M. Balfrouri Care sheet? (I'm a noob)

Ramil

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Hello guys! I just started keeping Tarantulas for a bout 2 weeks ago. I bought 2 Tarantulas to start, these are Grammostola Pulchripes or the Chaco Golden Knee and a Brachypelma Smithi or the Mexican red knee Tarantula. These dudes are an inch or less. My girlfriend seeing how I'm into my new hobby, decided to buy a 2.5" M. Balfouri (Female). I am a newbie in keeping thus in my spare time, i read the forums for some tips on how to care for slings and other breed of tarantulas. This would be the first Juvenile (?) that I will be keeping. Hoping for some tips on how to care for the M. Balfouri and if possible also the first 2 Tarantulas that i have. Please dont cut off my head with the stupid question.
 

TownesVanZandt

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Care sheets are usually crap. Now, M. balfouri are incredible easy to care for. Give her a kritter keeper or another enclosure of appropriate size, then fill it with enough substrate for her to burrow if she wants (also make sure it isn´t too much space for her to climb upwards). Then give her some cork bark or another hide and a water dish. That´s it really. Oh, and keep the substrate dry.
 

Ramil

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Care sheets are usually crap. Now, M. balfouri are incredible easy to care for. Give her a kritter keeper or another enclosure of appropriate size, then fill it with enough substrate for her to burrow if she wants (also make sure it isn´t too much space for her to climb upwards). Then give her some cork bark or another hide and a water dish. That´s it really. Oh, and keep the substrate dry.
Oh. Okay, I have a water dish for her. Im still waiting for my 7x7x7 acrylic enclosure, planning to put at least 3-4inch of substrate. The substrate she is right now is currently moisten. I read that i need to overfill the water dish a little, is that okay?
 

TownesVanZandt

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Oh. Okay, I have a water dish for her. Im still waiting for my 7x7x7 acrylic enclosure, planning to put at least 3-4inch of substrate. The substrate she is right now is currently moisten. I read that i need to overfill the water dish a little, is that okay?
No, you don´t need to do that. If it were a sling, I would keep it a bit moist, but it´s a species from a dry area. I also see that you are from the Philippines, which is pretty humid, no?

Good luck! "Baboons" are fun to keep and I am certain you´ll enjoy it!
 

Ghost56

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Keep in mind M. balfouri are old world, so you need to be careful with her. Definitely no handling or anything of that such if you've handled your others. She will be fast, and possibly very defensive.
 

Ramil

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No, you don´t need to do that. If it were a sling, I would keep it a bit moist, but it´s a species from a dry area. I also see that you are from the Philippines, which is pretty humid, no?

Good luck! "Baboons" are fun to keep and I am certain you´ll enjoy it!
Yes its pretty humid here in the Philippines, does that help? lol. Oh okay. Well i'll have to wait for a day or 2 before i get to give her a new bigger enclosure for her. Sorry to insert another question here, but can you also give me tips on how to care for the other 2?
 

Ramil

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Keep in mind M. balfouri are old world, so you need to be careful with her. Definitely no handling or anything of that such if you've handled your others. She will be fast, and possibly very defensive.
I've handled her once or twice. She was very kind and yes she was fast. Im not new to handling them for I have handled similar sized T's before. However, after reading a few about the M. Balfouri, I was scared to death of thought of handling her again. Beginners luck probably that she was kind to me.
 

Ghost56

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I've handled her once or twice. She was very kind and yes she was fast. Im not new to handling them for I have handled similar sized T's before. However, after reading a few about the M. Balfouri, I was scared to death of thought of handling her again. Beginners luck probably that she was kind to me.
Ya, definitely don't do it again. Balfouri are known to be calmer than most baboons, but they still have extremely potent venom. Her attitude will most likely get a lot worse too after a few molts.
 

TownesVanZandt

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Yes its pretty humid here in the Philippines, does that help? lol. Oh okay. Well i'll have to wait for a day or 2 before i get to give her a new bigger enclosure for her. Sorry to insert another question here, but can you also give me tips on how to care for the other 2?
No, it certainly doesn´t help in your case. What we try to create inside of an enclosure is a microclimate that suits a particular tarantula. I keep some Asian tarantulas in an area with little humidity, and in order to raise the humidity inside of those enclosures I keep the substrate moist and limit the amounts of ventilation holes so it doesn´t dry up so rapidly. In your case it´s opposite. You have three species that prefers dryish climate and if you moisten the substrate it will be way too humid for them.

As for tips for the other two, they can be kept quite similar. Dryish substrate, a water dish always filled and a hide.

Also as @Ghost56 said, it´s not a good idea to handle tarantulas. Not only do you run the risk of having some rather unpleasant days if you are bit, but you are also putting the tarantulas at great risk from injuries from falls etc. They also gains nada from it. So, my advice is, no handling :)
 

Ramil

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No, it certainly doesn´t help in your case. What we try to create inside of an enclosure is a microclimate that suits a particular tarantula. I keep some Asian tarantulas in an area with little humidity, and in order to raise the humidity inside of those enclosures I keep the substrate moist and limit the amounts of ventilation holes so it doesn´t dry up so rapidly. In your case it´s opposite. You have three species that prefers dryish climate and if you moisten the substrate it will be way too humid for them.

As for tips for the other two, they can be kept quite similar. Dryish substrate, a water dish always filled and a hide.

Also as @Ghost56 said, it´s not a good idea to handle tarantulas. Not only do you run the risk of having some rather unpleasant days if you are bit, but you are also putting the tarantulas at great risk from injuries from falls etc. They also gains nada from it. So, my advice is, no handling :)
I see, so that means no moistening of the substrate then. Can i instead microwave the substrate to have it dry? or should i dry it under the sun? Explains why the substrate is moist when i last felt it. However, for my chaco, i think moistening the substrate would be good since he/she is less than an inch. I've read that slings need the substrate moistened.
 

TownesVanZandt

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I see, so that means no moistening of the substrate then. Can i instead microwave the substrate to have it dry? or should i dry it under the sun? Explains why the substrate is moist when i last felt it. However, for my chaco, i think moistening the substrate would be good since he/she is less than an inch. I've read that slings need the substrate moistened.
Eh, I have no idea about the microwave part, I´m afraid. It doesn´t sound like a great idea, but I have never tried. I would just spread it out a bit and let it dry.

And you´re right, slings generally needs a bit more humidity than larger specimens. You might keep it slightly moist for it. If it becomes too moist for a tarantula, they will often avoid the substrate and be situated at the walls of the enclosures instead.
 

Ramil

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Eh, I have no idea about the microwave part, I´m afraid. It doesn´t sound like a great idea, but I have never tried. I would just spread it out a bit and let it dry.

And you´re right, slings generally needs a bit more humidity than larger specimens. You might keep it slightly moist for it. If it becomes too moist for a tarantula, they will often avoid the substrate and be situated at the walls of the enclosures instead.
Okay. Big thanks! I guess i'll just have it dry under the sun for a few minutes to give it the dryness that it needs. Also, another question. About another breed of Tarantula. I'm currently reading about the Nhandu Chromatus. How frequent should it be fed? Im planning to get one soon. Im really sorry for inserting random questions here. Im guessing its also a type that wants a dry substrate?
 

TownesVanZandt

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Okay. Big thanks! I guess i'll just have it dry under the sun for a few minutes to give it the dryness that it needs. Also, another question. About another breed of Tarantula. I'm currently reading about the Nhandu Chromatus. How frequent should it be fed? Im planning to get one soon. Im really sorry for inserting random questions here. Im guessing its also a type that wants a dry substrate?
Not really, you can keep it slightly moist. If you do let one half for example dry out and keep the other moist, you can see what she prefers by where she prefers to be. As for how often you should feed, that depends on the size of the tarantula and how much you feed them per turn. Slings should eat as often and as much as they please. The same is also true for juveniles, especially if you want them to grow fast. I feed them two or three times per week, several prey items. Subadults and adults I feed every second week or so. You will get a feel for it quite soon as you will recognise the behaviour of the tarantula when it´s in "hunting" mood. Just make sure you don´t feed tarantulas that are freshly moulted. They need time for their fangs to harden, which can be some days for slings and a week or two for bigger specimens.
 

Ramil

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Not really, you can keep it slightly moist. If you do let one half for example dry out and keep the other moist, you can see what she prefers by where she prefers to be. As for how often you should feed, that depends on the size of the tarantula and how much you feed them per turn. Slings should eat as often and as much as they please. The same is also true for juveniles, especially if you want them to grow fast. I feed them two or three times per week, several prey items. Subadults and adults I feed every second week or so. You will get a feel for it quite soon as you will recognise the behaviour of the tarantula when it´s in "hunting" mood. Just make sure you don´t feed tarantulas that are freshly moulted. They need time for their fangs to harden, which can be some days for slings and a week or two for bigger specimens.
Thank you! I'm planning to get one soon! I already love this forums! Thank you!
 

Venom1080

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I've handled her once or twice. She was very kind and yes she was fast. Im not new to handling them for I have handled similar sized T's before. However, after reading a few about the M. Balfouri, I was scared to death of thought of handling her again. Beginners luck probably that she was kind to me.
tarantulas should not be handled. they get stressed when they are forced to walk over your hands, stressing out your pet on purpose for your own enjoyment is bad husbandry. handling tarantulas is a poor choice and handling a OW spider on purpose is just plain dumb.
have you read bite reports??
 

Ghost56

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tarantulas should not be handled. they get stressed when they are forced to walk over your hands, stressing out your pet on purpose for your own enjoyment is bad husbandry. handling tarantulas is a poor choice and handling a OW spider on purpose is just plain dumb.
have you read bite reports??
He said above that he would never do it again after reading some bite reports. I think this was just a simple case of not knowing any better.
 

Venom1080

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He said above that he would never do it again after reading some bite reports. I think this was just a simple case of not knowing any better.
looks to me like he wont handle the M balfouri again, didnt say anything about his other two.
 

Ghost56

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looks to me like he wont handle the M balfouri again, didnt say anything about his other two.
Ya, I was thinking the same thing earlier. Hopefully after this thread runs it's course, he'll know not to handle period.
 

Paiige

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I see, so that means no moistening of the substrate then. Can i instead microwave the substrate to have it dry? or should i dry it under the sun? Explains why the substrate is moist when i last felt it. However, for my chaco, i think moistening the substrate would be good since he/she is less than an inch. I've read that slings need the substrate moistened.
You can microwave it though I'd keep an eye on it while you do. Microwaving is actually really good because it can kill a lot of microorganisms that may be living in the damp substrate. If you're living in a humid climate this is especially a good idea.
Also would just like to state that I've done this with Eco Earth only and have no idea what potential damages can come from microwaving other substrates!
 
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