Son of a gun...what about teenage spiders? Like the sub adults or larger juvies? If they don't take bribes I suppose I will try the towel idea. Now are we talking like a loosely crumpled towel here? I was thinking like a shoebox or something....
One that is kinda crumpled as it imitates burrows/leaf litter, granted then you have to find the spider once it gets in there but at least you know the general vicinity. I keep paper towel tubes out too, spiders seem to like those.
I always understood 8-9" Now I'm curious as I have a 2"er myself.
8" sounds pretty large to me but I have never seen any 8" spider in person. My spiders are all slings up to large juvies or small sub adults. Maybe 4-4.5" besides my lanky males. Just watching these creatures grow from tiny slings to the size they are now is incredible. I remember when my Genic was a half inch spider in a vial. Seeing her in her tub now is awesome....really hope she is a female but her molt was the first I ever got unrolled enough to attempt sexing it. I think I found the flap. Anyway, regardless of the actual maximum sizes for the big Cyrios, it is known that they can get large...few of us will ever have one that reaches over 8" but they still are impressive beasts. I can't wait to observe some in my care. You can bet that if I raise a monster one, I will only get a ruler so close to take a picture...
I've got adult stirmi that are 9 and 10". That's huge. I can't picture arboreals that size.
That's what I mean! I have seen some pictures of some terrestrial giants and I am thinking about some P. Ornata that size....as long as I got some room to let the thing run if it gets defensive it would be alright but seeing something like that running up the wall or standing in a full tilt threat pose....Must be a bit startling or impressive, or both. Grab your crucifix(catch cup) and pray for divine intervention(get over there and collect your damn spider).
My ornata haven't gone over 7". Maybe a few individuals eventually hit 8". I think the sizes for Asian arboreals quoted by some dealers are more for marketing purposes, rather than accuracy. Size sells. Just like LP's are promoted as 9" spiders, which is far from average.
Even at that though ornata or other large arboreals can't compare to Stirmi even if they get close to that size. Just about every pokie aside from Regalis very leggy and not heavily bodied... Stirmi have the bulk and legspan to beat any arboreal
Right, Theraphosa and the other big South Americans are massive. I'm thrilled with a 7-8" arboreal and don't need to fantasize about them being bigger than that.
+1 I don't get the fascination with tarantula size, when there are so many more interesting things to fixate on, like coloration and behavior. Give me an interesting spider over a big one any day!
I'm not even sure that I want an 8+ arboreal or cranky OW, they're fast enough being 6-7 inches, besides size isn't everything. I remember measuring my C.darlingi, she is 4 inches when spread out and I could walk up to the average person and say that she is 6 inches (as a 4 inch DLS is a pretty impressive spider to most people) and they would probably believe me; I think some mis-quoted size comes from people not being around large spiders as often nor wanting to get close enough to measure them.
Plus it's awfully hard to measure the >#~%<~> things as they don't hold still and leg position is everything. The only measurements I really put any stock in are molt measures or carcass measures.
Arboreals are much easier to measure as they have a tendency to both sit on the glass and position themselves in a straight line, with all front legs together out front and back legs together...this makes measurements both easy and accurate. Not nearly so easy with most terrestrials, and forget about burrowers...I have a 3+" A. ezendami that I've had for over a year, I still have not seen its underside a single time to attempt to sex it and its almost never out of its burrow for me to get even a ball park measurement....I'm just guessing at 3", could be a bigger, I dunno.
I love a bulky terrestrial spider as much as the next guy or gal but I will admit that arboreals have a unique body structure that makes them impressive in their own right. A particularly large specimen, even if not 8-9," is a cool animal. I am not even a Theraphosa guy at this point , but a big Acanthoscurria or Nhandu, Phormictopus, Pamphobeteus, Lasiodora, etc. is pretty cool. Also, I do think the size of a spider is a factor of it's unique character and a cause of intrigue, for me at least. On the other hand, I am crazy about Hapalopus sp. Colombia Large....not a big one, but great color/pattern and such fascinating as webbers and hunters....definitely a personal favorite of which there are many more!
I am also more for colour and behaviour than I am for size.. I don't even mind pet holes and overly secretive species.. and I'm not so much into urticating bristles.. hehe
The real problem is when THEY'RE into YOU.
hahahaha lol exactlyThe real problem is when THEY'RE into YOU.