Huge T. Blondi rehouse !!!! no joke

tarantulaholic

Arachnoknight
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This is my T. Blondi, shes over 2 years on my care. I redid her 20gallon long for best humidity/moist retention. So I decided to take some pics while shes out. BTW thats a quarter beside the Blondi, you get an idea how huge she is even her carapace!!!





 

Fran

Arachnoprince
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Pretty cool ;)

The t is a Theraphosa sp "burgundy" now named "stirmi" (soon probably to be "spinipes" ) Althought there are $250 right here on my pocket that have your name all over them :).
 

tarantulaholic

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Here you can see the mat (from walmart garden section), to prevent dirt to mixed with gravels. This is really does trick of raising the water to the top and it last for awhile on keeping soil moist for weeks at a time without watering.
Oh BTW my whole family calls her Big Bertha. LOL
 
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tarantulaholic

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Thanks Fran for Clarifying it to be Sp. Burgundy. Just found its bec. of hardly any hairs on its patellas for Sp. Burgundy?
 

OrdoMallus

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According to the document from Weinmann and Rudloff,

For male T.stirmi vs T.blondi

Although both lack tibial hooks, a male blondi has patella with many long curved hairs on it, which stirmi does not.

For females:

Blondi - curved hairs on patella, stridulating organ only between palp and leg pair 1
stirmi - no hairs on patella - stridulating organ on palp and leg pair 1 but it has also between leg pairs 1 and 2

For juveniles

Blondi has no leg markings
Apophysis has markings on all 4 legs pairs
Stirmi has leg markings on only leg pairs 1, 2

She looks awesome,
Layne
 

Fran

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Correct, although in my opinion that paper was a bit "poor".

Also, I have been informed that that wont be the lasting name for the sp, but Theraphosa spinipes.

In your case, it looks like a gorgeous healthy looking "Bertha" you have there ;).
 

OrdoMallus

Arachnosquire
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Correct, although in my opinion that paper was a bit "poor".

Also, I have been informed that that wont be the lasting name for the sp, but Theraphosa spinipes..
I would have to agree with you. How many times has it been changed now? 3-4 times? I'd really like it if they could just agree on what sp it is and be finished. Lol

Layne
 

Bosing

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I love her! ;) I have a juvenile female sp Burgundy as well. I would request for a picture of Big Bertha in her new enclosure please.

TIA!
 

OrdoMallus

Arachnosquire
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Just because I'm curious, what is the growth rate on these guys? Fairly slow? or just roughly how long does it take to hit that size? 3-4 years? I've never owned any of the Theraphosa's. The hairs have been a bit of a deterant, even though they are very impressive.

Layne
 

Fran

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Just because I'm curious, what is the growth rate on these guys? Fairly slow? or just roughly how long does it take to hit that size? 3-4 years? I've never owned any of the Theraphosa's. The hairs have been a bit of a deterant, even though they are very impressive.

Layne

They are among the most voracious eaters and they grow quite fast.

For example, I got a bunch of Theraphosa blondi slings at 2nd instar in late October. Now they average at 4". Males molt a bit faster on the earlier stages while keeping pretty much the same bulkiness.

I have a female 9" from a sack laid on Nov 2008. :)
 

OrdoMallus

Arachnosquire
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They are among the most voracious eaters and they grow quite fast.

For example, I got a bunch of Theraphosa blondi slings at 2nd instar in late October. Now they average at 4". Males molt a bit faster on the earlier stages while keeping pretty much the same bulkiness.

I have a female 9" from a sack laid on Nov 2008. :)
Thats awesome!! :worship: lol definately jealous! lol I'm a bit more of a sucker for stuff thats blue or purple lol! But those are definately gorgeous. I'm really really excited to be trying to breed my Xenesthis Immanis when my males mature.. they are both penultimate now. Females only about 6" and she is getting shipped out to me in a couple weeks but I've had the males since slings. Both are now 7" but one just molted and one is about 8 months since his last molt. About to be MM. :D
 

tarantulaholic

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I love her! ;) I have a juvenile female sp Burgundy as well. I would request for a picture of Big Bertha in her new enclosure please.

TIA!
That is the same size enclosure(20gallon long), sorry for misinformation. I basically removed everything, put everything back with the plant mat bedding to separated dirt and gravel, and about 1" thick top dirt being removed permanently, also replaced the terranium for reptiles for a glass aquarium bec it was leaking water. She seem to love this set up though, before when dirt dries up she would be on top of water dish trying to humidify. Now dirt is always moist, I never seen her comes out from her burrow, shes so spoiled that even large dubias gets dropped inside burrow as she eats with gusto about 4-6 dubias between 7days-10 days. It seems to keep her appepite on top.
BTW I only feed mice like right after molt, and maybe once every 3 months or so. Main thing Ive noticed with this species is they sure love "HIGH" humidity and moist dirt!!

---------- Post added at 08:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:59 PM ----------

I love her burrow!
Thank you, I tried to make it as deep as possible. As you can see its almost 40% tank is burrow. It goes all way back to glass, where her favorite spot is.
 

Fran

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That is the same size enclosure(20gallon long), sorry for misinformation. I basically removed everything, put everything back with the plant mat bedding to separated dirt and gravel, and about 1" thick top dirt being removed permanently, also replaced the terranium for reptiles for a glass aquarium bec it was leaking water. She seem to love this set up though, before when dirt dries up she would be on top of water dish trying to humidify. Now dirt is always moist, I never seen her comes out from her burrow, shes so spoiled that even large dubias gets dropped inside burrow as she eats with gusto about 4-6 dubias between 7days-10 days. It seems to keep her appepite on top.
BTW I only feed mice like right after molt, and maybe once every 3 months or so. Main thing Ive noticed with this species is they sure love "HIGH" humidity and moist dirt!!

---------- Post added at 08:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:59 PM ----------



Thank you, I tried to make it as deep as possible. As you can see its almost 40% tank is burrow. It goes all way back to glass, where her favorite spot is.
Try to not feed vertebrate pray that often. I would only do it if you are going on vacation, or prior breeding. She will live healhier for you with nice roaches! ;)
 

bobusboy

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I need one (or five) T. blondi, and burgundy in my collection, but I find the bulbous abdomen rather...disgusting? I don't know why and its only this genus i feel that way about but I still must have at least one some day!
 

Fran

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I need one (or five) T. blondi, and burgundy in my collection, but I find the bulbous abdomen rather...disgusting? I don't know why and its only this genus i feel that way about but I still must have at least one some day!
Actually thats half the beauty in my opinion. The big rounded look of them :)
 

bobusboy

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Try to not feed vertebrate pray that often. I would only do it if you are going on vacation, or prior breeding. She will live healhier for you with nice roaches! ;)
Not to start an vert feeding debate, because personally I don't want to clean up that bolus afterward, but why do you say this? I'm assuming its from experience but I'd just like to know.

Actually thats half the beauty in my opinion. The big rounded look of them :)
Disgusting isn't the right word; but they look like I could play baseball with them and they'd get away unscathed lol.
 

Fran

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Its seems to be "known" that Theraphosa has close related problems with the moltings due to vertebrate pray feedings. Calcium seems to play a role into it.

Besides, it is not necessary neither recomended for the safety of the T ;)
 

tarantulaholic

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Try to not feed vertebrate pray that often. I would only do it if you are going on vacation, or prior breeding. She will live healhier for you with nice roaches! ;)

Thanks man, oh yeah, I know about how bad vertebrate to them. The more I think about it, As of late It seems she only get feed right after a molt or maybe 2-3x a year. Its more of very, very rare treat. : )
 
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