Tapinauchenius cupreus questions

[Robotponys]

Just a few questions in case I order some. I'm going to make this pretty straightforward.

1. How large is a small male, large male, small female or large female? Or just the average size. I've heard they are pretty small (3"), but only from one website. Another said 4cm, which I think is 1.5", but that seems ridiculously small.

2. How defensive are these and how bad is the bite? I know they are practically teleporters, but I have no idea about venom potency or how likely it is to be bitten. I'm not planning on getting bitten, but I get nervous when T's do things quickly so I really need to tell myself to not jerk if one climbs aboard. With my A. avic I'm not so worried.

3. When do they mature? (average size) How hard are they to breed?

4. How should I house it, can I keep it like an avicularia metallica sling? Are they hardier? Do I need to supply a hide or will they make one?)

5. Anything else I should know?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[grayzone]

i will go ahead and give you a heads up before people say "do your own research" .. i understand a lot of your questions , because i recently aquired a cupreus and plumipes and had trouble getting concrete info... by far the best place for research i have found is right here http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?39563-Genus-Tapinauchenius ..

you gotta do a lot of reading between the lines and its a long thread but i basically came to conclude that cupreus and plumipes growth and maturity rates are all over the place. Also, females can mature fairly small. neither have a long life span (well, in comparison to some sp./genera) and females that breed YOUNG/SMALLER are often the ones that produce the most? My cupreus was a part of a package and he was already mature. He was about 3.5-4" maybe.

all in all, i think theyre great looking OW arboreals that aren't as defensive as pokies and such. Not too sure on bite potency, cuz the only bite reports ive dug up are gigas. I have YET to see the speed, as my cupreus got sent off already, but the plumipes seems real chill. From what i gather GIGAS is the one that is a real speed demon.
hope this helps. i recommend reading that WHOLE thread. Lots of cool info

---------- Post added 05-17-2012 at 06:57 PM ----------

Also, i forgot to add that they are in the same subfamily as Avicularia sp. so keep them similar

 

[advan]

think theyre great looking OW arboreals

Click on the WSC link in my sig, scroll down to Tapinauchenius. Where do the species of this genus hail from?

 

[grayzone]

Thanks chad.. i swear i read that they are OW, but guess somebody in that thread was wrong.

---------- Post added 05-17-2012 at 07:35 PM ----------

a good care sheet can be found here too (just discovered it)
http://www.tarantulasus.com/showthread.php/187-Tapinauchenius-caresheet

 

[1hughjazzspider]

Just keep them like you would an Avic. Aside from size and speed everything about them is comparable to that of most Avics. Some people say they're a bit more defensive and nervous than Avics, but every Avic I've owned has been nervous and flighty and I've gotten at least one threat pose from all of them. As far as size goes they're a little smaller than Avics typically get and they're definitely faster. Tha should be all you really need to know.

 

[advan]

Just keep them like you would an Avic. Aside from size and speed everything about them is comparable to that of most Avics. Some people say they're a bit more defensive and nervous than Avics, but every Avic I've owned has been nervous and flighty and I've gotten at least one threat pose from all of them. As far as size goes they're a little smaller than Avics typically get and they're definitely faster. That should be all you really need to know.

Actually, you should keep them like Psalmopoeus, I've never seen Avicularia do this.

 

[MaskFac3]

Actually, you should keep them like Psalmopoeus, I've never seen Avicularia do this.

N'aaaaaw it's flagging the camera off

 

[grayzone]

i actually just got 4 slings the other day. They have all seemed to web themself into little balls of webbing that is webbed to the side of their vials.. is this normal?

 

[Robotponys]

i will go ahead and give you a heads up before people say "do your own research" .. i understand a lot of your questions , because i recently aquired a cupreus and plumipes and had trouble getting concrete info... by far the best place for research i have found is right here http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?39563-Genus-Tapinauchenius ..

you gotta do a lot of reading between the lines and its a long thread but i basically came to conclude that cupreus and plumipes growth and maturity rates are all over the place. Also, females can mature fairly small. neither have a long life span (well, in comparison to some sp./genera) and females that breed YOUNG/SMALLER are often the ones that produce the most? My cupreus was a part of a package and he was already mature. He was about 3.5-4" maybe.

all in all, i think theyre great looking OW arboreals that aren't as defensive as pokies and such. Not too sure on bite potency, cuz the only bite reports ive dug up are gigas. I have YET to see the speed, as my cupreus got sent off already, but the plumipes seems real chill. From what i gather GIGAS is the one that is a real speed demon.
hope this helps. i recommend reading that WHOLE thread. Lots of cool info

---------- Post added 05-17-2012 at 06:57 PM ----------


Also, i forgot to add that they are in the same subfamily as Avicularia sp. so keep them similar

Thanks! I'm gonna go read that thread. I'm probably getting a 2 T. cupreus slings. They sound really great!

Thanks chad.. i swear i read that they are OW, but guess somebody in that thread was wrong.

---------- Post added 05-17-2012 at 07:35 PM ----------

a good care sheet can be found here too (just discovered it)
http://www.tarantulasus.com/showthread.php/187-Tapinauchenius-caresheet

Just keep them like you would an Avic. Aside from size and speed everything about them is comparable to that of most Avics. Some people say they're a bit more defensive and nervous than Avics, but every Avic I've owned has been nervous and flighty and I've gotten at least one threat pose from all of them. As far as size goes they're a little smaller than Avics typically get and they're definitely faster. Tha should be all you really need to know.

Slightly put off by the speed, but I will get through it.
T

Actually, you should keep them like Psalmopoeus, I've never seen Avicularia do this.

I hope mine burrows and webs A LOT. My avics only web before a molt (one molt so far) and a few strands here and there. My G. rosea just shoves around the substrate and no burrowing.

Thanks for all of your help guys! Can't wait to get some.


As a side note, here's my plan for my collection. I'm thinking I will get 2 T. cupreus, 2 C. elegans and any freebies that come with them and leave it at that until I move out, one dies, they mature and I want to breed them, I get a cheap dwarf, or if I get something free. Right now I have an A. avicularia, A. metallica, and G. rosea. I want to breed C. elegans, T. cupreus, and A. metallica eventually. I like my plan, but I don't know about my parents (worried about cats).

 

[grayzone]

meh.... if you happen to get pairs, they wont know whats goin on anyway. itll take some time till they are able to mature (depending on what stages youre buying them at) and then more time for them to drop a sack... THEN more time for them to actually hatch. i think that could take quite a while. just enjoy them for now, and should you still be with your parents when the time comes, i dont see why they would trip. they should be used to all the spiders by then. Just come up with a good and convincing sounding plan of how to get rid of all the offspring:biggrin:

 

[Robotponys]

meh.... if you happen to get pairs, they wont know whats goin on anyway. itll take some time till they are able to mature (depending on what stages youre buying them at) and then more time for them to drop a sack... THEN more time for them to actually hatch. i think that could take quite a while. just enjoy them for now, and should you still be with your parents when the time comes, i dont see why they would trip. they should be used to all the spiders by then. Just come up with a good and convincing sounding plan of how to get rid of all the offspring:biggrin:

Yup, I'm almost definetly getting slings. Big spiders are more intimidating to them, so buying little ones and waiting is actually easier (and cheaper ) right now. Except C. elegans because they mature very quickly. I just can't resist the idea of a ton of my own slings! I'll figure it out as I go along. Thanks for the opinion!

 

[grayzone]

john (bothreichs83) has a bunch on the market right now ...and hopefully in the future as well (if you read this john):wink:.. at a good price! the ones he sent me were packaged very well and are like 1/2" and very active. I will be attempting to feed these guys for the 1st time today or tomorrow. I cant wait to watch these grow.
I hear ya on a bunch of slings. Ive read a TON about people getting avics lately, and before that Poecis.. I think its about time that the tappie fad comes into play.
I really wish i could find a MM T. plumipes to help that happen

 

[Robotponys]

Yup that's who I'm planning on buying from. How many did you get? Not to sound greedy, but did you get a freebie? Either way I'm planning on buying some, I'm just curious.
I don't like avics much, I especially hate the poop and how they always go up! But mine have yet to shoot poop and the sling is in an inverted container. PLus they're adorable. Poecie's are great, but I' m scared of what would happen if an escapee bit one of the cats. I'm staying away from all OW for now.

 

[grayzone]

i got 4 in a trade for a MM.. im happy with it. Its better than havin to wait. I was unsure of how old the MM was, and asked him to just toss me some of what he currently had available. Im sure if you bought some, itd be a diff story. Read the reviews:wink:

 

[Robotponys]

Thanks! I hope I can get some too. Good luck with them.

 

[grayzone]

same to you.