Oklahoma Brown Tarantula...

[Donovan]

So I live in oklahoma and I caught a wild tarantula and decided it would be a cool pet. I am pretty sure this is the species (also called texas brown tarantula). Now I have researched on this and made a capable enviroment but not sure if its perfect. It has just completed its first molt and it was succesful, i wasnt sure if I had enough humidity for it but it went perfect. I have a bowl of water and I refill it all the time and I see it dip in it from time to time. I will post pictures of the enviroment and of the spider later once my cameras battery recharges.

I have also been keeping a journal of the main actions surrounding the spider to see how long it takes to eat food, when it usually molts, and all that kind of information so after a few months i will be able to time when it needs what. Good idea or what? is it needed?

1st Question: Right now I have the rocks usually found on the bottom of a fish aquarium as a substrate. It isnt even an inch deep of this substrate. Is this species a burrower? I have read that it is but the spider I have doesnt seem to want to burrow. It climbs quite often though.

2nd Question: Is my habitat appropraite?(Answer this when I post pictures)

3rd Question: Is the species I guessed correct?(Answer when I post pictures)

Any additional information about this such as if you can tell the sex would be great. I have been buying 7-14 crickets about every 2/3 weeks and it seems to be about right. I have been watching and judgin how fast he eats the crickets on when to buy more. It hadnt ate for about a week and the food just seemed to be dying on their own will but then it finally molted so it explained it all.

 

[YouLosePayUp]

almost every if not every tarantula found in the U.S. is some form of Aphonopelma. Definitely in Oklahoma it is an Aphonopelma. Aphonopelma's are burrowers, give it 7-10" of soil/peat mix and it will be much happier.

http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/animalinfo/Inverts/Tarantula.htm

I found this site on a 2 second google search. Most of the info is a little off, however it does say Oklahoma Brown being Aphonopelma hentzi

 

[Donovan]

Where could I get this mixture? I have read also in places it would be a burrower. Just put this mixture in and it will burrow itself or would I need to make a hole for it? The camera is almost ready, in about 15-20 minutes I will post pictures of the current enviroment, the spider, and its first molt since I have had it. Right now its in a 10 gallon aquarium with a metal lid I bought at TK pet store. Give me some more detail about the substrate it needs if you would, thanks a bunch, i really am interested in growing a healthy, happy tarantula.

 

[NikiP]

I'll second what YouLose said, remove the gravel & switch to something else. I use peat for my burrowers.

Don't leave crickets in the tank until they die. Do a couple of crickets every week or so & give the T like 24hrs to eat them, then remove if their uneaten. A live cricket left in there can harm a molting &/or freshly molted T.

Edit:

You can get peat &/or soil at local garden centers, Walmart, Lowes, etc. Just make sure it doesn't have fertilizers in it.

 

[bonesmama]

It's possible that this may be a mature male--did you find it wandering around? Does it have tibial spurs? If so, it has only one thing on it's mind......... I can tell you're concerned about it's welfare, but if it is a mature male, could I plead that you release it back into the wild to "do it's thang"? It won't live much longer anyway, and should have the chance to procreate.

 

[Donovan]

The crickets I left in werent the ones I bought, my mom put in ones that were bigger and she just caught in the wild and they died in the cage. He eats all of the ones I buy from TK, but you are saying buy less when I go and put them in at different times throughout the week? I cant put them in once a day, and he eats the crickets faster than you would think. They are pretty small crickets. The guy at the store told me to buy 7 a week, and put them all in at once, and that they will live about a 1-2 weeks with no food and that the tarantula will eat them before they die, and it has been that way so far. He hasnt ate the bigger ones because I think its scared of it. I will check walmart tomorow. So ask for peat and soil?

There is no way its a mature male, I brought it to my science teacher and it told me it is quite young and most likely less than 4-5 months old. It also is most likely a female because of its slender body. Thats wat she has told me. Pictures coming soon tho.

EDIT: So I probly have put to much food in, I put all 7-14 crickets in at one time but I had no idea that I should only be putting 1-2 in at a time, wait for them to be eaten, then put more in. Should I have a 2nd small habitat to keep my crickets alive? the guys at the pet store were the ones who told me to put all crickets in.

 

[Thoth]

Aquarium gravel is never a good substrate for ts.

When you caught the tarantula was it wandering about or was it by a burrow? If it was wandering about chances are it is a male. Look at the first pair of legs are there spurs or hooks near the second joint and do the tips of the pedipalps (first pair of appendages) look swollen sort of like boxing gloves? If so then its a mature male and they have a short life span (a few months maybe a year if lucky). Best thing is to let it go to find a mate and try to catch a female or best option is buy one.

 

[Donovan]

 

[Donovan]

It was wandering up on his drive way and was running across it when we caught it. They wanted to smash it and I said I would keep it if he dint want it around his house. Theres the picture of the tarantula, picture of current habitat coming.

 

[Donovan]

Better picture of the spider

Just let me know if u need any other pictures to tell additional info.

 

[By-Tor]

You said it was wandering over your driveway, well I caught one by my chruch doign something similar, maybe if we got a picture of it with a size comparison, I can't tell how big it is really...As for what you science teacher said about the size and gender, I think she might be a little mislead by human tendancies.

 

[GailC]

Nice looking T, I can't be to sure with that picture but it doesn't look like a mature male.
I use plain peat in my tanks, cost around $5 at any garden center. Fill the 10 gallon up with about 6" and add a hid of some kind, I use flower pots layed on their side. You don't need the sticks or shells unless you really like the looks.
7 crickets a week is a little much, your guy should be fine on 2-4 a week. Buy a small kritter keeper to house your crickets in, feed them and they will live for a few weeks.
Try to get a good clear picture of the pedipalps, they are the front pair of leg like appendages, focus on the ends. Also try to get a measurement. You measure from the tip of the front leg to the tip of the back leg on opposite sides. Tarantulas can't be accuratly sexed by their body shape but usually its the males that are slimmer. You sex them with the inside of the molt.

 

[GailC]

I should also add that at that size your T is a few years old, a 4-5 month old would only be 1/2 inch or smaller.

 

[Donovan]

Overhead picture showing size

The molt that it just experienced a couple days ago. How would I use this to determine sex?

An attempt at gettin the pedipalps in a picture, it was hard to focus on them without takin the spider out of its cage.

As a side note i love the way this T looks, he is starting to grow more red hair on its abdomen than it had before. It grew considerably compared to pre-molt. So far, do you think it really is an oklahoma brown? Any info you can give from the pics?

 

[Donovan]

One last question about the flower pot you suggested earlier. So i buy a rather small flower pot and bury half way into the dirt? Or can i get a picture of what to do? and how large of a flower pot?

 

[GailC]

Most likely is a Oaklahoma Brown, very pretty. I still don't see any onviouse mature male signs, you lucked out there.
To learn how to sex with a molt, look here.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=54718

for you T i would buy a flower pot the has a 3" opening, I like the red clay kind. Bury it half way in the peat.

I don't have a good picture of a flower pot in a cage. But here is one with a coconut hid. You can use just about anything as long as the T can hid in it and it won't mold.

Here are a few more set ups.

 

[stubby8th]

1st Question: Right now I have the rocks usually found on the bottom of a fish aquarium as a substrate. It isnt even an inch deep of this substrate. Is this species a burrower? I have read that it is but the spider I have doesnt seem to want to burrow. It climbs quite often though.

2nd Question: Is my habitat appropraite?(Answer this when I post pictures)

3rd Question: Is the species I guessed correct?(Answer when I post pictures)

Any additional information about this such as if you can tell the sex would be great. I have been buying 7-14 crickets about every 2/3 weeks and it seems to be about right. I have been watching and judgin how fast he eats the crickets on when to buy more. It hadnt ate for about a week and the food just seemed to be dying on their own will but then it finally molted so it explained it all.

Hey Donovan,
The species you are talking about, Aphonopelma hentzi, is also found in my area of North Texas.
Check out my threads:
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=51534&highlight=hentzi
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=62892&page=2&highlight=stubby8th's

Aquarium gravel is NOT a good choice of substrate for any T. I prefer to use the expandable 'eco-earth' that you get from the pet store, although there are many good choices which are frequently discussed here on the AB.
Yes, this species is a burrower; give it at least 5 inches - they are big-time earth movers!
Also, be sure to remove any un-eaten crickets, as hungry crickets my nip at your sated tarantula, and may injure it.
Lastly, humidity and moisture is not a really big deal with this species. They thrive in our hot, dry summers. Keep the substrate on the dry-side, but keep a full water dish.
As for the sex and age of the individual you have; 9 times out of 10 it is the males that wander, females rarely wander more than a few feet from her hole their whole lives. From your pics, yours does look to be a female. Look closely at the side walk in the area where you found this one and see if you see some holes along it.
Mature adults of this species is fairly small compaired to many other sp. in this hobby; only ever reaching 4" - 4 1/2". However, they are VERY long-lived and slow-growing. It may take 7 years or more for an individual to reach the size of the one you have. Females may live into the 25 - 30 year range. Males live for about 5 - 7 years.

 

[bananaman]

Looks like an Aphonopelma hentzi to me! Very pretty Ts even if they are common, I have 4 of them...

I would suggest you get the peat moss as soon as possible to replace those rocks... 4in or more would be perfect...

Your tarantula should be fine with 1 or 2 crickets a week... it may eat 4 or 5 but it's not necessary... and it always needs its water dish... no additional humidity.

As for the hide, get a flower pot and cut it in half, so it can dig its burrow under it and use the flower pot as an entrance...

Heres a pic for ideas... Good luck!

A.hentzi

 

[Donovan]

This is a plastic pot and I dont know how to break it in half... any ideas? It has a 5" opening so I think the size will be about right. I am acting as a surgeon right now and opening up the molt to see the sex. Will post pictures for you all like I always do. My eyes wont be able to tell but hopefully yours will. I am really hoping its a female so hearing it looks like one is great. As soon as I open the molt I am on my way to walmart to buy some peat/soil mixture. Ill make sure to ask for one with no chemicals in it. Will repost soon with the molt.

 

[Donovan]

This is the molt, as i moved it around the legs started falling off but the middle of it stayed in tact.

In this picture I circled the area that I think i am suppose to look at and see if I can find a lil flap thing? right? I found a small little opening very similar in that area. Its right by the pedipalps or w/e. Would this make it female? Or am I way off? I couldnt get the camera to focus and that much zoom.

EDIT: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=54718 the first 2 pictures are what I used, its somewhat like that kind of flap. Just a lil opening. Is that wat I am suppose to look for?