T. Blondi Opinions.

[2bears]

I have kept Ts for several years and now considering buying a T. Blondi sling.
Would like to get your thoughts on the pros and cons of keeping them from those of you that have them.
Thank you, I appreciate your advice.
2Bears

 

[EndofTime]

While I don't personally own a T. Blondi, I know some buddies who do and have done a bit of looking into them myself. I've seen 'em and boy does the "Goliath" term do them justice!

The pro's I'd imagine would be, for one, you got a huge and crazy awesome looking show T and pet. They eat like monsters, and due to their size have a pretty big menu of thing's you can feed them (Though some of the options are probably debateable.). I think they reach maturity after a couple years, not too sure on the growth rate as I've heard it depends on the setup you give them.

The con's I'd again imagine would be either maybe higher price compared to some, possible attitude (or rather probable?), pretty bad mechanical fang damage and powerful urticating hairs. Making sure you have the giganormous cage to keep it in. You'd probably have to keep an eye on the humidity and all that more strictly than a more "common" T like a G. Rosea, but personally I would see that as a pro since you'd get to keep more logging time on it.

I guess that's all advice more for a "non" sling but I hope I can help at least a little. I'd get one if I could personally, they are amazing looking. Best of luck!

 

[le-thomas]

For me personally, they aren't attractive because of their strict requirements and need for extremely large caging, though they're very impressive. I'd say you probably have enough experience for one. Feeding time and watching it grow must be just amazing

 

[Scoolman]

I have a big female T stirmi. what EndofTime said is pretty much right on. If you dont mind putting in the extra time to keep the conditions right they are awesome. I can sit ofr hours at night and just watch her wonder her enclosure (a 55gal) looking for roaches.

 

[mattg70]

I've got 10" female stirmi.She's a great T.I'd recomend one if you do the research care on them...

 

[rattlesnakejake]

I've got 10" female stirmi.She's a great T.I'd recomend one if you do the research care on them...

Thats awesome man. Did you start with a captive bred or wild caught? Ive always thought they were amazing spiders but its hard paying $100 to $150 for a wild caught import that may not make it.

 

[2bears]

I dont have one yet just in the information gathering stage to see if I would want one, allways liked the size but heard horror storys of how hard they can be to take care of.
I have mostly Pokies and like them alot.
If I do decide to buy one it will be a capive born one.
Thank all of you for your advise and opinions.
2Bears

 

[jarmst4]

Got rid of mine. Had a huge full grown girl. Couldn't stand her damn hairs, they would give me little rashes on my fingers. I'll stick with my OW ts.

 

[mattg70]

She is CB...I try to stay away from WC T's...lol

 

[wesker12]

I have kept Ts for several years and now considering buying a T. Blondi sling.
Would like to get your thoughts on the pros and cons of keeping them from those of you that have them.
Thank you, I appreciate your advice.
2Bears

Get a pampho, much better looking in my opinion, get pretty big, are extremely voracious predators, and best of all are extremely hardy

If not just keep the humidity up and pray it doesn't have a random bad molt...

 

[Vilurum]

Please don;t be put off by people saying all the "extra" work involved, I mean there is a small bit and you have to put a little more effot on but its not much compared to other Ts...

 

[CleanSweep]

Please don;t be put off by people saying all the "extra" work involved, I mean there is a small bit and you have to put a little more effot on but its not much compared to other Ts...

I agree. I use a reptifogger on a timer and it keeps her humidity up at around 70-80%. I also have a few live plants. She is a happy unstressed girl with no bald spots and she roams around her enclosure stomping all the plants I put in there lol. All I have to do is throw food in there every once in a while and make sure there is water in the fogger and her bowl. She is in a 30"x12"x12"

 

[jayefbe]

Just keeping some of the substrate moist and restricting ventilation (ie, no screen top) will provide the same humidity levels as your reptifogger setup. Actually, the humidity would be more constant.

 

[Scoolman]

Definitely a great species.

 

[goodyt]

I personally have never owned a blondie, but they do look really neat.

The main reason why I keep putting it off is because of the amount of urticating hairs they have due to thier size. There is an artical in the BTS journal (Vol 26 p. 52) called "A Hairy Subject" by Ronald J. Baxter about a woman who touched her eyes after she "stroked" her B. smithi and ended up being hospitalized for nine months for four hairs penetrating her eyes! This can happen with any T that has urticating hairs though. So, it's more something to consider being more careful about.

 

[Tweak]

Isn't extra oxygen I big thing these guys? Hence the live plants etc? I'm curious as well

 

[CleanSweep]

Just keeping some of the substrate moist and restricting ventilation (ie, no screen top) will provide the same humidity levels as your reptifogger setup. Actually, the humidity would be more constant.

I do everything you just described. The fogger runs twice a day for 5mins each. I was pointing out a way on how easy it can be to keep the environment these t's need to be happy. Sometimes I'm out of town and the fogger is peace of mind.

 

[jayefbe]

Isn't extra oxygen I big thing these guys? Hence the live plants etc? I'm curious as well

How much is a plant going to raise oxygen levels in an enclosure? Remember, plants do also consume oxygen when they are no longer photosynthesizing (at night). It's still a net gain, but I doubt it's enough to make an impact. Beware reading things online with no direct evidence to support it. It has been proposed, but that's it.

 

[Tweak]

How much is a plant going to raise oxygen levels in an enclosure? Remember, plants do also consume oxygen when they are no longer photosynthesizing (at night). It's still a net gain, but I doubt it's enough to make an impact. Beware reading things online with no direct evidence to support it. It has been proposed, but that's it.

Thanks for the info, JFB!