Soon-to-be-Owner

[Lumberguy]

Well I did a little bit more searching, and I found a 1" chaco for sale @ $25, but with that comes a free sling:

1/4" Mexican Redrump (B.vagans)
1/2" Chilean Rose (G.rosea)
1/4" Honduran Curlyhair (B. albopilosum)

I wasn't originally going to get more than one tarantula to start with, but this deal sounds too good to pass up . Do you guys think it would be a bad idea to get two starter tarantulas instead of just one? I think I would go for the B. vagans of the three if I were going to choose one of the three. This would give me experience with a small sling as well as keeping me from getting bored by having the slightly larger Chaco (although I honestly don't think I could get bored with a new T, but what do I know as a beginner?:? )

 

[skippy]

hell, get 5 or 6... it's just as easy to take care of a dozen as one as long as you have the space

 

[scottyk]

Both the B.vagans and B. albopilosum are good choices. I personally prefer the Curly Hairs, but there is little or no care difference.

G. rosea slings are cool, but depending on your age, your grandkids may be the first ones to see it reach adult size

 

[Lumberguy]

Hah! Ya I was looking in between the two, and I think I remember reading that the curly-hairs have slightly more irritating bristles? On another note, I saw a gorgeous picture of a redrump, which kinda sold me: it looked like black velvet with an orange abdomen... just amazing. Are the temperaments different between the two? Both are docile, both are prone to flicking their abdomens, but is one or the other more notorious?

 

[scottyk]

Well- my two Curly Hairs are both more boisterous and active than my Red Rumps. They are bulldozers and are usually out in view, constantly rearranging the substrate and are really agressive eaters. Vagans are arguably prettier, but in my experience, tend to be a bit more on the pet rock side, so it depends on what you are looking for.

Both have urticating hairs of about the same potency, and neither are big hair kickers. I've never seen a bald spot on a Curly Hair, so they might get a slight advantage in that category.

 

[Lumberguy]

That's good to know... One of the reasons that I'm not going for a rosia is because of the "pet rock" feel that I've heard people have about them. Perhaps a curlyhair would suit me better. Thanks!:razz:

 

[arachnube]

I've heard alot of conflicting info on rosias temperment and behavior. The only constant I've seen about them throught the threads is that each one is different. Mine is definitley NOT a pet rock.

 

[NixHexDude]

IMO it doesn't matter for the most part what substrate you go with, provided it's not treated with chemicals. The bricks of coco fiber I have make A LOT of substrate. I'd guess the peat is prolly similar. For slings the size you're talking, I'd buy a regular old bag of peat at home depot or walmart or wherever.

The thing to remember with your first is that you're probably going to want to get it a larger container than you need. For a 1" terrestrial you want maybe a 5x3 container. For 1/4 or 1/2", the containers they're shipped in are usually sufficient. Some prefer tupperware or even seasoning shakers. Just don't but it a 2.5 gallon aquarium...yet.

 

[Lumberguy]

Quick question: I live in a dorm, and on campus I have a P.O. Box, which is where I was planning on receiving my spiderling. In case the shipping package is too big, the mail people keep it behind the desk until it is picked up. My question is: Are Ts sent in boxes that are plain usually, or ones with company logos or "Caution, Live Invertebrate" or something of the like on them?

I'm not strictly sure you're supposed to have anything live sent to your P.O. Box at school (I haven't heard anything for or against it to be honest), but since I would pick it up quickly I don't think it would be an issue except if the box spells out what is inside it. It would be a disaster if somebody had arachnophobia behind that counter and got a box that said Live Tarantula!

Obviously each company has different packing materials, and I have chosen who I want to do business with (Swift's Invertebrates) and I decided to e-mail him to ask that very question, but I haven't received an answer after several days, I'm sure because he's very busy. Has anyone else done business with Kelly Swift that I could ask whether he uses nondescript boxes? I'm really anxious to order my T but I really don't want anything to go wrong, and I'm just looking for a quicker response if anybody else has an answer.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I wish I could help you out, but it's been a few years since I ordered from him myself.

One alternative you could try is to have it mailed and held at the nearest actual post office? I don't know what's involved in that, but that's how it was done when I got my ball python in the mail. I kept an eye on the tracking number and drove over to pick up the box when it arrived.

 

[Aurelia]

No usually they don't have anything on the box that says "live tarantula." Heck, even if they're marked "fragile" they will arrive looking like someone's been playing kickball with them. The boxes I've gotten slings in are no more than 8"x8"x4", but if you get a bigger one, of course the box is going to be bigger.

I think you can request pick up at the post office instead of it being delivered to your P.O. too.

 

[c'est ma]

hell, get 5 or 6... it's just as easy to take care of a dozen as one as long as you have the space

I couldn't agree more! I've been raising 9 slings this year; 5 since June, and the others added later in groups of 2 when I just couldn't resist the latest offerings on Kelly Swift's site (I can't say enough about how great his stock and service are...).

It's been fascinating to watch the differences in behavior and development of the various species...and there's usually always at least one to watch, even if some of the others are buried..

I've also had no probs dealing with the really small slings, but then I usually have Drosophila on hand, and a great pet-store nearby sells 10-day crickets...Also, I'm in no hurry for "quick" results, tho my Nhandu & Lasiodora are going to give me them no matter what. They are well balanced by my Aphonopelma behli, who's been buried since Sept. 1st! (I can see him in his burrow from the bottom of the cage--he's plump & active down there--go figure!)

Well I did a little bit more searching, and I found a 1" chaco for sale @ $25, but with that comes a free sling:

1/4" Mexican Redrump (B.vagans)
1/2" Chilean Rose (G.rosea)
1/4" Honduran Curlyhair (B. albopilosum)

I wasn't originally going to get more than one tarantula to start with, but this deal sounds too good to pass up . Do you guys think it would be a bad idea to get two starter tarantulas instead of just one? I think I would go for the B. vagans of the three if I were going to choose one of the three. This would give me experience with a small sling as well as keeping me from getting bored by having the slightly larger Chaco (although I honestly don't think I could get bored with a new T, but what do I know as a beginner?:? )

I've had a couple of adult rosies that were very nice spiders; but I, too, recently got a curlyhair freebie from Kelly and it's absolutely one of my favorites. S/he seems to be especially active (at least compared to other Brachypelmas!) and is growing faster, too. ATM s/he is still in a 250 ml vial with coco substrate & a quarter of a black film canister for a hide. S/he has built a mound of coco in the mouth of the hide, and lurks behind it--I can see those little legs poking out one side or the other. And boy does s/he rush out when s/he senses a cricket.

--Diane

 

[BreakTheWindows]

I think the best first time sling to get is prolly L. parahybana. They grow like weeds, not like g. auerostriata which takes forever and ,honestly, boring. I feed my slings with the back legs of adult crickets which works just fine.

 

[Aurelia]

I think the best first time sling to get is prolly L. parahybana. They grow like weeds, not like g. auerostriata which takes forever and ,honestly, boring. I feed my slings with the back legs of adult crickets which works just fine.

My G. aureostriata grew to 4" in 17 months and she has a lot of "personality". She's just as active and as aggressive an eater as any L. parahybana.

 

[Crusaderwithgat]

I've had T's in all sizes.......the bigger the better. Some species when small are very difficult to keep alive and some grow just too dang slow. If ya really want a T then get a juvie or adult female, then maybe later on get some slings to watch'em grow. Whatever you get keep'em hydrated. I've raised a few very small spiderlings using only the butt-end of large crickets. Just rip the butt off and throw it in. They love it.

Jim

 

[Lumberguy]

I'm pretty happy with both my Ts. (got my chaco and curly hair and the curly hair ended up being larger at ~1.5") and though they both have burrows, they eat pretty well and I can usually see parts or all of them through the side or bottom of the enclosure. I've fed them prolly more than I should but I want to get the most out of my crickets so I feed them one every couple of days. I'm really interested in more, but I know I prolly shouldn't until I'm done with college lol.