P formosa Slings!

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Picked up three little P formosa slings from Tony in Houston last night. I have them set up in a communal tank. They were living communally, and he packaged them that way. They seem to be doing fine. Two are near each other at the edge of the cork bark (talk about camo!) and the third is hanging out in pokey stance in the corner nearest me, by my desk. Once it decided that's where it wanted to be, it's been there for a couple of hours. Can't tell gender, but from earlier pix I think I have at least one female and one male.

Meet Winkin, Blinkin and Nod!

Marga


Female? Not that I'll be able to tell who is whom....

 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
I didn't know that I would like them so much. I used to think they weren't "true" tarantulas because of the pokie stance, the few that I saw a few years back in books, and once in a pet store. Now I've seen P metallica and changed my mind.

I find Sitar (male P regalis) fascinating, and these little formosa will have purple highlights. I think I have 1.2.0 looking at the photos. Again, doesn't matter. One of them is hanging out here being a corner ornament in the new tank.

They were quick, too, but not as fast as my 1" sling P regalis (named Wild Rover) when I first got him!!!

Marga
 

briarpatch10

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Messages
67
My wife is allergic to tarantula venom, I have only new world T's in the house. I am not "educated" enough to have an old world T with that level of venom in the house. I would be afraid I would open the tank it would shoot out and I would wind up in the hospital sitting with my wife in ICU !!! I love the colors and paterns but cant risk the downside. I will just live vicariously through the others on AB...lol
 

MichiganReptiles

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 14, 2010
Messages
407
Wow, you can tell that small with a ventral shot? Don't they change ventrally as they grow? My GBB looked female as a sling and for several molts, but ended up being male.

edit: I wish my camera was better.. I would take pics of all my pokies for you to look at! :)
 
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AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
629
With pokies its not too hard early on. I see a white dot. It could be the lighting. Im not 100%. A better shot would help too.
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Well, as for gender, again, it doesn't matter to me, but two have "smiles" and one has a __. I haven't yet managed to get any molt intact enough to look at to be able to tell, but I will keep hoping!

Marga
 

AmbushArachnids

Arachnoculturist
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
629
Well, as for gender, again, it doesn't matter to me, but two have "smiles" and one has a __. I haven't yet managed to get any molt intact enough to look at to be able to tell, but I will keep hoping!

Marga
Well sounds like you shouldnt worry then. You will have 2 girls or 2 boys. Either way.. im jealous! ;)
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Well sounds like you shouldnt worry then. You will have 2 girls or 2 boys. Either way.. im jealous! ;)
I think the little pokies are like hound pups... hound pups grow into their paws and ears... pokies grow into their leg hairs! All that long fluff on their legs - adorable!! I'm hooked!

Marga
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Well, then I am frustrated by the sexing threads, as they are not helping me. But here are photos.

This is the same animal is in the previous photo. (Vent2)


Here is one of the others:




The first has the "smile", the second has the ___, the third, which is too blurry in the photos, has a "smile" as well.

Thanks for looking,

Marga
 

captmarga

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 31, 2010
Messages
339
Well, then they may all be boys. Doesn't matter. One is shy, and has taken up residence under the two pieces of bark. One has a little hammock, and the substrate has grown legs in the past five minutes. The third - Vent3/4, is my little desk pal, he has taken up his place on the glass nearest my desk. Since he's odd man out, he's "Nod". Winkin and Blinkin are the shy ones.

Thanks!

Marga
 

Lorum

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
111
My wife is allergic to tarantula venom
Sorry but, how do you know that?

Even if she is allergic to the venom of one species, that doesn't mean she is allergic to the venom of every single Theraphosid species. But I really would like to know why do you think she is.:?
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
Actually...

Tell your mom not to worry. The chemical composition of tarantula venom (ALL of them) makes their bites innately hypoallergenic. There is less than a 0.0001% chance of anyone having an allergic reaction to tarantula venom, even if they are already allergic to bee venom. The venoms are THAT different.

Here's why: most venoms are made up of proteins dissolved in a liquid matrix. Proteins are large molecules, generally speaking, and are easy for your immune system to "detect" and react to. But tarantula venom is made of peptides dissolved in a liquid matrix--and peptides are the building blocks of proteins. As such, the peptides are waaaaaay smaller molecules, and they literally "fly under the radar" of your immune system. Unless your immune system is an extravagantly rare freak of nature, (which I'm not betting on) there is no way you could have a reaction to tarantula venom.

"True spider" venoms are different--as in, spiders that are not tarantulas. Because regular spider venom IS based on proteins, you are more likely to have an allergic reaction to a plain old garden spider than you are to any tarantula.

That said, Poecilotheria have some pretty unpleasant bites even without allergies being an issue, and I would advise caution. Many is the keeper who, after being bitten by a Pokie, sought professional medical help.
 

Lorum

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 10, 2010
Messages
111
Actually...
Thank you for the quote. I have read a lot of opinions regarding allergic reactions to T's venom. As I have not enough knowledge about allergies (immunology) nor about theraphosids venom (from scientific sources) I can't discuss, but I don't really think it could be so difficult to be allergic to T's venom. I think it is very improbable, but not way too improbable to never happen.

I don't want to get off topic anymore, but these links are also interesting:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=191959 (post #12)

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=146635 (posts #14, #21, #33, #36 and probably some other posts, but I didn't read the entire thread again)
 

mickey66

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
207
the new kids are beautiful. I love pokies but wont have one
I gotta ask you why no Pokies? I felt the same way for about a year then bought a little sling and now six months later I have a juvie female dorsal stripe faded out to white.....she is not defensive really and i have only seen one threat pose and that was to a cricket when she was a baby. So why no Pokies? Curious is all....no offense intened Oh....she is a P.Regalis
 
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