New to the hobby & twist of fate

Kendricks

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
153
Hello everyone,
not sure why, I guess out of flaming enthusiasm, but I feel the need to share my story here.

Roughly two months ago, I noticed a native garden spider (Araneus diadematus) chilling in a corner of my living room. While not phobic or afraid of spiders in general, I wasn't exactly a fan of these rather strange creatures, but usually just let them be, or if annoyed, take them outside. However, seeing her every day (she's above the TV, would quickly get boring otherwise I guess) I started to wonder why a garden spider would stay here, how long it might survive without food and how it actually hunts etc.

I learned it probably just spends the winter here and will take a hike around spring without paying rent or saying bye. Tse!
However, suddenly - and no idea from where - the idea, or actually instant decision, that "I'm gonna get a Tarantula!" struck me and for the following weeks I sucked up every piece of information I could possibly find. After some more research I knew I want to buy from an experienced breeder and not the next best store with staff probably knowing less about the topic than I do by now.
I got lucky and after getting a tank etc, I ordered my first T - a crazily exciting feeling! My actual first choice was a beginners classic, a B. smithi, but after stumbling over A. geniculata and reading what owners had to say about them (greedy, confident and outside all the time) I changed my opinion instantly, while also stunned by their beauty.

Due to Mr. Frost thinking it's time to freeze the lands, I had to be patient and wait for weeks - it was horrible. Day X was 12 January and the package finally arrived. Nervous and squealing like a little girl, in a very manly way, of course, I started to unpack the box, acting as if a bomb about to go off is inside.

After a while of digging through paper and other isolation materials, I started to get suspicious of the packs size, being sure the geni I ordered would need more space. Long story short, in the end I was holding a little transparent plastic can (what do you guys call them again?), stuffed with paper and the following written on top of the cap:
"G. pulchra."

"G. whatnow!?" o_O

After an embarrassingly long brain lock-up I realized that the breeder made a very human mistake. He send me the wrong T.
I also realized, in all my wisdom, that this is a sling. A frigging baby, surely so fragile and care intensive that I will kill it due to stupidity in a matter of days. I panicked. Slings were the one topic I skipped completely, sure of "not getting a sling for a long time, if at all". On top of the panic came utter disappointment, as my actual order would not arrive for a long time due to rapidly falling temperatures.
All I wanted, all I was thinking about for weeks, was my geniculata, and now I have this... thing. :(

Long story short (sorry I suck at keeping things brief), the breeder gifted her to me as an apology and will send my geniculata as soon as possible - awesome.
So now, after nearly a month, I wouldn't give my plumpy little princess back, ever!
I have no idea how she did it, but this friggin 8-legged creep stole my heart in an instant. Fate brought us together and decided we're a team now. Fate also seems to think that my "one spider only!" idea was ridiculously naive, so it made sure I'm gonna have two of these adorable things very soon.
And I love it!


Whoever was bored enough to fight through my "teenager-in-love-like" drivel, I'm sorry! ;)

Have a great day,
Chris

Edit: The suspect in question...
 
Last edited:

skyvie

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
4
Happy to see how things have worked out for you and to see your enthusiasm!
Most of your story was true for my experience many years ago, and I must admit that I get all "manly-schoolgirl-esque" both after placing an order AND receiving it!

Lol, I unpacked my first T like it was loose in the box and likely to strike! To be fair, I didn't know how these things were done, being completely new it all.

I also have to agree that if there's any doubt about getting any MORE when you order your first, that quickly dispels after getting settled (may be hours or perhaps a few days :happy:).

Thanks for sharing!
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
715
A G. pulchra sent to you by accident? Many of us wish we were so lucky! They are an awesome species. Enjoy your new baby!
 

Kendricks

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
153
Lol, I unpacked my first T like it was loose in the box and likely to strike! To be fair, I didn't know how these things were done, being completely new it all.
Oh, so it wasn't just me!? :D
 

MySpiderJake

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
Messages
5
I wish someone accidentally gave me a G pulchra. One of the next 10 T's on my list. They're like potato chips!
 

Moonohol

Two Legged Freak
Joined
Aug 8, 2016
Messages
115
Congrats on your G. pulchra, that is quite the stroke of luck to get one for free! They are such awesome spiders, an essential for any collector imo.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
Hello everyone,
not sure why, I guess out of flaming enthusiasm, but I feel the need to share my story here.

Roughly two months ago, I noticed a native garden spider (Araneus diadematus) chilling in a corner of my living room. While not phobic or afraid of spiders in general, I wasn't exactly a fan of these rather strange creatures, but usually just let them be, or if annoyed, take them outside. However, seeing her every day (she's above the TV, would quickly get boring otherwise I guess) I started to wonder why a garden spider would stay here, how long it might survive without food and how it actually hunts etc.

I learned it probably just spends the winter here and will take a hike around spring without paying rent or saying bye. Tse!
However, suddenly - and no idea from where - the idea, or actually instant decision, that "I'm gonna get a Tarantula!" struck me and for the following weeks I sucked up every piece of information I could possibly find. After some more research I knew I want to buy from an experienced breeder and not the next best store with staff probably knowing less about the topic than I do by now.
I got lucky and after getting a tank etc, I ordered my first T - a crazily exciting feeling! My actual first choice was a beginners classic, a B. smithi, but after stumbling over A. geniculata and reading what owners had to say about them (greedy, confident and outside all the time) I changed my opinion instantly, while also stunned by their beauty.

Due to Mr. Frost thinking it's time to freeze the lands, I had to be patient and wait for weeks - it was horrible. Day X was 12 January and the package finally arrived. Nervous and squealing like a little girl, in a very manly way, of course, I started to unpack the box, acting as if a bomb about to go off is inside.

After a while of digging through paper and other isolation materials, I started to get suspicious of the packs size, being sure the geni I ordered would need more space. Long story short, in the end I was holding a little transparent plastic can (what do you guys call them again?), stuffed with paper and the following written on top of the cap:
"G. pulchra."

"G. whatnow!?" o_O

After an embarrassingly long brain lock-up I realized that the breeder made a very human mistake. He send me the wrong T.
I also realized, in all my wisdom, that this is a sling. A frigging baby, surely so fragile and care intensive that I will kill it due to stupidity in a matter of days. I panicked. Slings were the one topic I skipped completely, sure of "not getting a sling for a long time, if at all". On top of the panic came utter disappointment, as my actual order would not arrive for a long time due to rapidly falling temperatures.
All I wanted, all I was thinking about for weeks, was my geniculata, and now I have this... thing. :(

Long story short (sorry I suck at keeping things brief), the breeder gifted her to me as an apology and will send my geniculata as soon as possible - awesome.
So now, after nearly a month, I wouldn't give my plumpy little princess back, ever!
I have no idea how she did it, but this friggin 8-legged creep stole my heart in an instant. Fate brought us together and decided we're a team now. Fate also seems to think that my "one spider only!" idea was ridiculously naive, so it made sure I'm gonna have two of these adorable things very soon.
And I love it!


Whoever was bored enough to fight through my "teenager-in-love-like" drivel, I'm sorry! ;)

Have a great day,
Chris

Edit: The suspect in question...
Great story and what a phenomenal gift!!! I'm after a Grammostola pulchra myself. They're unbelievably stunning.

I always wince when I see a rock above a T. I always get a horrible feeling they'll dig away the sub and get squished.
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
Well, you couldn't be luckier than them making a mistake with a G.pulchra. They are my favourite species and your love for them is just going to grow from here on out... I promise. Wait until they start looking more like small adults - you'll fall in love all over again.
They are also one of the easier spiderlings to care for, so no need to worry on that front. You could have done much worse for their mistake. Like others have already said, I would have no problem receiving a free G.pulchra. :)
As @basin79 mentioned, it is probably better if there is something more lightweight above them to prevent an injury from happening. Maybe a bit of cork bark or a fake plant leaf. Those will work well.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
You almost couldn't have asked for a better starter sling. The only downside is that they grow pretty slow, so I hope you enjoy slings :p If it turns out to be female, you may want to write this one into your will! If all goes well, this little dude will be a life partner.

If you have any questions about slings, by all means, ask! I'll leave you with some parting advice. It's the sling's choice when it's had enough food. Feed, feed, feed! There is no such thing as a fat sling, only a happy sling. Different story with juveniles and adults though, but you've got awhile before you need to worry about that.

Out of curiosity, what size A. geniculata are you getting? They're not defensive, but they do think that everything is food. Bitey little things.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
You almost couldn't have asked for a better starter sling. The only downside is that they grow pretty slow, so I hope you enjoy slings :p If it turns out to be female, you may want to write this one into your will! If all goes well, this little dude will be a life partner.

If you have any questions about slings, by all means, ask! I'll leave you with some parting advice. It's the sling's choice when it's had enough food. Feed, feed, feed! There is no such thing as a fat sling, only a happy sling. Different story with juveniles and adults though, but you've got awhile before you need to worry about that.

Out of curiosity, what size A. geniculata are you getting? They're not defensive, but they do think that everything is food. Bitey little things.
You almost couldn't have asked for a better starter sling. The only downside is that they grow pretty slow, so I hope you enjoy slings :p If it turns out to be female, you may want to write this one into your will! If all goes well, this little dude will be a life partner.

If you have any questions about slings, by all means, ask! I'll leave you with some parting advice. It's the sling's choice when it's had enough food. Feed, feed, feed! There is no such thing as a fat sling, only a happy sling. Different story with juveniles and adults though, but you've got awhile before you need to worry about that.

Out of curiosity, what size A. geniculata are you getting? They're not defensive, but they do think that everything is food. Bitey little things.
Although I've had T's for around 20 years I've only ever really bothered buying juvenile/adult females. Is that true regarding feeding slings? Just throw food at them until they don't eat?
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
715
Is that true regarding feeding slings? Just throw food at them until they don't eat?
Pretty much. They molt so often compared to adults that they need to eat a lot more often to get the nutrients to do it. It's virtually impossible to overfeed a sling.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
Although I've had T's for around 20 years I've only ever really bothered buying juvenile/adult females. Is that true regarding feeding slings? Just throw food at them until they don't eat?
Yup. Most of my slings get fed large meals daily until they start to refuse. And I mean large meals, fat dubias the same size as the spider. It's not very uncommon for a fast growing sling to get one large meal after molting and then immediately close up the burrow again to molt.
 

basin79

ArachnoGod
Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2013
Messages
5,893
Yup. Most of my slings get fed large meals daily until they start to refuse. And I mean large meals, fat dubias the same size as the spider. It's not very uncommon for a fast growing sling to get one large meal after molting and then immediately close up the burrow again to molt.
Daily!!! Bloody hell. Looks like I need to up my girl's feeds then. Cheers.
 

Christianb96

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Messages
284
Awesome story! Everytime I order a sling the wait time kills me! And going to expos and seeing a table full of Ts makes my money fly out of my wallet!
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Thanks for sharing.

As indicated by others, you shouldn't be disappointed with how it worked out, in fact you should be absolutely thrilled....the breeders mistake was your monumental gain.

First off, pulchra is a much more expensive, and even desirable tarantula...Its also one of the very best beginner ts, only its not marketed as such all the time due to its high cost.

But you are also getting your genic, while at the same time being able to raise a sling, which most of us find to be one of the more enjoyable parts of the hobby...as slings do things at a faster pace...yes, pulchra grows slow, but as a small sling, it should grow well for the first few molts at least.

Slings aren't too difficult, they just take time and patience, which can be hard for a beginner doting on that single sling...but you will also have the geniculata to focus on, so it should be a little easier to be patient with the sling.

Keep the sling in a small condiment cup with partially damp substrate, like the pic. Keep it simple. You can feed small crickets, a half of cricket or even a leg from one you feed the genic will also be fine. You can also dice up mealworms and give a piece of that. Anything small enough for it to eat, can be food....just don't rely on fruit flies as they are nutritionally deficient (as well as a pain in the behind).

Don't become worried if it doesn't eat for a while, at small sizes they fill up fast, and when plump, they're often just waiting on the new exoskeleton to grow so they can molt, and grow. Sometimes this happens relatively quickly, sometimes it takes months. When the abdomen gets all stretched out looking, the skin becomes jet black and shiny, and the t becomes lethargic, you will know a molt is impending.

Try to keep temps from dropping below 70F. Warmer is better for a sling as it aids in the growth process.

I hope your research was not with online care sheets, if it was, forget it all and start over on this site....AB is the best source for quality, reliable, real world info from real actual tarantula keepers, dealers, and breeders.

Congrats on the awesome, perfect for a beginner, mix up.
 

Attachments

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
Staff member
Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
Long story short, in the end I was holding a little transparent plastic can (what do you guys call them again?), stuffed with paper and the following written on top of the cap:
"G. pulchra."

"G. whatnow!?" o_O

After an embarrassingly long brain lock-up I realized that the breeder made a very human mistake. He send me the wrong T.
Even though it's a sling, I would consider getting Grammostola pulchra instead of Acanthoscurria geniculata a mistake in your favor -- and still getting the geniculata is just icing on the cake.
 
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