New T Owner

[Darkskies]

Hi everyone,

I was at the White Plains Reptile Expo today and came back with two tarantula spiderlings and a pacman frog. Both of the spiderlings are 0.25 inches in size. The species I got were B. Albopilosum(true form not hobby) and Euathlus sp. Red. I understand that these tarantulas are the best beginner species. I'm also well aware that it will take quite some time before they reach adult size. I don't mind that as I'm somewhat arachnophobic and figure that if they grow slowly I will get used to their larger size gradually as well.

Having said that, how long can I expect to wait for the slings to reach 2" or more in size?

Are both of these easy slings to raise? I want to make sure to give them the best possible care.

Regarding basic husbandry, both of them are in half pill bottle sized containers. The albopilosum is on vermiculite and the sp. red is on coco fiber. The vendor I bought them from said to mist the substrate to provide them with water instead of using a water dish. I don't even know anything small enough that could even suffice as a water dish in such a small container in any case. How often should I wet the substrate and is a couple of drops of water off of my finger a good way to go about doing so? I plan on chopping up mealworms to feed the slings for the time being. How small a slice of the mealworm should I be putting in? Remember, these are 1/4 inch slings. I'm very excited about getting started in the hobby! Thanks for reading.

 

[Venom1080]

welcome and great choices in first spiders!

those are both pretty slow growing species. my albo just hit roughly 3" after 3 years, so be patient. they are very easy to raise. water dishes arent a issue at that size, just keep sub on the wet side till theyre about 1.5" or more. try to keep slices around the size of the spider, little bigger wouldnt hurt. i prefer coco for all my spiders, i'd change out the vermic for coco if you have any around, if not i think its ok.

 

[Python]

Slings that small can be problematic for new keepers. Feeders for something that small are nearly non existent in my neck of the woods. You could try fruit flies for them at that size though. As stated, they are both excellent choices for first T's though and, again, they are both slow growers. I wouldn't look for a growth spurt anytime soon. Keep them warm and well fed and they should do just fine. You can certainly drop water from your finger but make sure it doesn't hit them. I would let it run down the side of whatever you are keeping them in so that disturbance is minimized. Good luck and welcome to the T keeping sickness. I think that you will enjoy these little guys but be careful, they are gateway T's. You'll be buying more before you know it lol.

 

[magicmed]

As others have said, great choices. I like to let a drop of water or two drizzle down the side of the enclosure at that size for water, it's a better method of water delivery to slings rather than misting, but that's just my preference, to each his own. This way just let's a little water seep into the coco slowly.

For feeding worms should be fine, keep cuts around the size of the spiders body. Keep in mind some young Euathlus sp red are picky, or shy eaters, my 1" E. Sp Red will only eat prekilled crickets, won't go near a live cricket, or a prekilled superworm/ cut up superworm.

Welcome to the hobby and the forum

 

[Ghost Dragon]

welcome and great choices in first spiders!

those are both pretty slow growing species. my albo just hit roughly 3" after 3 years, so be patient. they are very easy to raise. water dishes arent a issue at that size, just keep sub on the wet side till theyre about 1.5" or more. try to keep slices around the size of the spider, little bigger wouldnt hurt. i prefer coco for all my spiders, i'd change out the vermic for coco if you have any around, if not i think its ok.

Yes, welcome to the hobby/obsession, Darkskies.

I have 4 B. albopilosum, and I concur with Venom1080, they seem to average about an inch a year. They are probably the best beginner species, IMHO, very tolerant of a newbie's mistakes. Not the prettiest species out there, but mine are very docile when I have to handle them for whatever reason. Definitely, just wet the substrate until they reach about an inch, then a pop bottle or water bottle cap will do just fine.

Good luck!

Rob

 

[viper69]

Hi everyone,

I was at the White Plains Reptile Expo today and came back with two tarantula spiderlings and a pacman frog. Both of the spiderlings are 0.25 inches in size. The species I got were B. Albopilosum(true form not hobby) and Euathlus sp. Red. I understand that these tarantulas are the best beginner species. I'm also well aware that it will take quite some time before they reach adult size. I don't mind that as I'm somewhat arachnophobic and figure that if they grow slowly I will get used to their larger size gradually as well.

Having said that, how long can I expect to wait for the slings to reach 2" or more in size?

Are both of these easy slings to raise? I want to make sure to give them the best possible care.

Regarding basic husbandry, both of them are in half pill bottle sized containers. The albopilosum is on vermiculite and the sp. red is on coco fiber. The vendor I bought them from said to mist the substrate to provide them with water instead of using a water dish. I don't even know anything small enough that could even suffice as a water dish in such a small container in any case. How often should I wet the substrate and is a couple of drops of water off of my finger a good way to go about doing so? I plan on chopping up mealworms to feed the slings for the time being. How small a slice of the mealworm should I be putting in? Remember, these are 1/4 inch slings. I'm very excited about getting started in the hobby! Thanks for reading.

Depends on temps, how often and what you feed them on reaching adulthood.

For the Red, if fed well and male, easily 2 years to reach maturity, it's quick. If female, definitely over 3 and likely 6 years if kept at 75 day/68 night, if fed on crix only diet. Mealies will make them grow faster for sure.

Albo, easily over 5 yr if female to reach 4.5-5" if kept the same.

A G. pulchripes is a better choice than an B. albo generally speaking due to disposition variability with the Brachy genus. However, they are a good species to own for new people.

 

[Darkskies]

Thanks for all the replies and welcoming me to the forums/hobby! I had a few more questions on my mind. How often should I wet their substrate? Once a week? I recently learned that the B. Albopilosum is supposed to be creating burrows in which to station herself. However, the vermiculite is not really a substrate that she can manipulate. Is it necessary for her to burrow or is it fine for the time being to be on vermiculite? Another question is how picky are the Euathlus sp. red spiderlings? Is it unlikely that she would accept mealworm slices for food?

 

[DeanK]

Probably fine to be on vermic for a little while if it has a place to hide in, but you should try getting the albo on something it can burrow in so that it feels comfortable sooner rather than later

 

[Python]

This is a bit off topic but a few years ago I read somewhere that vermiculite contains some amount of asbestos or something in it. Has anyone else heard this or has it been debunked or confirmed? I quit using it years ago when I found substrates that worked better for me and I heard about this several years after that. Is it still in common use as a substrate?

 

[AlbatrossWarrior]

those are both pretty slow growing species. my albo just hit roughly 3" after 3 years, so be patient.

IME, each B. albo differs GREATLY in behavior and growth, very surprisingly. One of my slings, my first ever tarantula, definitely grew about 1 inch per year as I once read, and is the calmest spider ever, always the one I show to people who are scared of them. She reached about 1.75 inches the took another year to molt into 2 inches, very slow.
However, my bigger female B. albo who I purchased a month after the other at about 2 inches, went from 2 inches to 4 inches in like 6 months, it was so crazy. She is much more like a G. rosea in temperament, maybe a little meaner. She acted so different from what I initially read that I almost thought she was the wrong species, lol!

 

[JumpingSpiderLady]

Slings that small can be problematic for new keepers. Feeders for something that small are nearly non existent in my neck of the woods. You could try fruit flies for them at that size though.

I'm sure small feeder insects would work just fine. Perhaps they would be preferable over prekilled. I don't know. But my albo (just a little bigger than the OP's) and my other small sling as well as my husbands happily take prekilled. I feed him chunks of superworm. I haven't had mine for very long, but it's working great so far.

 

[cold blood]

the vermiculite is not really a substrate that she can manipulate. Is it necessary for her to burrow or is it fine for the time being to be on vermiculite? Another question is how picky are the Euathlus sp. red spiderlings? Is it unlikely that she would accept mealworm slices for food?

Vermiculite is more of an additive than an actual substrate, I wouldn't use it. I don't even see a need for it as an additive.

That said, its not uncommon for people in Europe to use it both as an additive and a substrate, so I'm sure it won't kill your t...lol...it doesn't provide for a good burrow though. Just use dirt.

 

[petkokc]

Welcome to the hobby! For feeding small slings I prefer micro B. lateralis, that if you can get your hands on them.

 

[viper69]

Another question is how picky are the Euathlus sp. red spiderlings?

I've raised mine on crix, so not that picky per se. However this locality tends to go for somewhat smaller prey at times, and they are particularly patient hunters. Unless they are ravenous, usually only a week after a molt. They will stalk their prey for what seems to be an eternity quite often.

 

[shawno821]

Welcome to the hobby! I was vending T's at WP,I think I saw you there with that four legged mouth of a frog,lol.I had the big Mexican red legs and stuff up on the stage.For slings the size of yours,I like to use condiment cups with lids.Once a week,I open it,spray the lid so a few drops of water fall on the substrate,crush the head of a small cricket,and throw it in there.Bam! Done for the week.I feed from a few dozen to over a hundred this way every week,and it works very well.

 

[Python]

I've never been content with feeding prekilled, not because I like to watch them hunt and kill, I very rarely watch them anymore. I just hate killing something, throwing g it in with something and then find that they weren't hungry that day. If I give them live and they don't eat it, I simply take it out and offer it again later. It may sound silly but I don't want something to die for no reason, even prey items.

 

[JumpingSpiderLady]

I've never been content with feeding prekilled, not because I like to watch them hunt and kill, I very rarely watch them anymore. I just hate killing something, throwing g it in with something and then find that they weren't hungry that day. If I give them live and they don't eat it, I simply take it out and offer it again later. It may sound silly but I don't want something to die for no reason, even prey items.

I can respect that. I'll continue using prekilled, but I completely understand that reasoning.

 

[Octagon]

This is a bit off topic but a few years ago I read somewhere that vermiculite contains some amount of asbestos or something in it. Has anyone else heard this or has it been debunked or confirmed? I quit using it years ago when I found substrates that worked better for me and I heard about this several years after that. Is it still in common use as a substrate?

Some brands of vermiculite used to contain traces of asbestos decades ago but this has not been the case in many, many years, so there is no need to worry.

(Off-topic...I found a tiny amount of vermiculite insulation in the attic of the 65-year old house I inherited here in Canada. The original builders had placed it around the electrical wires only and the entire remaining 99.9% of the attic's insulation was fibreglass batts, which were in perfectly fine condition. On learning about the ominous possibility from the home inspector, I had the vermiculite tested for asbestos and sure enough there was a miniscule quantity present. I hired an abatement company to carry out complete removal and decontamination of the entire space, which is a government-regulated draconian process suitable for handling nuclear radiation. $10,000 later - and that was a bargain - I got a certificate declaring the space asbestos free. I don't wish this on my worst enemy.)

 

[Python]

I hadn't heard anything since, just the initial mention. I was never really sure if it was even true. I didn't use it so I didn't worry about it.

 

[Darkskies]

Hi guys,

So today will be the first time I feed the two slings. Is it all right to put the mealworm slice in during the morning and then remove it tomorrow morning if anything's left? Also, I'd hate to kill a mealworm, use only two slices and then throw the rest away.