My first tarantula...Goliath bird eater.

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
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Aug 2, 2010
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255
I know I will be criticized for getting a Goliath as my first but I couldn't be more happy. She's great. Not full grown which is what I want and just fun to look at. She is in her hide all day and I noticed the last and first few days iv had her she would walk around the container like she was trying to get out but I know now she was just trying to feel the container. Not as aggressive as I portrayed them in my mind but still very aggresive. She just spent atleast an hour doing this weird thing were she would rub her front 4 legs and pedipalps across her fangs which are gigantic. Any information on the leg fang thing would be great but I think she was just cleaning. Thanks so much I thought it was so cool I just had to post it.
 

AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
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Jan 30, 2010
Messages
629
Welcome Gungho hobbyist

She is just grooming. Are you sure its a girl? Also welcome to the hobby!! You should of got an Avicularia avicularia. Well you did the right thing coming here to learn.

How are you keeping her? Humidity is important. Also dont keep her in a tall cage. They are terrible climbers. And dont keep anything she could fall on and injure herself.

Some pictures would be great so we can make sure your doing everything correctly. Id reccomend "the tarantula keepers guide" as the first book to read.

KEEP IN MIND PET STORES DONT KNOW JACK ABOUT TARANTULAS!!
any advice they gave you should be disregarded until you do your own research.
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
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Aug 2, 2010
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255
I hope it's a girl.

The guy at the store seemed pretty smart but it was no petsmart. I have it in a ten gallon tank is that ok I have a 40 gallon if that's any better I heard it wasn't.
 

AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
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Jan 30, 2010
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629
Your rectangle tank should fit 4-6 of the tarantula in it. So if your T is lets say 10" your tank should be at least 30" long and make sure it at the least has room to turn around in its tank easily. A goliath cant have too much room LOL

Pet store guys always "seem" smart. they are not. They can be gravely missinformed. A good clue is this. Did he tell you to put cotton balls or paper towels in the water dish? did he tell you you should feed it mice? did the pet store have the scientific name on the cage? did they even know the scientific name? "Theraphosa blondi"
 

Miss Bianca

Arachnoprince
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Joined
May 14, 2008
Messages
1,145
Congratulations and welcome to the addic- ...er... hobby! :} LOL
Welcome into the hobby.
Enjoy her!
(You've got alot of great reading material to get to with your chosen species!)
 

Tindalos

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
158
my suggestion is buy the the tarantula keepers guide, cant find one, go on amazon or barnes and noble, if you go barne's just ask them and they will place an order for you.

i recommend you don't handle this tarantula- while these species have had exceptions of being tame the hair that they have will rub off.

what is scientific name of this T?
 

belljar77

Arachnosquire
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Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
129
Jump right in, huh? Luckily, there are folks on the boards that have experience with blondis (if that's what it actually is, pet stores aren't very reliable), who can help you with the specific care requirements for this species. You'll need to do some research to keep it correctly. Good luck!
 

spiderworld

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Messages
90
Great! welcome to the hobby! it will grab you by the, you know what! and not let go! you at the right spot! people are suppa friendly here!
Just carefull for that ones hairs! it will make you itch like crazy!

Sweet! later
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
Now I no he's smart.

Your rectangle tank should fit 4-6 of the tarantula in it. So if your T is lets say 10" your tank should be at least 30" long and make sure it at the least has room to turn around in its tank easily. A goliath cant have too much room LOL

Pet store guys always "seem" smart. they are not. They can be gravely missinformed. A good clue is this. Did he tell you to put cotton balls or paper towels in the water dish? did he tell you you should feed it mice? did the pet store have the scientific name on the cage? did they even know the scientific name? "Theraphosa blondi"
A mater of fact they cabbage too much room he said that his was unhappy unti he got a smaller cage. Also he did all of the stuff he said right. No cotton it'll get in their lungs. It has the scientific name on the cage. Very knowledgeable man.
 

7mary3

Arachnodemon
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Sep 9, 2007
Messages
703
A mater of fact they cabbage too much room he said that his was unhappy unti he got a smaller cage. Also he did all of the stuff he said right. No cotton it'll get in their lungs. It has the scientific name on the cage. Very knowledgeable man.
So what does the scientific name say?

And um.... cotton in the lungs? You may be giving this pet store clerk more credit than what's due. Where did you get your T?
 

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
271
Welcome, Jacob! While it's generally recommended to start with something smaller and easier to care for, as long as you are cautious, mature and interested in learning to care for your T the best way possible, it's ok to just jump right in. :)

It would help greatly if you could post some pictures of your T in her home, so we can see what her setup looks like.
 

Ghostmooner

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 2, 2010
Messages
9
I know I will be criticized for getting a Goliath as my first but I couldn't be more happy. She's great. Not full grown which is what I want and just fun to look at. She is in her hide all day and I noticed the last and first few days iv had her she would walk around the container like she was trying to get out but I know now she was just trying to feel the container. Not as aggressive as I portrayed them in my mind but still very aggresive. She just spent atleast an hour doing this weird thing were she would rub her front 4 legs and pedipalps across her fangs which are gigantic. Any information on the leg fang thing would be great but I think she was just cleaning. Thanks so much I thought it was so cool I just had to post it.
its fine, as long as you understand their behavior. and dont try to hold her like u would other Ts. these babies are strickly for looking at, not touching and feeling. thats' what their molts are good for, you can man handle their molts.

all Ts will sit there from time to time to clean off their feet, or look funny scratching their abdomen like they were scratching their butt, its so goofy lookin' LOL.

as for a Blondi, you really need to make sure its good and warm in there for her, with moist soil. myst it twice a week, but not too much, just enough to ensure high huminity. if its too moist, or hot, she'll wonder around trying to excape, if its too dry, you'll see her always drinking from the dish. and make sure she can't climb even 5 inches up onto anything, if she falls she'll bust open easily.
 

PhobeToPhile

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Messages
210
Given you got it from a petstore (if I am reading your post correctly), I really think it would be wise for you to post a picture of the spider and its setup.
 

Falk

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
679
Just because the petstore clerk said it is a T. blondi you cant be sure it is. Many Threaphosa sp. "Burgyndy" are sold as a T. blondi.
 

Mark77

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 15, 2010
Messages
2
Wow with the witch hunt on the pet store guy. OP, could you post his name and the petstore phone # so we can call and quiz him? Simmer. I agree, many are uninformed, but what do you expect for a job catering to 16 year olds - ie no requirements, low pay, etc.

Gratz on the new addition!
 

PhobeToPhile

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 14, 2010
Messages
210
Given this IS a pet store, my worry is that it might not even be a Theraphosa species. In which case the care may be very different. Wouldn't be the first time that petstores have completely missed the mark when labeling their spiders...
 

Jacobchinarian

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Messages
255
Trying to add pictures

My computers broke and my phone won't let me paste the picture.
 
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