new tarantula, first kill!!

[luvsnail]

hey all...first time poster though i've been lurking for a while. my girlfriend and i have a new texas brown tarantula...and tonight he made his first kill! it's a big deal for us, it being our first tarantula (i've had many different reptiles, and have had scorpions and a couple of centipedes but never a spider). things seem to be going well...temps between 70-82 F, humidity 45-55%, several hiding spots, cage dimensions 24"X20"X12"...one thing we could use some advice with is what brand of thermometer/hydrometer do you guys prefer? i'm not especially pleased with the one i have now (accurite model 00891) even though i've used them for reptiles with no complaints before, the hydrometer doesn't seem too accurate. any suggestions would be welcome.

thanks,
nate & heather

 

[D-Man]

I think a hygrometer is a hygrometer. Make sure you keep it where your T hangs out most.

You can click around to find out how to calibrate your hygrometer - that way you know what to add or subtract from your reading if it's reading wrong. Congrats and welcome!

Peace-

Dario

 

[That_Guy]

Ok...So you thinkt hat it is wrong? Well just buy a new one. I got one with a little frog on it, and its so cute*Cough, Cough* back to the subject:} I think that you are doing well. Just keep feeding it and just have water dishes in it, and it will stay nice and fine.


Do you know if its a girl? Or a boy?

 

[Neo]

I don't really use instruments to measure the humidity. For me all I do is stick my hands in and if I feel a tingly, dampening feeling, it means that its around 70%. Works for me, but not everyone should take this word to the point.

I remember my first T. Never saw a T eat before. First T was a goliath bird eater my cousin gave me. I wasn't too surprise at how it ate, cause I've kind of seen it with normal true spiders. T's only crush and munch up their food, while true spiders suck their preys out. Their fangs forward backward motions, of course you knw by now so I'll skip that. I was thrilled about how it attacked its prey, no thinking required, head first plunge right into the mouse. My mom was screaming her head off and threaten to send my cousin back to Texas for the rest of the summer. First moments are great, all the ones after that are assets.

My Dad had one that related temperature, humidity, and beeps when its too high or too low. I'll ask him about it, I remember it was very accurate.

 

[Mendi]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on the your 1st T, I've got several Ts and don't have a single instrument to test the humidity, though you likely need them for you herps and had an extra. I tend to keep A.hentzi on plain dry peat with a water dish and limited airholes. This keeps most all the humidity in the enclosure and it stays up to what they likely experience in nature. These are mostly a desert species, so I try and mimic that as best I can. I've got a few species like my T.blondi that needs a lot more humidity that I keep the substrate damp anf the waterdish... So far, everything is working out without having to worry about reading gauges and taking notes on that. Maybe in the winter when using heat all the time I keep their enclosure more humid due to the fact I know how much is being pulled out of the air by the heatpump, but in the rest of the year I don't really ever think of it. With slings it's a different story, and they need their substrate kept moist. Yours sounds like it is in a great new home and if you want to bring the humidity up for it, just take some saran wrap and cover most or all the top even if you open it up everday for a little while to get a fresh oxygen supply.

And be aware that tarantulas are more addictive than heroin, before you know it you'll be getting another, and another, and.......... . .

 

[luther]

Hi and welcome. I'm finding this board to be highly infomative too.

I have a cheap hygrometer in each of my tanks but I've ended up ignoring them over the last year. I now simply watch the behaviour of my Ts and vary the humidity accordingly. If the Ts (all terrestrial) are spending all their time in their burrows/caves then I'll up the humidity a little by misting daily. If they spend all their time out in the open then I'll lower the humidity a little by not misting at all. The Ts have fresh water dishes.

Thats how I do it, but I'm no where near as experienced as many of the people here.

 

[MORBIUS]

Welcome aboard the boards. I have a hygrometer in my pinktoes tank. And the only thing it's good for is her using it to attach her webbing to. There's so much that you can't read it anymore.=D

 

[luvsnail]

thanks to everyone who replied...we're still pretty new at this so i'll be monitoring the boards pretty closely for a while. any info/advice i can find is really appreciated.

as for the hydrometer problem...i must confess it was "operator headspace." i'm just stupid. i had forgotten that the temperature probe is just that...a temp probe. the actual hydrometer is on the unit itself. during lunch today i just put the whole thing in the tank where i could see it. it's a nice cozy 72F with 60% humidity right now...and the little dude is settling in nicely. and he is a he for sure. after hiding for about thirty hours he came out and we can now clearly see his spurs. no real mistaking them for anything else once you notice 'em.

thanks again all...we'll keep you posted. and wish me luck...early next month i'm getting three big 'pedes...can't wait!
nate

 

[SpiderTwin]

Welcome luvsnail,
Sounds like you have your T set up ok. At least you are aware that they need a certain temp and humidity, there are pet stores we have all seen that don't even know that much.

Good luck with your new T, and if you have any more questions, there is surely someone here that can answer it for you.

 

[MizM]

W E L C O M E

I have a combination hygrometer/thermometer from Radio Shaque. It's credit card sized, and I used it DAILY when I first started collecting. Now, I only use it to measure the temperature if I'm in doubt if it's too cold/or hot in the room. I think humidity is something that you get familiar with, like riding a bike or having.... well, you get used to it. I'd say use it often at first, until you get used to the "feel' of the humidity! Gook luck!

 

[abstract]

I was at Target last nite and found a small digital hygrometer/thermometer with a wired sensor about 6 feet long - 10$.

Plus - you could put the sensor in the enclosure - and keep the electronics nice and dry.

 

[MizM]

Dude, I'm on my way! That fine French Department Store, Lu Tarjet, is my FAVORITE place!!! They have GREAT plastic and slik plants for the Ts enclosures too!

 

[luvsnail]

yeah, the model i'm using has one of those six foot long probes...but that's only the temp probe. the hydrometer is in the body of the instrument. pain in the butt. so it's sitting in the tank now...sigh. at least it was just one of those ten dollar jobs...there was one i was looking at from radio shack that was like sixty bucks, but this thing had everything and the kitchen sink...wireless remote, temp, humidity, and the range was long enough where i think i could have taken the remote with me to work and still gotten a reading. just a little too high speed for its own good.

can't wait for my 'pedes...i'm getting itchy...my girlfriend's climbing the walls; she loves the t's but loathes the 'pedes...
nate