!! urgent !! someone ordered a P. metallica without telling me

[irlwolfboy]

So if you saw my post about crickets in the other forum, you know I have very little experience with tarantulas. I ordered a B. hamorii, but then a family member added an N. chromatus. That was bad, since I wasn't prepared for that, but he said he was going to take care of it. That rubbed me the wrong way, but he seemed genuinely interested in them and looked up how to care for T's, and it seemed like it was gonna be okay!
Then, yesterday, I checked my email.
He ordered a P. metallica.
And he said he was going to take care of it.
He has NO EXPERIENCE with any type of spider, so I'm probably gonna end up taking care of it, and I'm freaking out a bit.
The only experience i have in anything arboreal are jumping spiders!
do you guys have any tips for this guy? I know a pretty good amount about them, but I still wanna make sure im prepared.
[Or getting me over my fear of it bolting out ]
I can't give it away, since that was a LOT of money for us. I'm sorry if this was kind of all over the place, too, I'm still freaking out a bit.
[he also has an enclosure ready for it, and its. Okay, I think.]
thank you!

 

[Jonathan6303]

Not to be a bearer of bad news but that is probably one of the worst picks for a new keeper. A fast bolty, highly defensive, and strong venom t is not to be messed with. If you follow the advise of the professionals I’m sure you will be ok. Old worlds are always level 2 to keepers. You just have to be relaxed. Once you get it into its enclosure all you have to worry about is watering, feeding, cleaning, and rehousing. Sounds like a big list but once you get the hang of it it will be much easier.

 

[irlwolfboy]

Not to be a bearer of bad news but that is probably one of the worst picks for a new keeper. A fast bolty, highly defensive, and strong venom t is not to be messed with. If you follow the advise of the professionals I’m sure you will be ok. Old worlds are always level 2 to keepers.

Don't worry, I knew that. I'll make sure he doesn't mess with him, even if it means getting yelled at lol

 

[Jonathan6303]

Just take your time with this species.

 

[Tarantuland]

If it hasn't shipped, try contacting the seller. If it has, take a deep breath. Read as much here as you can about the species. When you do unboxing, do it in the bathtub. Use long tongs and stick the entire shipping vial in the first enclosure that you have and work it out. You can let the spider come out on its own time and then remove the shipping vial. Poecilotheria are known to burrow as spiderlings. They are fast and venomous, but they're spiders not demons. Make sure you know that you're in control of the situation. The spider is still more scared of you than you are of it. For rehousings, look up the bag method. It's definitely not the best pick for a new keeper, but people have kept these with no previous experiences. Direct your questions to this site. Nhandu chromatus are no big deal IMO, they're kinda feisty but you'll never see them. Hamorii are among the easiest.

 

[irlwolfboy]

If it hasn't shipped, try contacting the seller. If it has, take a deep breath. Read as much here as you can about the species. When you do unboxing, do it in the bathtub. Use long tongs and stick the entire shipping vial in the first enclosure that you have and work it out. You can let the spider come out on its own time and then remove the shipping vial. Poecilotheria are known to burrow as spiderlings. They are fast and venomous, but they're spiders not demons. Make sure you know that you're in control of the situation. The spider is still more scared of you than you are of it. For rehousings, look up the bag method. It's definitely not the best pick for a new keeper, but people have kept these with no previous experiences. Direct your questions to this site. Nhandus are no big deal IMO, they're kinda feisty but you'll never see them. Hamorii are among the easiest.

Thank you so much, this calmed me down a TON. I'll try to tell him this, but he's very... stubborn. [im trying not to curse here ]
again, thank you so much. This is making me feel a lot better about everything

 

[Hakuna]

I hope the vendor isn’t selling venomous species to minors. Definitely irresponsible.

 

[irlwolfboy]

I hope the vendor isn’t selling venomous species to minors. Definitely irresponsible.

This family member is over 18 and ordered it, don't worry

 

[Hakuna]

Worried? Not me. Don’t get bit.

 

[Edan bandoot]

well we dont have an updated P.met bite report yet so someone has to get it done

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Hey, that spider is a P. metallica, not some sort of DIY explosive CIA ISIS are preparing.

Breath, remain calm, don't die. Then search well this site, ask everything and everyone will help and you're done. Umk?

 

[irlwolfboy]

well we dont have an updated P.met bite report yet so someone has to get it done

if I get bit I'm gonna get on here as fast as possible lmao

 

[VaporRyder]

Hi!

I’m sorry if I missed this detail - I’ve read the thread a couple of times and it’s been a long week - but how big is the metallica?

Also, are you able to post a pic of the enclosure?

Your success with this spider is not only in your best interest, but that of the hobby - we don’t want you in the emergency room screaming in agony, and the media squealing about a teen being attacked by a ‘nasty, dangerous tarantula’.

A young spider will be easier to grow and learn with, and a well designed enclosure will be better for the animal and make your husbandry duties much easier - whilst minimising the risk of bolting.

 

[irlwolfboy]

Hi!

I’m sorry if I missed this detail - I’ve read the thread a couple of times and it’s been a long week - but how big is the metallica?

Also, are you able to post a pic of the enclosure?

Your success with this spider is not only in your best interest, but that of the hobby - we don’t want you in the emergency room screaming in agony, and the media squealing about a teen being attacked by a ‘nasty, dangerous tarantula’.

A young spider will be easier to grow and learn with, and a well designed enclosure will be better for the animal and make your husbandry duties much easier - whilst minimising the risk of bolting.

It's ok!! And the spider will be around an inch [2 cm, if I remember correctly], and the height of the enclosure is 6 inches [or 15cm, if I remember correctly again]
And reminder that this family member made it, and I couldn't say anything unfortunately

 

[cold blood]

I will say, pokies tend to be calmer than most OW arboreals....they also tend to be great eaters, and fairly quick growers...on top of that, they are very hardy and can be successfully kept in many different ways (and do well in over sized enclosures) and are even pretty drought tolerant.

Be smart and calculated and dont be afraid to ask questions, whether it be here on the forums of through private message with someone you feel you can trust.

Nhandu chromatus are no big deal IMO, they're kinda feisty but you'll never see them

never see them??? I have raised entire sacs of the species and most never burrow at all. I do agree with your assessment that they are no biggie for a beginner as i do consider them a decent beginner species for the right keeper.

 

[VaporRyder]

Cool! That looks pretty good.

Personally I prefer top opening enclosures for my pokies - and that’s what my larger ones are in - but I do keep slings in something similar, but round. Because, like you, I have to take the top section off with this type of enclosure, I have my cork bark more centrally placed and well wedged, so it can free stand. That way it can go higher and I can remove the lid without the spider bolting.

Slings:




Small juvies:




Larger juvie metallica:

 

[mack1855]

Oh,It will probably die from husbandry mistakes or bolt out and escape never to be seen again.

 

[Wolfram1]

First of all congrats on your choice and welcome to the boards.

At that size they are fairly easy to deal with and you will be able to learn how to deal with them as they grow.

Many people reccomend minimising the amount of rehousings you have to do but in my experience these can be quite helpful in gaining confidence. I have been raising a few Poecilotheria slings since Juli starting from around an 1" in size and have rehoused them all twice so far. The largest is at 6cm dls right now. They do grow fast.

The enclosure you prepared looks nice but it is a little big for the sling to start with. Though it will work. Personally i would put them into a much smaller container first and then rehouse them into that after their first molt. It doesnt have to be a tall, perfectly equiped enclosure ether just a leaf or small piece of bark to hide behind. I do that just to make sure they eat at the beginning when they are most vunerable. But thats just my personal preferance.

The worst bite report at that size i read talks about an hour of pain. And as i said doing rehouses builds confidence and with good preparation are almost 100% safe.

I do assume that your "relative" will still be interested enough to do the rehouses him/herself though so make sure you help them out.


i raise a few slings at the moment and the ones i worry the most about are my new world terrestrials since they burrow into oblivion and i know almost nothing about their wellbeing. Poecilotheria are soothing my soul in comparison they eat, grow fat, molt, repeat.

 

[Tarantuland]

I will say, pokies tend to be calmer than most OW arboreals....they also tend to be great eaters, and fairly quick growers...on top of that, they are very hardy and can be successfully kept in many different ways (and do well in over sized enclosures) and are even pretty drought tolerant.

Be smart and calculated and dont be afraid to ask questions, whether it be here on the forums of through private message with someone you feel you can trust.


never see them??? I have raised entire sacs of the species and most never burrow at all. I do agree with your assessment that they are no biggie for a beginner as i do consider them a decent beginner species for the right keeper.

I understand that I am the outlier. But yes, I rarely have ever seen mine. Well over a year and a half. This was only about half filled with substrate and a cork piece pushed into the sub, but it caved it out. I have it in a different enclosure now, but I still rarely see it.

 

[Wolfram1]

lol, they do vary in behavior, my largest, a P. metallica will sit outside of its cork-tube almost all the time and even tolerates me picking the enclosure up or shining light directly at it without bolting, my second one is gone the moment light hits it