JUST SOME BASIC INFO

[viper69]

Exactly what I thought!

Don't mean to rain on anyone's parade, but criticism should be allowed, so I'd like to share my thoughts...

Sharing information, or "educating" others can be noble and helpful.
However, it can also backfire badly when one bases their knowledge on heresy instead of actual facts, proven by science.

Some of the things said in that uncomfortable wall of text are either flat out wrong, or at the very least complete guesstimation - nothing that can be considered helpful, or might even cause more harm than good - in my opinion as a "freshman" in this hobby.

However, it's at least a good reminder that many years of experience do not equal valuable experience - therefore the whole "I'm into this since..." argument really is moot.

I'd suggest to re-arrange the OP to make it
a) actually enjoyable to read and
b) contain only proven/confirmed information - no witchcraft mythology from changing substrate 'because reasons' to raising humidity for molting.

Just my thoughts on this.

Facts, proven by science, why that's just heresy I say!

I wish the forum allowed users to add more than one icon to post. I would have added quite a few more to yours! It was great.

 

[viper69]

Been to both countries, can confirm.
Sorry my Italian stallion!

It was literally like night and day. We took a train from Switzerland right into Milano. Well once we arrived we felt the Swiss probably sweep all their garbage down the Italian Alps. It was a stark contrast.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

There was a lot different. The trains were nice and cleaner, QUIET too, not the case in Italia I'm sorry to say. The train I was on needed probably about 80 liters of oil to lube the wheels to keep it quiet! But in Swissville, ah, they were as quiet as a monastery.

It was a lot cleaner in Switzerland than in Milano, Venezia or Roma.

Eh, but I've said Lombardy, uh

Milano is a huge and (for Italian standards) pretty chaotic city; it's not the capital of course but it's the moral, and economical capital of Italy... it's normal to find things that don't work. Wouldn't probably win an award, ok, but I saw worst :-s

But watch Como, Pavia, Mantova, Varese... view Lombardy at 360°, a Region (Region, not nation) that always was productive (the engine of the entire Italy) still able to mantain nature, environment etc

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Been to both countries, can confirm.

Which places you traveled and "full lived" of Lombardy, Milano aside? :-s

I visited half of the world and I can guarantee that Switzerland, while more ordered, wasn't too different from Lombardy on that sense

 

[Kendricks]

Facts, proven by science, why that's just heresy I say!

Oh damn this auto-correction!
I meant hearsay, of course!

 

[Casey K]

Yup I know personally I've never used a 'cleaning crew' for my T's so far in all of those years but the reason I asked you that was this one in particular: don't you think that would be stressful for obligate burrowers to being moved 2 times a year, my friend? :-s

Yes I agree but I weigh them both. Would my tarantula rather live in its own fecal matter or to have a spring cleaning done once every 6 months? Lol.....Hmmmm.......

 

[Casey K]

There's some decent info in this one GIANT paragraph.

For someone that has had Ts for 11 years there's some shockingly erroneous information in the giant paragraph that you should know. I'd be embarrassed.


They don't have hair, only mammals do. That is basic biology.

There is absolutely no scientific proof that increased humidity aids in molting- none. This is BASIC tarantula biology/husbandry.
This is a carry over from the reptile hobby.

Slings should have a water bowl, esp those that are less than 2" long.


Slings are the most susceptible to dying due to dehydration, anyone with any relevant level of experience would know this.


Tarantulas do not eat their exoskeleton at all, not for any reason. What a crazy idea that was....:wideyed::wideyed::wideyed::wideyed::wideyed:

Wow. Thanks for the input, Viper. In all my years of keeping T's (avics and poecilotheria in particular- although I've had quite a few juvie B. klaasi do this as well) I have found that increasing humidity helps the tarantula molt. When this has not been done with my avics and poecies, almost always, there has been molt issues with them. Losing limbs....Or even worse, their life because of it. The exoskeleton can harden very quickly when there is not enough humidity for a tarantula to molt-. You want to keep the humidity up so that the exoskeleton remains soft enough for the tarantula to come out of. There are others that can attest to exactly what I'm saying. Tarantulas (some) have urticating hair. I have seen quite a few tarantulas munching on the abdominal area of their exoskeleton. I can only assume they do this to obtain moisture to restore what was lost DURING the molt process. Out of all YOUR years in the hobby, I'm certain you can find SOME truth as to what I'm saying??? I'm not the only person in the hobby that has witnessed a tarantula munching on their recently molted exoskeleton...... I will leave the sling/water dish subject alone....After all, I certainly wouldn't want a 1/4" sling drowning in a 20 oz soda cap.....But to each their own....

 

[Hellblazer]

After all, I certainly wouldn't want a 1/4" sling drowning in a 20 oz soda cap.....

I wouldn't want that to happen either. They don't sink though, so it's not an issue.

 

[viper69]

Wow. Thanks for the input, Viper. In all my years of keeping T's (avics and poecilotheria in particular- although I've had quite a few juvie B. klaasi do this as well) I have found that increasing humidity helps the tarantula molt. When this has not been done with my avics and poecies, almost always, there has been molt issues with them. Losing limbs....Or even worse, their life because of it. The exoskeleton can harden very quickly when there is not enough humidity for a tarantula to molt-. You want to keep the humidity up so that the exoskeleton remains soft enough for the tarantula to come out of. There are others that can attest to exactly what I'm saying. Tarantulas (some) have urticating hair. I have seen quite a few tarantulas munching on the abdominal area of their exoskeleton. I can only assume they do this to obtain moisture to restore what was lost DURING the molt process. Out of all YOUR years in the hobby, I'm certain you can find SOME truth as to what I'm saying??? I'm not the only person in the hobby that has witnessed a tarantula munching on their recently molted exoskeleton...... I will leave the sling/water dish subject alone....After all, I certainly wouldn't want a 1/4" sling drowning in a 20 oz soda cap.....But to each their own....

Your humidity fears are unfounded. I've never had molting issues, with one exception. And that T was kept identical to the others. Regardless, there is no science to support your beliefs.

How do you think Green Bottle Blues molt in some of the most xeric conditions down in Venezuela, the same for many other scrub land/desert species in the New World.....

No tarantula on the planet has hair it's impossible, you clearly do not understand this. I suggest you read.

Some tarantulas can swim, such as Avicularia. They have been filmed in S. America swimming in a river. It's on YouTube. I'd spend time searching that out before continuing to double down on fabrications.

 

[viper69]

I'm certain you can find SOME truth as to what I'm saying???

No

 

[Casey K]

Your humidity fears are unfounded. I've never had molting issues, with one exception. And that T was kept identical to the others. Regardless, there is no science to support your beliefs.

How do you think Green Bottle Blues molt in some of the most xeric conditions down in Venezuela, the same for many other scrub land/desert species in the New World.....

No tarantula on the planet has hair it's impossible, you clearly do not understand this. I suggest you read.

Some tarantulas can swim, such as Avicularia. They have been filmed in S. America swimming in a river. It's on YouTube. I'd spend time searching that out before continuing to double down on fabrications.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urticating_hair

 

[Casey K]

No

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/setae

 

[Casey K]

No

Urticating hair/Setae.

Would you mind please providing me with your reference as to why it's impossible for tarantulas to have urticating hair? Also, the definition of setae clearly defines "stiff hair or hair-like structures"......??????? I'm so ready to be educated on this......Please educate me. I'm all ears....Well, eyes anyway....

 

[BobBarley]

Urticating hair/Setae.

Would you mind please providing me with your reference as to why it's impossible for tarantulas to have urticating hair? Also, the definition of setae clearly defines "stiff hair or hair-like structures"......??????? I'm so ready to be educated on this......Please educate me. I'm all ears....Well, eyes anyway....

This is kind of a venom vs poison thing lol. "Urticating hair" should technically be "urticating setae". All the "hairs" on a tarantula are actually setae. However, many just call it hair anyway.

 

[Lokee85]

Urticating hair/Setae.

Would you mind please providing me with your reference as to why it's impossible for tarantulas to have urticating hair? Also, the definition of setae clearly defines "stiff hair or hair-like structures"......??????? I'm so ready to be educated on this......Please educate me. I'm all ears....Well, eyes anyway....

I was wondering this myself. I mean, I know the setae is technically part of the exoskeleton and isn't "hair" in the sense that it doesn't grow/grow back until the next molt cycle, but I think this is just splitting hairs. And I'm unsure if that pun is intended or not lol.

 

[viper69]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urticating_hair

First of all wikipedia is nothing but garbage in, garbage out. It's not a scientific resource.

Urticating hair/Setae.

Would you mind please providing me with your reference as to why it's impossible for tarantulas to have urticating hair? Also, the definition of setae clearly defines "stiff hair or hair-like structures"......??????? I'm so ready to be educated on this......Please educate me. I'm all ears....Well, eyes anyway....

Go look up any book on animal classification, basic grade school biology books will tell the reader that HAIR is one of THE defining characteristics of being a mammal. Birds don't have hair, neither do tarantula. Just because a structure LOOKS like hair, doesn't mean it is true hair.

Here are some citations that are more reliable than wikipedia.

The first link is for teachers who teach students in Grades 3 and 4, consider yourself educated.

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education/Documents/WMMammalMammal.pdf

The second link is an interview with a scientist, a mammalogist from the American Museum of Natural History, only one of the greatest natural history museums in the world, ie not a slacker institution. If I were you I'd trust a scientist's word over some idiotic entry in wikipedia.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-difference-be/


BTW, setae are found on invertebrates. Your own freedictionary link mentions that.



Only mammals have hair, it's one of THE defining traits of being a mammal.


Even Stan's book mentions the above info about hair....

 

[Casey K]

First of all wikipedia is nothing but garbage in, garbage out. It's not a scientific resource.



Go look up any book on animal classification, basic grade school biology books will tell the reader that HAIR is one of THE defining characteristics of being a mammal. Birds don't have hair, neither do tarantula. Just because a structure LOOKS like hair, doesn't mean it is true hair.

Here are some citations that are more reliable than wikipedia.

The first link is for teachers who teach students in Grades 3 and 4, consider yourself educated.

https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education/Documents/WMMammalMammal.pdf

The second link is an interview with a scientist, a mammalogist from the American Museum of Natural History, only one of the greatest natural history museums in the world, ie not a slacker institution. If I were you I'd trust a scientist's word over some idiotic entry in wikipedia.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-difference-be/


BTW, setae are found on invertebrates. Your own freedictionary link mentions that.



Only mammals have hair, it's one of THE defining traits of being a mammal.


Even Stan's book mentions the above info about hair....

Well thank you. That wasn't too hard now was it?

 

[viper69]

Well thank you. That wasn't too hard now was it?

Never said it was.

 

[viper69]

I was wondering this myself. I mean, I know the setae is technically part of the exoskeleton and isn't "hair" in the sense that it doesn't grow/grow back until the next molt cycle, but I think this is just splitting hairs. And I'm unsure if that pun is intended or not lol.

Another key difference between T setae and mammalian hair is they aren't even made of the same molecule. They are chemically different from each other.

If you want more info, call my friends at google

 

[Kendricks]

Well thank you. That wasn't too hard now was it?

Speaking off, did you read my post on page one?
If not, I'd like to point the following out again, especially after all the debates here.

I'd suggest to re-arrange the OP to make it
a) actually enjoyable to read and
b) contain only proven/confirmed information - no witchcraft mythology from changing substrate 'because reasons' to raising humidity for molting.

Just my thoughts on this.

What do you think, Casey?