# Tarantula found in banana shipment!



## papixx (Sep 25, 2008)

Hey there, this is my first post.  I thought I'd share this with you guys.  My buddy works at a grocery store and found this little guy in a banana shipment from Colombia.







I believe it's a Hapalopus triseriatus.  He has it kept in a small terrarium with a rocky bed.  Anything he should know to keep this baby alive?

What do you guys think?


----------



## Philth (Sep 25, 2008)

Wow , nice find!


----------



## hamfoto (Sep 25, 2008)

That is a nice find!

Not sure how big that coin is...but the spider is probably not a sling, based on the color and pattern.

I would contact Martin (tarcan) and talk to him about this species...some new blood for this line would be appreciated (whether it turns out to be a male or female).

Chris


----------



## Moltar (Sep 25, 2008)

Wow, nice looking t! I'm not familiar w/ that species but since that's a penny it's sitting next to it must e either a very small dwarf or a sling.

Hamfoto is right, the best thing to do for the big picture would be to get it into the hands of a breeder who has some experience with that species and hopefully some other breeding stock.

I love those abdomenal markings!


----------



## papixx (Sep 25, 2008)

Hey, thanks for th input.  The penny shown is the same size as a US penny, so this guy isn't big.  What's a sling?


----------



## Red Eyes (Sep 25, 2008)

Very nice find! A little more info for you ... sling is short form for spiderling, Martin and Amanda are the owners/operators of Tarantula Canada which is located in Montreal, Quebec. http://www.tarantulacanada.ca/English/English.htm


----------



## bliss (Sep 25, 2008)

so..

what species is that anyways????

dan


----------



## papixx (Sep 25, 2008)

Red Eyes said:


> Very nice find! A little more info for you ... sling is short form for spiderling, Martin and Amanda are the owners/operators of Tarantula Canada which is located in Montreal, Quebec. http://www.tarantulacanada.ca/English/English.htm


Thanks for the link.
I understand this is rare spider to see in captivity.  I'd love for it to go to a good home/expert.



bliss said:


> what species is that anyways????
> 
> dan


Hapalopus triseriatus.


----------



## Moltar (Sep 25, 2008)

Well in the meantime papixx that lil guy is probably hungry and dehydrated. I don't know specifically about this spider's requirements but i'd expect it's best kept in a 4" wide deli cup or similar container with some sort of soft fertilizer and pesticide free natural substrate. Peat is highly recommended as is coco coir (bed-a-beast/eco-earth, etc.) Horticultural vermiculite can also do in a pinch. The soil should be slightly moist. Spray some water on the side so it pools at the soil level for it to drink.

It can eat small crickets like you'd get at any petstore. Please don't catch anything from outside for it to eat because you risk exposing it to pesticides and parasites that way. Sorry if you already know this stuff, I'm just assuming you don't keep T's. Congrats on a great find!


----------



## J.huff23 (Sep 25, 2008)

Is that species a dwarf?


----------



## tarcan (Sep 25, 2008)

Wow, now I know why my wife keps telling me to eat fruits!!!!!!!!!!! I might just have to give it a try!

Really nice find, this is beyond being lucky!

Keep us posted on the condition. The animal looks a bit slim, but otherwise should be allright.

Thank you for sharing 

Martin


----------



## papixx (Sep 25, 2008)

etown_411 said:


> Well in the meantime papixx that lil guy is probably hungry and dehydrated. I don't know specifically about this spider's requirements but i'd expect it's best kept in a 4" wide deli cup or similar container with some sort of soft fertilizer and pesticide free natural substrate. Peat is highly recommended as is coco coir (bed-a-beast/eco-earth, etc.) Horticultural vermiculite can also do in a pinch. The soil should be slightly moist. Spray some water on the side so it pools at the soil level for it to drink.
> 
> It can eat small crickets like you'd get at any petstore. Please don't catch anything from outside for it to eat because you risk exposing it to pesticides and parasites that way. Sorry if you already know this stuff, I'm just assuming you don't keep T's. Congrats on a great find!


etown, thanks for tips.  I'll get my friend to change its habitat and I hope he has a bit of water there already.
My friend did say he gave him a cricket, but he didn't eat it.  The cricket must have come from outside as I don't think he went and bought some.  I'll let him know though.  We're going to do our best to keep this guy healthy.



tarcan said:


> Wow, now I know why my wife keps telling me to eat fruits!!!!!!!!!!! I might just have to give it a try!
> 
> Really nice find, this is beyond being lucky!
> 
> ...


No problem, Martin.  I'll keep you all posted.


----------



## syndicate (Sep 25, 2008)

wow awesome find!
someone here found a tarantula in with some grapes lol!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/suffolk/7399412.stm
I guesse it was in her fridge for 2 days before they noticed it hehe
-Chris


----------



## Mina (Sep 25, 2008)

That is so cool!!!!  I wish I could find one too!!!


----------



## J.huff23 (Sep 25, 2008)

Im jealous. Those are both beautiful Ts...


----------



## WyvernsLair (Sep 25, 2008)

::: sigh :::  I want to find a T in my grapes.  All I've had was a black widow.


----------



## Protectyaaaneck (Sep 25, 2008)

what kind of T was that in the grapes? sorta looks like an avic of some sort


----------



## papixx (Sep 25, 2008)

Hey fellas.  A small update here:
"since last Saturday, i put a pin head cricket, after finding him i figures hed be hungry, and after two days he still had not eaten. i then thought, maybe they freaked him out a bit. i then took another cricket  about 1/4 - 1/3 his size and riped off the back legs so it wouldn't be hard to catch. it has almost been a week since, and still nothing.

i went to the pet store and bought the smallest "gourmet" worms i could find, should i try and feed him those? or wait out the cricket feast?"


----------



## Hamburglar (Sep 26, 2008)

It may be approaching a molt so it might be best to hold off a little longer between feeding attempts.  As long as it has water it should be ok....  it should be able to drink plenty from misting.


----------



## Philth (Sep 26, 2008)

> what kind of T was that in the grapes? sorta looks like an avic of some sort


Looked like a _Cyriocosmus _sp. to me. :? 

Best wishes with the spider , papixx.   You should defenitly work with Martin, for future breeding.  Any other info on these banana's ?  

Later, Tom


----------



## Godzirra (Sep 26, 2008)

ok how many people ran to the grocery store after this?


----------



## GoTerps (Sep 26, 2008)

Philth said:


> Looked like a _Cyriocosmus _sp. to me. :?


Looks like something else to me... something both of us keep.  

Eric


----------



## Philth (Sep 26, 2008)

GoTerps said:


> Looks like something else to me... something both of us keep.
> 
> Eric


The one in the video that Syndicate posted?  The grape spider ?:? 

I do believe that the spider found in the banannas,  is a _H. triseratus_.

Later, Tom


----------



## GoTerps (Sep 26, 2008)

Philth said:


> The one in the video that Syndicate posted?  The grape spider ?:?
> 
> I do believe that the spider found in the banannas,  is a _H. triseratus_.
> 
> Later, Tom


Oops, my bad, got confused what spider you were talking about!

Eric


----------



## dragonblade71 (Sep 26, 2008)

Hey amazing find! Didn't a similar thing happen in the movie 'Deadly Cargo'? Some tarantulas were amongst a shipment of coffee beans from South America and attacked an American town in this fictional film but oddly enough, I think they were Mexican Red Knees!


----------



## Protectyaaaneck (Sep 27, 2008)

Philth said:


> Looked like a _Cyriocosmus _sp. to me. :?



Im confused I thought the T in the bananas was different than the one in the grapes.  anyways both are really cool looking.  I like the one in the grapes more thought, looks sorta like an avic.


----------



## Philth (Sep 27, 2008)

> Im confused I thought the T in the bananas was different than the one in the grapes. anyways both are really cool looking. I like the one in the grapes more thought, looks sorta like an avic.


Oh boy, what a mess I'm turning this thread into, haha.  

I believe the first spider in this thread, found in the banannas, is a _H. triseratus._ 

Then Syndicate posted a video of one found in the grapes.  That spider looks like a _Cyriocosmus_ sp. to me, not an _Avicularia_ sp.

I do think _H. triseratus_ is a different spider than the _Cyriocosmus_ sp. "grapes"  

Later, Tom


----------



## GoTerps (Sep 27, 2008)

Philth said:


> O
> Then Syndicate posted a video of one found in the grapes.  That spider looks like a _Cyriocosmus_ sp. to me


The "grapes" spider looks like a little Paraphysa/Euathlus jobby to me.

Eric


----------



## Philth (Sep 27, 2008)

> The "grapes" spider looks like a little Paraphysa/Euathlus jobby to me.


I could believe that too, It would make sence to since they refer to it as a Chilean sp. Definitly not an Avic.

Later, Tom


----------



## UrbanJungles (Sep 27, 2008)

Here's another "Banana" spider that came in a shipment into Philly this summer...seems it's a more common occurance...and genus?


----------



## tarcan (Sep 27, 2008)

OK, that's it, I am going to be a whole semi full of banana boxes tomorrow!

This is getting really crazy!

Martin


----------



## bliss (Sep 27, 2008)

UrbanJungles said:


> Here's another "Banana" spider that came in a shipment into Philly this summer...seems it's a more common occurance...and genus?




you're joking right!?!  holy crap

tell me you bought this one... cause if you didn't i'm gonna start a business importing bananas! lol

that's a H. triseratus  as well! 

dan


----------



## Arachnobrian (Sep 27, 2008)

tarcan said:


> OK, that's it, I am going to be a whole semi full of banana boxes tomorrow!
> 
> This is getting really crazy!
> 
> Martin


Sheesh, who would have known a trip to the local fruit market could be a rare find.

I worked for a man who owned a couple of fruit markets in town, when told of my tarantula collection. He mentioned finding large spiders in the bananas happened occasionally. He first tried to give them to pet stores, then to the humane society, with no luck they had to consider it a pest and destoyed them when found.

While working for him I offered to take the pests away if any were found. I never heard back.


----------



## UrbanJungles (Sep 27, 2008)

bliss said:


> you're joking right!?!  holy crap
> 
> tell me you bought this one... cause if you didn't i'm gonna start a business importing bananas! lol
> 
> ...


Nope, why buy something that was free?


-It is however not in my possession, it belongs to a museum collection now.


----------



## Philth (Sep 28, 2008)

Wow, realy nice spider UrbanJungles.

I took some pics of a banana wholesaler in Costa Rica in 2006.    I cant speek for columbian banana's but I cant imagine where a tarantula would hop on for a ride.  After the bananas go through this process they are bagged and boxed and sent to there destination.


Every "clutch"  of bananas on every tree was wrapped in plastic to protect from preditors as well.(sorry no pic of that)


----------



## c'est ma (Sep 28, 2008)

Fascinating pics!

I remember our bus in Costa Rica stopping because _bananas were crossing the road_...there was a sort of overhead automatic conveyor line and huge bunches of field-cut bananas were hanging from it, on their way to the next step, what ever that would have been.  Maybe something like the above.


----------



## Hedorah99 (Sep 28, 2008)

Great, all i ever find are frogs in my produce. I feel so gipped. :8o


----------



## bliss (Sep 28, 2008)

Danny, when exactly was it that you found that t in your produce? 

so if it's from produce, that means it's from the wild... does it eat well?   the reason i'm asking all this is because it looks rather fat...  and if it's WC then there's the possibility that it could be..

well you know what i'm getting at 

--dan--


----------



## UrbanJungles (Sep 28, 2008)

Dan- you are correct in your assumptions.  Let's leave it at that - lol


----------



## dtknow (Sep 28, 2008)

haha...ok what brand of bananas are these?


----------

