L. parahybana - isnt it cute?

[scorpio]

I cant understand how this thing is going to be more than 7 inches someday. its insanely cute right now, and i find it funny how it was able to subdue a 1/4 inch cricket! It seemed to grow twice as big in one day. Its crazy. Once I get my mini mealworms on tuesday, im going to power feed it for a few months. I feel like its sort of vulnerable at this size, and id like to get some substance on it. This is my first tarantula and im hoping it will be a good pet. It was a freebie with a pede I got, and im glad I didnt get a rosehair instead. I think this one will be much more fun, and I like size, and I didnt want to spend 100 bucks on a T. blondi.

Im also looking for growth info on this guy from any of you. I hear they can grow more than an inch in one molt, but id like to hear what you guys have to say. I also want to know what the reccomended frequency of feeding is once they are adults. Thanks.

 

[Vys]

Yeah, it is rather cute. Much cuter than my 8inch sulking-behind-a-wardrobe-without-any-intentions-of-ever-leaving Parahybana.

I got mine as a sub-adult, at around 6 inches, and that was perhaps 6 months ago. She has molted twice. Funny that, the colour-change...from potato-brown to black and pinkish, to even more pinkish but a kind of faded gray.

 

[vulpina]

They are cute when they are tiny, but rest assured, they do get big. My parahybana is over 9" now.

Andy

 

[scorpio]

What do you keep your large parahybanas in? Right now, I have a faunarium approximately the size of a 10 gallon for when it grows. I heard they dont move much, so is this what I need?

 

[Buspirone]

Here's a pic of one of my slings. They are great little slings.

 

[arcane]

I got a parahybana as a freebie too, with my mexican red knee. I think it is afraid to eat live food. It wouldnt touch fruit flies, and now I feed it chopped up cricket/mealworms. It seems to run away from everything. What a wuss.

My 2.2" red knee actually caught a cricket on the first bounce tonight when I dumped it in, and then proceeded to use the other fang to nail another one. <mortal kombat voice> impressive </mortal kombat voice>

 

[scorpio]

I think im gonna put my parahybana in a little deli cup tonight and see if he'll eat a dead cricket. I still waiting for mini mealworms, and all i have right now are these huge 1 inch things that chirp all the time. Its really annoying. I also feel like a sick weirdo that delegs crickets all day. So im looking forward to not doing that too many times in the future.

 

[rob]

Hey Scorpio, I have a L. parahybana spiderling that I got on 04APR03 at about .75" and it has molted on 02MAY03, 03JUN03, 02JUL03, and looks like it will molt within the next day or so. Its easily about 2.75" right now and has its adult colors. Eats like a horse, but is extremely nervous.

 

[Sean]

Originally posted by scorpio
I think im gonna put my parahybana in a little deli cup tonight and see if he'll eat a dead cricket. I still waiting for mini mealworms, and all i have right now are these huge 1 inch things that chirp all the time. Its really annoying. I also feel like a sick weirdo that delegs crickets all day. So im looking forward to not doing that too many times in the future.

Mine is about 3/4 of an inch and its in a pill bottle, this is my favorite spieces.My larger one is a 5 inch female that is going to molt any day now, probably will shoot up to 6 inches, when i got her it was about 4 and after 1 molt it shot up too 5 inches there fast growers i see people say there aggressive or semi aggressive mine has not shown any of that, it will hold its ground though like alot of spiders will run this guy will site there, very bold spider imo, you will like it specially when it gets older

 

[scorpio]

I think mine is scared of dead crickets. I put in a cricket head and right when it touches it, it walks back looking startled.

 

[Buspirone]

I have 4 Lp slings and they just molted and have a legspan just about .5" maybe more. With this last molt they all seemed to have grown an attitude. They throw display tantrums and one little monster was striking at the tweezers. Prior to the last molt they were skittish about everything. I tried feeding cricket legs but it got old real fast. I started offering 1/3 sized crickets with crushed heads and they fed fine.

 

[chuck]

my L.parahybana is almost everything i wanted in a T. it gets to be huge, is always out to impress people, and eats a lot with no biases. only thing is i wish it gave me some web, b/c i think webs are cool. but my girl was about 4" when i got her, and she molted to about 6". she was brown and now is black, with white bands on her legs and pink hairs on her ab. i keep her in a ten gallon of forest bedding and a halved flower pot, with a large water dish. she is always walking, but never when i am looking. it is like we play "Red Light Gree Light", when i look away she moves as far as she can b4 i look back at her :}

edit: is there any way i can get her to kick hairs? i tried the usual, blowing on her, tickling her ab, misting her directly and she never kicks at me. she must love me =D
is there any trick i can use, or is it another case of each T having an individuality?

 

[scorpio]

I heard that they are real big on flicking hair. Dont really know how to make them do it though.

 

[Telson]

I got one with an order of several other species slings the other day, and got a 2nd tossed in as a freebie. These little buugers are TINY! Like .25 inches! Amazing that they can grow so HUGE.

I have had a problem over the summer with these tiny little moths in the house, and they seem to be the PERFECT sling food! Just the right size! I've fed about 4 of my new slings each one moth and they've all leaped on the little things with a vengeance. My B.auratum though got a hold of the wing and wound up wrestling with hers for about 5 miunutes until she figured out which end to bite though, lol! Was funny as heck to watch!

 

[scorpio]

Moths eh? I imagine they might be something like fruit flies to them.

 

[Telson]

Not nearly as tiny as fruit flies. The moths are about 1/3" long.

 

[Vys]

Chuck: In Potato's case, webbing came with size. When she molted to black from brown, she started webbing like crazy. When she next molted from black to faded black, she webbed even more. She webbed everything before she escaped. Now she webs outside the wardrobe everytime I'm not there. Darn animal, I'm almost starting to consider the vacuum-cleaner.