What is my OBT doing?

TheMightyPotato · Mar 15, 2015

I got her about 5 days ago and she seemed pretty healthy. She's not dead (I saw her grooming herself in the corner where she stays all day), however she worries me sometimes. At night, however, she comes out of that corner and begins to roam around the cage. Temps are around 80 F and humidity is about 60%. I've read that she might be making a burrow, but I want to be certain. This is my fourth tarantula (1 died due to old age - he was a mature male, I have one Rosie, and one 1/2 inch H. maculata). Here's a pic:

Thanks

Poec54 · Mar 15, 2015

TheMightyPotato said:
I have one Rosie, and one 1/2 H. maculata.

You only have 1/2 of a maculata? Does a friend keep the other half?

TheMightyPotato · Mar 15, 2015

1/2 inch H. maculata. It's 9 in the morning, just woke up.:biggrin:

BobGrill · Mar 15, 2015

That's a pretty big jump there.

lalberts9310 · Mar 15, 2015

It's being a tarantula..

To jump from a rosie to an H. Mac and OBT.. eh, those are advanced species, not for beginners, and can pack quite a punch when they bite you.. they are fast and are one of the Ts that possess the most potent venom..

Next time when you buy something, please do proper research..

Rehousing and feeding are things that can easily backfire with OWs, especially with newbs.. OWs and beginners are a bad combination.. you'll know what I'm talking about when you start rehousing a big H. Mac..

Ellenantula · Mar 15, 2015

5 days. These guys can web up an enclosure very well, sometimes with a lot of substrate mixed in. And they burrow well too -- usually using webbing for reinforcement. You may end up with an amazing looking enclosure after a while.

They are very very fast and can get testy and bitey with minimal or no provocation.
I'd say be very careful with this one; it's not a beginner T by any stretch.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 15, 2015

I'm baffled that most hobbyists (especially new ones) don't do any research. We have so much knowledge at our fingertips this day and age that it's ignorant not to do some sort of research. When my friend and I use to go to reptile expos we use to Google every animal we were interested in that we didn't know much about. People spend countless hours on Facebook, but you won't spend twenty minutes on researching something you want... :wall:

Ellenantula · Mar 15, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
I'm baffled that most hobbyists (especially new ones) don't do any research. We have so much knowledge at our fingertips this day and age that it's ignorant not to do some sort of research.

I "researched" before purchasing an OBT, meaning: someone had a sling for sell, so I googled pictures & read a few descriptions first.
I believe that OBT escape youtube video should be a must watch before you can put an OBT in your online cart.

So what, it's a fast one? I figured a T is a T is a T. Fast? Bitey? I'll just be more careful.

Until you work with an OBT, I don't think it really registers what fast and bitey may really mean and why it's different than working with a B smithi or something.
I mean, c'mon, it's just a different T, right? Uh, wrong.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 15, 2015

Out of all the OW tarantula's I had within three months I never cared to have an obt. I bought my first three obts from a local friend. I don't understand why all of these beginners want an obt. There's way too many threads on obt lately. There's literally hundreds of species, but every few days we spend more time on obt...

I've never had any issues with my OW tarantulas till I bought my first adult S cal. There's no tarantula faster in my opinion, but I never had issues with threat displays though. I've been bite by three t's and stung by one scorpion, but I've just bled everywhere and I've had zero issues with vemon. My cousin in the late 90's he had a obt who bite him over 25 times and no vemon effects. We must be lucky, but not everyone is...

Ellenantula · Mar 15, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
I bought my first three obts from a local friend. I don't understand why all of these beginners want an obt.

Up close and in person, you probably had a better idea of what you were getting into. Online purchasing distances the buyer from the reality (until they have to open the box --lol)

Be interesting to know how many (bought by newbies) are purchased online vs received in person from a dealer/shop/friend.
Also, the slings don't seem very scary at all. Just cute.
If I could have just watched an adult/large juvie being catch-cupped, assuming typical OBT behavior reigned, I would have probably passed on the OBT.

TheMightyPotato · Mar 15, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
I'm baffled that most hobbyists (especially new ones) don't do any research. We have so much knowledge at our fingertips this day and age that it's ignorant not to do some sort of research. When my friend and I use to go to reptile expos we use to Google every animal we were interested in that we didn't know much about. People spend countless hours on Facebook, but you won't spend twenty minutes on researching something you want... :wall:

First off, I've been waiting for these tarantulas for three and a half months (due to cold weather). You honestly believe I didn't do 20 minutes of research? I've researched all about them before buying them and after that for at least 25-30 hours in that three and half months. I'm not an ignorant person, mind you. When I buy something, I don't leave it susceptible to my ignorance, but rather I embrace its needs and do everything required to keep it happy. I'm not some little thirteen year old who would go around with these tarantulas on his forhead. Yes, I knew their venom is medically significant, yes, I knew taking care of them wouldn't be easy, yes, I knew maculatas are arboreal and OBTs are sometimes half and half, and yes, I knew OBTs burrow and web up the whole enclosure. I just wanted to know if that was him starting his burrow (hence "What is my OBT doing?"). Thank you for your response and thank you for everyone who responded with useful information.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 15, 2015

Actually I was too cautious, but I never had any issues with my first obts. I think most new hobbyists fall for their color and attitude. I would lovr to see a poll like that too.

You don't even know the basic mannerisms of your tarantulas... I'm glad you've done some research. Being worried about your tarantula for no reason makes it seem like you don't have the slightest clue what you got your self into.. And I never said you were a child.

TheMightyPotato · Mar 15, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
Actually I was too cautious, but I never had any issues with my first obts. I think most new hobbyists fall for their color and attitude. I would to see a poll like that too. Would be super intresting to find out the answers.

You don't even know the basic mannerisms of your tarantulas... I'm glad you've done some research. Being worried about your tarantula for no reason makes it seem like you have no clue what you got self into.. And never said you were child...

I'm sorry if my OCD kicks in sometimes, but I really do care about my T's. I just like to make sure they're alright. I don't halfass things when I do them. I don't know what the basic mannerisms of my tarantulas are? And that's is supposed to mean...?

Ellenantula · Mar 15, 2015

TheMightyPotato said:
and yes, I knew OBTs burrow and web up the whole enclosure.

I bet you'll have a much cooler enclosure picture in a few months! I think they're fascinating to watch when they are bulldozing -- esp how they carry the substrate and put it right where they want it.
Or your pix could just look like a container with a huge cotton ball in it. Likely looking like a dirty cotton ball. lol

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 15, 2015

I'm glad that you care about your animals. And there's nothing wrong with asking questions. Tarantulas usually stay in their hide all day and hunt all night. Your obt is roaming because she's hungry and searching for food. Nope. I'm just confused with what you've said.

My male and female have awesome hides. Their enclosure is just webbing.

Ellenantula · Mar 15, 2015

TheMightyPotato said:
I don't know what the basic mannerisms of my tarantulas are? And that's is supposed to mean...?

Just that the behavior depicted in your picture perfectly exemplified basic OBT mannerisms.

Nothing wrong with admitting being new to a genus/species -- I think everyone just wanted to make sure you aren't in over your head, because most newbies do.
I have been where you are here, new to OBT and posting, and appreciate no one wanted me hurt, my T hurt, a person or pet in my home hurt.
Good folks here -- I promise.

TheMightyPotato · Mar 15, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
I'm glad that you care about your animals. And there's nothing wrong with asking questions. Tarantulas usually stay in their hide all day and hunt all night. Your obt is roaming because she's hungry and searching for food. Nope. I'm just confused with what you've said.

Thank you guys for the answers and thank you fuzzyavics for enlightening me with your knowledge on OBTs and research.:biggrin:

---------- Post added 03-15-2015 at 10:57 AM ----------

Yeah I understood what he meant by mannerisms instantly after I posted the reply to that post lol. Thanks for helping. Yes, I can see there are good people here like you and fuzzyavics and a lot of others. I can tell you guys care about me murdering the tarantula because you thought I was way in over my head.

skippydude · Mar 15, 2015

Looks like arachnoboards is the last place some one should go for OBT advice. Only OBT advice available here is "No one is qualified to own an OBT" LMFAO!!! :laugh:

Your OBT is simply building the beginnings of it's soon to be amazing labyrinth of web tunnels. You are lucky to see this much webbing in such a short time. Most OBTs take a few weeks to even a couple months to settle in and start webbing. I absolutely adore this species and couldn't imagine a complete collection without at least one specimen.

If you get burned out on being told your not qualified to own an OBT in open forum, there are a couple members here that would gladly answer your questions through PMs.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 15, 2015

I guess if you interpreted that way, but that's what I wasn't getting at skippy. I was worried because most hobbyists don't know what they're getting into....

TheMightyPotato · Mar 15, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
I guess if your interrupted that way, but that's what I wasn't getting at skippy. I was worried because most hobbyists don't know what they're getting into....

There was a lot interpretations going through my head including yours. Thanks for the info though on my OBT.

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