Beginner seeking guidance.

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
Hello, I have been considering getting a T for a while now. I decided that my best option would be a Tliltocatl albopilosum since they're docile and "easy to keep" husbandry wise. I almost almost bought a sling from fear not but shipping costs kept me from pulling the trigger. Yesterday I figured I would check my local reptile store since I needed crickets anyway and see if they had any, low and behold they had what I believe is a sub adult for $30 (was told it's captive bred). Well hindsight is 20/20 and now that I'm thinking about it the poor little beastie was hiding in it's legs when I bought it, so I know she was already stressed. Fast forward to getting home: I had a 2.5 gallon glass aquarium that I figured would be a good in between size for this kid, filled it with good amount of eco earth because I read a ton of "needs more substrate". Put water dish in corner and made a hide with cork bark dug a bit out under it. When rehousing I tipped the container to much and dumped the old substrate on the poor thing and it took off (only went 2 feet before freezing), caught her easily enough, and got her in her new home. Since yesterday she has moved from one corner to another and dumped her water (at opposite end of enclosure) at one point last night. Today she is up on a corner (as seen in pic) , still hiding in her legs. I considered removing some substrate but I don't want to stress her even more, I have not fed her because she looks stressed and I overall feel really bad for her. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. IMG_20200210_075928.jpg
 

FrmDaLeftCoast

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
141
IMHO - Too much substrate. Cut the substrate in half (or at least remove 1/4) & make sure you have a nice size hide (and throw in some foliage/fake plants, etc).
 

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
IMHO - Too much substrate. Cut the substrate in half (or at least remove 1/4) & make sure you have a nice size hide (and throw in some foliage/fake plants, etc).
Thanks for a quick reply! I'm worried about stressing her more by removing it. Would it be better to wait or better to remove it now? Not very visible in the pic but there is a hide, I have a piece of cork bark that that I excavated under for a hide.
 

FrmDaLeftCoast

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2018
Messages
141
Thanks for a quick reply! I'm worried about stressing her more by removing it. Would it be better to wait or better to remove it now? Not very visible in the pic but there is a hide, I have a piece of cork bark that that I excavated under for a hide.
Personally, I'd rather get it over with. T's typically need time to settle down when placed in a new enclosure. Sometimes it takes more than a few days for this to occur. I'd hate for the T to finally settle down, only to go through the process all over again.

PS. Unless it's a fossorial species, I usually give my terrestrial adult T's - 5" of substrate and less for juvies/slings, etc. T's feel safer in smaller enclosures. I typically try to place them in an enclosure that's 4 times it's DLS.
 

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
Personally, I'd rather get it over with. T's typically need time to settle down when placed in a new enclosure. Sometimes it takes more than a few days for this to occur. I'd hate for the T to finally settle down, only to go through the process all over again.

PS. Unless it's a fossorial species, I usually give my terrestrial adult T's - 5" of substrate and less for juvies/slings, etc. T's feel safer in smaller enclosures. I typically try to place them in an enclosure that's 4 times it's DLS.
Again thank you very much! I took out half of the substrate and I have to say, I really appreciate this T's slow moving and gentle nature, I just brush her legs with a paintbrush and she moves at a very leisurely pace exactly where I need her. Now that she's in the new enclosure and I took out the excessive substrate I think it's maybe a touch small for her. There's a reptile expo here in a couple of weeks so I'll get her some new digs then. What she in right now is my old dart froglette grow out tank.
 

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
Get it over and done with, no point in letting the spider get settled in only to disturb it and rearrange the enclosure.
I did. She now has a lot more space and is hugging the upper corner, no legs touching substrate. Live and learn. I'm thinking I'll hold on feeding until she comes down from the corner, does that seem right?
 

The Grym Reaper

Arachnoreaper
Joined
Jul 19, 2016
Messages
4,835
I did. She now has a lot more space and is hugging the upper corner, no legs touching substrate. Live and learn. I'm thinking I'll hold on feeding until she comes down from the corner, does that seem right?
I usually feed 24hrs after housing new Ts
 

Thekla

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
1,878
Just some curious questions:

Do you know the sex? Is it a conformed female (I mean it should've been sexed judging by the size ;))?
Does she have a hide?
What about the lid? Is it a mesh lid? If so, I'd replace it with an acrylic sheet with drilled holes in it, otherwise, she could get stuck with her tarsal claws and hurt herself in the process.
 

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
Just some curious questions:

Do you know the sex? Is it a conformed female (I mean it should've been sexed judging by the size ;))?
Does she have a hide?
What about the lid? Is it a mesh lid? If so, I'd replace it with an acrylic sheet with drilled holes in it, otherwise, she could get stuck with her tarsal claws and hurt herself in the process.
It is not a mesh lid, it's like a large grid metal. It did not come sexed and the way it's positioned atm (I think I maybe see a slit but it's hard to tell from the angle) I can't get a good look at the underside of the abdomen. She does have a hide but it's super not visible in the original pic. Cork bark flat as a roof excavated so she can go under it. I took out about half of the substrate earlier today.
I 100% did not plan on getting such a large T so soon but my local reptile store was selling it for only $30 and I've been highly considering getting one for a while now so I couldn't say no and just used herp supplies I had already to make her an enclosure.
 

Thekla

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
1,878
It's good that it isn't a mesh lid (I was just asking because it mostly is ;)) and that she does indeed have a hide (although she might not use it).

As for the sex of your T... well, I'm always a bit wary if they sell such a big specimen unsexed, it should be fairly easy ventrally and absolutely foolproof with a moult at this size. So, it could be male as well. ;)

Do you have a proper picture of your T? The first picture is a bit confusing of what is what with your T. albo. ;)
 

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
This is the closest to a proper pic I can get, with bonus lid action. Poor thing is so stressed :sad:. Gender really doesn't matter to me even though girls live longer. I got this particular one (out of the four they had) because it was the fluffiest <3
EDIT: I'm really not surprised it's not sexed because while I like the place I got it from they have their short comings and Ts are not their specialty.
View attachment 333616

It's good that it isn't a mesh lid (I was just asking because it mostly is ;)) and that she does indeed have a hide (although she might not use it).

As for the sex of your T... well, I'm always a bit wary if they sell such a big specimen unsexed, it should be fairly easy ventrally and absolutely foolproof with a moult at this size. So, it could be male as well. ;)

Do you have a proper picture of your T? The first picture is a bit confusing of what is what with your T. albo. ;)
This is the closest to a proper pic I can get, with bonus lid action. Poor thing is so stressed :sad:. Gender really doesn't matter to me even though girls live longer. I got this particular one (out of the four they had) because it was the fluffiest <3
EDIT: I'm really not surprised it's not sexed because while I like the place I got it from they have their short comings and Ts are not their specialty.
IMG_20200210_125208.jpg
 
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boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
This is the closest to a proper pic I can get, with bonus lid action. Poor thing is so stressed :sad:. Gender really doesn't matter to me even though girls live longer. I got this particular one (out of the four they had) because it was the fluffiest <3
EDIT: I'm really not surprised it's not sexed because while I like the place I got it from they have their short comings and Ts are not their specialty.
View attachment 333616


This is the closest to a proper pic I can get, with bonus lid action. Poor thing is so stressed :sad:. Gender really doesn't matter to me even though girls live longer. I got this particular one (out of the four they had) because it was the fluffiest <3
EDIT: I'm really not surprised it's not sexed because while I like the place I got it from they have their short comings and Ts are not their specialty.
View attachment 333618
Wait, in that pic the leg length in comparison to the body makes me think of a mature male. Does anyone else think so, too? @The Grym Reaper @cold blood ?
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
This is the closest to a proper pic I can get, with bonus lid action. Poor thing is so stressed :sad:. Gender really doesn't matter to me even though girls live longer. I got this particular one (out of the four they had) because it was the fluffiest <3
EDIT: I'm really not surprised it's not sexed because while I like the place I got it from they have their short comings and Ts are not their specialty.
View attachment 333616


This is the closest to a proper pic I can get, with bonus lid action. Poor thing is so stressed :sad:. Gender really doesn't matter to me even though girls live longer. I got this particular one (out of the four they had) because it was the fluffiest <3
EDIT: I'm really not surprised it's not sexed because while I like the place I got it from they have their short comings and Ts are not their specialty.
View attachment 333618
So, I think there's a relatively high chance from this pic that you bought a mature male. That's not a good idea - they just run around in search of female, hardly ever eat, and whither away. If it really is a mature male you also have been scammed since it is worth a fraction of what a female is worth. Post a pic of the underside of the spider or of the palps (i.e. the first pair of "legs" that aren't really legs).
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
Are you sure that lid is safe? Looks like one of those store bought metal mesh lids
 

Sleeplessowl

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 10, 2020
Messages
8
So, I think there's a relatively high chance from this pic that you bought a mature male. That's not a good idea - they just run around in search of female, hardly ever eat, and whither away. If it really is a mature male you also have been scammed since it is worth a fraction of what a female is worth. Post a pic of the underside of the spider or of the palps (i.e. the first pair of "legs" that aren't really legs).
That's a legit concern for me now. I think a supplier dumped a bunch of mature males because another store in my area has a ton of T. albo of the same size. Poor thing still isn't settling well despite the fact he's in a quiet and dark corner of the house. Didn't take an offered meal the other day. smh... thankfully there's a huge reptile expo coming next week so I'll get some slings during that. Today I'm going to go to hobby lobby and get some display cases and to set up for slings.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
May 27, 2017
Messages
1,336
I hate to burst your bubble, but a subadult T. albo at a pet store for $30 is quite likely wild caught, no matter what the person at the pet store said. They are one of the most commonly seen wild caught tarantulas around here, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's countrywide or beyond.

That said, it's not the worst thing in the world to have a WC tarantula. Usually the worst thing about it is if it goes against your moral standpoint, since parasites and other illnesses aren't as common as a new keeper might think.

It does look a bit leggy, but that's not a surefire indicator that it's a mature male. What you'll want to look for is palpal bulbs and/or tibial hooks with this species (not all species have tibial hooks, but this species does), as those are only present on mature males.

20200214_231249.jpg 20200214_230201.jpg

Even if it does turn out to be a mature male, keep in mind that doesn't necessarily mean you will only have it a very short time. This is a decently lived species, and even a mature male can live a year or more with good care. Mine has been mature for about 6 months, and he's still going strong
 
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