Starburst Baboon or Ornamental

Doomcoil

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
1
I recently rescued a couple T's and a scorpion. One of the T's was labeled as a starburst baboon. I'm having issue with this label tho as the T is not orange its very gray. Also it sits in a very ornamental looking stance with 4 legs forward and 4 legs back. Would this be s normal way for a starburst to relax as well? I know pictures would help a bunch but the T will not cooperate for a photo shoot. Will try to post some pics if I manage to get a half way decent one.
Thanks in advance
 

CJW

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 3, 2017
Messages
26

I'm very new to keeping Ts but i'm pretty sure it's a Heteroscodra maculata, commonly referred to as the "Togo Starburst Baboon".
 

Doomcoil

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
1
Ok. I was thinking starburst was p. Murinus (OBT). If it's not an OBT my wife will let me keep it.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Ok. I was thinking starburst was p. Murinus (OBT). If it's not an OBT my wife will let me keep it.
It's H.maculata.. They are just as fast and potent as P.murinus.. Research before the purchase is crucial.. You took a big bite out of the pie on this one.. Use the species name in the search function to find out exactly what you have gotten yourself into.
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Ok. I was thinking starburst was p. Murinus (OBT). If it's not an OBT my wife will let me keep it.
Then better don't tell your wife that these are even faster and more defensive than an OBT, if that's possible ;). They are arboreal, btw, so you should keep them just like an Ornamental.
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
It's H.maculata.. They are just as fast and potent as P.murinus.. Research before the purchase is crucial.. You took a big bite out of the pie on this one.. Use the species name in the search function to find out exactly what you have gotten yourself into.
Sorry, posted simultanously. You know more about them than I do.
 

Doomcoil

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
1
It was a rescue. Got this a zebra knee and an Asian forest scorpion the starburst was crammed in a deli cup way to small for it. The zebra had rotting wood and mold in its tank and the scorpion was overrun with mites and rotting substrate. I told the guy he had a problem he told me to take them for $40 so I got them and cleaned them up rehoused and now I got to rethink this H. Mac. Tho pretty I do not think I can keep it. I have 2 little ones to think about
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Sorry, posted simultanously. You know more about them than I do.
Your good.. The assessment is fare.. The difference between H.mac and P.murinus is that H.mac arw slightly more shy and ime it takes more to piss them off.
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
890
It was a rescue. Got this a zebra knee and an Asian forest scorpion the starburst was crammed in a deli cup way to small for it. The zebra had rotting wood and mold in its tank and the scorpion was overrun with mites and rotting substrate. I told the guy he had a problem he told me to take them for $40 so I got them and cleaned them up rehoused and now I got to rethink this H. Mac. Tho pretty I do not think I can keep it. I have 2 little ones to think about
I rarely saw mine... still, they are quite fast, grow rather quickly, and have quite the punch. While the venom isn't likely to kill little ones (especially if you keep it properly) I'm sure your wife would kill you if someone other than you got bit.

If you keep it, I'll give you some pieces of advice: 1. during maintenance, tap the enclosure and it will shoot to its hide (if it's ever out), 2. never let your guard down because it's in its hide, 3. use long tongs for everything in that enclosure.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
It was a rescue. Got this a zebra knee and an Asian forest scorpion the starburst was crammed in a deli cup way to small for it. The zebra had rotting wood and mold in its tank and the scorpion was overrun with mites and rotting substrate. I told the guy he had a problem he told me to take them for $40 so I got them and cleaned them up rehoused and now I got to rethink this H. Mac. Tho pretty I do not think I can keep it. I have 2 little ones to think about
Good job on the rescue man.. Yea if you think you are in over your head it's best to rehome it to someone that has experience with the species..

My two females are pretty relaxed when it comes to the normal day to day maintenance but my male acts alot like an obt..

I can usually rehouse most of my Tarantulas without really upsetting them much but I can imagine that if I spooked either of my females during a rehouse it wouldn't be fun..
 

Doomcoil

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
1
I managed to get it out the small deli cup and into its current home with little difficulty but I think it was just happy to stretch out and move.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
I rarely saw mine... still, they are quite fast, grow rather quickly, and have quite the punch. While the venom isn't likely to kill little ones (especially if you keep it properly) I'm sure your wife would kill you if someone other than you got bit.

If you keep it, I'll give you some pieces of advice: 1. during maintenance, tap the enclosure and it will shoot to its hide (if it's ever out), 2. never let your guard down because it's in its hide, 3. use long tongs for everything in that enclosure.
Mine are always out.. My nephew has a hider though.. I guess it's just a good example of how every T is unique in it's attitude and habits..

With my girls one will usually run into her hide when I open her cage the other stays put.. My male runs straight to the opening ready to bolt or battle.. He's completely nuts.

While long tongs do help they can run up them without a problem.. And they will do it faster than any of us can react.. While I don't think H.mac venom will kill a child it will require a trip to the ER. No child could handle that amount of pain unless it was born in hell.. The ramifications of the ER visit could get the OP a visit from child protective services..

This really isn't a species to take your first dip into the old world pool with..
 

Doomcoil

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
1
I've done horned baboons. I used to have 32 different species of tarantula but sold them when we got pregnant. I just couldn't leave these in the conditions they were in. I had a few rather defensive NW T's tho. Just nothing with the speed these seem to have.
 

GreyPsyche

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Messages
92
H Maculata, send to me if you don't want! Haha. One of the top on my list of must haves.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
I've done horned baboons. I used to have 32 different species of tarantula but sold them when we got pregnant. I just couldn't leave these in the conditions they were in. I had a few rather defensive NW T's tho. Just nothing with the speed these seem to have.
Keep it for a few days and in the meantime do a ton of research and weigh the risks against the rewards.

If you end up keeping her do the rehousings in the bathtub after you have sealed of every potential place it can hide in the bathroom if it does manage to slip past you and get out of the tub. Also for a while I reccomend doing any maintenance that requires the lid to be more than ever so slightly opened in the tub.

I generally like to rehouse out in the open on the floor but if I'm having an off day or just get the feeling the T is going to give me a hard time I will use the bathtub method.. Genrally the bathtub is just an area that is clear and gives you a few more seconds of reaction time.. The other benefit is that some species will run into the wall of the tub and either stop or run around the perimeter.. Some don't and just run straight out onto the floor or in the case of arboreals may actually hop from the edge of the tub onto you :) or they run up the wall..

What I do when using the tub specially for fast arboreals is to take a spray bottle and heavily mist the sides of the tub with cold water.. They still can climb wet surfaces with ease but in most cases the feeling of the water causes them to stop and seek another route out of the tub..

Your goal is to even the gap between there speed and your reaction time while minimizing escape routes.. Don't forget to plug the drain in the sink and lower the toilet seat ;)...

*Edit*

There is one rule that should never be broken when working with fast, potent Asian or African arboreals.. Never rehouse them at night.. Feeding is ok if your carefull but keep the lid on when it's dark out.. They are most alert at that time and everything you have to do is going to be more sketchy..
 
Last edited:

Doomcoil

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 8, 2017
Messages
1
Good advice. Thank you. Right. Ow its small. I've been putting the KK its in inside a 20gal long when I need to open the lid. This weekend I'll be getting an arboreal setup and some tongs (wow never thought I'd say that) at the reptile show.
 

14pokies

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Messages
1,735
Good advice. Thank you. Right. Ow its small. I've been putting the KK its in inside a 20gal long when I need to open the lid. This weekend I'll be getting an arboreal setup and some tongs (wow never thought I'd say that) at the reptile show.
No prob man.. While your at the show get plenty of cork flats that are some what bowed in the middle.. Set one on the sub and one or two vertically.. If they have a nice hide they usually use it instead of bolting.. Except my male.. He wants my blood:vamp:..
 

GreyPsyche

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jun 19, 2016
Messages
92
Ugh, I want one so bad...the females are probably the best looking T IMO but I'm a huge fan of that coloration.
 
Top