First Old World Tarantula

[DapperDan]

I just ordered my first OW from Jamies Tarantulas. I got a 1-1.5 in Poecilotheria Striata. Any tips? I am a little nervous since it will be my first and would rather be prepared then learn something the hard way

 

[Venom1080]

They're fast. If it bolts, don't bother trying to cup it. You'll likely crush it or smash some legs. Let it run itself out.

They're not particularly defensive spiders, but have serious venom for tarantulas. Take precautions even with simple tasks.

 

[miss moxie]

Only open the enclosure to feed, do maintenance, or water. Before opening, find the tarantula with your eyes. If you can't find them with your eyes, and they're in their hide/hiding in their dirt-curtains, watch their hide instead. Keep glancing back at them, or their hide the entire time. Usually when they're in their hide they're gonna stay there because they feel safe. But they can be unpredictable so never expect anything, just stay ready to act for any scenario. The most important thing when caring for them is to keep an eye on them. If you are watching them then they have less of a chance to take you by surprise.

They're incredibly fast as mentioned so yeah if they take off on you there is nothing you can do except wait for them to stop. Don't reach out to stop them with your hand, ever. Always have a catch cup available and do rehouses in an uncluttered room if possible. Because you can lose them in a mess quickly.

Let's summon @cold blood to post the pokie bite picture. It shows what happens when you instinctively try to stop a speeding pokie with your hand.

 

[chanda]

Make sure it has a few good hiding spots and plenty of attachment points for webs. Try to minimize opening the cage - particularly when you first put it in there - to give it time to create a retreat. While pokies are fast and certainly have the potential to make a break for it, once they've established a web tube (or dirt curtain and shallow burrow) they are more likely to retreat to those than to bolt out of the cage when you open it for feeding or maintenance.

When you do have to open the cage, make sure you know exactly where your spider is before opening the lid/door and keep an eye on the spider at all times. Do not turn your back on an open cage, even if it's just to pick up a pair of tongs or a water bottle or something. Close the door, do what you have to do, then re-open the door when you are ready. You should be watching the spider - or the web tube or dirt curtain it is hiding behind - at all times. Don't just assume that the spider is going to stay in its hide or web or behind the dirt curtain. While it will stay put most of the time, they can be unpredictable and dash out at any time.

Finally, if the sling should "disappear" when you know the cage was securely closed, do not just assume that it has somehow, miraculously escaped. They are remarkably good at wedging themselves into the smallest and most unlikely of places - such that even a pretty thorough examination of the cage, including sifting through substrate and removing hides, water dishes, or decor, will not find them. My P. vittata used to do that and it absolutely gave me fits until I figured out where he was hiding. The first few times I was absolutely certain that he'd somehow managed to squeeze out through the ventilation holes, when he was actually wedged into the lip underneath the door of the cage. Fortunately, I locked the door of what I believed was an empty cage out of habit - otherwise he would have escaped for real.

 

[Ztesch]

Ya I wanna see this pokie bite picture

 

[EulersK]

Let it run itself out.

Exactly. Best advice in this thread.

If you're particularly cautious, then do your maintenance in the middle of a wide-open floor. No shelves or furniture nearby. Tarantulas (even fast OW's) are surprisingly slow once they hit flat land. Especially if it's carpet. If they bolt out (which will happen eventually), then just drop your gear and assess the situation. It's assumed that you'd have a catch cup nearby

For the record, I mean this:


The shag carpet makes them run even slower, and the oversized catchcup is so that it's easier to just 'plop' it over them when they're making a run for it. No need to hold it, literally drop it over them. Lessens the chance of an injury to them.

 

[cold blood]

Ya I wanna see this pokie bite picture

20150401_182114

• cold blood
• Jan 30, 2017
• 5

arm color, post pokie bite

 

[Ztesch]

20150401_182114

• cold blood
• Jan 30, 2017
• 5

arm color, post pokie bite

Damn is her hand/ arm grey wtf

 

[cold blood]

Damn is her hand/ arm grey wtf

yeah, looks like a zobie arm from walking dead....was like this for a week and she had bad effects for 2 weeks....nausea, difficulty regulating body temp, cramps and muscle spasms.

 

[Ztesch]

yeah, looks like a zobie arm from walking dead....was like this for a week and she had bad effects for 2 weeks....nausea, difficulty regulating body temp, cramps and muscle spasms.

sounds like fun

 

[Poec54]

Ya I wanna see this pokie bite picture

How long have you had Poec(s)? I got my first one 20 years and haven't been bit, even had a few run inside my clothes during cage transfers. Love Poecs, but do not want to experience a bite.

 

[Walker253]

I have a bunch of pokies about that size in 32oz deli cups. I keep a piece of cork in there. When I pick up the cup to feed, I obviously don't open it until I find the T. Usually the pokies go down and hide. My only exceptions are several P metallica slings who seeming love to go to the top. After they go hide, I crack the top open and drop the food in. At this size I don't worry about a water dish. Give the side a good spray from a water bottle. The lid is almost always covering 7/8's of the opening. Just don't be in a hurry. If it's near the top, wait it out. I've yet to lose one working this way.
I find the small pokies way more predictable than many OW terrestrials. Lost a prized terrestrial OW sling last night that I'm still kicking myself over. I've had some close calls, but never had one get out, let alone get away.

 

[Ztesch]

I'm gonna have to wait awhile before I go the old world route. I'm just happy my girl is ok with me having 8 new worlds plus 1 h. Spinifer in the bedroom. I have a 1 year old and a 5 year old so by the time I move out and get a bigger house that I can have a specific room for my T's then I will enter the advanced division of the T world.

 

[Ztesch]

Although I'm a sucker for the blue T's and a P. Metalica would be freaking awesome.

 

[ErinM31]

Although I'm a sucker for the blue T's and a P. Metalica would be freaking awesome.

There are some gorgeous blue new world T's you could enjoy in the meantime. Pseudhapalopus sp. "blue" is quite stunning and on my wish list.

 

[chanda]

Although I'm a sucker for the blue T's and a P. Metalica would be freaking awesome.

Check out Pterinopelma sazimai - the Brazilian Blue. They're toward the top of my wish list at the moment.

 

[Ztesch]

There are some gorgeous blue new world T's you could enjoy in the meantime. Pseudhapalopus sp. "blue" is quite stunning and on my wish list.

Ya there is a ton I just bought a P. Sazamai sling. Y

Check out Pterinopelma sazimai - the Brazilian Blue. They're toward the top of my wish list at the moment.

I got one on Saturday. Half inch sling.

 

[mack1855]

Well,now that the warnings and advise have been given,enjoy your pokie.
One of the coolest things about them,get your prey food item of choice,
set yourself up to observe,drop the prey item in,and watch!!!!
Their hunting will blow you away.I swear.its like a cheetah stalking a gazelle.

 

[bryverine]

As a piece of advice, they aren't strictly arboreal like avics are. Mine still partially burrows in her cork round. I positioned the round so that it isnt pointed out of the enclosure like a canon.

Also, they aren't easily predictable like NW are. When they get startled, they like to bounce around, spin, dance, tap out a song, run at you and then suddenly run away.

Oh, if you don't already have some long tongs, get 'em. Just take it easy and relax.

 

[chanda]

Well,now that the warnings and advise have been given,enjoy your pokie.
One of the coolest things about them,get your prey food item of choice,
set yourself up to observe,drop the prey item in,and watch!!!!
Their hunting will blow you away.I swear.its like a cheetah stalking a gazelle.

Or, in the case of my sub-adult suspect male P. vittata, a cheetah hiding behind his dirt curtain, waiting for darkness, privacy, and absolute silence before bothering with that gazelle...