My first T is on its way!

MGSHellcat

MGSHellcat

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Feb 13, 2020
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I'm stoked to finally have gotten the funds and space to choose and purchase my first tarantula. It's a 1.5-2" G pulchra, hopefully a female (not that I won't still love a boy). I've always had to get by with just hanging out with friends' tarantulas, or the Chilean rosehair who HATES ME at the museum where I work. Seriously, she despises me. She loves the other handlers, but will rear and show fangs and barely touch my hand before running and cowering in a corner. Even though I'm the one who feeds her and cleans her tank and all spiders generally love me. Rude. XD But now I'll have my own! I assume plenty of you folks have kept this species before; anyone have any specific tips/quirks I should know about? I've been all over the web soaking up all the info I can, but I know there's always more to learn.
 
Vulgarteacup

Vulgarteacup

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I don’t own a T but I’ve read don’t leave live feeders with them crickets are ninjas!
 
MGSHellcat

MGSHellcat

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Yeah, I also have a wingless fruit fly culture on the way, and some red runners. I honestly despise crickets, even though so many of my little buddies love them. Too much hop. XD
 
Ungoliant

Ungoliant

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MGSHellcat said:
I assume plenty of you folks have kept this species before; anyone have any specific tips/quirks I should know about?
Click to expand...
Pulchras are easygoing and easy to care for. The care regimen is the same as that of any beginner-friendly NW terrestrial. See Fantastic Beginner Tarantulas and How to Keep Them.



MGSHellcat said:
Seriously, she despises me. She loves the other handlers, but will rear and show fangs and barely touch my hand before running and cowering in a corner.
Click to expand...
Most experienced keepers recommend against handling, as it provides no benefit to the tarantula but does increase the risk of an injury (to the tarantula or you) or escape.


MGSHellcat said:
Yeah, I also have a wingless fruit fly culture on the way, and some red runners.
Click to expand...
While fruit flies are OK for an occasional meal, I would not use them as the primary feeder, as that can cause nutritional deficiencies in spiders. (Personally, I wouldn't bother with them at all.) The lats you ordered should get a good feeding response.
 
nicodimus22

nicodimus22

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MGSHellcat said:
the Chilean rosehair who HATES ME at the museum where I work. Seriously, she despises me. She loves the other handlers, but will rear and show fangs and barely touch my hand before running and cowering in a corner. Even though I'm the one who feeds her and cleans her tank and all spiders generally love me. Rude.
Click to expand...

That's some serious anthropomorphization you have happening there.Tarantulas are animals without a proper brain (they have a series of nerve clusters called ganglia instead.) Even if their eyesight was good enough to see you clearly, they lack the ability to recognize you, or develop specific emotions about you compared to another human being the way a mammal, bird, or reptile can. The tarantula does not love other people, and it doesn't hate you. The behavior you're describing is a normal response to what the tarantula perceives as a predatory attack from a larger animal.

I also would urge you not to handle for the safety of your new tarantula. If your breath or anything else spooks it, and it bites you, there is a very high chance that your natural reaction would be to fling it off of you as quickly as possible, usually resulting in a fall, a ruptured abdomen, and a dead tarantula. This topic comes up with new keepers very often around here. Handling offers no benefit to the animal, only risk. Please consider the well-being of the animal as the top priority.
 
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MGSHellcat

MGSHellcat

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Feb 13, 2020
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I hope you guys know the anthropomorphization is a joke. ;) I'm aware she doesn't actually know any of us. And she's not handled extensively, just for small periods of time to make her visible for educational programs. And none of the animals come out if they show any aggression or nervousness. They're all pretty docile ambassador animals, I just find it funny that Margaret is always a little wigged out by me and only me, lol.

Anyhoo, thanks for the tips, everyone!
 
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Vanessa

Vanessa

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At 2", that bottomless pit is going to be taking on almost full grown crickets and they'll consider anything less than medium ones an insult. Don't feed too heavily, as all that will do is result in a fat pulchra who fasts for the next decade. One cricket per week, during the warm months and every ten days during the winter, and mine are pretty good about not fasting for long. At about 2.5", mine were already going a full year between moults.
They are my favourite species of all time - glorious black velvet tanks with an endearingly curious temperament. Hardy as can be and fairly active as well. You can't go wrong and you won't be disappointed in your choice.
Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female - ~3"

Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female - ~3"

Raven, freshly moulted and looking stunning.
Just Where Do You Think You're Going?

Just Where Do You Think You're Going?

Grammostola pulchra juvenile female, Onyx.
Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female

Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female

Ventral photo of a 2" moult confirmed female.
Grammostola pulchra 2"

Grammostola pulchra 2"

Shot of a 2" female. They are a bit difficult to sex at the smaller sizes. The uterus externus becomes far more obvious at about 2.5-3".
Grammostola pulchra 2"

Grammostola pulchra 2"

Is Raven female or male?
 
MGSHellcat

MGSHellcat

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Feb 13, 2020
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Vanessa said:
At 2", that bottomless pit is going to be taking on almost full grown crickets and they'll consider anything less than medium ones an insult. Don't feed too heavily, as all that will do is result in a fat pulchra who fasts for the next decade. One cricket per week, during the warm months and every ten days during the winter, and mine are pretty good about not fasting for long. At about 2.5", mine were already going a full year between moults.
They are my favourite species of all time - glorious black velvet tanks with an endearingly curious temperament. Hardy as can be and fairly active as well. You can't go wrong and you won't be disappointed in your choice.
Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female - ~3"

Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female - ~3"

Raven, freshly moulted and looking stunning.
Just Where Do You Think You're Going?

Just Where Do You Think You're Going?

Grammostola pulchra juvenile female, Onyx.
Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female

Grammostola pulchra Juvenile Female

Ventral photo of a 2" moult confirmed female.
Grammostola pulchra 2"

Grammostola pulchra 2"

Shot of a 2" female. They are a bit difficult to sex at the smaller sizes. The uterus externus becomes far more obvious at about 2.5-3".
Grammostola pulchra 2"

Grammostola pulchra 2"

Is Raven female or male?
Click to expand...
Ahhhhhh, what beauties!!! I'm so excited. Yeah, the common consensus is that the fruit flies are going to be too small/not nutritious enough, so I've cancelled the order. I don't think the folks I talked to really got how relatively large my spider will already be! My sling is currently eating small lats (red runners) and is shipping with a small supply of them. They're very easy to keep and from what I've heard very nutritious and about equal in size as adults to adult banded crickets. Would it be okay to feed lats in place of crickets? I'll also have small hissers available occasionally. I just prefer less hoppy critters when it comes to raising and maintaining. Far fewer escapes with our roaches.
 
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