T. Stirmi rescue - need some advice

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
So i went to pet shop to buy some supplies today and saw a "BIRD EATING TARANTULA!" for sale. I saw this poor creature, which is a 5-6 inch T stirmi, trying to climb up the glass of its 5 gallon enclosure and failing miserably (it couldnt stick to the glass, im guessing it has something to do with how messed up it currently is). It's been living on some sort of mulch, with a large water dish and a fuzzy walking around the place... sigh. I bet they completely overfed the thing on a strictly mouse diet, as i found a bunch of leftovers from multiple fuzzies later. The worst of all, besides its banged up body and slightly cut up abdomen, was the broken pedipalp.

I know i shouldn't buy anything from a pet store, as it will probably die, and im guessing this guys survival chances are slim.. but i couldnt resist :/

I pointed out the horrible and incorrect conditions the tarantula has been living in to the manager, he basically asked me to adopt it asking a small fee for the terrarium and accessories. I ended up payin $25 for everything.

I know this tarantula probably has a lot more wrong with him under the surface. He just looks banged up, broken pedipalp, and god knows what else (high amounts of calcium after so many mice..)

Here are some pictures:







I'm a new T keeper (started 6-7 months ago, at 15+ Ts now) and don't have much experience with T stirmis as is, id just appreciate any advice and how to go on from here.
 

Fran

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,533
Next molt will take care of it. Being smaller, you have a higher chance to get her back to health ;) and acomplish smooth molt.

Actually , she looks way better of most of WC I have seen
 

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
Do stirmi struggle with climbing? My Genic can climb anything and generally all terrestrials ive dealt with can climb glass.. He/she (i believe he) cannot, his feet just dont stick at all.
 

forrestpengra

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
732
I think you got a killer deal. Make sure it's properly hydrated and that it's diet is more favourable and you're going to have a nice trophy T... While she's showing her wear I think you're "bi-winning".
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
Make sure to check back at the pet shop next week for the spider they bought to replace that one...
 

SC Tarantulas

Arachnoknight
Active Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2011
Messages
218
I purchased/rescued my Rosea from a LPS (mom and pop shop) close to a year ago. They had her on sand substrate and a reptile spotlight on her enclosure. No water no shelter from the heatlamp, no nothing.:mad::embarrassed:
 

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
Make sure to check back at the pet shop next week for the spider they bought to replace that one...
I see your point and i know the negatives of buying at pet stores, especially what it encourages, but i paid $25 for it (including enclosure, log, etc) after discussing the situation with the manager. He did seem concerned and admitted being oblivious to T care, maybe this will show him something, im pretty sure he didnt exactly make a lot of money this sale.
Whatever, things aren't so black and white and im helping this particular animal. For all we know if he died in the store, he'd be replaced anyway and chalked off to a bad specimen rather than me telling the manager he provided horrible conditions for it. But your sarcasm is well appreciated :rolleyes:
 

Fran

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,533
I see your point and i know the negatives of buying at pet stores, especially what it encourages, but i paid $25 for it (including enclosure, log, etc) after discussing the situation with the manager. He did seem concerned and admitted being oblivious to T care, maybe this will show him something, im pretty sure he didnt exactly make a lot of money this sale.
Whatever, things aren't so black and white and im helping this particular animal. For all we know if he died in the store, he'd be replaced anyway and chalked off to a bad specimen rather than me telling the manager he provided horrible conditions for it. But your sarcasm is well appreciated :rolleyes:
No worries. You take care of your T, enjoy her and be happy about it. Unfortunately One purchase is not gonna change anything.They will keep replacing T's, it will take everybody to stop giving petstores bussines for thewm to actually consider stoping offering tarantulas....And that is not gonna happen.Theres a lot of people who doesnt even know the hobby exist online.
So dont worry about it and take care of her ;)
 

Fran

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,533
This is how 99% of the so called "cherry picked WC" specimens, come to the dealers. So again, be happy about her, she looks way better than the rest WC specimens!
 
Last edited:

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
lol nice photoshopping, yea i suppose youre right.. im just a bit worried that his/her butt is filled with basically 100% mouse diet... and the broken palp.. we'll see how it plays out i guess, i need to get her a bigger tank tomorrow
 

Fran

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,533
lol nice photoshopping, yea i suppose youre right.. im just a bit worried that his/her butt is filled with basically 100% mouse diet... and the broken palp.. we'll see how it plays out i guess, i need to get her a bigger tank tomorrow
Photoshoping???? {D
Paint. {D

She will be fine ;)
 

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
Photoshoping???? {D
Paint. {D

She will be fine ;)
lol nice, well thanks for all the help/reassurance Fran! Now im kinda looking at this as an awesome deal rather than a rescue
 
Last edited:

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
No worries. You take care of your T, enjoy her and be happy about it. Unfortunately One purchase is not gonna change anything.They will keep replacing T's, it will take everybody to stop giving petstores bussines for thewm to actually consider stoping offering tarantulas....And that is not gonna happen.Theres a lot of people who doesnt even know the hobby exist online.
So dont worry about it and take care of her ;)
One pet shop at a time.

It won't take all of us to stop one petshop from stocking them. It'll take zero people buying tarantulas from that shop to get them to stop buying them.

It's not like this is the only purchase from an LPS either...by everyone saying 'One purchase isn't going to change anything' (as they likely are), it turns into hundreds of purchases very quickly.

To the OP:

Whether you like my sarcasm or not, you obviously got the point, but still found a way to 'justify' buying the spider.

You've got a banged-up spider that's already one of the more difficult species to successfully keep in the hobby, it's wild-caught, has a broken palp, and could possibly have parasites. Let's hope it survives its next molt.

No, I'm not being mean. I'm just being realistic.
 

Fran

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 8, 2007
Messages
1,533
One pet shop at a time.

It won't take all of us to stop one petshop from stocking them. It'll take zero people buying tarantulas from that shop to get them to stop buying them.

It's not like this is the only purchase from an LPS either...by everyone saying 'One purchase isn't going to change anything' (as they likely are), it turns into hundreds of purchases very quickly.

To the OP:

Whether you like my sarcasm or not, you obviously got the point, but still found a way to 'justify' buying the spider.

You've got a banged-up spider that's already one of the more difficult species to successfully keep in the hobby, it's wild-caught, has a broken palp, and could possibly have parasites. Let's hope it survives its next molt.

No, I'm not being mean. I'm just being realistic.

That is a simple guess. Of course the T could die in 10 minutes, but by looking at the spider, (since you have never kept the genus, you told me yourself) it looks way better than the average WC import.
The T is young, at 5-6 inches has quite ,high chances of surviving the molt with NO problems.

Of course it takes one people at a time to stop the pet store crap, but getting this guy depressed when he has no real reasons to be, is very unnecessary.

Geez.
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 20, 2007
Messages
5,357
No, that's not what I said.

I said I don't keep any, and I don't have any interest in keeping any. That doesn't mean I've never kept the genus.
 

Arachnopets

Arachnoboards Team
Staff member
Joined
Jan 11, 2004
Messages
628
Admin Note:

Now BOYS get back to your corners and IGNORE each other, or you will both get a "time out"! :embarrassed:

The two of you are worse than my kids, sheesh. :wall:

Debby
 

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
One pet shop at a time.

It won't take all of us to stop one petshop from stocking them. It'll take zero people buying tarantulas from that shop to get them to stop buying them.

It's not like this is the only purchase from an LPS either...by everyone saying 'One purchase isn't going to change anything' (as they likely are), it turns into hundreds of purchases very quickly.

To the OP:

Whether you like my sarcasm or not, you obviously got the point, but still found a way to 'justify' buying the spider.

You've got a banged-up spider that's already one of the more difficult species to successfully keep in the hobby, it's wild-caught, has a broken palp, and could possibly have parasites. Let's hope it survives its next molt.

No, I'm not being mean. I'm just being realistic.
well you are justifying your sometimes overbearing zeal, and you don't have to be so self righteous when youre trying to be realistic. I didnt even make a "purchase" $25 bucks i spent cover the tank, the lid, log, and waterdish. The T itself is almost free, i dont think anyone made any money here and if they replace it anyway after me "rescuing" it maybe the owner will want to avoid not making money and actually research conditions at which the T should be kept at, or best case scenario he wont get another one.. who knows.. i dont consider this a "purchase for the LPS" ecause i paid like 15% of the price tag. Ok this is done, ill keep you guys updated haha.

I did have a question about parasites, what are the most obvious signs? do i end up only telling from fatalities?
 

Falk

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
679
Sorry if i am a bit offtopic here but i just want to give a little warning about buying wildcoughts.

It has happend that whole collections of spiders have died in their keepers homes a few month after they bring home wildcougtht spiders witch have carried nematodes wich will spread to the whole collection.

When you a buy wc from a petstore you might save one but help killing 10 more.


I know my english sucks:eek:
 
Last edited:

Unravel

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 27, 2010
Messages
140
Yeah im keeping it away from the whole collection lol, give it a couple of months i guess.

Sorry if i am a bit offtopic here but i just want to give a little warning about buying wildcoughts.

It has happend that whole collections of spiders have died in their keepers homes a few month after they bring home wildcougtht spiders witch have carried nematodes wich will spread to the whole collection.

When you buy wc from a petstore you might save one but help killing 10 more.


I know my english sucks:eek:
 
Top