Greenbottle Blue Temperment

kellygirl

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I have been fascinated with the C. cyanopubescens (sp?) ever since I first laid eyes on the one featured on "Phong's" website. I'm not sure I'm ready for a really aggressive T but I've seen different descriptions of the Greenbottle's temperment. On Kelly Swift's site, he says that it is "the toughest thing since an 'Usambara'!" What are your experiences with these awesome looking creatures? What is your advice for me? Should I go for it or should I hold off a little while before I try this one? :?

kellygirl

P.S. Whatever happened to that guy, Phong? His website hasnt been updated in ages and I want to know what's going on with his Ts!!! :(
 

JacenBeers

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Usambaras are the meanest spiders in my experience and Gerenbottle Blues are pretty temperamental. The one at Jungle pets up here where I live is very testy but not so bad that it isnt worth taking home. They are a beautiful spider but not for beginners for sure.
 

kosh

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this is a very interesting post.....i am a beginner i suppose....i have only had one spider (my current)....a G. rosea but i have read all kinds of stuff online about all kinds of T's.....out of all i have seen, i think i would like to get a GBB also.....i was thinking about putting a divider in my 10 gallon aquarium and housing another spider in the same tank....has anyone ever house 2 spiders in the same tank (with an impenetrable divider of course)??? or am i a total nut for even considering it? :?
 

Code Monkey

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I would definitely not compare them to an Usumbara in temperament. I would compare them to an Usumbara in hardiness, which I think is what Kelly means. Like the Usumbara they tolerate extreme arid conditions in the wild, and in captivity you don't really need to worry about anything humidity wise beyone providing a water dish.

They are a bit nervous and quick to hide but I've never seen anything I would call aggressive/defensive from mine. I've also read numerous reports of handling without issue (something you won't hear with Usumbaras).
 

Immortal_sin

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my GBB was the 4th spider that I purchased...I was terrified of her! She was all of 2.5" LOL
But FAST...and no hesitation on the hair flicking...
Well, over time I came to see that she was quite nervous, but that she always ran and hid, and never displayed. One day, I decided I needed to hold her, since she was a challenge LOL
So, I opened the lid, she RAN out, and onto my hand. Once there, she just sat.
I've held her numerous times since, but again, they can be QUITE tempermental, and I certainly would not recommend it. They are very good eaters, and you keep them DRY, unless they are small slings. Easy to care for, and I've never heard of any attacking like the Usambaras..
I'd say go for it, just use caution opening the lid, mine are semi-arboreal, and can run right up the side of the glass with no problems!
As for keeping Ts in a tank, with a divider, it's not worth it to me. At some point, one might break through, then you would have one big, fat, very full one!
 

kosh

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immortal sin....i dont want to steal kellygirl's post so i started another thread on the single tank with divider topic.....i definitely want to get a GBB though...they are soooooo beautiful....and they appear to be cheaper than the B. smithi which would be my second choice for a second spider....
 

Botar

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I just acquired a GBB from Swifty. It's about 1" and looks nothing like the adults, but I was amazed at it's beauty. Even as a sling, it is a gorgeous specimen. I cannot attest to it's attitude, but I'm not real big on handling them anyway.

Botar
 

Kenny

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Hardiness.

Hi..:)


I agree with Code monkey, because I was referred to my GBB as easy to keep as Usambara when it came to caresheet issues like humidity and so on.

Mine is still a 1 time molt s'ling, 3/4' now,,awesome colors after that molt and the only thing I've encoutered is a kinda skittish reaction from the s'ling, so temp wise for an adult I can't talk.

Kenny
 

skinheaddave

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Kellygirl,

My GBB is definitely not a handleable spider, but nor is it an agressive one. It will flick hairs at the slightest provocation, but otherwise does little to defend itself. It is also one of the easiest critters to care for. Dry peat, a hide and a water dish is all it needs. It doesn't even flip its water dish like my B.vagans all seem to do. It eats like a pig and looks not bad -- though it is far from the brightest specimen and it does have a huge bald patch.

Cheers,
Dave
 

Bearacuda42

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Green Bottle Blues...

I have GBBs and il tell ya some are only 3"++ and the others are 4to 5"+ they are the most beautiful Ts and i have never had a prob with hair flinging or trying to bite me or any agression at all they would rather run and hide in there houses when im working in there cages.. I dont handle them and they can be very fast to.. But they sure are gorgeous!!!!!! ;P ;P =D :}
 

Atlanta Native

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The GBB was one of my first T's. I lucked up and bought one that is very colorful. I have seen some that are not so pretty. Mine is nervous to say the least but I can handle her with no problems. If I catch her off guard she'll show her threat stance. But again she is one of my most beautiful T's.
 

Mendi

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Maybe my GBB is just a freak, but it has been as easy to take care of as my G.rosea and Brachy's. It is very handlable and rarely flicks and has never shown any efforts to bite me. When they are grown the are definately as hardy as the Usumbara with the ability to withstand little to no humidity... I'm pretty sure this is what K.Swift was referring to in that. But it is also one that I;ve read that ill perish with too much humidity.

As for their temperament, they are more nervous than aggressive, along the lines of A.seemanni and would much rather run away than try and bite you. This may change if they are defending their burrow as many sweet docile Ts will stand and fight if you invade heir home.

They are a very beautiful spider as the slings are tiger-rumped to start and the color changes progressively with each molt. That is one reason for getting the sling so you can see the transformations it will go through

IMO, I wouldn't keep but one T in an enclosure, no matter how secure I think that I've made it. Ts can do some amazing escapes and though it may work out great for months, you'll likely end up with one fat spider in the duel tank. Why risk it with your prized pets?
 

Paul Day

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KellyGirl:

Phong, like I and some others, got too busy to run his websites anymore. It takes a lot to keep a site like Phong's updated, and it will live on as the "best diary site" online :)

Pauly
 

kosh

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i am wanting to obtain a GBB sling....but i was wondering if the females were generally more colorful than the males in this species......and like Atlanta Native said i would be worried about not getting a [COLOR=sea-green]VERY[/COLOR] colorful specimen........are there any reasonably priced dealers who have VERY colorful ones and can guarantee sex??...
i am partial to Swift because i could drive there and back from where i live in one day for less than shipping overnite would cost....
 

atavuss

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GBB=tough as nails.......very skittish, I have not seen mine flick hairs......webbers, will web over everything........mine stays out in the open and eats like a little pig. keep it on the dry side, dry substrate with a water dish. so colorful some people think it is not real.
Ed
 

Immortal_sin

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just found this pic of my GBB

here's the 3rd spider I bought..her name is Rainbow
 
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Phillip

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What Kelly meant....

What Kelly meant was about the ease of care and the dry tolerance not the temperment at all. Greenbottles will run and they will flick but they don't bite as a rule. It's actually quite hard to get one to act defensively except for flicking and most people who are labeling them as aggressive are simply scared by the quick movement. I assure you Greenbottles are docile and by no means a species that is prone to bite. As far as labeling a species as not for handling that all depends on the handler and what they are comfortable with. I have seen many suppossed bad boys handled freely and quite easily with no bad experiences from it and I have done it myself but you have to be pretty damn calm to pull it off with some of them. Greenbottles are not by any stretch mean nor are they likely at all to ever bite you so suck up the fear and handle away. Just don't drop em. lol Hope this helps some.
Phil
 
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