros that fake ones dont!

 

[DixonCyder]

We want to use a live vine... We had one. But at a closer look. It came infested with something. It will probably happen a bit later. Only concern is that it will die, because the light is blocked out in the back. But on the other hand it might be fine. ... Only one way to find out. It is a very potent light for plants.
Currently it has one live, and the vine is fake.