Tarantula questions

GrimGrizzly

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
54
I would love to talk to anyone who has patience, and can teach me whatever they can. I would like to know everything about tarantulas. Not really on the scientific end though.asfaras dissecting, and all that. That's just cruelty to animals. I can't believe people can actually make a living off of that. They should all burn and die horrible deaths....
 

gobey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
290
What's up with the last part? And not scientific? Harsh. In the scientific discussion forum?
 

GrimGrizzly

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
54
I'm new to this. Whatever you can tell me would be great. I have the tarantulas keepers guide, and read up to 40 to 50 % of it. You wouldn't happen to have a salmon pink bird eater would you ? Or had one as a sling ? I have one that's about an inch an inch and a half. And that things mood swings are that of someone with ADHD. Last week it was clingy. Now it's kicking hairs at me like crazy, and running around the tank at night. Fed it till it didn't want to eat anymore, so I don't know what it is with this one. I'm waiting for it to molt for me, and I'm thinking about trying to manipulate it. You think that will calm it down a bit ?

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 12:21 PM ----------

As far as scientific I read what was in the keepers guide. I just don't agree with killing WC tarantulas and dissecting them when they find new species. That's just my input.
 

HungryGhost

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 23, 2014
Messages
153
I'm new to this. Whatever you can tell me would be great. I have the tarantulas keepers guide, and read up to 40 to 50 % of it. You wouldn't happen to have a salmon pink bird eater would you ? Or had one as a sling ? I have one that's about an inch an inch and a half. And that things mood swings are that of someone with ADHD. Last week it was clingy. Now it's kicking hairs at me like crazy, and running around the tank at night. Fed it till it didn't want to eat anymore, so I don't know what it is with this one. I'm waiting for it to molt for me, and I'm thinking about trying to manipulate it. You think that will calm it down a bit ?
If you are handling your LP and want it to be calm for you, forget it. T's don't like being handled. What on earth do you mean by "trying to manipulate it"?
 

GrimGrizzly

Arachnosquire
Joined
Sep 22, 2014
Messages
54
It's a strategy from the keepers guide. You put it in a separate container with lid left on, but not closed in it's habitat until it pushes itself out, and you repeat this process once a week, so it gets use to not being in it's habitat. It's basically like training a tarantula. Nothing's impossible

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 12:26 PM ----------

Anything that's of help. When I have a question I will definitely ask
 

kovsejr

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
45
It's a strategy from the keepers guide. You put it in a separate container with lid left on, but not closed in it's habitat until it pushes itself out, and you repeat this process once a week, so it gets use to not being in it's habitat. It's basically like training a tarantula. Nothing's impossible

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 12:26 PM ----------

Anything that's of help. When I have a question I will definitely ask
wow...never heard of that :D
 

gobey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
290
Idk if an L.p. is the best species to try that on. What do you mean clingy? I have 2 L.p.s, but I got them at larger sizes. About 3.5 and 4 inches. They are 4 and 5 inches now respectively.

I would never try to handle either. And the only one that wouldn't nake me too nervous if I had to would be the smaller one. She's still more timid. The larger one thinks food first, flight second. They're a more defensive species usually than your other popular NW terrestrials from what I understand. My larger one likes to kick some really irritating hairs too.
 

BobGrill

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,669
wow...never heard of that :D
It's not like training a tarantula at all. These are animals with a very simplistic way of thinking and they are driven purely by instinct. I hate to break it to you, but in this hobby, some things are impossible. Kicking hairs is a defense mechanism. That clearly means that the spider feels threatened by you handling it.
 

friendttyy

Arachnolord
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
614
It's a strategy from the keepers guide. You put it in a separate container with lid left on, but not closed in it's habitat until it pushes itself out, and you repeat this process once a week, so it gets use to not being in it's habitat. It's basically like training a tarantula. Nothing's impossible

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 12:26 PM ----------

Anything that's of help. When I have a question I will definitely ask
It says that in TKG? Never knew lol! I don't have TKG can't afford it mom wont buy it so haha!
 

MarkmD

Arachnoprince
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Messages
1,835
LP are brilliant T's & worth having in any/all collections, they will grow large (8-12") in allowed conditions, least 8.5" in normal size 12" if their genes allow it, anyway they do get big, theyr easy to care for like G,Rosea with more outdoor natured (they like it outside) but not all do. they like to eat (I do mean eat like dragons lol) they don't like being handled although i have in the past but not anymore.
 

vespers

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 18, 2012
Messages
712
they will grow large (8-12") in allowed conditions, least 8.5" in normal size 12" if their genes allow it, anyway they do get big
A 12 inch Lp is quite unlikely, if not entirely fictional. Show a pic with a ruler, or actual evidence of some kind. Otherwise, such a size claim is an exaggeration and wishful thinking.
 

Enn49

Arachnosquire
Joined
Apr 3, 2014
Messages
105
I got 2 LPs almost 3 months ago and I have never handled them nor do I intend to. They were both around 1" when they came and now after 2 moults they are both over 2", they tend to grow to half as big again with each moult. One of mine tends to hide away a lot although it digs like mad, but the other is more confident and will stay in view whenever I open its tub. Neither have shown any sign of aggression or ever flicked hairs, yet at least.
 

Akai

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
326
A 12 inch Lp is quite unlikely, if not entirely fictional. Show a pic with a ruler, or actual evidence of some kind. Otherwise, such a size claim is an exaggeration and wishful thinking.
i absolutley agree. even at the most optimal conditions i have never seen and LP get that big. 7-8 range normally. 9-10 is pushing it. there is a lot of false mythos when it comes to LPs but I guess that's what happens when you're the "face" of South American birdeaters.
 

gobey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
290
i absolutley agree. even at the most optimal conditions i have never seen and LP get that big. 7-8 range normally. 9-10 is pushing it. there is a lot of false mythos when it comes to LPs but I guess that's what happens when you're the "face" of South American birdeaters.
Yeah I bought my 2 L.p.s under false claims of 10" spiders. Now I know to expect a 7" spider and hope for an 8". But I'm ok with that. That's big enough. Between 2 L.p.s and 2 P. regalis' that's enough decently big spiders at the same big legspan.

It also means my L.p.s can probably live in these enclosures for the rest of theur adult lives should they not have freak genetics and hit like 9"
But again. Highly unlikely. And as I learned more. And as I see just how surprisingly fast they can be, I'm so ok with that lol. I'm happy enough with how funny mine are. :)
 

Akai

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jul 23, 2012
Messages
326
Yeah I bought my 2 L.p.s under false claims of 10" spiders. Now I know to expect a 7" spider and hope for an 8". But I'm ok with that. That's big enough. Between 2 L.p.s and 2 P. regalis' that's enough decently big spiders at the same big legspan.

It also means my L.p.s can probably live in these enclosures for the rest of theur adult lives should they not have freak genetics and hit like 9"
But again. Highly unlikely. And as I learned more. And as I see just how surprisingly fast they can be, I'm so ok with that lol. I'm happy enough with how funny mine are. :)
you will develope your taste Gobey. I have a large varied collection but if I had to do it all over again I'd probably have a more stream lined collection. Avics aren't my thing though I love the 6 species I have, they just aren't for me. I recently discovered dwarfs when I said I'd never get one and now I own some Hapalopus sp. Columbia "Pumpkin Patch" and just recently aquired some Maraca Cabocla. LOVE THESE! Here I am fawning over them and I am about to pick up more. lol My next adventure after this is some Aussie Ts and and I need one or two to complete my African Baboon collection. My wish list seems infinite at times as something always replaces whatever I scratch off.
 

Beary Strange

Arachnodemon
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
670
It says that in TKG? Never knew lol! I don't have TKG can't afford it mom wont buy it so haha!
The TKG is a very good basic book but it does suggest things that many of us find questionable at best (like not giving a burrower enough substrate just so you can see it often and condoning handling).

As far as the OP's issue, I'm afraid if you wanted a handleable tarantula you picked the wrong species. Lasiodora sp. are somewhat skittish and defensive. Don't believe everything you see in Youtube videos: people insist on handling all sorts of tarantulas they shouldn't--and it may stay calm for them, but that doesn't make it the norm or even a good idea plus let's face it, you're seeing 2 minutes of that Ts behavior, which is likely not the whole story. If you want a tarantula you can hold without issue, an adult female Euathlus sp.red or yellow would suit better.
 

Poec54

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Mar 26, 2013
Messages
4,745
i absolutley agree. even at the most optimal conditions i have never seen and LP get that big. 7-8 range normally. 9-10 is pushing it. there is a lot of false mythos when it comes to LPs but I guess that's what happens when you're the "face" of South American birdeaters.
+1. I had an adult female LP that maxed out at 7". From all I've seen and read, 9" would be rare and unusually large. I don't believe anything over that without photographic proof. There's at least 10 other genera that have species that hit 8", so don't drool over LP's.

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 07:13 PM ----------

It's a strategy from the keepers guide. You put it in a separate container with lid left on, but not closed in it's habitat until it pushes itself out, and you repeat this process once a week, so it gets use to not being in it's habitat. It's basically like training a tarantula.
Keep in mind Stan's collection was primarily Brachypelma and Aphonopelma, and he had to sell them off 10 years ago when he started coming down to the US for the winter (not the kind of thing Customs likes to see). Stan's very pro-handling, and those 'docile' species nailed him 2 dozen times over the years. He wasn't keeping tarantulas when the big influx of tropical and OW's started coming in. Stan and I are 'point-counterpoint' on handling. I'm totally against it. Part of that is because I prefer fast tropical and OW's. I got my first tarantula in 1973, and to this date have never been bit. You decide if you want to be a pin cushion or not.

---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 07:17 PM ----------

As far as scientific I read what was in the keepers guide. I just don't agree with killing WC tarantulas and dissecting them when they find new species.
That's a necessary evil. Without a type specimen, they have nothing to go on, nothing to refer to. Molts fall apart, they're next to useless. There's probably millions of tarantulas killed every year from habitat loss, so the handful taken by taxonomists is insignificant.
 
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gobey

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
290
you will develope your taste Gobey. I have a large varied collection but if I had to do it all over again I'd probably have a more stream lined collection. Avics aren't my thing though I love the 6 species I have, they just aren't for me. I recently discovered dwarfs when I said I'd never get one and now I own some Hapalopus sp. Columbia "Pumpkin Patch" and just recently aquired some Maraca Cabocla. LOVE THESE! Here I am fawning over them and I am about to pick up more. lol My next adventure after this is some Aussie Ts and and I need one or two to complete my African Baboon collection. My wish list seems infinite at times as something always replaces whatever I scratch off.
I got my A. avic and G. porteri first within a week of each other. Because WC adults were cheap and I didn't know any better than that for species variety. I enjoy both these Ts. But my porteri is an angry spider, with pretty dull colors. She's very grey, not much of that even slight pink carapace. I don't mind the pet rock aspect. But she's not what I enjoy know from my little colorful Euathlus parvulus. Much as I embarrassed myself for not checking his sex. But he's a gorgeous gold and red, and is very active when you open the enclosure. And not a bitey tarantula. Although you of course can't rely on that. But I don't get nervous if he comes onto my hand. He's very docile and tolerant to me. I of course just try to get him back in, but you can't help but enjoy the experience.

Now my Avic is pretty amusing. Also very mellow during maintenance although sometimes skittish. And it does some interesting behaviors. But it's messy beyond belief. Between random substrate clumps it leaves and it's massive bird like poo stains it requires more maintenance to keep it cleaner easier. It clearly hates being handled too. It jumps and poops. But won't bite. I think I enjoy him more than my porteri, but my porteri's attitude is also what makes her interesting. She's just a boring color lol.

The rest of my Ts i euther haven't had long enough, or are slings, or I'm happy with.


Anyways I don't think that method really trains a tarantula does it? Wouldn't it just keep it from settling and maybe it's now just always nervous and uncomfortable therefore not as confident to be aggressive toward you.

My porteri was handled a few times for 2 weeks after getting her. Now you could never touch her without a bite.
 
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