Poec54
Arachnoemperor
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2013
- Messages
- 4,745
Stan has directed many people to his book and website for care advice, and there's some things contained in those that should be discussed.
"Spiderlings to Adults: Those younger tarantulas with a DLS of about 2" and larger should be kept in cage with dry substrate...keep almost all of these as arid species."
My experience differs. Most of my species are from wetter tropical areas and have been introduced into the US during the last 10-15 years, about the time Stan sold off his collection. I keep most of my spiders on moist substrate; I don't understand why anyone would 'push the envelope' to see how dry they can get away with keeping theirs. If a tarantula's evolved to live in a habitat with 50-100" of annual rain, why give it desert conditions in captivity?
"There is at least one very good reason why we keep tarantulas in arid cages: With persistent high humidity comes the probability of infection and infestation."
The cages of my Theraphosa, Hysterocrates, Ephebopus, Megaphobema, Acanthoscurria, Chilobrachys, Cyriopagopus, Haplopelma, Heteroscodra, Lampropelma, Lasiodora, Nhandu, Ornithoctonus, Orphnaecus, Pamphobeteus, Phormictopus, Phlogius, Psalmopoeus, Pseudnocnemis, Selenocosmia, Sericopelma, & Thrigmopoeus are all have moist substrate with high humidity. Because of cross ventilation, I don't have issues with mold, mites, etc.
"Swamp Dwellers, like Theraphosa, Ephebopus, Hysterocrates, and Megaphobema"
These spiders live in rainforests, not swamps. A number of people take this literally.
"Those swampers that are bred in captivity fare much better...than their wild caught brethren."
In the past 2 years I've acquired 20 juvenile to adult w/c T stirmi and 3 w/c E murinus adult females. All have adapted to captivity without issue. The stirmi were selected by me at a local reptile dealer's, and I specifically chose ones with small abdomens, as I wanted to give them some TLC which I didn't think they'd necessarily get from someone else.
"ICU...has proven itself to be a valid and usually successful treatment for any circumstances in which a tarantula is too weak to maintain normal body posture or limb function."
As a broke college student in Michigan I maintained the tarantulas for a local reptile dealer (Geoff Schrock) and a local exotic pet store (the Black Lagoon). They both kept an inventory of assorted w/c tarantulas in deli cups and in exchange for feeding and watering them, I received free crickets for my spider collection (and an occasional spider). I've seen a number of weak, dehydrated adult tarantulas that were hours from death, with abdomens shrunken down to the size of a raisin. They were fully revived within 24 hours by a good long drink from a wet cotton ball. There was no need for an ICU.
If a tarantula has a small, wrinkled abdomen, it needs a drink. If it's weak with legs curled under for other reasons, for some genera an ICU can prove detrimental to a spider that might otherwise survive. Genera sensitive to moist conditions (Avicularia, east and south Africans, and Aphonopelma from the SW US) may have bigger problems if placed in an ICU. In fact, to a spider in those genera that was suffering from a moist cage, an ICU could be a death warrant. To blindly use these as knee jerk reaction for ailing spiders is not a good idea.
"Substrates...a few have proven to be very good...horticultural peat and shredded coconut."
For the last 20 years, I've kept all my spiders on bagged top soil, with excellent results.
"There are very few species of tarantulas that breed readily in captivity...enthusiasts are exploring those difficult to breed species' need for special conditions outside those recommended here, to promote their breeding."
This kind of says it all. Almost all of the tarantula species in the US were originally CBB in Europe. Someone bred them. The reason they're able to breed difficult species is because they study the habitats and climates of each species and duplicate those as closely as possible. As Stan said himself, his recommendations on husbandry don't seem to 'promote' successful breeding for the vast majority of species. Isn't that the true indication of proper husbandry?
"Spiderlings to Adults: Those younger tarantulas with a DLS of about 2" and larger should be kept in cage with dry substrate...keep almost all of these as arid species."
My experience differs. Most of my species are from wetter tropical areas and have been introduced into the US during the last 10-15 years, about the time Stan sold off his collection. I keep most of my spiders on moist substrate; I don't understand why anyone would 'push the envelope' to see how dry they can get away with keeping theirs. If a tarantula's evolved to live in a habitat with 50-100" of annual rain, why give it desert conditions in captivity?
"There is at least one very good reason why we keep tarantulas in arid cages: With persistent high humidity comes the probability of infection and infestation."
The cages of my Theraphosa, Hysterocrates, Ephebopus, Megaphobema, Acanthoscurria, Chilobrachys, Cyriopagopus, Haplopelma, Heteroscodra, Lampropelma, Lasiodora, Nhandu, Ornithoctonus, Orphnaecus, Pamphobeteus, Phormictopus, Phlogius, Psalmopoeus, Pseudnocnemis, Selenocosmia, Sericopelma, & Thrigmopoeus are all have moist substrate with high humidity. Because of cross ventilation, I don't have issues with mold, mites, etc.
"Swamp Dwellers, like Theraphosa, Ephebopus, Hysterocrates, and Megaphobema"
These spiders live in rainforests, not swamps. A number of people take this literally.
"Those swampers that are bred in captivity fare much better...than their wild caught brethren."
In the past 2 years I've acquired 20 juvenile to adult w/c T stirmi and 3 w/c E murinus adult females. All have adapted to captivity without issue. The stirmi were selected by me at a local reptile dealer's, and I specifically chose ones with small abdomens, as I wanted to give them some TLC which I didn't think they'd necessarily get from someone else.
"ICU...has proven itself to be a valid and usually successful treatment for any circumstances in which a tarantula is too weak to maintain normal body posture or limb function."
As a broke college student in Michigan I maintained the tarantulas for a local reptile dealer (Geoff Schrock) and a local exotic pet store (the Black Lagoon). They both kept an inventory of assorted w/c tarantulas in deli cups and in exchange for feeding and watering them, I received free crickets for my spider collection (and an occasional spider). I've seen a number of weak, dehydrated adult tarantulas that were hours from death, with abdomens shrunken down to the size of a raisin. They were fully revived within 24 hours by a good long drink from a wet cotton ball. There was no need for an ICU.
If a tarantula has a small, wrinkled abdomen, it needs a drink. If it's weak with legs curled under for other reasons, for some genera an ICU can prove detrimental to a spider that might otherwise survive. Genera sensitive to moist conditions (Avicularia, east and south Africans, and Aphonopelma from the SW US) may have bigger problems if placed in an ICU. In fact, to a spider in those genera that was suffering from a moist cage, an ICU could be a death warrant. To blindly use these as knee jerk reaction for ailing spiders is not a good idea.
"Substrates...a few have proven to be very good...horticultural peat and shredded coconut."
For the last 20 years, I've kept all my spiders on bagged top soil, with excellent results.
"There are very few species of tarantulas that breed readily in captivity...enthusiasts are exploring those difficult to breed species' need for special conditions outside those recommended here, to promote their breeding."
This kind of says it all. Almost all of the tarantula species in the US were originally CBB in Europe. Someone bred them. The reason they're able to breed difficult species is because they study the habitats and climates of each species and duplicate those as closely as possible. As Stan said himself, his recommendations on husbandry don't seem to 'promote' successful breeding for the vast majority of species. Isn't that the true indication of proper husbandry?