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Stay tuned...
...more pics later or tomorrow.
...more pics later or tomorrow.
"Free Range" arboreals in the home?
- Thread starter kimski
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I love it... I had a free range chameleon for about a year and a half in a hanging plant in the kitchen.
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That' s pretty cool! :}
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Yeah, it's just so - well, 'natural'. S(he) seems quite happy - is not jumping, leaping, or running away as some predicted. I am keeping a close eye on her; as I said before, I certainly take it seriously that she's "free range" and it's a lively experiment. But - from my limited experience; Tarantulas seem to like to 'stay where they are', (except for wandering males) and s(he) hasn't displayed this behaviour - yet. And I hope never does.
Updates to follow. I was surprised at the latest molt!
Kim Ski
Updates to follow. I was surprised at the latest molt!
Kim Ski
Morro_Narcissa
Arachnopeon
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HA! I was going to mention the poo factor... Can't wait to see your walls after a few months. 
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And my face and hair!
Yeah, I can see me blow drying my hair under that port hole window and having a big blob of Avic poop land in my hair; then my eyes as I put makeup on!
I believe I will house her when the cold weather comes; the heat is forced hot air and I know she'll get more active as she grows.
Yeah, I can see me blow drying my hair under that port hole window and having a big blob of Avic poop land in my hair; then my eyes as I put makeup on!
I believe I will house her when the cold weather comes; the heat is forced hot air and I know she'll get more active as she grows.
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Not nervous
Well - I can appreciate the "I'd be nervous" comments. I was a wreck with my first tarantula, an A. avic. And, from all the good information I've gotten from the Arachnoboards and "The Tarantula Keepers Guide" by Stan and Marguritte Shultz (who are on these boards!) I've simmered down a lot.
These creatures are remarkable; and with good care and housing and a little luck, they'll endure.
I was most impressed that Zippy just naturally went up to that corner, in the ivy and has stayed there. It's in her genes, after all! Now - I check her many times a day (and night) and like I said, I certainly don't want her to wander and get hurt or lost or infected or pass on any exotic versicolor disease, but she's doing exactly what the web boards and the "Tarantula Keepers Handbook" said about avics.
More cool pictures to come!
Kim Ski
Well - I can appreciate the "I'd be nervous" comments. I was a wreck with my first tarantula, an A. avic. And, from all the good information I've gotten from the Arachnoboards and "The Tarantula Keepers Guide" by Stan and Marguritte Shultz (who are on these boards!) I've simmered down a lot.
These creatures are remarkable; and with good care and housing and a little luck, they'll endure.
I was most impressed that Zippy just naturally went up to that corner, in the ivy and has stayed there. It's in her genes, after all! Now - I check her many times a day (and night) and like I said, I certainly don't want her to wander and get hurt or lost or infected or pass on any exotic versicolor disease, but she's doing exactly what the web boards and the "Tarantula Keepers Handbook" said about avics.
More cool pictures to come!
Kim Ski
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She is so cute! i agree with you about the winter weather and forced heat. You may be forced to re-capture her for the winter to keep her hydrated. It sure is cute to see her in her little "ivy" cottage. Keep the pics coming. Di
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That is cool. Good luck with that.
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Hi Di and Spiderface
Thanks for the posts. I am going to re-house her for the cold weather. I am working on an enclosure. She really hasn't budged; it's amazing.
I have been pre-killing her crickets - figured they wouldn't stay put if they were alive.... So - I was putting them in that little bottle cap feeding dish, but now I put them on an adjacent ivy leaf; seems she finds them easier in closer proximity.
I need to do some research on how tarantulas 'find' their prey aside from vibration and movement. I'm wondering if she can 'smell' or otherwise 'sense' a dead cricket vs. a live one..... Don't have time right now; I'm at work.
Will post more pics - hopefully tonight. Take care and have a great Labor Day weekend! Kim Ski
Thanks for the posts. I am going to re-house her for the cold weather. I am working on an enclosure. She really hasn't budged; it's amazing.
I have been pre-killing her crickets - figured they wouldn't stay put if they were alive.... So - I was putting them in that little bottle cap feeding dish, but now I put them on an adjacent ivy leaf; seems she finds them easier in closer proximity.
I need to do some research on how tarantulas 'find' their prey aside from vibration and movement. I'm wondering if she can 'smell' or otherwise 'sense' a dead cricket vs. a live one..... Don't have time right now; I'm at work.
Will post more pics - hopefully tonight. Take care and have a great Labor Day weekend! Kim Ski
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hi has she been " free " for two weeks ? and has she run about or stayed in the web ? and good luck to you and her :clap: :clap::worship: :worship: ~~~~ PHIL
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Hey Phil - Yeah, it's been about 2 weeks. I put her in a Kritter Keeper and didn't realize the little cover had a 'slot' in it and she slipped through.
Well, I looked 'up' and there she was! I was kinda freaked out at first - but she appeared so happy - and as I said, that's what arboreals do!
I make sure she's misted a lot; and there's 2 H20 dishes about - 1 is on the ledge below her w/ H20 and the other is glued on to a piece of hollow bamboo attached to a nail in the wall that sticks out like a perch. It's got a very shallow plastic cap and a bottle cap that is her feeding station.
From what I've observed - she's loving life. I go up there all the time on a ladder - she didn't even move when I hammered the nail into the wall!
It's pretty cool - I must say. I give her one long squirt from below - and I hit the leaves next to her spot so I don't actuall 'spray' her.....
Stay tuned! Happy Friday! Kim Ski
Well, I looked 'up' and there she was! I was kinda freaked out at first - but she appeared so happy - and as I said, that's what arboreals do!
I make sure she's misted a lot; and there's 2 H20 dishes about - 1 is on the ledge below her w/ H20 and the other is glued on to a piece of hollow bamboo attached to a nail in the wall that sticks out like a perch. It's got a very shallow plastic cap and a bottle cap that is her feeding station.
From what I've observed - she's loving life. I go up there all the time on a ladder - she didn't even move when I hammered the nail into the wall!
It's pretty cool - I must say. I give her one long squirt from below - and I hit the leaves next to her spot so I don't actuall 'spray' her.....
Stay tuned! Happy Friday! Kim Ski
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Rehoused
Welp, the new and improved and newly molted Zippy started to wander on last Friday night. I kept an eye on her - but she was away from the ivy and walking all around the ceiling.
I just didn't want to take a further chance on her getting lost - she was moving pretty fast. SO - I got up on the stepladder and got her into her former pickle jar.
I CAN NOT believe how fast these little arboreals are! It was kinda difficult - balancing on tippy toe; trying to hold the jar up to the ceiling; and getting her in w/out a big drop to the floor.
Thanks again for all the feedback. Maybe when she gets older and more settled something like this is in order.
Kim Ski
Welp, the new and improved and newly molted Zippy started to wander on last Friday night. I kept an eye on her - but she was away from the ivy and walking all around the ceiling.
I just didn't want to take a further chance on her getting lost - she was moving pretty fast. SO - I got up on the stepladder and got her into her former pickle jar.
I CAN NOT believe how fast these little arboreals are! It was kinda difficult - balancing on tippy toe; trying to hold the jar up to the ceiling; and getting her in w/out a big drop to the floor.
Thanks again for all the feedback. Maybe when she gets older and more settled something like this is in order.
Kim Ski