Newbie specific questions

laterist

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 26, 2010
Messages
3
Salutations!

I am geting all worked up, as I'm planning on getting my first T, so I've started doing my research.
I already have a few specific questions, I couldn't answer:

First of all - I've found a local dealer's site that seems pretty respectable and I'm looking at a female Brachypelma Boehmei with a body length of 3.5cm (1.3″ according to Google). Is she a good beginner spider? Because I've read the Boehmei is generally easy to care for and docile, but prone to hair flicking - what does that mean precisely? How often would she flick hairs? When she feels generally threatend or just during feeding, etc.?

Second - At her size (she's labeled "young", but not "little" - I don't live in a native English speaking country) is she fit for an enclosure, or is she still too small?

Third - If she's ready for an aquarium, should I get one with built-in heaitng, since the ambient tempearture in the spider room is about 24°C (+/-2°C) (75°F) and the care sheets I've found note about 75°F as a minimum.
And is a good thermomether/hygrometer combo worth the expense?

Fourth - Temperature question - should I lower the enclosure's temp at night? (I've read so in a few care sheets.)

Fifth - Since the Boehmei will be having flatmates, how well do Ts handle louder ambient noise, frequent new faces, etc.?
Is it safe to simply designate the spider room "non-smoking" and ignore the parties/music in the next room?
Must I designate a seperate, not generally lived-in, room as a "spider room", or (personal preference) - use my bedroom?

Sixth - is keeping a feeder colony feasible for a single T?

Seventh - Will I be able to safely leave the T all alone for a few days at a time?

Thanks! :)
Hope to have a gorgeous mexican fireleg with me soon.
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
Salutations!
Greetings, welcome to the board!

First of all - I've found a local dealer's site that seems pretty respectable and I'm looking at a female Brachypelma Boehmei with a body length of 3.5cm (1.3″ according to Google). Is she a good beginner spider? Because I've read the Boehmei is generally easy to care for and docile, but prone to hair flicking - what does that mean precisely? How often would she flick hairs? When she feels generally threatend or just during feeding, etc.?
That is going to be quite a little sling(spiderling), so I am unsure that they will have been able to reliably sex it at that size. Brachypelma species are generally docile, but each T(arantula) is going to have its own personality that can change from molt to molt.

Hair flicking is when they take a hind leg and scrape the hairs off their abdomen to make them airborne. The hairs then will become lodged in the face/ body of whatever predator is bothering them, because they are barbed on the end.

As far as how often it will kick hairs, there is no way to answer that question for you. It can kick them when threatened/ perceives a threat, or just because it felt like kicking them. Some will actually lay down a mat of web to molt on, and then kick hairs into it in preparation.

Second - At her size (she's labeled "young", but not "little" - I don't live in a native English speaking country) is she fit for an enclosure, or is she still too small?
Yes, she is fit for an enclosure, but it needs to be an appropriate sized enclosure. People here like to use hobby cubes that can be purchased at places like Hobby Lobby. We have made our own out of plexi-glass, square dowels and hotglue for our little ones though.

Third - If she's ready for an aquarium, should I get one with built-in heaitng, since the ambient tempearture in the spider room is about 24°C (+/-2°C) (75°F) and the care sheets I've found note about 75°F as a minimum.
And is a good thermomether/hygrometer combo worth the expense?
No, definitely not ready for an aquarium. It will be small and I can tell you from experience that you can know how big an inch is, but once you get a 1" spiderling it redefines tiny for you.

You will need to seek other, smaller housing for it. If the room is 75degrees, the sling should be just fine. We keep ours in temps almost 10 degrees colder than that without any problems. You do not need a thremometer/ hygrometer, unless you plan on breeding. Since this species is slow growing, that won't be an option for a few years, so save your money.

Fourth - Temperature question - should I lower the enclosure's temp at night? (I've read so in a few care sheets.)
Not necessary to do that. Also, internet caresheets for the most part are crap, so you are better off doing some research here on the forum. The advanced search engine is extremely helpful, but remember to search in the Tarantula subsection. Even easier is the link in my signature to a wonderful sticky with tons of information, take a look when you have a chance.:D

Fifth - Since the Boehmei will be having flatmates, how well do Ts handle louder ambient noise, frequent new faces, etc.?
Is it safe to simply designate the spider room "non-smoking" and ignore the parties/music in the next room?
Must I designate a seperate, not generally lived-in, room as a "spider room", or (personal preference) - use my bedroom?
Ambient noise is alright, but thumping music can be stressful. Tarantula's sight is limited to light and dark, so new faces will not be a problem. If there is going to be smoking in that room, I would keep the T in another room. There isn't any evidence that smoking can do harm to a T, but the parties(possibility of accidents) could. We have Ts in every room, but our daughter's(but she has had one in their before) and have no problems. We don't have parties, or smoke, or play loud thumping music though, so it will come down to your personal preference. The noise and constant foot traffic could be stressful to the T, so you will have to decide where you feel most comfortable keeping it.

Sixth - is keeping a feeder colony feasible for a single T?
No, and definitely not at that size. You will need pinhead crickets(babies) to feed a sling that small.

Seventh - Will I be able to safely leave the T all alone for a few days at a time?
As long as the T has a full water dish when you leave it should be fine. If you get this T though, it will not be ready for a water dish until it hits the 2" mark and will need moisture to be provided through the substrate. We went on a 3 week vacation this summer, fed and watered/ humidified everyone before we left and when we came back, they were just fine.(hungry though!)

Hope to have a gorgeous mexican fireleg with me soon.
At that size, it will not have the brilliant red that you see in the adults yet. I would hate for you to be surprised and disappointed by that. You will get to see it gradually change to that beautiful coloring though, which I think is infinitely cooler than starting out with the adult.

Once again, welcome to the forum!:D
 

razor244

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
39
i have learned a good amount from research online and reading these boards since i became a T owner. i can answer a few of those questions but not all.

Brachypelma Boehmei are considered a good beginner T by most

Hair flicking is a defense that new world T's use. they will flick urticating hairs off of thier abdomen when they feel stressed or threatened .these hairs will cause some itching

as far as temp's, 70-75 room temp is fine for the Tarantula you are looking at. if you are comfortable they are as well. some poeple have a designated room for thier T's with higher optimal temps but not everyone has that luxury .

i would keep your T away from smokers and such. I keep my T's in my bedroom with me where i can control the environment and make sure there is nothing harmful used near them, such as cleaning supplies

and yes you can leave your T alone for a few days at a time. they dont need to be fed often and as long as you top off the water dish they will be fine for more then a few days
 

laterist

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 26, 2010
Messages
3
Thanks a bunch for the perfectly clear answers. :)
If you would indulge me, however they pose a couple of questions.
Namely - is caring for a sling (I finally get it - spiderling :)) much harder than caring for a mature T?
If so, I have a few choices for a mature spider:
From what I've gathered I should avoid the Poecilotheria Rufilata, Pamphobeteus Fortis and the Haplopelma Lividum; I couldn't find any info on Grammostola Pulchra, though and, as luck would have it, they have a Smithi.
Should I go with the Smithi, or can I venture with the Grammostola?
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
1,309
Thanks a bunch for the perfectly clear answers. :)
If you would indulge me, however they pose a couple of questions.
Namely - is caring for a sling (I finally get it - spiderling :)) much harder than caring for a mature T?
If so, I have a few choices for a mature spider:
From what I've gathered I should avoid the Poecilotheria Rufilata, Pamphobeteus Fortis and the Haplopelma Lividum; I couldn't find any info on Grammostola Pulchra, though and, as luck would have it, they have a Smithi.
Should I go with the Smithi, or can I venture with the Grammostola?
Both the Grammostola pulchra and Brachypelma smithi are beginner species. Many will recommend getting a G. pulchra, they are considered one of the most docile species.
 

razor244

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 15, 2010
Messages
39
caring for a sling isnt very difficult but they are not as hardy as mature T. instead of a water dish you just mist some of the enclosure for the sling to get hydrated. you can either feed them pin head crickets or you can feed it crushed crickets. The great part about having a sling is you get to watch it from from a tiny baby into a wonderful specimin. just be prepared, some T's have very slow growth rates compared to others.
 

laterist

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 26, 2010
Messages
3
Thanks a lot, people! :)
I'll ask again if I have any further questions and promise to upload pics after I get my T. :)
 

curiousme

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Messages
1,661
We have both a B. smithi and a G. pulchra, both are fairly docile. Both have similar care requirements, but personally I would go with the G. pulchra. We have two of them and they rarely kick hairs and are a beautiful svelte black all over. Our. B. smithi is more inclined to kick hairs, but it will have that beautiful red color in the striping on its legs.

Slings are not that much harder to take care of, but they are speedier I(n)M(y)E(xperience) which can present problems in rehousing it as it gets larger. However, with proper research and a good area to work in, that problem can become a non-problem.
 
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