Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens Open Thread

[Colorado Ts]

Here she is! I'm wondering if the enclosure may be to big to start out now. What do yall think?

The enclosure looks fine to me. I’m seeing dry substrate, a hide, water dish...surfaces to attach webbing. The area of the enclosure looks to match the sling and accommodate growth for a bit. Yeah, looks good.

 

[Josh Mulhern]

So I got paranoid and couldnt tell if she was just small enough to squeeze through one of the slats in the top of the critter keeper so I made her this makeshift enclosure until she gets a bit bigger. Still dry substrate, water dish, and a little anchor point for her to web. Heck, she webbed up the corner of the critter keeper within an hour of me putting her in.

 

[RadicalSquire7]

So I got paranoid and couldnt tell if she was just small enough to squeeze through one of the slats in the top of the critter keeper so I made her this makeshift enclosure until she gets a bit bigger. Still dry substrate, water dish, and a little anchor point for her to web. Heck, she webbed up the corner of the critter keeper within an hour of me putting her in.

Just as a FYI don’t just rehouse after rehouse on the spider really stresses them out and you could have put cloth or something else over the holes you were worried about. My two versicolor slings sorry for the derail have been in their 32oz deli cups for about 10 hours and just sat in one place pretty much. What do you guys think about that. Are they ok just getting used to it. Waiting until night?

 

[Colorado Ts]

Just as a FYI don’t just rehouse after rehouse on the spider really stresses them out and you could have put cloth or something else over the holes you were worried about. My two versicolor slings sorry for the derail have been in their 32oz deli cups for about 10 hours and just sat in one place pretty much. What do you guys think about that. Are they ok just getting used to it. Waiting until night?

As to C.versicolor...I haven't a clue. It’s a species that is on my list for next year, but not a species that I currently keep or maintain.

How long in your experience do slings take to settle in?

So I got paranoid and couldnt tell if she was just small enough to squeeze through one of the slats in the top of the critter keeper so I made her this makeshift enclosure until she gets a bit bigger. Still dry substrate, water dish, and a little anchor point for her to web. Heck, she webbed up the corner of the critter keeper within an hour of me putting her in.

In general it shouldn't take long for a Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens to settle in. Though that is not true of all species, Aphonopelma seemanni seem to enjoy sulking and wallowing in discontent following a rehouse.

The main skill that is pervasive within this hobby is patience. These are spiders, and spiders do things in their own way and at their own pace. If patience is not one of your virtues, then it is a skill that needs to be developed. In the interim, you could add to your collection...that way you are spreading your attentions among multiple spiders, making it easier to exorcise patience with individual spiders, in small bits and chunks.

It is a great hobby. I have learned so much in a short time, and there is so much out there that I don’t have a clue...heck, look at how this post began , as an example.

Enjoy the day.

 

[wesker12]

Perfect mealworm sized vent holes

 

[Colorado Ts]

Perfect mealworm sized vent holes

That's a crazy way to feed a sling...

 

[wesker12]

That's a crazy way to feed a sling...

got two lil gbbs just under 2 inches, been feeding em both through the vent holes (with occasional dubia drop on top). Very satisfying feeling them tug the mealworm out of my hand

 

[Colorado Ts]

got two lil gbbs just under 2 inches, been feeding em both through the vent holes (with occasional dubia drop on top). Very satisfying feeling them tug the mealworm out of my hand

They are an amazing species. I really love my juveniles. They were just under 3/4” when I got them last fall...I’ve really enjoyed watching them grow.

 

[wesker12]

They are an amazing species. I really love my juveniles. They were just under 3/4” when I got them last fall...I’ve really enjoyed watching them grow.
View attachment 352276

Honestly among my favorite species, probably top 5 for sure! Raising them from slings is so rewarding, I remember a decade ago I got 5 Gbb 3i for 120 shipped (die waiting for that kind of deal now) and raised them all, so pretty, so active, very voracious predators and such wonderful display animals, just sits out there like "what's up, welcome to the crib".

 

[Seemannnni]

I've asked this question before probably but I just want some emphasis and explanation of this behavior. My GBB sling has been incredibly secretive since the last meal, specifically hiding more since last week, however. I had to remove uneaten prey but it resulted in the poor thing's world being shook since, as we all know, it was webbed up profusely. I would imagine, since there appears to be no injury, that it would get over the shakeup by now and said secrecy is more of a sign of premolt. Do yours do the same when about to molt? All mine does is wander around a bit within the two leaves its under, but it has done little to no webbing at all which is concerning.

 

[Colorado Ts]

I've asked this question before probably but I just want some emphasis and explanation of this behavior. My GBB sling has been incredibly secretive since the last meal, specifically hiding more since last week, however. I had to remove uneaten prey but it resulted in the poor thing's world being shook since, as we all know, it was webbed up profusely. I would imagine, since there appears to be no injury, that it would get over the shakeup by now and said secrecy is more of a sign of premolt. Do yours do the same when about to molt? All mine does is wander around a bit within the two leaves its under, but it has done little to no webbing at all which is concerning.

The observations that I’ve noticed in my GBBs as they approach moult:

They look chunky; abdomen is noticeably swollen. I must state that since their last moult their body conformation has really changed; they are now very leggy and their abdomens have really slimmed down.

They spend most of their time hidden in their webbing.

They refuse food, almost insulted that it was even offered.

They will flick hairs more often; usually there’s no hair flicking at all.

They just become a bit surly and irritable; like a teenager after being told they must stay home on a Friday night.

When the slings were much smaller, I could anticipate a moult by the darkness and glossy appearance of the abdomen. I don’t see the darkening of the abdomen any more. The amount of setae on their bodies is much thicker, causing the exoskeleton of the abdomen to be no longer clearly visible.

 

[Seemannnni]

Update: Just caught her taking a drink of water! Interesting given how hidden she has been, but showed up for something to drink!

 

[Colorado Ts]

Update: Just caught her taking a drink of water! Interesting given how hidden she has been, but showed up for something to drink!

That is so cool . Its such a simple act, but catching one of my spider taking a drink is so cool.

 

[Paiige]

Every single GBB sling I've owned over the last twelve years has ended up being male. I have one unsexed sling left...it is my last hope

 

[Matt Man]

We own a fully mature female and had a fully mature male. Our pairing was unsuccessful (she just molted so no sac) and our male moved on. A wonderful species and typically very little to worry about.

 

[Seemannnni]

Pretty sure my GBB molted, but honestly cannot tell ATM as its hiding lmao

 

[Cning]

My first tarantulas arrived a week and a half ago: a GBB, T. albopilosus and L. parahybana. They're still slings but the GBB is the standout of the bunch for its great colors and webbing. I'm considering getting another in case this one turns out to be male. Before I started doing serious research into keeping Ts and reading about the vast number of species, I thought the Brachypelma genus was the archetypal NW. GBBs helped break that illusion and got me looking at all sorts of colorful, fascinating NWs.

 

[Seemannnni]

Typical premolt period? Mine has been in hiding for about a week and a half. Anyone experience over a month? *Edit* This is a sling.

 

[docwade87]

Typical premolt period? Mine has been in hiding for about a week and a half. Anyone experience over a month? *Edit* This is a sling.

every T will be different even same species. A month isn’t an issue. Just let them be. Keep water available and they will come out when ready.

 

[Josh Mulhern]

She is doing great so far! She has gotten used to me a little more as well. She used to bolt around her container whenever I picked it up but now she just kinda chills in her nest area when I clean her water bowl.