Just bought my first Tarantula (its a sling) i need some advice

[Wormtail39]

So i just ordered myself a brachiapelmla albiceps sling apparently it is 1cm big or 0.38 inches (though it may be bigger that was just the generalised size given on the site i ordered from) i have attached an image of all the equiptment i have bought with the little guy. My question is this: what size enclosure should i keep him in when he arrives, i know that overly large enclosures can stress slings out and make them refuse food, so i bought a range of containers please could someone help me pick out (from the sizes i have ordered found bellow) the best container for him! Additionally any advice on the species i have bought and sling care and tarantula care in general would be apreciated allot, i have done my research but i dont want anything to go wrong so any advice or tips would be apreciated! Also please let me know if i have missed anything crucial needed for the tarantula on this list. It all comes tommorow so excited!

edit: the pre pack tub listed at the end of the recipt is live food, not another enclosure size. also I guess my main question was at the size my spider should be 0.38 inches should i just skip the 3cm wide spiderling pots i bought and go strait to the 12oz/16oz deli cups.

 

[Vanisher]

Brachypelma albiceps! Prepare for a looooong wait growthwise! These tarantulas grows extreemly slow! Keep it in a very small delicontainer with 3 inch substrate peat or soil, slightly moist! Welcome to hobbyand good luck

 

[Wormtail39]

Brachypelma albiceps! Prepare for a looooong wait growthwise! These tarantulas grows extreemly slow! Keep it in a very small delicontainer with 3 inch substrate peat or soil, slightly moist! Welcome to hobbyand good luck

Yeah i know they are slow growers and so the 12 oz delicontainer then? not the 3cm wide spiderling pot? also cheers mate and wait is my coconut fibre substrait brick not right for him? I guess my main question was at the size mine is, should i just skip the 3cm wide spiderline containers i bought.

 

[Vanisher]

You can use coco fibre. I personally like the others better, but if you have coco fibre, of cause use it. 12 oz i am uncertain what size it is? But for a sling use something like 4 inch wide and 4 inch long. And increase the enclosure size littke as it grows

 

[Wormtail39]

You can use coco fibre. I personally like the others better, but if you have coco fibre, of cause use it. 12 oz i am uncertain what side it is? But for a slung use something like 4 inch wide and 4 inch long. And increase the enclosure size littke as it grows

I found this image explaining the deli container sizes, so for my 1cm/0.4 inch sling you think maby 16 oz deli container or would this spiderling pot be better i will post both pictures.

 

[FrDoc]

Welcome, Sir. Congrats on the B. albiceps, stunning T (someday). Seriously, it seems you have prepared well. However, the info presented by @Vanisher is all too true, their progress is excruciatingly slow. I have notoriously slow growing species that have blown past my albiceps. Additionally, they eat to maintain that growth rate, on and off. So, if you’re a very patient soul you will be happy with your new friend for decades. However, if you’re a normal sort, you’ll be acquiring some other specimen(s) in short order. Cheers!

 

[Vanisher]

12 oz or 16 oz i would go with! The 16 oz seems to have the same measurments area wise, but are deeper, meaning more substrate can be placed inside. Meaning, it wont dry out as quickly and you have room for s small hide if you like that? I prefer hides even for slings. But one should not fill it with clutter, greater chance for prey to hide within the clutter

Welcome, Sir. Congrats on the B. albiceps, stunning T (someday). Seriously, it seems you have prepared well. However, the info presented by @Vanisher is all too true, their progress is excruciatingly slow. I have notoriously slow growing species that have blown past my albiceps. Additionally, they eat to maintain that growth rate, on and off. So, if you’re a very patient soul you will be happy with your new friend for decades. However, if you’re a normal sort, you’ll be acquiring some other specimen(s) in short order. Cheers!

Haha, yes! I always recomending slings, i think it is more fun to raise slings than buying adults, but this is ine speicies that i actually do not recommend. This and some other eqyally slowgrowing speicies like A chalcodes. My chalcodes sling grew slower than a oaktree

 

[Wormtail39]

12 oz or 16 oz i would go with! The 16 oz seems to have the same measurments area wise, but are deeper, meaning more substrate can be placed inside. Meaning, it wont dry out as quickly and you have room for s small hide if you like that? I prefer hides even for slings. But one should not fill it with clutter, greater chance for prey to hide within the clutter

I am not to sure if thats the case i will check when they arrive but 16 oz seems like the wise choice there then cool cool well im happy with that gives me more freedom to decorate than with the vial aswell which is nice as long as u dont think thats too much space for such a small sling. What size slings are the vials for then?

Welcome, Sir. Congrats on the B. albiceps, stunning T (someday). Seriously, it seems you have prepared well. However, the info presented by @Vanisher is all too true, their progress is excruciatingly slow. I have notoriously slow growing species that have blown past my albiceps. Additionally, they eat to maintain that growth rate, on and off. So, if you’re a very patient soul you will be happy with your new friend for decades. However, if you’re a normal sort, you’ll be acquiring some other specimen(s) in short order. Cheers!

That makes me happy to hear tryna get as prepared as possible for its arrival and i think il probs wait for this one to reach a decent size and see how i like having a tarantula as a pet before i get loads if at like 3 or 4 inches im really happy with it il probs get 4 or 5 more hahah its slow growth will give me a chance to decide how i feel

 

[FrDoc]

I am not to sure if thats the case i will check when they arrive but 16 oz seems like the wise choice there then cool cool well im happy with that gives me more freedom to decorate than with the vial aswell which is nice as long as u dont think thats too much space for such a small sling. What size slings are the vials for then?

The vials work well for 1/4” (6.35mm) slings.

 

[Vanisher]

Around 10 cm in diameter is a good size! The 16 oz is deeper but that is easy fix by adding more substrate. Oz is a "space" measurment and i am more familiair with metrix system! 10 cm in diameter and 5-10 cm in hight!

 

[Thekla]

I'd wait until you actually see the spider and then decide which pot you need.
For a 1cm sling (DLS) I'd use the smallest pot you have. My B. emilia sling is about 1cm and I have it in a little pot with about 3,5 cm in diameter (just for reference):

 

[Vanisher]

As FrDoc mentions, you can go much smaller for this sized sling! 10 cm in diameter is kind of overkill. Actually it would be better to use a smaller delicup for this sling! And in a year or 2 upsize to a 10 cm!

 

[Wormtail39]

As FrDoc mentions, you can go much smaller for this sized sling! 10 cm in diameter is kind of overkill. Actually it would be better to use a smaller delicup for this sling! And in a year or 2 upsize to a 10 cm!

unfortunetly only options i have are the 2 deli cups or the vial so i guess i should go with the vial for 1 molt then?

 

[Vanisher]

Take the smallest one! The vial seems good

 

[Wormtail39]

Take the smallest one! The vial seems good

I just wander if the vial might be too small lol maby i am over thinking this i just dont want my first t to die or be unhappy yaknow?

 

[Vanisher]

If the sling is below 1cm the vial will work!

 

[Wormtail39]

If the sling is below 1cm the vial will work!

Its more than 1cm so i guess 12 oz container it is!!

 

[Thekla]

You don't have to use specialised cups or vials. I got my little pot from the craft store meant for collecting the tiniest of things.

Personally, I don't like the vials. I just think they're not practical and you need quite a lot of substrate which harbours the risk that the sling will burrow down and won't eat that well.

 

[Vanisher]

Ihave never exprienced slings that burrow , not eating well! Slings living in to large container with clutter yes, but burrowing slings not eating well enough, no!

 

[Thekla]

Ihave never exprienced slings that burrow , not eating well! Slings living in to large container with clutter yes, but burrowing slings not eating well enough, no!

Just because you have never experienced it, doesn't mean it can't happen.

(from ~ 1:40 onwards)

Personally, I rather have a more shallow enclosure for tiny slings, just to be on the safe side.