Oklahoma Brown Tarantula...

[Mushroom Spore]

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.

Your enclosure is seriously too big. For one thing, you need the distance between the substrate and the ceiling to be about equal to the T's legspan. If they climb and fall from a greater height than this (especially onto that awful gravel), there is a good chance they will die in seconds.

Your T would be happy with about half that much floor space, and it will be much easier for it to find its prey. Buy a cheap plastic critter keeper and put something bigger in that tank. As others have said, 2-3 crickets per week is more than enough for the little guy.

 

[bonesmama]

This is what you look at for sexing-- the inside of the abdomen between the first pair of booklungs. There are tons of sexing threads here, so I'm not gonna go into all that again-there are others who have explained it better than I can.

 

[bananaman]

IMO the size of the tank isnt a big problem... apart from the T taking a little longer to find crickets it will do it no harm...

I used a saw to cut the pot in half...or a strong pair of scissors if the plastic isnt too thick...

What you are looking for in the molt is the uterus externus, a "flap-like" structure that protrudes between the two anterior booklungs, its impossible to tell from those pictures, you need to use the macro function in the camera to take pics up close (if it has it, its a little flower icon)...

If you find the "flap", its a female...the lack of it, means male...

Here are pictures of females, so you can see what you are looking for...
B.auratum

G.rosea

H.lividum

 

[bonesmama]

Compare those to the one I posted- that's a male

 

[Donovan]

This is what you look at for sexing-- the inside of the abdomen between the first pair of booklungs. There are tons of sexing threads here, so I'm not gonna go into all that again-there are others who have explained it better than I can.

The molt I am looking at has dried significantly compared to the one you have. It is becoming curled up and parts are already falling off so it doesnt look much like the picture you have posted.

Your enclosure is seriously too big. For one thing, you need the distance between the substrate and the ceiling to be about equal to the T's legspan. If they climb and fall from a greater height than this (especially onto that awful gravel), there is a good chance they will die in seconds.

This is the only container I have, and when it wants food it finds the crickets easy enough. I didnt think the 10 gallon would be too big for it considering when its in the wild it has much more space than this. Yes its a good thing i asked about the substrate though because apprently gravel is really bad and I didnt know but thats what im here for, to learn. Does anyone else think the aquarium it self is to big? even if I change the substrate and make it of peat/soil mixture thats around 5" deep?

 

[GailC]

There is alot of discussion about enclosure size, I say as long as it is finding food then the 10 gal is fine.

You can spray water on the skin to soften it up, that should help with opening it up.

 

[bonesmama]

It's a little big, if the T climbs and falls-it could die-especially with that gravel in there . When you change it to peat or whatever you're gonna use, put it to 1 legspan of the top. Then the T can reach the ground if it starts climbing.

 

[Donovan]

Here we go, figured out how to do closeups. Here is the molt, the water trick helped a bunch.

It is a little wetter than it should be but they are pretty close pictures of the main body of the molt. The legs broke off before I watered so keep that in mind. They were there orignally.

 

[bananaman]

Oh man...that thing is worn! Im inclined to say male...but honestly, it would be just a bad guess with those pics... I think youre gonna have to wait for the next molt... sorry

 

[Donovan]

Yes as I said its been a good 4-5 days since it molted and it has dried out considerably and from me handling it (not to expertly might I add) it has fallen apart. I can wait til the next molt but before I go buy stuff, is it agreed that it isnt a mature male and the need to release it to the wild isnt necessary and it can be kept? I am willing to release if it is best for the T. I would love to keep but I dont want it dying on me before it is suppose to. If you think I can keep it I will go to walmart right now and get the soil/peat mixture (thats wat im going with) and set up the new cage asap.

 

[GailC]

Pics still aren't quite good enough. Try putting the molt on a piece of paper towel and laying it on a flashlight, it will help highlight the parts we need to see. Also focus on this area

you can try taking a pic through a magnifying glass to get a nice clear shot.

 

[GailC]

If you are just looking to see if its a mature male then look for these hooks.

see on the front pair of legs? if your guy is mature he will havr those.

 

[Donovan]

This is on the molt and the front legs (pedipalps?) have lil claws coming out, is that wat you wer talking about?

As for the other picture on towel with light under it....

If it is a mature male then is releasing definetly needed? Just curious...

EDIT: just realized those are probably his fangs. If you just mean if it has those legs at all, I am pretty sure he does. IT looks as if he has 5 pairs of legs all together. Check some of my other photos of the guy and see if u can judge it for your self if they are there.

 

[JackStraw]

Yeah those are the fangs you have circled. Look at the picture posted above at the leg that extends furthest to the right. Then look about 1/3 the way up the leg and you will see a very small hook sticking out. That's what you're looking for.

 

[GailC]

Yes, those are his fangs and no the littel claws aren't what I'm talking about.
The pedipalps aren't really legs, so when I say the front pair I'm not meaning the peds. Look here.

A mature Oaklahoma brown will have those tibial spurns on the front pair of legs and the enlarged pedipalp ends. You don't have to release an mature male but he won't make a good pet. You would be better off trying to capture a female.

 

[Donovan]

No hooks are there. I looked and now I understand what you are saying to look for, thanks for circling them. The legs dont have that, I checked all the front legs just in case i was lookin at wrong ones lol. And his pedipalps arent enlarged on the ends. They are of even thickness throughout. So that means he isnt quite mature yet? I am thinkin he has 1 or 2 molts more before then but thats just a complete guess.

I am going to go ahead and keep him if that is alright and Ill see how it goes. Ill go ahead and make his habitat right with the peat and soil mixture. If he is getting older and I see those hooks I will release and go look for a female in which case I will make a search or another post on the best way to find. Or just message the guy who finds them in north texas. Anyways, im off to get the soil. Thanks for all the great help. Will re post in about 30 minutes after its done. Bye

 

[bananaman]

Yes, that means that, if its a male, it isnt mature, and you can keep it... find out its sex until next molt... Im still not sure what it is... though the pic with the backlight is better, Im still reluctant to take a guess...

Head for walmart and make this spider a happy one... good luck, you're gonna love it...

Edit: check these links for basic tarantula anatomy, that way you wont feel so lost (i did too in the beginning)... cheers

http://www.arachnophiliac.com/burrow/anatomy.htm
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/spydawebb/anatomy.html
http://kaston.transy.edu/anatomy/anatomy.htm

 

[bonesmama]

That's great--keep him and release him once he matures! By then you'll probably have 10 more T's anyway!

 

[Donovan]

Spider by the water dish.

 

[Donovan]

Overall view of the new cage. I did 4/5 of just plain potting soil then a layer of peat moss on top of it and I mixed it with a little of potting soil just for the top.

Closeup on the cave I made. I used a saw to cut open the plastic pot and I covered top of it with dirt so it looks cavish. Left room for him to go into it also.

Tell me what you think, on the far left it isnt all to high, i have some dirt left over so I can fill it if you think it really needs it but the dirt is extremely soft so i thought it would be alright. Much better than before. Goin to a 4th of july party now, will be back on later. Bye Tell me what you think.