Any Alaskan Tarantula Enthusiasts Out There?

[Ty Spaulding]

I've recently began caring for a Pelinobius muticus (King Baboon) and was wondering if there were anyone else from Anchorage, Alaska on here to discuss their experiences owning tarantulas or other arachnids.

 

[cold blood]

Here on AB, you can have these discussions with people all over the world, they don't have to be local to fulfill your desires....and thank goodness, because like AK, WI isn't exactly a hotbed of tarantula activity.

Welcome to AB!!

You wouldn't have family in WI, I basically grew up with Spauldings...all big outdoorsmen and women.

 

[Ty Spaulding]

Yeah I agree but I thought it would be cool to meet up with people here and exchange anecdotes about our t's and see what they're using for enclosures. I have a lot of friends up here from Wisconsin, and the midwest.

 

[cold blood]

Yeah I agree but I thought it would be cool to meet up with people here and exchange anecdotes about our t's and see what they're using for enclosures.

Yeah you can do that here, and your best time, is always a bunch of other's best times, its actually more convenient than face to face....but I hear where you are coming from, I also know very few people around here with even the slightest interest, but in time, I think you will find AB will fill the bill.

There's a whole section (vivariums) devoted to enclosures and every aspect from building to ventilating, to the individual set-ups. You will see many great enclosures (as many as you care to look at) with exacting descriptions from the people that set them up.

 

[Chris11]

Welcome to ab! Do you get tarantulas locally or have them shipped?

 

[Ty Spaulding]

Welcome to ab! Do you get tarantulas locally or have them shipped?

I ordered it from backwater reptiles. They treated me well and were confident their experts could identify sex at the life stage of kbt I ordered. They're very attentive and quick to respond to all of my annoying emails. To the best of my knowledge there isn't a pet store in Alaska that has any baboon t's.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Well um you probably got screwed. backwater is a group of scammers...

 

[cold blood]

I ordered it from backwater reptiles. They treated me well and were confident their experts could identify sex at the life stage of kbt I ordered. They're very attentive and quick to respond to all of my annoying emails. To the best of my knowledge there isn't a pet store in Alaska that has any baboon t's.

Word of warning, there may be no dealer as unreliable as BWR, experienced keepers wouldn't even consider a purchase from there. Their "experts" have proven to be quite unreliable, not just in terms of sex, but species as well. They cater to people that just do not know any better. I would not feel the slightest bit of confidence in anything they may have said or promised. This is one of only 3 dealers I am aware of that have a poor reputation in the t hobby.

Feel lucky that you had a good experience, but in the future, take advantage of the reviews section, unlike BWR, the vast majority don't have a single bad review.

Its always best to buy from dealers specializing in arachnids and to avoid reptile dealers that "dabble" in ts.

 

[Ty Spaulding]

Word of warning, there may be no dealer as unreliable as BWR, experienced keepers wouldn't even consider a purchase from there. Their "experts" have proven to be quite unreliable, not just in terms of sex, but species as well. They cater to people that just do not know any better. I would not feel the slightest bit of confidence in anything they may have said or promised. This is one of only 3 dealers I am aware of that have a poor reputation in the t hobby.

Feel lucky that you had a good experience, but in the future, take advantage of the reviews section, unlike BWR, the vast majority don't have a single bad review.

Its always best to buy from dealers specializing in arachnids and to avoid reptile dealers that "dabble" in ts.

Whoa, good to know. I'm pretty confident I got a kbt for sure from all of the research I've done on them. As for the sex, I'm just going to take their word for it until she's old enough for confirmation. I should've joined this community earlier. Well thankfully the t arrived healthy and with no problems at all.

 

[Chris11]

Hmmmm... so you like baboons ayyyy....
My all times favorites!!!

 

[cold blood]

The thing is that they probably charge a whole lot more for a female....and with a slower grower, you (the newer keeper), probably wont know till a good ways down the line...generally when people buy a confirmed female, they just make the assumption that it is, so when the opportunity arises, getting close and really looking and scrutinizing it for yourself is just not as likely. Some never check and one day realize they have a MM (often after they make a thread and the fact its a MM is only then revealed to them). We see this so often, I would almost call it common. And with a KB, they are so infrequently on the glass or in position to even see them ventrally that opportunities are rare. Mine is about 3", I think its female, but then, it never gives me a good enough look to be sure, so I consider it unsexed. It can be easier by pinch grabbing, but I'm personally not a fan of the technique and I'm not about to try with a KB, because the only thing I can guarantee, is that the KB will not be happy about it.

 

[Ty Spaulding]

Hmmmm... so you like baboons ayyyy....
My all times favorites!!!

Yeah I was drawn to them after doing my research. I don't think I have any desire to handle her but I do get a lot of fulfilment taking care of an old world t. I grew up in Sonoran desert and caught a lot of tarantulas as a kid. I'm pretty drawn to the OW t's but someone suggested I get a A. geniculata, a Brazilian white knee. I'm starting the research now.

Well um you probably got screwed. backwater is a group of scammers...

Well I know I didn't get screwed, just fed the kbt. I looked at her carapace and saw the identifying baboon's face. Every kbt sling I've seen looks almost identical to her/him. As for sex, who knows? But yeah I'm definitely going to take your guys' word for it from now on.

The thing is that they probably charge a whole lot more for a female....and with a slower grower, you (the newer keeper), probably wont know till a good ways down the line...generally when people buy a confirmed female, they just make the assumption that it is, so when the opportunity arises, getting close and really looking and scrutinizing it for yourself is just not as likely. Some never check and one day realize they have a MM (often after they make a thread and the fact its a MM is only then revealed to them). We see this so often, I would almost call it common. And with a KB, they are so infrequently on the glass or in position to even see them ventrally that opportunities are rare. Mine is about 3", I think its female, but then, it never gives me a good enough look to be sure, so I consider it unsexed. It can be easier by pinch grabbing, but I'm personally not a fan of the technique and I'm not about to try with a KB, because the only thing I can guarantee, is that the KB will not be happy about it.

Yeah, I've read that males are more hairy and have considerably larger legs. Don't really care that much, I'm gonna stick with just referring to her as a her because it really doesn't matter. Not a breeder or anything. Plus I named her Lucy, short for lucifer so the name has stuck.

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, not everyone gets hosed....I'm sure it was the correct species....however from your other thread, I saw that the t in question is merely an inch....so you can bank on the stone cold fact that it isn't a sexed female...its an unsexed sling. Curious how much they charged for the "female factor". For reference, I got mine at 3/4-1", unsexed, for $20.

Yeah, I've read that males are more hairy and have considerably larger legs. .

You won't see those differences at small sizes.

 

[Ty Spaulding]

Hmmmm... so you like baboons ayyyy....
My all times favorites!!!

Yeah, I was drawn to the kbt's for quite a while just researching owning a t. I'm fascinated with the OW t's. I grew up in the Sonoran desert and caught a lot of the local tarantula's down there after the monsoon rains. Thought it would be cool to get one that is completely foreign to me. Not to say that the south american t's aren't just as foreign to me as any OW t.

Everyone is nice here. I'm stoked to get into the tarantula husbandry thing more than ever. It's a nice break from the monotany of grad school and lab shit.

Cheers,
Ty

You won't see those differences at small sizes.

I didn't think so. Prior to owning this t I had a mantis and they are a lot easier to sex. Also a blast to own. So is it appropriate to ask you since you have one as well, she just molted 2 weeks ago. First molt since I received her. Have you noticed any pattern or schedule with yours? Frequency per year? I have read that it's kind of unpredictable.

 

[cold blood]

I keep my room pretty warm and feed well, although I do feed this t a little less. Every 3-5 days when it was small, gradually moving to every 5-12 days, depending on the size of the previous meal and where it is in the molt cycle.

Mine has molted just as you would expect. Mine's molt cycles have been: 45 days, 54 days, 75 days, 80 days, and 109 days...it last molted 12/18/15. It went from 3/4-1" to about 3" in 15 months. Not fast, but certainly not as glacially slow as many people have expressed.

Not a voracious eater, but not a bad eater either. Basically it always eats, but it often takes its sweet time...I don't see it pouncing the instant I drop prey in like a Nhandu, Phormic, Pamph, Acantho, or Lasiodora would.

 

[Ty Spaulding]

Yeah, not everyone gets hosed....I'm sure it was the correct species....however from your other thread, I saw that the t in question is merely an inch....so you can bank on the stone cold fact that it isn't a sexed female...its an unsexed sling. Curious how much they charged for the "female factor". For reference, I got mine at 3/4-1", unsexed, for $20.

Hmmm. When I got her she looked to be about an inch maybe a little bigger. She looked like a giant when she woke up and started running around her cage. Now after her molt she looks like an 1.5in. Just looked at the price. 24.99 plus shipping. I think it came to be 70 bucks.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

The thing is that they probably charge a whole lot more for a female....and with a slower grower, you (the newer keeper), probably wont know till a good ways down the line...generally when people buy a confirmed female, they just make the assumption that it is, so when the opportunity arises, getting close and really looking and scrutinizing it for yourself is just not as likely. Some never check and one day realize they have a MM (often after they make a thread and the fact its a MM is only then revealed to them). We see this so often, I would almost call it common. And with a KB, they are so infrequently on the glass or in position to even see them ventrally that opportunities are rare. Mine is about 3", I think its female, but then, it never gives me a good enough look to be sure, so I consider it unsexed. It can be easier by pinch grabbing, but I'm personally not a fan of the technique and I'm not about to try with a KB, because the only thing I can guarantee, is that the KB will not be happy about it.

Her rear legs, check those if you can

 

[Ty Spaulding]

I keep my room pretty warm and feed well, although I do feed this t a little less. Every 3-5 days when it was small, gradually moving to every 5-12 days, depending on the size of the previous meal and where it is in the molt cycle.

Mine has molted just as you would expect. Mine's molt cycles have been: 45 days, 54 days, 75 days, 80 days, and 109 days...it last molted 12/18/15. It went from 3/4-1" to about 3" in 15 months. Not fast, but certainly not as glacially slow as many people have expressed.

Not a voracious eater, but not a bad eater either. Basically it always eats, but it often takes its sweet time...I don't see it pouncing the instant I drop prey in like a Nhandu, Phormic, Pamph, Acantho, or Lasiodora would.

3 inches isn't that bad for such an aggressive species like these guys. I have no desire to rehome it for a while. What's you terrarium like? I'm curious what a 3in kbt can live in. Mine's cage is pretty big for the size but, seems happy. Already has made a nice burrow under some balsam drift wood.

Her rear legs, check those if you can

Even when it's only 1.5in?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Even when it's only 1.5in?

No but at 3 inches you can try.

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, you got it for an unsexed price, although you do get killed with shipping costs being all the way up there (although not much more than the rest of us)...I would recommend in the future, buying them in bunches, the less you buy, the more the shipping costs kill you....buying one at a time is about the most expensive way to expand this hobby. Think about it, if you bought 10, you'd be paying about $4.50 per t for shipping, versus $45 for just the one.

You are going to like the KB though, they are tunnel making masters. When mine was small it had a whole system with like 8 holes coming to the surface. Often I'd open the top to feed and it would constantly be bouncing up and down in random holes like I was at an arcade playing "whack-a-mole".

Just make sure it has enough room to do a lot of burrowing. Mine's in a KK for another molt or two, and has 5 inches of sub, when re-housed next though, it will have a much bigger enclosure and at least 10 inches of substrate.