Just got my first ever tarantula, a baby King Baboon! Need suggestions.....

[rbailey1010]

arid means dry...like a desert

Humidity wont hurt them but its not recommended.....

Just do as everyone suggested and let it be at room temperature......mist the tank occasionally......their water dish will get buried so its kind of hard to keep one full......

Do not do any styrofoam deal.......just a cover to keep it in

 

[cchardwick]

Thanks for the info, I'm thinking that he is not happy because it's too wet in there. I'll let it dry out a bit and take off the styrofoam. I think for now I'll put in a small water dish with some bark chips in there so my crickets don't drown. Once he gets comfortable and starts digging I'll take out the dish and mist the tank. Right now I only have about an inch of substrate because he is so small I don't want to lose him. I'm thinking as he gets bigger I'll add substrate.

I keep him at work next to my computer. Everyone says he is a boring spider LOL, but the arachnophobes are happy that they don't see him much. I didn't want a tarantula to hold and play with, I wanted one that people will respect.

 

[jeff1962]

I have had one of these for over two years now. She was about 1.5 in. when I got her she is now pushing around 4.0 in. I keep her in a tall narrow clear storage jar,its over a 12.00 in tall . She has burrowed all through it. The beauty of a tall narrow container with burrowing species is that you can see them all the time. Once she molts again I will more than likely put her in a larger container similar to what she is in now.

 

[cchardwick]

Well I took off my styrofoam cover and found the King Baboon back on the top of the critter cage, this time he worked himself into a hole between the lid and the side of the tank and webbed up the top by the lid. So I put him on the bottom of the tank and dug a little hole in the coconut fiber, right in front of the tank and then tickled his back legs with a straw until he found the hole. He jumped in and started digging right away! I'm hoping he will be happier now. He still hasn't eaten anything since I got him, about a week, but maybe now that he is digging in he will.

 

[brian abrams]

Congrats on your first

Wow! Nothing like jumping right in! A truly awe-inspiring T, although definately not for a beginner! Can't speak from experience, because I never had one, but first of all, don't get bit! What I did have (as in past-tense, because it died) was an adult Stout-legged baboon. I kept her just like most of the rest of my T's. Unless they are specifically an arid species (such as GBB), I tend to error on the side of too humid. This is usually as the reult of the T's knocking over their water dish! Anyway, I didn't realize that it was an arid species, the conditions got too wet, and one day I found her dead. She was only 1 of 2 adults that Ive had die. Anyway, KBB's are pet holes, just like the Stout-leg. Dont worry or be surprised if you don't see your spider for weeks at a time.

 

[jeff1962]

Wow! Nothing like jumping right in! A truly awe-inspiring T, although definately not for a beginner! Can't speak from experience, because I never had one, but first of all, don't get bit! What I did have (as in past-tense, because it died) was an adult Stout-legged baboon. I kept her just like most of the rest of my T's. Unless they are specifically an arid species (such as GBB), I tend to error on the side of too humid. This is usually as the reult of the T's knocking over their water dish! Anyway, I didn't realize that it was an arid species, the conditions got too wet, and one day I found her dead. She was only 1 of 2 adults that Ive had die. Anyway, KBB's are pet holes, just like the Stout-leg. Dont worry or be surprised if you don't see your spider for weeks at a time.

They do not have to be pet holes, its all in how they are housed. I have a King Baboon and see it all the time.

 

[cchardwick]

How do you have your King Baboon housed where you can see it all the time? My little one finally went in the corner of the tank and made a really cool house. The substrate is only about an inch thick and he piled it up in a ball in the corner and I guess webbed up the inside and he sits in the middle of the ball. And since it's in the corner of the tank you can see him, it's COOL.

 

[jeff1962]

How do you have your King Baboon housed where you can see it all the time? My little one finally went in the corner of the tank and made a really cool house. The substrate is only about an inch thick and he piled it up in a ball in the corner and I guess webbed up the inside and he sits in the middle of the ball. And since it's in the corner of the tank you can see him, it's COOL.

I have had one of these for over two years now. She was about 1.5 in. when I got her she is now pushing around 4.0 in. I keep her in a tall narrow clear storage jar,its over a 12.00 in tall . She has burrowed all through it. The beauty of a tall narrow container with burrowing species is that you can see them all the time. Once she molts again I will more than likely put her in a larger container similar to what she is in now.

Go to the kitchen storage container section of a department store...you would be amazed at what you will find. Just remeber to drill some holes in it for air. I got my present container at Bed bath and Beyond. It does sound like what she is in now will be ok for awhile because she is so small. Keep this idea in the back of your mind when you get ready to rehouse her again.

If you would like I can post some pics.

 

[Wachusaynoob]

I'm sorry but this is a prime example of the Search Function- ALL these questions have been answered, Use it.

 

[DrJ]

I'm sorry but this is a prime example of the Search Function- ALL these questions have been answered, Use it.

What's that you say? Desperate for post counts? Wow. How helpful.

Jeff, please do post pics. I'd be very interested to see them. Maybe I've been lucky, but regardless the size enclosure, my KBs always tunnel near the glass and have always been viewable.

 

[cchardwick]

No, this hasn't been posted before because this is my spider, my first tarantula, my thread, and my excitement! I look forward to everyone's replys with anticipation!

Yes, please post pics, I'd love to see your setups.

 

[jebbewocky]

Congrats on your first T. Not a species I would reccmend to most newbs, but sometimes people need to cannonball into the deep end.
1.) IMO, a smaller tank would be a good idea. It makes it easier to keep track of the T, easier for it to eat, and it gives you more space for more T's. I also wonder about the height of your substrate--you don't want your T to fall and hurt itself. If you must have that large of a tank for that small of a spider, please add more substrate so it doesn't hurt itself. I will point out KB is a burrower, so it will probably dig more with more substrate.
2.) Arid=Dry. There is less than zero need to spray or mist or overfill the waterdish.
3.) i'm jealous. No work T for me.

 

[robc]

Venom is venom. A bite from one of these guys is no more potent than what a Brachy could give you

Yeah sure LOL!!! Tell that to a couple of people I know who have been tagged by a king...a brachy is a bee sting in comparison....a sweat bee to be more precise!

 

[Chris_Skeleton]

I'm sorry but this is a prime example of the Search Function- ALL these questions have been answered, Use it.

Not really. He was needing suggestions more or less and was excited about his new spider. Isn't everyone always excited about a new one?

What's that you say? Desperate for post counts? Wow. How helpful.

Posting in tarantula chat doesn't up your post count

2. Potent venom. This issue is more "take it or leave it". Venom is venom. A bite from one of these guys is no more potent than what a Brachy could give you.

Yeah sure LOL!!! Tell that to a couple of people I know who have been tagged by a king...a brachy is a bee sting in comparison....a sweat bee to be more precise!

+1 I don't know where DrJ got his venom info from :?

 

[jebbewocky]

Yeah sure LOL!!! Tell that to a couple of people I know who have been tagged by a king...a brachy is a bee sting in comparison....a sweat bee to be more precise!

Not to mention P.ornata.

 

[robc]

Not to mention P.ornata.

Totally agree with that, wasn't fun LOL!!!!

 

[DrJ]

Yeah sure LOL!!! Tell that to a couple of people I know who have been tagged by a king...a brachy is a bee sting in comparison....a sweat bee to be more precise!

That's funny? I haven't met anyone who's been bitten by both to not compare them as similar. Slight pain and inflammation at the site. Not so bad. I have yet to note any systemic effects like muscle spasms, cramps, etc. If you have truly talked with people with these symptoms, I'd like to know about it. Otherwise, I'll leave it at the 12-15 accounts I know of to be accurate.

+1 I don't know where DrJ got his venom info from :?

If there is a site with official toxin information, please share. Otherwise, I leave my knowledge to bite reports.

Not to mention P.ornata.

Not to mention irrelevant.

 

[jebbewocky]

Totally agree with that, wasn't fun LOL!!!!

It was almost enough to scare me off pokies, just from the video! I ended up buying a sling at an LPS because it was reasonably cheap, and I got another deal I couldn't pass up at a different location (same chain). My wife loves my P.miranda, Cookie more than all my other spiders (I tell her not to say that in front of the other ones though).

----
Anyway, @ OP.
Dry enclosure, I'd reccomend a smaller tank.
BTW, this is speaking as someone who has given small slings bigger enclosures in the past, not just someone advising it because others do.
It's not a huuuuge deal if you really don't want to, but it will be more bothersome than putting it in something smaller.

 

[jebbewocky]

That's funny? I haven't met anyone who's been bitten by both to not compare them as similar. Slight pain and inflammation at the site. Not so bad. I have yet to note any systemic effects like muscle spasms, cramps, etc. If you have truly talked with people with these symptoms, I'd like to know about it. Otherwise, I'll leave it at the 12-15 accounts I know of to be accurate.



If there is a site with official toxin information, please share. Otherwise, I leave my knowledge to bite reports.



Not to mention irrelevant.

Here is robc being bit by a P.ornata
Definently relevant, because it provides evidence that not all venom is the same, that different species have different venom, and different people react differently.

If you've read the bite reports you'd know that it's not as simple as "venom is venom." Now, I haven't read the KB bite report specifically, so it may well be relatively mild--but "venom is venom" is just plain ignorant. I'll grant I didn't really establish the context of my comment very well however.

 

[DrJ]

Okay, I see where people are having the issue. I'm not saying that ALL venom is the same. I'm just saying venom IS venom. You really don't want to mess with any of it. Nothing good can come from any bite, regardless of toxicity.

But, in this case, I do feel that KBs lack anything substantial to their venom to be any more harmful than a Brachy. It won't make you miss work the next day could be a basic statement I can make.

Maybe this clears things up some?