Chaco Golden Knee Tips

[Methane]

Hi guys!

So newbie tarantula owner here, just found out minutes ago that I own a Chaco Golden Knee and I'm curious about some stuff.

1. How often should I feed him?
2. Are mealworms decent enough to be the main meal?
3. How often should I mist the substrate? or do I even have too?

Normally I'd just research then do what that says but I'm getting a lot of mixed opinions.

Aside from those any general care tips for his species would be appreciated.

Also this is literally my first tarantula so the more specific they get the more helpful they'll be.

Here's an image of him and his current enclosure.

 

[KezyGLA]

What size is the one you are getting?

is the one that you put the photo up?

There is no need to mist this species. A fresh water dish will do fine. No sponge.

It will do fine in room temps, no heat mats, though you are in Asia(?) so you more than lilely wont need extra heat source anyway.

I would triple up that substrate to reduce risk of fall. This can be fatal to Ts. It also give your T more room to burrow if it chooses to do so.

What you feed it depends on its size. Though some people will feed until the abdomen is plump (not obese) then halt feeding until molt. These guys can have quite an appetite for Grammostola. Mealworms are a great choice of food for Ts, though they will tend to disappear as they burrow into the substrate. To prevent this crush the head of the mealworm before feeding. Crickets and dubia roaches are fine too. Dubias are probably the best. They last long and dont stink.

They can grow fairly large. Up to 8 inches.

They are usually quite a calm species.

Enjoy your Chaco

 

[Methane]

What size is the one you are getting?

is the one that you put the photo up?

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Enjoy your Chaco

Yes that is the one I have right now.

Regarding the substrate, which is more ideal, I take him out temporarily and fix the substrate then or do I just put substrate in the place where he isn't there and just wait until it balances out?

He's still relatively small, I would say 2 inches to 3 inches (?). Regarding the head crushing thing, would they still move even after it's crushed? Based on seeing him eat before I got him he only reacts to food if it moves.

Another thing, how would I know if he's safe to handle? Currently afraid of spiders and got this little guy just to try and cure that but he's so jumpy at times I feel like I might end up harming him if I try anything.

 

[KezyGLA]

Yes remove him temporary then add substrate.

Once you crush they head they will still wriggle about. It is important that you do so as mealworms can injure a T when it is moulting by biting. If your T doesnt eat it after a couple of minute remove it and try again in a few days.

As for handling, tarantulas arent really the type of animal for handling. Most people on this forum(myself included) are against it as there are no benifits of doing so, apart from your entertainment. Handling can result in a dead T from a fall, or a lost T from it bolting. It will just stress your Chaco and wont have any benefit. However, I do handle some of my species while I am rehousing or packing up for shipping. When they climb out of tank. Not all the time, only when it is easier than getting them in a deli cup. If you are intent on handling then do so slowly so not to spook your T. Always do it low to the ground as not risk of big fall.

I started out as an arachnophobic decades ago but my first T helped me conquer it and now arachnids are my obsession. I cant stress enough that if you are feeling jumpy then dont handle. Observe your T. Watch its movements and behaviours (which wont seem like much as they can be pet rocks sometimes ) once you are settled with having this creature in your possession then think about it.

One sharp movement from you may spook your T who will in turn bolt and spook you, then you jump and T goes flying to a wall/floor of death. Worst case scenario is this. So you have to ask yourself, is it worth handling? just keeping these wonderful creatures without handling can help you conquer your fear.

 

[Methane]

Yes remove him temporary then add substrate.

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So you have to ask yourself, is it worth handling? just keeping these wonderful creatures without handling can help you conquer your fear.

Alright, here's another one which was troubling me. When we moved him to his new enclosure, I wanted to feed him something to calm him down, unfortunately a relative of mine dropped 2 mealworms and it seems they've burrowed into the substrate. I've seen posts about these guys resurfacing as beetles and end up killing a molting tarantula and I don't want that to happen. When I fix the substrate, should I try looking for these 2 worms that got away?

 

[KezyGLA]

Yes. Find the worms and remove them to be sure they cant do any harm in future.

They shouldnt be hrd to find

 

[clive 82]

Yes remove him temporary then add substrate.

Once you crush they head they will still wriggle about. It is important that you do so as mealworms can injure a T when it is moulting by biting. If your T doesnt eat it after a couple of minute remove it and try again in a few days.

As for handling, tarantulas arent really the type of animal for handling. Most people on this forum(myself included) are against it as there are no benifits of doing so, apart from your entertainment. Handling can result in a dead T from a fall, or a lost T from it bolting. It will just stress your Chaco and wont have any benefit. However, I do handle some of my species while I am rehousing or packing up for shipping. When they climb out of tank. Not all the time, only when it is easier than getting them in a deli cup. If you are intent on handling then do so slowly so not to spook your T. Always do it low to the ground as not risk of big fall.

I started out as an arachnophobic decades ago but my first T helped me conquer it and now arachnids are my obsession. I cant stress enough that if you are feeling jumpy then dont handle. Observe your T. Watch its movements and behaviours (which wont seem like much as they can be pet rocks sometimes ) once you are settled with having this creature in your possession then think about it.

One sharp movement from you may spook your T who will in turn bolt and spook you, then you jump and T goes flying to a wall/floor of death. Worst case scenario is this. So you have to ask yourself, is it worth handling? just keeping these wonderful creatures without handling can help you conquer your fear.

Or even worse it could bolt & get lost in a fireplace

 

[KezyGLA]

Or even worse it could bolt & get lost in a fireplace

You savage.

 

[Methane]

Or even worse it could bolt & get lost in a fireplace

Luckily enough we dont have much fireplaces here in Asia lolol

 

[clive 82]

Luckily enough we dont have much fireplaces here in Asia lolol

Just as well really, apparently it does ha

Luckily enough we dont have much fireplaces here in Asia lolol

Just as well because by all accounts it does happen. Like others have said don't handle & you will be fine. Enjoy your new addition

 

[Crone Returns]

Hi guys!

So newbie tarantula owner here, just found out minutes ago that I own a Chaco Golden Knee and I'm curious about some stuff.

1. How often should I feed him?
2. Are mealworms decent enough to be the main meal?
3. How often should I mist the substrate? or do I even have too?

Normally I'd just research then do what that says but I'm getting a lot of mixed opinions.

Aside from those any general care tips for his species would be appreciated.

Also this is literally my first tarantula so the more specific they get the more helpful they'll be.

Here's an image of him and his current enclosure.

Please get that rock out of there before your T takes a dive onto it and dies because it tears its abdomen.

 

[Crone Returns]

Or even worse it could bolt & get lost in a fireplace

Meeeooiw! LMAO.

 

[Haemus]

I agree with the advice offered by @KezyGLA about the substrate. Because of the acrobatics I've seen my G. pulchripes do, I only give them about 1 to 1.5 their DLS (diagonal leg span) from the floor to the ceiling. This is my B. smithi's enclosure, but my G. pulchripes has a very similar setup:

 

[clive 82]

Meeeooiw! LMAO.

Oh come on, someone had to say it lol!

 

[Moakmeister]

When you feed it mealworms, crush the head right before you drop it in. This serves two purposes: one, it stops the mealworm from using its strong mandibles to bite and injure your tarantula. And two, if the tarantula ignores the mealworm, it will dig underground and pupate into a beetle. This beetle has hard armor and even bigger mandibles, and can AND WILL kill and eat your tarantula. This won't happen if you crush its head. Peace brotha.

 

[viper69]

Normally I'd just research then do what that says but I'm getting a lot of mixed opinions.

Where are you getting your mixed opinions from??

Another thing, how would I know if he's safe to handle? Currently afraid of spiders and got this little guy just to try and cure that but he's so jumpy at times I feel like I might end up harming him if I try anything.

Handling a T only puts its life in jeopardy, esp in the hands of someone who is afraid generally speaking. But if you don't care about that, by all means handle your T. Jumpy Ts are the worst to deal with, unless they are very fast and jumpy too!

Ts are fragile and if dropped can bleed to death if exoskeleton is damaged.

 

[viper69]

Or even worse it could bolt & get lost in a fireplace

Everyone knows only Santa Claus does that.

 

[KezyGLA]

Well maybe he found a B. albo on his way down one last year

 

[Andrea82]

When you feed it mealworms, crush the head right before you drop it in. This serves two purposes: one, it stops the mealworm from using its strong mandibles to bite and injure your tarantula. And two, if the tarantula ignores the mealworm, it will dig underground and pupate into a beetle. This beetle has hard armor and even bigger mandibles, and can AND WILL kill and eat your tarantula. This won't happen if you crush its head. Peace brotha.

Just a little correction...mealies and the beetles are dangerous to a molting or freshly molted T. Not to a healthy hardened up T.
My B.kahlenbergi likes mealworm beetles for dinner. Maybe it is the crunch

 

[Methane]

Not sure if I should make a new thread or just bump this one but oh wall.

Anyway, I tried feeding it a mealworm just now and it won't it eat. Nothing wrong with that but in the process of making him notice it, I ended up destroying and moving some of it's webbing and now it's just looking into it's old spot where I accidentally had to move a lot of substrate just because I tried to stop the worm from burrowing. Will the tarantula be fine? I think it's one thing where I accidentally moved a lot of substrate but I think I spooked it from it's most comfortable spot.