Tarantula fact of the day

[Venom1080]

Avicularia sp have type 2 urticating hairs, meaning they can't flick them at you, but coat their webbing and annoying keeper hands with.

 

[Venom1080]

Tarantula molts produce a foul smelling thick smoke when burned. Similar to what you would expect from a certain popular plant..

Brachypelma albopilosum and vagans appreciate some humidity. Around the level of a Lasiodora. Unlike the other brachys. Aphonopelma seemani also like some moisture. And will burrow if given the chance.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Brachypelma albopilosum and vagans appreciate some humidity. Around the level of a Lasiodora. Unlike the other brachys. Aphonopelma seemani also like some moisture. And will burrow if given the chance.

*Writes down.*

 

[BoyFromLA]

Brachypelma albopilosum and vagans appreciate some humidity. Around the level of a Lasiodora. Unlike the other brachys. Aphonopelma seemani also like some moisture. And will burrow if given the chance.

So for slings less than 1” Lasiodora difficilis, and Brachypelma albopilosum, beside having small water dishes, will a gentle sprinkle on a side of the enclosure once a week do?

 

[Venom1080]

So for slings less than 1” Lasiodora difficilis, and Brachypelma albopilosum, beside having small water dishes, will a gentle sprinkle on a side of the enclosure once a week do?

Keep them moist. I heavily overflow the dish weekly to biweekly for my Lasiodora and albos. Depending on how much the heaters running.

 

[BoyFromLA]

Keep them moist.

Roger.

Depending on how the heaters running.

I keep them in a room tempture with the blanket over tarantula enclosures at night, without a heater (I don’t see a need just yet)

In °F


In °C

 

[Venom1080]

Roger.



I keep them in a room tempture with the blanket over tarantula enclosures at night, without a heater (I don’t see a need just yet)

In °F
View attachment 260280

In °C
View attachment 260281

Blankets are insulation. They keep in heat. Tarantulas don't produce their own heat. That blanket does nothing but restrict ventilation

If your room drops below 70, get a heater. Don't push your spiders to their limits cuz you're cheap.

 

[viper69]

Roger.



I keep them in a room tempture with the blanket over tarantula enclosures at night, without a heater (I don’t see a need just yet)

In °F
View attachment 260280

In °C
View attachment 260281

The night temps outside are low, I hope indoors isn't that low for you.

 

[FrDoc]

Their setae is hydrophobic, meaning they can float atop water. They also can swim, and the way they move their legs while swimming is different than the way they move their legs to walk.

Also they like sweet bass tunes and Reiki.

HEY! Stop the name calling...hydrophobic...sheesh.

 

[BoyFromLA]

That blanket does nothing but restrict ventilation

Really?! I’ll remove it right away.

If your room drops below 70, get a heater. Don't push your spiders to their limits cuz you're cheap

Bought one!

 

[Andrea82]

On with the fun facts
Genus Ephebopus flicks urticating setae located on their pedipalps with their pedipalps.

 

[Venom1080]

Ummm..

Avicularia are the only true arboreals. As most of the time, they choose to make a web nest high up instead of going down. There are exceptions of course.

Virtually every other "arboreal" genus appreciates some substrate depth to dig in. Psalmos, Lampropelma, Poecilotheria, Heteroscodra, etc. All will burrow at least a little. Especially when young.


Lampropelma juvie. Burrowed so much it raised the sub level 3".

 

[Cassiusstein]

A few corrections:

In large bodied spiders, it's the chitin that is the important hydrophobic trait, as opposed to the satae that keep them afloat. In smaller bodied spiders, it is the combination of chitin and scopulae.

You CAN power-feed slings and there is no evidence that it lowers life expectancy. It is not recommended in mature specimen or slow-growing species.

My own:

This one is for the photographers. Theraphosidae and other araneids become exhausted very quickly, as it is irregular for them to need to use more than the small burst of speed that is usually required to retreat into a hide (this is because of poorly developed musculature in the legs leading to quick and abundant lactic acid buildup). Thus, before getting your spider into place for photography, wear them out a bit (be warned, after roughly 5 minutes they're back to full energy)

 

[Venom1080]

Two in a row? Whaaat?

Tarantulas will take prekilled. Especially when young. I have 3.5" spiders I raised from 1/4" that have never even had a live feeding. To prekill, simply crush the feeders head. Fingers, pliers (personal fav), tongs, etc.

Arboreals will do perfectly fine in cages longer than they are tall. If the height is adequate, length and width don't matter. It is completely illogical to suggest anything otherwise. Yes, critter keepers will work fine. Ventilation is extremely high on them as well, even if it's not on the sides. ,Lol
,

 

[BoyFromLA]

Arboreals will do perfectly fine in cages longer than they are tall. If the height is adequate, length and width don't matter.

I was wondering about this honestly, and now I have the answer!

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

You can to an extent, they have limited capability for problem-solving and memory but, yeah, they're not a dog or cat, they're not going to come when called or poop in a litter tray or anything like that.

Well neither do I. Okay, there WAS that time at the party, but we had ordered a lot of Taco Bell earlier and the host's bathroom was occupied and they had a cat......and you know what, nevermind!
I usually come when called, there is that.

More on topic, I found it interesting that sometime prior to my A. genic's recent escape, it piled up mounds of substrate. Probably a coincidence, but on the other hand, if you are trying to reach something in order to lift it up, piling stuff up to facilitate that goal isn't a bad idea. It was the first time the spider had bulldozed to that extent since I got her.

 

[boina]

Tarantula molts produce a foul smelling thick smoke when burned. Similar to what you would expect from a certain popular plant..

Wha...??? You burned a molt/molts ? Why ?

 

[Venom1080]

Wha...??? You burned a molt/molts ? Why ?

Cause I ran out of easy facts.

 

[Venom1080]

E olivacea have no spermathacae. Meaning you can't molt sex them. I believe there's another species like this, but i don't believe it's in the hobby.

Some tarantulas require a drop or rise in temperature to simulate wild climate during breeding.

 

[KezyGLA]

E olivacea have no spermathacae. Meaning you can't molt sex them.

You can sex them via moult. Females will have uterus externus. Just gotta squint more to try see it