I Need Some Advice!!! (Stromatopelma calceatum)

Spoodahman

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Hi , i need some advice about a T i’m looking for as a first time keeper .

1. Stromatopelma calceatum
1581444477174.jpeg

i realy fell in love with this T and i would realy like to get one as a sling but i know nothing about them appart the fact that they are arborial and pretty fast .
 

chanda

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...i know nothing about them appart the fact that they are arborial and pretty fast .
...and have a pretty potent venom. Old world tarantulas like this are not generally recommended for novice keepers because they are very fast, defensive, more likely to bolt and/or bite if they are startled or feel threatened, and have a potentially medically significant bite. While a bite is not going to kill a healthy adult (barring some extreme allergic reaction) it would be incredibly painful and could leave you feeling pretty miserable for a few days.

If you share your accommodations with other people, such as roommates or family members, or live in shared housing, like a dorm or apartment building, then if the spider should escape, you also put all of those other people at risk for a bite. You may think that isn't a risk because the spider will be in an enclosure, but these spiders are very fast, and could potentially escape when you open your cage for routine feeding, watering, or cleaning. Just poke around here on AB for a while, and you will find lots of reports of escaped tarantulas, whether the lid of the cage was accidentally left slightly ajar or didn't fit as well as it should, or the ventilation holes were too big, or the spider ran straight up the tongs (and the keeper's arm) during feeding or cleaning, or it just teleported out of the cage when the door was opened for a moment to remove a dead cricket.

While old world tarantulas certainly can be safely kept as pets, it is usually recommended that you start with something a little less potent for your first tarantula, while you are still learning about their care and maintenance and becoming accustomed to their behavior.
 
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FrDoc

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I am not one to immediately criticize the idea you propose if the person inquiring has thoroughly researched the specimen and has some other related experience with other animals, e.g., keeping venomous snakes, etc.. You’re own presentation of what you know about them, and understanding of the spider is why I say emphatically, DON’T!
 

hunterc

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Most view this old world arboreal as for "advanced" keepers. Id look up some of the threads here on them and a bite report if there is one, before i got it
 

Spoodahman

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Thanks you for your advice i will look for another one !

I am not one to immediately criticize the idea you propose if the person inquiring has thoroughly researched the specimen and has some other related experience with other animals, e.g., keeping venomous snakes, etc.. You’re own presentation of what you know about them, and understanding of the spider is why I say emphatically, DON’T!
I tried to find some biting reports / care information but i only found some YouTube feedings vidéos ; thanks for your advice !
 

chanda

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I tried to find some biting reports / care information but i only found some YouTube feedings vidéos ; thanks for your advice !
Watch out for those YouTube videos. There are many keepers that film themselves doing some incredibly stupid and reckless things - like handling venomous, defensive old world spiders, which puts both the spider and the keeper at risk - because it "looks cool" and garners them lots of hits and imaginary internet points.

Sometimes novice keepers see those videos and make the erroneous assumption that this is appropriate behavior - particularly if the YouTuber has a lot of hits or likes, which convey an illusion of expertise - when really, it's just stupid and unnecessary risk taking, that could easily result in a dead spider and/or a very painful bite. Those videos do not necessarily show "typical" behavior - particularly for fast, defensive species - and can easily give someone the wrong impression, making a fast, defensive species appear calm and docile, or making it seem like the spider "likes" being handled (it doesn't).
 

nicodimus22

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That species has a reputation as being very defensive, based on what I've read here over the last several years. Pair that with old world speed and venom potency, and it's one of the worst candidates for a starter T I can think of. Highly recommend starting with something else until you get your system for rehousing/feeding/maintenance down and some general tarantula experience under your belt. If you tell us some characteristics you like, we may be able to make some recommendations.
 

Spoodahman

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Watch out for those YouTube videos. There are many keepers that film themselves doing some incredibly stupid and reckless things - like handling venomous, defensive old world spiders, which puts both the spider and the keeper at risk - because it "looks cool" and garners them lots of hits and imaginary internet points.

Sometimes novice keepers see those videos and make the erroneous assumption that this is appropriate behavior - particularly if the YouTuber has a lot of hits or likes, which convey an illusion of expertise - when really, it's just stupid and unnecessary risk taking, that could easily result in a dead spider and/or a very painful bite. Those videos do not necessarily show "typical" behavior - particularly for fast, defensive species - and can easily give someone the wrong impression, making a fast, defensive species appear calm and docile, or making it seem like the spider "likes" being handled (it doesn't).
You are 100% right , in the wild a tarantula won’t be handled ... and it’s pretty stupid to handle a T with a potent venom . For an arborial tarantula i’m looking for a Avicularia spécies because they looks less dangerous than a H.mac or a random arborial old world .
Do you have any suggestion for a first Time tarantula keeper ?

Hi
That species has a reputation as being very defensive, based on what I've read here over the last several years. Pair that with old world speed and venom potency, and it's one of the worst candidates for a starter T I can think of. Highly recommend starting with something else until you get your system for rehousing/feeding/maintenance down and some general tarantula experience under your belt. If you tell us some characteristics you like, we may be able to make some recommendations.
hi , thanks for your reply .
I realy like the look of arborials tarantula. I also like the terrestrial T’s who looks fat like the B. Genus or the N. Genus
 

chanda

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You are 100% right , in the wild a tarantula won’t be handled ... and it’s pretty stupid to handle a T with a potent venom . For an arborial tarantula i’m looking for a Avicularia spécies because they looks less dangerous than a H.mac or a random arborial old world .
Do you have any suggestion for a first Time tarantula keeper ?
Yeah, an Avicularia would be a much better choice for a first tarantula! They are still fast and can be bolty - but they have a much less potent venom. Avicularia avicularia and Caribena versicolor (though at the time, it was still considered Avicularia versicolor) are the only avics that I've kept, but both were pretty easy to keep. (They were not my first tarantulas - I started with a NW terrestrial - but I'd still consider them "beginner friendly.")

Decide which species you want, take the time to thoroughly research the appropriate care and housing, then go for it. Because they are arboreal spiders, you'll need a tall, well-ventilated cage with climbing room - and vertical decor such as branches, cork slabs, and/or fake plants for the spider to use as attachment points for webbing, to climb on, and to hide behind. Place the decor at the back of the cage, away from the opening, to reduce the chance of the spider escaping when the cage is opened. (Also, make sure you know exactly where the spider is before opening the cage. Don't just assume that it's hiding behind the cork bark, because that's where it usually is. If you're mistaken, and it's really hiding just below the door opening, it could bolt out of the cage when you open the door.)

Escape risk is greatest when you first introduce the spider to the enclosure, because it has not yet established a safe retreat spot for itself. Once the spider has established some web tunnels in and around the bark/wood/plants, it will generally prefer to retreat into that "safe space" when disturbed - such as when the cage is opened for feeding of cleaning - rather than bolting out the door - though this does not mean it won't bolt, given the opportunity.

Also, arboreal spiders generally come equipped with "poop cannons." They tend to splatter their waste all over the glass of their enclosure, where it runs down the sides and makes an ugly mess. Not a big deal - it can easily be scraped off with a razor blade or cleaned with water and a good scrubbing - but cleaning the sides will necessitate leaving the cage open for a longer period than just feeding or spot cleaning. When you do this, you can cup the spider to keep it contained while the cage is open - but for an arboreal, this can be difficult to do without destroying their webbing. It can be done without trapping the spider, as long as the spider retreats into its webbing. Just be sure the door to the room is closed, you have a catch cup handy in case the spider bolts, and there are no cats, dogs, or small children (or easily-startled adults) in the room who might attack a suddenly free-range spider - or panic and stomp on it. (And of course, keep an eye on the spider while you work!) I have never yet had one of my arboreals (I also have a Poecilotheria) attempt an escape during poop scraping - they are more likely to retreat into their webbing and hide - but that does not mean that they can't or won't try it - just that I've been lucky so far.
 
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FrDoc

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What @chanda posted is both spot on, and well stated. However, I do find it interesting that in my experience the only arboreals I keep that are not fecal Rembrandts are my two H. maculatas, and my S. calceatum.
 

Spoodahman

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Yeah, an Avicularia would be a much better choice for a first tarantula! They are still fast and can be bolty - but they have a much less potent venom. Avicularia avicularia and Caribena versicolor (though at the time, it was still considered Avicularia versicolor) are the only avics that I've kept, but both were pretty easy to keep. (They were not my first tarantulas - I started with a NW terrestrial - but I'd still consider them "beginner friendly.")

Decide which species you want, take the time to thoroughly research the appropriate care and housing, then go for it. Because they are arboreal spiders, you'll need a tall, well-ventilated cage with climbing room - and vertical decor such as branches, cork slabs, and/or fake plants for the spider to use as attachment points for webbing, to climb on, and to hide behind. Place the decor at the back of the cage, away from the opening, to reduce the chance of the spider escaping when the cage is opened. (Also, make sure you know exactly where the spider is before opening the cage. Don't just assume that it's hiding behind the cork bark, because that's where it usually is. If you're mistaken, and it's really hiding just below the door opening, it could bolt out of the cage when you open the door.)

Escape risk is greatest when you first introduce the spider to the enclosure, because it has not yet established a safe retreat spot for itself. Once the spider has established some web tunnels in and around the bark/wood/plants, it will generally prefer to retreat into that "safe space" when disturbed - such as when the cage is opened for feeding of cleaning - rather than bolting out the door - though this does not mean it won't bolt, given the opportunity.

Also, arboreal spiders generally come equipped with "poop cannons." They tend to splatter their waste all over the glass of their enclosure, where it runs down the sides and makes an ugly mess. Not a big deal - it can easily be scraped off with a razor blade or cleaned with water and a good scrubbing - but cleaning the sides will necessitate leaving the cage open for a longer period than just feeding or spot cleaning. When you do this, you can cup the spider to keep it contained while the cage is open - but for an arboreal, this can be difficult to do without destroying their webbing. It can be done without trapping the spider, as long as the spider retreats into its webbing. Just be sure the door to the room is closed, you have a catch cup handy in case the spider bolts, and there are no cats, dogs, or small children (or easily-startled adults) in the room who might attack a suddenly free-range spider - or panic and stomp on it. (And of course, keep an eye on the spider while you work!) I have never yet had one of my arboreals (I also have a Poecilotheria) attempt an escape during poop scraping - they are more likely to retreat into their webbing and hide - but that does not mean that they can't or won't try it - just that I've

Thanks for all those informations , i found some Nice avicularias but there is only slings available ... i’ve eard that A. Slings are very fragile ; it’s a myth or are they realy fragile ?
 

chanda

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hanks for all those informations , i found some Nice avicularias but there is only slings available ... i’ve eard that A. Slings are very fragile ; it’s a myth or are they realy fragile ?
All slings are somewhat fragile - particularly compared to their older counterparts - but I wouldn't say that Avicularia are all that difficult to raise. The important thing is to make sure they have a well-ventilated enclosure. Ideally, it should have ventilation holes on both the sides and the top, so the air can circulate freely. While spiderlings do need moisture, you don't want the enclosure to be wet or stuffy. This is where many people go wrong with avics - they think they like it wet and keep them in humid, poorly-ventilated enclosures, which can lead to death.
 

The Grym Reaper

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Thanks for all those informations , i found some Nice avicularias but there is only slings available ... i’ve eard that A. Slings are very fragile ; it’s a myth or are they realy fragile ?
They only have a reputation for being fragile because the vast majority of people follow outdated caresheets that tell them to keep these species in moist/stuffy enclosures (which is actually one of the fastest ways to kill them).

The threads below detail proper care for them.

Avicularia Care
Avicularia Husbandry
 
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