New Collection

[MVPCrawford]

Hi Guys:

This is my first post here. I am happy to say that I plan to place an order this week from John's "e-spiderworld". The 5 species I plan to order are:

Aphonopelma moderatum, Rio Grande Gold, 3", $50
Aphonopelma hentzi, Oklahoma Brown, 3". $25
Brachypelma pallidum, Rose Grey, 2.25", $25
Brachypelma vagans, Mexican Red Rump, 3.5", $40
Avicularia avicularia, Pinktoe, 4", $35

Do you think those are all good introductory species and the prices reasonable? Also, I was going to go with these as enclosures for them:
http://www.containerstore.com/dbimagecache/12180.gif

The one's I will buy are 8.5"x8.5"x8.5# and stackable. $9.99, but they look nice and can be stacked. I will drill holes in the sides, of course. =D Anyone have a better idea for nice looking enclosures (my wife is going to kill me as it is).

Oh one other question, what's the best substrate I can go and get, pete moss?
Thanks in advance!
-MVPCrawford

 

[Bjorgly]

Ok i think those are all pretty good tarantulas, someone correct me if i am wrong, but ive heard that the Aphonopelma moderatum bite readily. The link doesnt work, so i cannot check out the containers, but make sure for the pink toe, being aboreal, it is taller than it is wide and give her something like a piece of cork bark siliconed to the side of the take or something to make her web on. Depending on each species humidity requirements (check care sheets avalible on this site and www.petbugs.com) use a vermiculite/peat or vermiculite/potting soil substrate, as vermiculite greatly helps to reatin moisture. With the aboreal species, the pinktoe wont be on the ground much anyways so you can get away with just vermiculite. A quick misting of these substrates will bump up the humidity if required due to the moisture retention of the vermiculite. With proper knowledge of the care of the species your getting, i think they will be very happy with you, but 8.5 X8.5X8.5 might be a little small, floorspace is more important than height. ive got my 4 inch mexican redknee in a 12X6X8 (L,W,H) aquarium and that is probabaly JUST right, if not a tad on the small side.

Good luck to you,

Mark

 

[Mendi]

Those sound like wonderful Ts to start with as most all the terrestrial one you listed are from desert areas so the humidity thing isn't all that much of an issue. My pinktoes aren't in a too humid a container either but I do have larg water dishes for all mentioned unless they are tiny, and you don't have any tiny little ones listed. I think John Hoke's prices are pretty good for that size too. You might consider paying a little more for his sexed females as they will be around a much longer time than a male, but it would likely cut your planned amount of species in half.

I use plastic shoe boxes for my Ts and haven't really ever measured them for their size. Most all the ones you have listed other than the arboreal would get along fine in the shoe box type plastics and might save you some money in housing. I have even found some recently that are relatively clear and allow nice spider viewing. I can get them for near $1 each and they are stackable too. When you get as many Ts as I have you look for cheap, strong, stackable solutions. Your Pinktoe will be quite happy in one of the tall clear containers though.

I also use cork bark in all my "large" containers as a hide or something to climb on for the arboreals, though the arboreals appreciate the tubes more as a base for their webs and to hide in. I don't handle many of my spiders other than my Pink Zebra Beauty and Chilean Rose hairs as they seem to remain calmer and not very often flicking hairs. I don't handle the Brachy's I've got due to the flicking as their hairs really make me itch and I like seeing them without the bald rear from handling

Enjoy your Ts and welcome to the boards =D=D

 

[King_Looey]

It might be cheap, but it also looks cheap. I go for quality over quantity anyday. Why have them all stacked up? you wont be able to see them very well.

 

[MVPCrawford]

The money for the containers isn't the issue, it is space. 8.5x8.5 is 72.5 square inches of ground space, the same as 12x6, so I think that should be okay.

Where can I buy vermiculite? Home depot?

I will keep the avic at a higher temp and humidity. I am abit confused about Aphonopelma moderatum, as I heard they were docile

Container store switched the link on me!
http://www.containerstore.com/dbimagecache/12181.gif

Thanks again!

 

[MrDeranged]

Hey MVP,

Don't worry about King_Looey and his "quality over quality" arguement. We had that arguement on the last incarnation of these forums I keep my T's in everything from beanie baby containers to pet pals to 2 1/2 gallon tanks to sterlite show offs. All of them stack except for the 2 1/2 gallon tanks which are also clunky and heavy. I can see all my t's equally well

Those containers sound like they should be fine. One thing you need to remember for the terrestrials is that even though they don't climb very well, that doesn't stop them from trying. They can get hurt from a fall of just a couple of inches. Make sure you put enough subtrate in the enclosure that they can reach up and touch the top from the substrate if they extend themselves. This way they would never have to fall to get down, they could just reach out and touch the ground.

I don't think Home Depot is carrying vermiculite anymore. I recently picked some up at an Ace Hardware store. You can also try any Nurseries (plant stores) around you. If you buy it in a hardware store, make sure you are not getting construction grade vermiculite. This is sealed and will not hold moisture. You want the kind for plants.

As for A. moderatums, I have heard conflicting reports. Some say they are as docile as can be while others say that they are one of the most bitey of the Aphonopelmas I can say from first hand experience that mine has assumed a threat posture with me before. Whether or not that would have led to a bite if I continued, I can't say. I have no intentions of finding out either. You'll just have to judge for yourself when you get yours. Just take it slow and make note of the signals your T is giving you. It will let you know if it does not want to be bothered.

Hope that helps some,

Scott

 

[MVPCrawford]

Thanks Scott:

Excellent insight. I guess I will just have to find out for myself about both Aphonopelma species. I caught some kind of Aphonopelma several years ago around Sonora, TX. It was a mature male, so it didn't live too long, but it was nice and docile.

3 years ago, I had a red knee that I got from Arachnocentric (which was only 10 minutes away from where i worked). I kept it at work- I worked for a major Internet site, so these kind of things weren't discouraged. It was about 2" when I got it, and grew to about 4-5" and was great. I had it for about 1.5 years. Then someone came into my office after-hours, and took off the top of the cage! Needless to say, when I came in the next morning, it was gone. 2 months later, a coworker accidently stepped on it and killed it in the kitchen!

I now work from home

Well I spoke to John Hoke on the phone, he was very nice. A couple of things changed, so here is my new "take":

a. anax, 5" female.
a. moderatum, 4", John said they weren't aggressive.
b. vagans, 4" female
b. pallidum, 2.25"

And a tiny smithi and a tiny albopilosum too

Doesn't ship til next monday, so I have time to get the enclosures ready

woohoo!