How to start with Pokies?

[Poec54]

Really craving a P. Irminia. QUOTE]

Certaogyrus are MUCH easier to work with than Psalmos.

 

[Fins]

My MF irminia is fairly easy to work with. I've transferred her twice. Both times with a catch cup. She never spazzed out. Just walked out of the cup. My P. regalis had easy transfers as well. My cambridgei on the other hand is a little jerk. He always sits on the door and its takes a lot to get him to go back into his hide or even just move from the door. He is quite bold and annoying. I've had him scurry down the top of his hide to quickly reappear at the bottom to attack the water.

 

[Poec54]

My MF irminia is fairly easy to work with. I've transferred her twice. Both times with a catch cup. She never spazzed out. Just walked out of the cup. My P. regalis had easy transfers as well.

But next time they could make an uncharacteristic mad dash and be in your shirt or under heavy furniture before you know it. Never think you can predict what they'll do. I never thought I'd be standing in my spider room in my undewear when a routine cage transfer of a 3" regalis suddenly unraveled.

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

Yep. Expect the unexpected. Assume the spider is going to live up to its bad reputation, then be pleasantly surprised when it goes smoothly.

 

[Fins]

But next time they could make an uncharacteristic mad dash and be in your shirt or under heavy furniture before you know it. Never think you can predict what they'll do. I never thought I'd be standing in my spider room in my undewear when a routine cage transfer of a 3" regalis suddenly unraveled.

Absolutely agree. I've seen her snatch prey out of the air as it dropped into her enclosure. Maybe why I'm very deliberate and careful around her. Had a little C. fimbriatus up my pant leg once. That was "fun". Those spastic little guys are gonna be interesting to transfer.

 

[Poec54]

Had a little C. fimbriatus up my pant leg once. That was "fun".

+1. There are places you do not want to get bit. Some of those are normally covered by pants.

 

[Akai]

My 5 inch P. Ornata is a nervous T. When she sense my presence she paces everywhere in her enclosure which is quite maddening because I can't predict where she's going to be from one second to the next. IF I am going to be bitten by any of my tarantulas it's going to be my P. Ornata. I wish they made 24 inch tongs. lol

 

[ZergFront]

Lots of great advise so far. My very first taranulas were Psalmopoeus and not anything docile so I definately won't say to get something else first. People are going to own what they want to own but nobody here is kidding about the speed!

Have bigger enclosures available when you get young pokies because they don't stay little for very long (goes for Lampropelma, too!) I got to say that the P.regalis I have are a lot more out-going than the Psalmopoeus and Lampropelma species. Unless they are premolt or the weather is very hot, I can usually see my girls chilling on the bark or side of enclosure. Often they even come outside with their fangs still in the red in order to get a very good stretch in their new outfit. Don't get them too chubby unless you're going to pair like someone said. Easier to injure with an abdomen stretched to the limit.

I would also buy 12" tongs so you can work inside the cage without getting bit. I also use them to give the pokies a superworm so they don't dig into the substrate. Pokie and Psalmo water dishes get dirty pretty quick. I've watched them actually place food bolus into the water or toss it.

They really aren't too aggressive. They will usually flee when the cage is moved. The few times I've gotten a threat pose was when some of my exhaled breath got in their space.

 

[Hersh77tess]

Love this thread. It has convinced me that 1) Pokeys are not always insane 2) If you use common sense (12 inch tongs, etc) Pokeys are not going to be unreasonably hard to deal with.

 

[lancej]

Love this thread. It has convinced me that 1) Pokeys are not always insane 2) If you use common sense (12 inch tongs, etc) Pokeys are not going to be unreasonably hard to deal with.

Common sense, confidence, knowledge of the animals' requirements, and respect for its abilities. That is all you need to be successful. Simple, yet not necessarily easy (like all good things in life), and definitely shouldn't be taken lightly.

 

[Stirmi]

I cracked and bought a female poecilotheria subfusca for 50 dollars for my birthday at a reptile expo today. I already rehoused te little beauty and it went great

 

[Poec54]

Love this thread. It has convinced me that 1) Pokeys are not always insane 2) If you use common sense (12 inch tongs, etc) Pokeys are not going to be unreasonably hard to deal with.

I have a bunch of Poecs. They are not insane, not overly aggressive. Mine rarely stand and extend their fangs. The only problems I ever have are when they're in a small container and make a mad panic dash (my fault, not their's), and during cage transfers, which usually go smoothly. Caution is advised due to what they're capable of, not because they normally act like lunatics. Respect them. You don't know what will trigger a defensive reaction. Poec's dorsal colors and markings evolved to blend in with tree bark, and they prefer to sit motionless as you (carefully) do cage maintenance. If disturbed, they usually zip into their retreat. It's best not to totally remove the lid, and be prepared to close it quickly in case they do bolt. Always keep an empty 32 oz deli cup in arm's reach. Being prepared should give you some confidence.

When they're hungry, they're out and about their cage, especially at night. When they're going to shed, they usually seal themselves in their retreat. If they have a retreat they feel secure in, mad dashes occur less often, if at all. My Poec cages have good ventilation, slightly moist substrate, a couple cork slabs angled against the side of the cage, some plastic (not silk) plants, and a water bowl.

 

[ZergFront]

Nice! I have noticed subfusca and bara have gone down in price quite significantly. Successful breedings I take it?

I cracked and bought a female poecilotheria subfusca for 50 dollars for my birthday at a reptile expo today. I already rehoused te little beauty and it went great

 

[Stirmi]

Nice! I have noticed subfusca and bara have gone down in price quite significantly. Successful breedings I take it?

I think they are being bred more common but she was originally 100 but I'm good friends with the breeder and she gave me half off since its my birthday and I help her allthe time

 

[Hersh77tess]

I have a bunch of Poecs. They are not insane, not overly aggressive. Mine rarely stand and extend their fangs. The only problems I ever have are when they're in a small container and make a mad panic dash (my fault, not their's), and during cage transfers, which usually go smoothly. Caution is advised due to what they're capable of, not because they normally act like lunatics. Respect them. You don't know what will trigger a defensive reaction. Poec's dorsal colors and markings evolved to blend in with tree bark, and they prefer to sit motionless as you (carefully) do cage maintenance. If disturbed, they usually zip into their retreat. It's best not to totally remove the lid, and be prepared to close it quickly in case they do bolt. Always keep an empty 32 oz deli cup in arm's reach. Being prepared should give you some confidence.

When they're hungry, they're out and about their cage, especially at night. When they're going to shed, they usually seal themselves in their retreat. If they have a retreat they feel secure in, mad dashes occur less often, if at all. My Poec cages have good ventilation, slightly moist substrate, a couple cork slabs angled against the side of the cage, some plastic (not silk) plants, and a water bowl.

Thank you for the advice. What do you suggest as far as hides? I see some people use tube like cork bark and some use big straight slabs.

 

[Poec54]

What do you suggest as far as hides? I see some people use tube like cork bark and some use big straight slabs.

I have both, either work well. They just want someplace snug and cozy, not too big, where they feel hidden and safe. They don't want to be out and exposed all the time. In the wild predators would eventually get them if they were always in the open, and they could get knocked out of trees during heavy winds and rains. Poecs usually don't do much spinning, and prefer to live in holes and cracks in large trees. This is probably why most can be communal to some extent, as the number of suitable places in a tree is limited, and they're not making their own.

---------- Post added 07-08-2013 at 06:47 AM ----------

I got to say that the P.regalis I have are a lot more out-going than the Psalmopoeus and Lampropelma species. Unless they are premolt or the weather is very hot, I can usually see my girls chilling on the bark or side of enclosure. Often they even come outside with their fangs still in the red in order to get a very good stretch in their new outfit.

Pokie and Psalmo water dishes get dirty pretty quick. I've watched them actually place food bolus into the water or toss it.

They really aren't too aggressive. They will usually flee when the cage is moved. The few times I've gotten a threat pose was when some of my exhaled breath got in their space.

+1. Poecs are out a lot of the time, especially when they're hungry, unlike some of the other arboreals. Many seem to prefer to use their water bowls as a combination garbage can / toilet, so that's why I use cheap disposable water bowls. And yes, never breathe in their cages, as that can provoke an unpleasant response.

 

[pannaking22]

It really can't be emphasized enough to be ready for anything. I personally don't have a Poecie, but I have a P. irminia and a P. pulcher and those two make things interesting. I've had them both since they were about an inch long and the changes have been eye opening. My irminia was very docile and would even come out and crawl on me when I did maintenance. Very calm, very gentle. One molt later, it was a bit more skittish, but still nice enough that it would come out during maintenance. It's now reaching the dreaded 3" mark, where supposedly they turn evil and I would call that somewhat accurate. After it hardened up, I rehoused it and almost got tagged in the process. It came shooting out of the old enclosure like a little black blur. Quite the surprise for me, but at least there was no escape.

I would say I got a bit complacent and almost got tagged and my T could have escaped. It really only takes that one time to learn. Now whenever I do maintenance on it, there is a catch cup by me at all times. That being said, it's an absolutely gorgeous T and I would love to get a Poecie at some point (though I want to gain more experience with the irminia first). My irminia and pulcher both tend to run and hide when I disturb their containers still, but I'm sure that will change as they get older. This is also implying that they are out a lot, which is less frequently becoming the case...