I've been offered a Brachypelma Hamorii, should I take it?

ShalaRan

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I've been offered this B. Hamorii girl to buy from private. Should I take it?
This would be my very first T. I actually planned getting a T. Albopilosum and a B. Hamorii as my first two Ts.

However, I'm a little concerned because it's abdomen is so huge. Should I let it fast a little before offering food for the first time?

I'm going to meet the seller next sunday and I honestly prefer listening to my gut feeling, then. If something feels off (although I cannot think about anything right now, despite the massive abdomen that's making me a little wary), I won't buy the T, no matter how much I want to have it.
I've been burned once, buying a terminally ill puppy from a private breeder without listening to my gut feeling. That was the hardest and most painful lesson for me to be learned. I'm not keen on making a similar experience again.
 

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cold blood

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First off, being fat isn't a health issue. Getting fat is part of their growth stradegy. The t is in heavy pre molt, so it wont need or want food until after molting...at which point it will be less fat.

As long as the price is right, its not a risky buy IMO. If its still obese after molting, that simply means you need to feed it less and less often.
 

ShalaRan

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Thank you so much for your reply. I really appreciate your advice and will keep it in mind. ^^
The T's been offered to me for 50 bucks and I really want to have her, B. Hamorii's one of my all-time favorite species.
I don't know how big this girl is and have to wait until next sunday to know for sure. We're visiting the seller at home and we'll see the T in her old enclosure, then.
 

Chroma Trigger

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I would generally answer that thread-question with a yes, but listening to your gut is always recommended. Sorry to hear about that puppy...

Will you be buying the enclosure from the seller? Otherwise you should make sure that you already have a terra ready for the T to move in.
 

spideyspinneret78

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I think you should take it. 50 bucks for a B. hamorii is a decent price for a spider that size. Sure it's a little fat...but it's in premolt and it's an easy problem to fix. Just feed the spider less often. But I do agree with you. When you see the tarantula in person, you'll be better equipped to make an appropriate judgement.
 

ShalaRan

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I would generally answer that thread-question with a yes, but listening to your gut is always recommended. Sorry to hear about that puppy...

Will you be buying the enclosure from the seller? Otherwise you should make sure that you already have a terra ready for the T to move in.

No, the T is for sale without the enclosure. I already have one I'm preparing right now. I removed the mesh on top this morning and my hubby replaced it with acrylic glass and drilled holes in it. I'm gonna prepare the substrate (a mix of coco fiber, spider ground and some sphagnum moss) soon, so everything's gonna be ready at the weekend. ^^

Thank you for your condolence regarding our pup. Euthanizing a 12 weeks old baby dog is a nightmarish situation I wouldn't wish upon my fiercest enemy. >_<
 

OhNoNotAgain

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My first T was a B Hamorii as well. I think they are superb T's and it sounds like you have done your research on them, which is good news for the T. With regards to it being fat Cold Blood is absolutely correct, if its still fat after molting just feed it less until it slims down, this may take many months. When I first got my B. Hamorii I took the advice to feed it 1-2 crickets a week ( she was 14 years old at the time) and she piled on the weight within a few weeks. I now feed her one cricket a month and she seems to maintain her weight just fine. Of course every T is individual but mine seems very happy on the amount of food provided. I would recommend getting the T as I think they are delightful T's and a superb show species that will bring you many years of enjoyment.

P.S. if it really is that fat no real harm will have been done to it as far as i know, spiders will gorge themselves when the opportunity exists and then be able to fast for many months or even a year or more without any ill effects. I'm far from an expert on this so you may want this confirmed by more experienced keepers.
 

nicodimus22

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First off, being fat isn't a health issue. Getting fat is part of their growth stradegy.
Well, it's not wonderful to massively overfeed adults. A huge, heavy abdomen does put adult Ts at greater risk of dragging injuries and ruptures from falling AFAIK. Slings tend to put a lot more of their food right into the next molt, even if they're incredibly fat.

But as far as comparing it to obesity in mammals leading to cardiac problems, yeah. Nothing like that.
 
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Thekla

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Well, I'd say 50€ isn't overly cheap if this T is still a juvenile (judging by the colouration). For an adult, it would be a fair price.
I bought my female B. hamorii from SpiderStore.de for 45€ when she was about 3 1/2"-4".

Another reputable dealer here in Germany has B. hamoriis right now with the following price tags:
Brachypelma hamorii ( ex smithi ) 3-3,5cm Kl 20€ / 4-4,5cm Kl 35€ / 5,5-6cm Kl 50€ (measurements given are body lengths)

So, it really depends on how big she is and if you're willing to pay the price. :) Just make sure you get the proper paperwork as well. They are "nachweispflichtig" (sorry, don't know the English term out of the top of my head ;)).

Just one more thing regarding the enclosure... you said you removed the mesh lid, so, I assume you got an ExoTerra. If so, what are the dimensions? Generally, Exo Terras aren't the best enclosures for heavy-bodied terrestrial Ts, because you won't be able to fill up the substrate to a safe level in the front, and especially seeing how chubby this one is.

Where in Germany do you live? There're several expos all over Germany where you can buy Ts from reputable dealers. Drop me a message, if you would rather talk about it in private. :)
 
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boina

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I'll second everything @Thekla has just said. 50 Euro may be a steal in America but it's actually more on the expensive side in Germany, especially if it's still a juvenile. It would be the absolute maximim I'd be willing to pay for a B. hamorii. You definitely need to make sure that it's a female - they can be sexed by looking at the underside if you know what to look for. Do not buy if the seller is not willing to guarantee a female. A reputable seller should offer a refund if it turns out male. I wouldn't expect any health issues from it being so fat, but I'd be very careful transporting it, since it is in heavy premolt and they can be a bit more fragile at that stage.
 

ShalaRan

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I'll second everything @Thekla has just said. 50 Euro may be a steal in America but it's actually more on the expensive side in Germany, especially if it's still a juvenile. It would be the absolute maximim I'd be willing to pay for a B. hamorii. You definitely need to make sure that it's a female - they can be sexed by looking at the underside if you know what to look for. Do not buy if the seller is not willing to guarantee a female. A reputable seller should offer a refund if it turns out male. I wouldn't expect any health issues from it being so fat, but I'd be very careful transporting it, since it is in heavy premolt and they can be a bit more fragile at that stage.
The seller is the current owner, and I'm prepared for just about everything (bad or good) to be happening on our visit. I definitely won't buy the T if my gut feeling tells me not to and rather wait for a better opportunity and a reliable seller/breeder to have one.
 

ShalaRan

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I think there was some confusion as the OP used "bucks" American slang for dollars, so a lot of people (me included) assumed the OP was American.
I've converted Euro to Dollar to make reading this thread more convenient.

50 Dollars are about 45 Euros. I hope this makes things more clearer. ^^
 

SonsofArachne

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I've converted Euro to Dollar to make reading this thread more convenient.

50 Dollars are about 45 Euros. I hope this makes things more clearer. ^^
Well the main problem was not exchange rate it was that a 50 Euro F B. hamorii is apparently fairly expensive according to the Europeans posting here. A $50 F B. hamorii would be dirt cheap in the US. Tarantulas are normally much more expensive in the US than Europe. So it is kind of important to differentiate between Euros and dollars because people don't always stop to check where a poster is from before posting themselves.
 
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Tim Benzedrine

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Has anybody ever explained WHY there is a large price differential? More breeders? Some weird economy reason?
 

boina

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Has anybody ever explained WHY there is a large price differential? More breeders? Some weird economy reason?
In Europe there's a lot of competition. Especially since eastern Europeans (from Poland mostly, but also Hungaria) started breeding, prices have been in free fall for the most part. Many of the established German breeders are angry about that since it definitely reduces profit margins. But even among the German breeders there's heavy competition since there are so many. I mean I live at the northern most end of Germany in a rural area and I know half a dozen of breeders that are less than an hour's drive away. In the big cities you've twice that many at least. The tarantula market in Europe, especially Germany, is huge and crowded. Tarantula keeping is pretty main stream, too. I've started a new job last year (ok, as a biologist), and among my 40 or so new collegues two keep or have kept tarantulas.
 
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