Methal
Arachnosquire
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2014
- Messages
- 61
Go slow.
Calm down.
dont poke them.
I started out the...eh "not typical way" The first T I had, was a male A. Iodus. I didn't know about these glorious forums. I literally googled "how to care for a Tarantula"
Having kept several "icky" species of true spiders before, mainly black widows, I though they would be simple. In a way I was right. Food, water, and leave them alone. They are living growing paintings.
Found a web site with care info, Mike's web site (the bright green one, sure you all know it) and read up on the "orange one with all the fangs"
My 2nd T was an OBT, 3rd was the M Balfouri. 4th were 3 pokies, and the list goes on.
I then found these forums and saw all the, what I then thought, was "elitist jerks" telling people to avoid the old worlds. "why" I thought, just give em some respect!
Seriously though, since then (coming up on 3 years ago) I have had ~15 OBTs, 8 or so pokies, and a few other old worlds cross my hands...not literally, but you know....
New guys, (and some of you old guys) Please just understand, I am not the best, brightest, or most experienced keeper out there, but what I can say from my limited experience,
Treat the Old worlds different, and you'll be just fine, My rules are these:
1) Bigger cage. So you dont have to rehouse as often.
2) Go slow. Just let the OW T. decide when it wants to move.
3) Be calm. Nothing will get you bit faster than the "GGAAAAAAHHHAHADDDDAHH!!11" action when OW T. gives you some attitude. Essentially you are keeping a pregnant woman who just found out you slept with her sister as a "pet" (sorry i dont mean anything rude to any of those pregnant ladies out there)
I know this rule best, my hands shook like you wouldn't believe when I did my first rehousing.
several times before I even did anything i had to close the enclosure and take a deep breath.
just breath and control yourself.
4) Dont poke the T!!!! i can't stress this enough! watching people do rehousings gone wrong videos, every time the fit hits the shan its when the guy with the paint brush decides things aren't going fast enough and jabs at the T! When you get the T, just let it move into its new house at its own pace. I know you are eager to dump the guy into its new dwelling right now, but seriously, if you are inexperienced, and nervous about it, place the old container inside the new and shut the lid. When the T moves out, slowly remove the old house. If its too big to fit inside, use your imagination, connect the two with a tunnel of toilet paper roles and duct tap.
Think it through before you open the gateway to lightning and pain.
5) Don't tong feed! I know it looks cool on the ol' youtube, but you're not jon3800, or tarantulaAddict, or GregRice, or Deadly Tarantula Girl or the annoying "BAM!!" guy who just disappeared into oblivion after Zilla died. Just open the lid, drop the food in, and close the lid.
6) They are not pets. Dont give them cute names, or fancy toys in their enclosures, or anything else that will emotionally attach you to the tarantula. Some (a lot I assume) will disagree with this or be puzzled by it. However when you attempt to create an emotional bond with an snarky Old world Tarantula, you will start to get careless. "oh Sally wont bite me, shes my snooky wooky!" You will create a level of familiarity that i assure you will be completely one sided. Your feelings for that OBT will not change how quickly it will climb up your hand with its fangs leaving a trail of holes filled with a very expensive trip to the ER.
Last but not least:
7) Use your head. Just think before you do something. just slow down, calm down, and think it through. What might happen if you piss off that illusive P. JackyChan?
Anyway thats my list. Hope it helps someone, if you are nervous about getting an old world, i'd just say dont then. or start with an "easy" species.
anyway back to your regularly scheduled program =)
Calm down.
dont poke them.
I started out the...eh "not typical way" The first T I had, was a male A. Iodus. I didn't know about these glorious forums. I literally googled "how to care for a Tarantula"
Having kept several "icky" species of true spiders before, mainly black widows, I though they would be simple. In a way I was right. Food, water, and leave them alone. They are living growing paintings.
Found a web site with care info, Mike's web site (the bright green one, sure you all know it) and read up on the "orange one with all the fangs"
My 2nd T was an OBT, 3rd was the M Balfouri. 4th were 3 pokies, and the list goes on.
I then found these forums and saw all the, what I then thought, was "elitist jerks" telling people to avoid the old worlds. "why" I thought, just give em some respect!
Seriously though, since then (coming up on 3 years ago) I have had ~15 OBTs, 8 or so pokies, and a few other old worlds cross my hands...not literally, but you know....
New guys, (and some of you old guys) Please just understand, I am not the best, brightest, or most experienced keeper out there, but what I can say from my limited experience,
Treat the Old worlds different, and you'll be just fine, My rules are these:
1) Bigger cage. So you dont have to rehouse as often.
2) Go slow. Just let the OW T. decide when it wants to move.
3) Be calm. Nothing will get you bit faster than the "GGAAAAAAHHHAHADDDDAHH!!11" action when OW T. gives you some attitude. Essentially you are keeping a pregnant woman who just found out you slept with her sister as a "pet" (sorry i dont mean anything rude to any of those pregnant ladies out there)
I know this rule best, my hands shook like you wouldn't believe when I did my first rehousing.
several times before I even did anything i had to close the enclosure and take a deep breath.
just breath and control yourself.
4) Dont poke the T!!!! i can't stress this enough! watching people do rehousings gone wrong videos, every time the fit hits the shan its when the guy with the paint brush decides things aren't going fast enough and jabs at the T! When you get the T, just let it move into its new house at its own pace. I know you are eager to dump the guy into its new dwelling right now, but seriously, if you are inexperienced, and nervous about it, place the old container inside the new and shut the lid. When the T moves out, slowly remove the old house. If its too big to fit inside, use your imagination, connect the two with a tunnel of toilet paper roles and duct tap.
Think it through before you open the gateway to lightning and pain.
5) Don't tong feed! I know it looks cool on the ol' youtube, but you're not jon3800, or tarantulaAddict, or GregRice, or Deadly Tarantula Girl or the annoying "BAM!!" guy who just disappeared into oblivion after Zilla died. Just open the lid, drop the food in, and close the lid.
6) They are not pets. Dont give them cute names, or fancy toys in their enclosures, or anything else that will emotionally attach you to the tarantula. Some (a lot I assume) will disagree with this or be puzzled by it. However when you attempt to create an emotional bond with an snarky Old world Tarantula, you will start to get careless. "oh Sally wont bite me, shes my snooky wooky!" You will create a level of familiarity that i assure you will be completely one sided. Your feelings for that OBT will not change how quickly it will climb up your hand with its fangs leaving a trail of holes filled with a very expensive trip to the ER.
Last but not least:
7) Use your head. Just think before you do something. just slow down, calm down, and think it through. What might happen if you piss off that illusive P. JackyChan?
Anyway thats my list. Hope it helps someone, if you are nervous about getting an old world, i'd just say dont then. or start with an "easy" species.
anyway back to your regularly scheduled program =)