SonOfSerket
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Oct 27, 2024
- Messages
- 0
My partner was adamant about getting me a birthday present other than the coffee table that he got me more for himself so he could stop hounding me about not having a coffee table, so I finally decided on my first tarantula. My local Petco had a pretty diverse selection available (a Tlitlocatl kahlenbergi, two Tlitlocatl verdezi, a Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens, and a Brachypelma auratum). I've really entertained the idea of getting my first T forever, but have always been particularly drawn to arboreals, especially Caribena versicolor, as a little one-inch metallic cookie monster juvenile of that species is the only one I've ever held (which promptly got spooked, projectile pooped and webbed on my arm, and ran up my face), but something about the flame-knee just kept calling to me. I had been doing my research for weeks, and despite the urticating hairs, I decided that I really wanted this to be my first baby...if it had not already been sold.
When my birthday actually rolled around, he/she was still there, so now I am their proud owner! I've already started a breeding colony of dubia roaches, and this babe is a VERY good eater. After letting them get settled into the new enclosure for a couple of days, I gave them a rather large female dubia, which they promptly POUNCED on, and proceeded to drain all day. Their abdomen was in my opinion a bit on the skimpy side, so I offered another large dubia the next day, which they promptly also captured and ate with gusto. The new kiddo is currently about 4.5" diagonal leg span, and does not have tibial hooks or emboli, but I know they still have some growing to do. I'm really looking forward to (but also super nervous about) their first molt in my care so I can (hopefully) sex them. The employee said that they molted twice while at the store, but both times, the abdominal region of the molt was too shredded to confidently sex. They also stated that the last molt was approximately a month ago, and the previous one, about a month before that. Does that seem accurate? For a newbie, can anyone give me any rough ideas about when to expect their next molt?
At any rate, I am already totally in love. This little one is already displaying a very clear personality of being mostly shy/reclusive (mostly hanging out under their hide, with their body up against one side, I assume for safety), to two recent cases of the zoomies (once when I was trying to remove the dubia carcasses to prevent mold...they had webbed one to the substrate, and ran over like "MINE!" when I tried to remove that one, and another when I think spooked them when I turned on my office light while they were out in the open...they then ran around a LOT). Does this seem normal? I am already the obsessed parent worried about whether I am doing everything correctly for this sweet baboo. Also, as much as I WANT to, I feel that reducing or NOT handling is probably the safest/kindest in the interest of the baby. Any thoughts there, as well?
I'm also super excited that my previously VERY arachnophobic/entomophobic partner held them in the deli cup on the way to my office, and even remarked on how cute/fuzzy they were, and the little "paws." I'm slowly rubbing off on them, in a less insidious way than urticating hairs. LOL
When my birthday actually rolled around, he/she was still there, so now I am their proud owner! I've already started a breeding colony of dubia roaches, and this babe is a VERY good eater. After letting them get settled into the new enclosure for a couple of days, I gave them a rather large female dubia, which they promptly POUNCED on, and proceeded to drain all day. Their abdomen was in my opinion a bit on the skimpy side, so I offered another large dubia the next day, which they promptly also captured and ate with gusto. The new kiddo is currently about 4.5" diagonal leg span, and does not have tibial hooks or emboli, but I know they still have some growing to do. I'm really looking forward to (but also super nervous about) their first molt in my care so I can (hopefully) sex them. The employee said that they molted twice while at the store, but both times, the abdominal region of the molt was too shredded to confidently sex. They also stated that the last molt was approximately a month ago, and the previous one, about a month before that. Does that seem accurate? For a newbie, can anyone give me any rough ideas about when to expect their next molt?
At any rate, I am already totally in love. This little one is already displaying a very clear personality of being mostly shy/reclusive (mostly hanging out under their hide, with their body up against one side, I assume for safety), to two recent cases of the zoomies (once when I was trying to remove the dubia carcasses to prevent mold...they had webbed one to the substrate, and ran over like "MINE!" when I tried to remove that one, and another when I think spooked them when I turned on my office light while they were out in the open...they then ran around a LOT). Does this seem normal? I am already the obsessed parent worried about whether I am doing everything correctly for this sweet baboo. Also, as much as I WANT to, I feel that reducing or NOT handling is probably the safest/kindest in the interest of the baby. Any thoughts there, as well?
I'm also super excited that my previously VERY arachnophobic/entomophobic partner held them in the deli cup on the way to my office, and even remarked on how cute/fuzzy they were, and the little "paws." I'm slowly rubbing off on them, in a less insidious way than urticating hairs. LOL
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