Weakness and the perhaps inevitable acquiring of new Ts

[skadiwolf]

okay...i'm weak. i admit it. did i ever SAY i was strong? where? whatever. i want to see it in writing. :/

so...basically, i ordered two books from amazon.com right? great. The Tarantula Keeper's Guide and Tarantulas and Other Arachnids. (thank you kellygirl!)

and here i am at like 4:30am or whatever, looking around online, knowing i should be asleep, and dreaming about other Ts. (sigh)

so what do i do? that's right, i go to swift's, and i purchase two Ts. :8o

i am weak.

well, they hopefully will ship tomorrow and then i will have the following:

1 1/2" Eupalaestrus campestratus PZB
1 1/2" Bachypelma smithi MRK

so...any suggestions on caring for these guys so i don't kill them off? encouragement and acceptance of my T 'problem' would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mendi]

I guess none of us has got around to telling you that Ts are about 100 times more addictive than heroin...... have we ??? Well there it is from an arachnophobic arachnoholic, try not to use to often. Maybe a once a month chipper will keep you fixed up.

I'm sure that you'll get lots of good advice to help you with the new kids, but, me, I'm passing out for the next several hours. Hang on, you'll have your fix soon =D ;P :?

 

[Arachnopuppy]

At least you are 29. I stay up this late usually because I have work to do for school.

 

[tarantulaman96]

Just feed them,use the right substrate and surroundings, make sure humidity is at proper level, keep water dish in tank (NO SPONGE!!), and most importantly, lots of love and tender care!! You can also use those books you ordered (especially The Tarantula Keeper's Guide, which is the bible to tarantulas) for further assistance. If you do all this, your tarantula will love you forever:} Good Luck on your new T's


Josh

 

[kellygirl]

Originally posted by skadiwolf
(thank you kellygirl!)

1 1/2" Eupalaestrus campestratus PZB
1 1/2" Bachypelma smithi MRK

You're welcome!

Hey, I've got both of those species and you'll love them equally but differently. Both are relatively slow-growing species, IME, but the PZB tends to be a little slower... at least that's the way it's been for me. My smithi doesn't play with the dirt at all my my PZBs do all sorts of redecorating in their deli cups. Both are fairly hardy species and in all probability, you won't kill them. Because they are teensy spiderlings, keep the humidity up by misting (or dripping, rather) daily or every other day depending on your ventilation. If you want them to grow quicker, keep them warmer. Be sure you know of a place where you can get food for them. Other than that..... I think you should be fine! Congrats on your new family members!

kellygirl

 

[Doug H]

Skadiwolf,join the crowd ,in my first 5months after getting into T's I had about 25.Now I have 33. .The slings you are getting will require different care than your Rosy. Slings do really good in deli cups or food containers of apropreate (SP) size,and a good lid. I think most people including myself do not use a water dish untill there T's are about 3". for the smaller slings just keep the substrate moist but not soggy,and they do just fine.\

I also am into herps, and have found that just like snakes and Tattoos ,its hard to just have a couple

Doug
p.s check out e-spiderworld.com. great web site.

 

[rapunzel]

Don't forget the freebie!

Set up a vial for the wonderful freebie sling that Kelly Swift always sends!

And hahaa.they all tried to tell me that I would be addicted too, when I first came around! NO way that was happening, I only was trying to convince my boyfriend to let my SON get a tarantula. only one, didnt have any desire for any more..so I innocently bought him the best one out there, a g. pulchra..docile, calm, wonderful T from Cronoss...
that was the very end of January. It is now May and I have ..let me count...NINE. SHould be ten but my little p. scrofa died for no known reason. Now, the show is coming up next weekend, and I already know I will get something else.

 

[sunnymarcie]

............Let my SON get a T................
That's how I talked my hubby into it!LOL!
Now we have 4 T's, 6 millies, 1 Ball python and a pair of white mice! ;P (snake food generators!)
Not a bad haul for 3 months of "collecting"

Then there is the show............see you there Rapunzel.
I'll be at Bryan's table. He's bringing my Usambara babies.

Should I get 2 or more, HMMMMMMMMmmm! Not sure!LOL!
I do have a dozen small jars.....................=D

 

[skadiwolf]

thanks everyone! yeah, i wasn't going to use a water dish, i've read the sad horror stories. oh, btw, wasn't sure if i was clear, but they aren't 1 1/2", they're actually 1/2"!

i'm just getting one of each. sorry if that was confusing.

okay...HOW do i set up a vial? :/

(help!)

i should be getting my new books on 05/13, but my new babies, um, tomorrow? lol. HELP!!!

 

[Doug H]

Skadiwolf, when T dealers send there slings out for shipment they will come in a little vial ,some with substrate some with paper towel.so basically you will be getting your T's and there homes all in one. The vials look like small film canisters that are clear. So you will be all set.Kelly will usually send his with substrate ,and then some paper towel on top for cushening effect.

P.s be carefull not to through the paper towel away without first checking to see if the sling is in it. Some of the smaller ones will do that.


Doug

 

[Jeff_C]

skadiwolf,

I bought exactly the same Ts from Swift when I started in December '02 and since then alone I have aqcuired a total of 13 Ts, 2 snakes (ball and corn) and 2 Scorps. Very addicting indeed.

Anyway, I found that the best home for these little guys (and I have had quite a few) is a 5.5 oz spice jar (plastic) that you can get from www.spicebarn.com. You can poke some small holes in the top with a hit needle and drop crix through the spoon side with no problem.

Fill them about 1/2 way with substrate and the pbz will burrow away. I suspect the smithi might too (even though mine didn't) and may be the famous Swift freebie will too.

fyi, You can leave them in their shipping containers until you decide whether to move them or not.

Jeff


Here's a pic of the pbz when I first received him from Swift

 

[Buspirone]

I started out only wanting a Rosie. Now I have one of each of the common petstore Ts . G. rosea, A. seemanni, Avic. avic. and a B. albopilosum. I visit the Invert. dealer websites almost everyday trying to decide on what to order. I can't in good conscience order less than five new Ts if I'm going to pay 25-35 dollars for shipping. Its addictive as heck.....right now I'm eyeballing my first scorpian, a desert hairy. I'm weak too. I look at it like this....its better than being an alcoholic or drug addict. Enjoy the new Ts!!

 

[skadiwolf]

okay, awesome. he just emailed me saying they're going out today. i am SO EXCITED!!! |D

in other news, i also bought some cresteds from kevin at dragonsdenherp. i should be getting those wednesday. yay!

alrighty, i'll let you guys know what happens. don't worry, i would be so paranoid about the paper towel anyway. lol.

what's the best way to give them water in such a TEENY container?

 

[Jeff_C]

skadiwolf,

In my very limited experience with Ts (but they are mostly all s'lings) no water is necessary except for that which is used to raise the humidty in the enclosure (just pour a little down the side on to the substrate). They get all the moisture they need from their food.

Jeff

 

[Doug H]

Skadiwolf, for my slings in vials or small baby food jars ,I use a syringe (with out needle ,I'm not a heroin addict) and just give the substrate a olittle squirt.

Doug.
P.S- with slings it is very important I REPEET VERY IMPORTANT DO NOT LET THE SUBSTRATE DRY OUT KEEP IT MOIST.A DEHYDRATED VIAL FOR A SLING IS A DEAD SLING.

 

[kellygirl]

Oh yeah!!! I totally forgot about the freebie. Anyone wanna guess what she'll get? I'm gonna guess an Usambara or a Curlyhair! Let us know what "surprise" tarantula you get, skadiwolf! I love it when dealers/seller do that!!!!!

kellygirl

 

[alidpayne]

I am gonna guess that she gets a chaco.

Ali

and I KNOW I cant spell...LOL *edited to add a U to guess.

 

[vulpina]

All of are weak when it comes to buying new T's, I now have 28 different species but am always on the lookout for more!!

Andy

 

[rapunzel]

i want to guess..

It drove me crazy trying to guess what I was going to get, while I waited for my order from Swift's..

I am going to guess that she gets the pink zebra beauty...don't know the scientific name off-hand.
He won't send her an orange-bitey thing, will he? He judges what freebie by the type you order from him..docile gets docile...

Right now, i am looking at Cronoss site, trying to decide AHEAD of time what I will get at the show tomorrow..it helps to go there with a plan....

 

[rosehaired1979]

We have 4
2 Rose hairs,Orange Usambra and a Goliath BirdEater

We are hoping to get a A.Versicolor (with a free Usambra) Next month or in a few weeks. My husband wants a Mexican Red Knee so we might get that in July just depends on money situation.

Oh and I guess Skadiwolf will get a A.Versicolor.
So what did you get for your surprise sling SkadiWolf?