I've been bitten, and desire more

If that title didn't drag you in, you're crazy! This post may seem pointless, but I'm getting a P. Metallica and just super excited Just skip to the last paragraph area if you just want to give me advice on my new P. Metallica. I'll put it in bold so it's not too hard to find. (I'm a little tipsy while writing this, so hopefully it makes sense haha)

2 years ago, I was bitten by the disease known as Tarantulaticas Addicticus

Symptoms included:
-tarantula video marathons on youtube lasting hours (they say any longer than 4 hours and I should call a doctor)
-drawing tarantulas while not at home (in class, at work, etc..)
-planning tanks for tarantulas that will probably never happen (i.e. That King Baboon you've always wanted, but your wife was too scared to allow inside the house)
-and many others.

Please consult your local Pet store (preferably one that specializes in reptiles) in order to help cure some of these symptoms. While this can help with the symptoms, it can never truly help with the addiction known as Tarantulaticas Addicticus

Ok, I'm just kidding obviously. 2 years ago, I took a huge interest in tarantulas. My first T ever was my A. Genic. She is an evil bitch with no fear, but she's my cute evil bitch with no fear :cute: . I'm not even kidding. If you breath around her, she will rear up in defensive posture and strike. She's like satan trapped inside of a T's body.

Then I became interested in Pokies about 18 months ago. A few of you smart members suggested that I start with some other arboreal species, like an Avicularia, to get a little bit of a taste of what a pokie would be like. I've owned two Avics now. The first was a male. I saw him arrive at Petco, and they pronounced him dead and were going to throw him away. I asked if I could have it (since I knew the guy who ran the small animals department) and he said "sure" I took him home, and held him in my hand for around half and hour and he started moving a little. I put him in a tank with some lighting to warm him up a little and he made a full recovery He's a little skittish, but he's my buddy and about as non-skittish as Avic's come.

My 2nd Avic was a 2.5" Female. She was more skittish than a college student on adderall. She was super photosensitive, and has even shot poop at me a few times while trying to feed her. I showed one of my tarantula breeder buddies her, and he said that he'd never seen an old world that skittish before (even more than Pokie's or Starburst Baboons). She would sometimes dart for the entrance while trying to feed her, and almost escaped a few times. I learned to take her large exoterra to my bathtub during feedings, just in case she ever made it outside the tank. However, after being in the medical field for almost 4 years, I can tell you a skittish tarantula is nothing compared to a high meth addict. Try sticking an IV in your local methhead patient, then come tell me how skittish your T's are haha. It makes my really skittish Avic look like a cake walk.

Now, after 2 years, I think I'm ready to take on a P. Metallica. Jamie's tarantulas has a deal going right now for a 1"-1.5" P. Metallica Sling with the enclosure included. In my past purchases, he enclosures are amazing! I have nothing bad to say about them and all the reviews I've seen of her live T's have been nothing short of awesome! I'm the kind of guy that will text my wife at work and ask what humidity and temp the tank is at to make sure the T. is happy all the time. I really do love my pets, and I'm so excited to get this P. Metallica sling next week. At that size, what is the best food to be feeding them and what size? My guess is tiny gut loaded Dubia Roaches (maybe half an inch long?). And I know they do not like light. would it be a good idea to maybe block off 3 sides of the little enclosure with black cardboard so the T feels more comfortable? or would that really matter? I'm so excited, and have no one else to share my excitement with right now This community is pretty awesome, so I'm hoping to hear back from you As I'm sitting here typing, I can see my devil A. Genic getting pissed at my wife walking by the tank. haha

Great to read you and share the excitement! Reminds me of some spp. I've wanted so bad I was dreaming of them at night and thinking about them during the whole day!

Anyway, P metallica are fantastic and beautiful. I won't give you the traditional warnings, assuming you already know them (and probably others will do it!) but just say: enjoy!

About the food, you can give roaches / crickets / etc. but of appropriated size (= about the size of the abdomen I would say, not bigger).

About light, you sure can do this. But personnaly I keep mine without black cardboard and they're just fine... since they have a vertical cork bark inside of which they can build their burrow and hide from light. And some substrate because they happen to dig a little when young.

scarhbar said:

I put him in a tank with some lighting to warm him up a little and he made a full recovery.

Now, after 2 years, I think I'm ready to take on a P. Metallica. Jamie's tarantulas has a deal going right now for a 1"-1.5" P. Metallica Sling with the enclosure included. In my past purchases, he enclosures are amazing! I have nothing bad to say about them and all the reviews I've seen of her live T's have been nothing short of awesome! I'm the kind of guy that will text my wife at work and ask what humidity and temp the tank is at to make sure the T. is happy all the time. I really do love my pets, and I'm so excited to get this P. Metallica sling next week. At that size, what is the best food to be feeding them and what size? My guess is tiny gut loaded Dubia Roaches (maybe half an inch long?). And I know they do not like light. would it be a good idea to maybe block off 3 sides of the little enclosure with black cardboard so the T feels more comfortable? or would that really matter? I'm so excited, and have no one else to share my excitement with right now This community is pretty awesome, so I'm hoping to hear back from you As I'm sitting here typing, I can see my devil A. Genic getting pissed at my wife walking by the tank. haha

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Warming it up with a light? I hope you're not using a heat lamp

As for the purchase, I wouldn't touch a P. met for the price there....nothing against Jamies, she does a great job, but you could literally get 2 for the price of one if you just spend 10 minutes in the classifieds. You may like their enclosures, but I will also say that a 32oz deli cup is a better enclosure for 1/8 the price, and that's including everything you need...and considering the "special" price....I actually am not a big fan of the sling enclosures there....they've got a cheaper feel than a 20 cent deli cup IMO.

Your concerns with temp and humidity just make me chuckle...PLEASE don't focus on these things....as long as its over 70, you're fine...as long as the dish is full, you're fine. I simply moisten a small area of the sub and wait till it dries, when it does, I sprinkle a little water in a different area of the sub, its really just that simple.

As for food, a 1" will take small crickets and a 1.5" will readily take any size cricket you can offer, pokies are great hunters. Mealworms and wax worms are also great options for smaller t's.....your roaches are, of course, also an option, just use smaller ones, the size of crickets.

I wouldn't waste my time blocking off areas of the enclosure, all it will do is reduce your visibility.

And...lmao, maybe next time sober up a touch before starting a thread so you don't use words that will get you reprimanded by the mods

Naw, no heat lamp, just my hands. Sorry, as I said, I was a little tipsy But my wife did some reasearch on P. Metallica's and found a bunch of horror stories. So she said "That Tarantula is not coming here". I tried convincing her they weren't too bad (and I may have stretched the truth in the process), which got me in more trouble with my wife. I guess I'm kind of scratching the whole P. Metallica idea completely. I almost feel compelled to give up on the whole hobby now. I made some awesome homes for future rehoming with the Pokie, but those are all useless now, as I don't plan on getting any more T's soon. In a little bit of a funk here.....Not that anyone on the internet actually cares what you think haha. But this feeling sucks. I was so adamant about keeping the Metallica, and it turned into a pretty bad fight.

Wow, that sucks. If it were possible, I'd give my wife's phone number to your wife, so that they could have a chat about Ts (my wife isn't comfortable with some of my Ts in our home... and she refuses that I get some Latrodectus or Phoneutria)!

Jokes asides, it seems to me very important to take into considerations the other persons with whom you are living when you plan to get an animal. If it's a problem for your beloved one, you shouldn't force her.

Several different options are possible, including taking time for your wife to gather more informations (good ones), to gain more confidence with Ts, or, if she's okay with Ts but not with those with more potent venom, to get another NW spp. (like Chromatopelma if you like beautiful colors, or another Avicularia - versicolor? Blue when juvenile... -, etc.)... Maybe in some times she'll be okay to let a Poecilotheria share home (but not bed!) with you... But whatever happens, her opinion keeps its value, as you already know, and that's important to respect.

Anyway, I hope you'll stay in the hobby, because your enthusiasm - tipsy or not - is so cool!

U

Nicolas C said:

Wow, that sucks. If it were possible, I'd give my wife's phone number to your wife, so that they could have a chat about Ts (my wife isn't comfortable with some of my Ts in our home... and she refuses that I get some Latrodectus or Phoneutria)!

Jokes asides, it seems to me very important to take into considerations the other persons with whom you are living when you plan to get an animal. If it's a problem for your beloved one, you shouldn't force her.

Several different options are possible, including taking time for your wife to gather more informations (good ones), to gain more confidence with Ts, or, if she's okay with Ts but not with those with more potent venom, to get another NW spp. (like Chromatopelma if you like beautiful colors, or another Avicularia - versicolor? Blue when juvenile... -, etc.)... Maybe in some times she'll be okay to let a Poecilotheria share home (but not bed!) with you... But whatever happens, her opinion keeps its value, as you already know, and that's important to respect.

Anyway, I hope you'll stay in the hobby, because your enthusiasm - tipsy or not - is so cool!

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Ya, P. Metallica was all I really wanted :/ I think I'm gonna be done for a whils

scarhbar said:

Naw, no heat lamp, just my hands. Sorry, as I said, I was a little tipsy But my wife did some reasearch on P. Metallica's and found a bunch of horror stories. So she said "That Tarantula is not coming here". I tried convincing her they weren't too bad (and I may have stretched the truth in the process), which got me in more trouble with my wife. I guess I'm kind of scratching the whole P. Metallica idea completely. I almost feel compelled to give up on the whole hobby now. I made some awesome homes for future rehoming with the Pokie, but those are all useless now, as I don't plan on getting any more T's soon. In a little bit of a funk here.....Not that anyone on the internet actually cares what you think haha. But this feeling sucks. I was so adamant about keeping the Metallica, and it turned into a pretty bad fight.

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You were so excited, seems a shame to give up on it. What exactly are your wife's concerns? My husband was not very happy when I got our OBT. We have young kids and he was worried the venom would be potent enough to be a serious risk to them if somehow it got out and managed to bite someone. I discussed with him how A) no one on record has died from a T bite, even in countries where they are native and surely children have accidentally come across them, B) with careful husbandry practices it should never be in a position to get near our kids (this is a T that they are not allowed in the room for when I am opening up the enclosure for feeding/maintenance), and C) it has a tightly closed lid to the enclosure that is tricky even for me to open- even if the kids somehow knocked the whole enclosure to the ground it would not open, and the only one in danger would be the poor T himself, as he'd not likely survive the fall. After some rational discussion he agreed and now is so fond of Sunny (our OBT) that when I recently suggested we sell him as he is largely a pet hole taking up space, my husband insisted that he has "character" (between 11pm and 3am lol) and that we all "enjoy him." Haha. So definitely a change of heart.

KristinaMG said:

You were so excited, seems a shame to give up on it. What exactly are your wife's concerns? My husband was not very happy when I got our OBT. We have young kids and he was worried the venom would be potent enough to be a serious risk to them if somehow it got out and managed to bite someone. I discussed with him how A) no one on record has died from a T bite, even in countries where they are native and surely children have accidentally come across them, B) with careful husbandry practices it should never be in a position to get near our kids (this is a T that they are not allowed in the room for when I am opening up the enclosure for feeding/maintenance), and C) it has a tightly closed lid to the enclosure that is tricky even for me to open- even if the kids somehow knocked the whole enclosure to the ground it would not open, and the only one in danger would be the poor T himself, as he'd not likely survive the fall. After some rational discussion he agreed and now is so fond of Sunny (our OBT) that when I recently suggested we sell him as he is largely a pet hole taking up space, my husband insisted that he has "character" (between 11pm and 3am lol) and that we all "enjoy him." Haha. So definitely a change of heart.

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Well, while i agree that, using always common sense, caution, and secure enclosures, reduce the risks of escapes and bites, i have to disagree with point "A".
Granted, no one has died so far from a Theraposidae bite, but talking about OBT in particular, now, keep in mind always some OBT'S bite reports available here. User InvertFix one, especially. What could have happened to a 5/8 years children?

However, we don't have trusted, valid medical reports from OBT'S bite from those African nations medics and hospitals, really. It's impossible, their governments doesn't even know for sure how many people there's in their nations (not joking).

Extreme poverty, third world enviroment, third world hospitals, deseases, Jihad terrorism, civil riots/wars, military coups... there's everything, but not trusted bite reports from their Docs when it comes to Pterinochilus murinus bites (except for South Africa.. all the infos arrived from those T's scholars, once).

In almost 25 years of T's keeping, OBT is the only T i have that i feed and refill the water dish without removing completely the lid, unlike the others, Baboons as well. That T is a born to fight T, master in induce keepers into a sense of false security.

Chris LXXIX said:

Well, while i agree that, using always common sense, caution, and secure enclosures, reduce the risks of escapes and bites, i have to disagree with point "A".
Granted, no one has died so far from a Theraposidae bite, but talking about OBT in particular, now, keep in mind always some OBT'S bite reports available here. User InvertFix one, especially. What could have happened to a 5/8 years children?

However, we don't have trusted, valid medical reports from OBT'S bite from those African nations medics and hospitals, really. It's impossible, their governments doesn't even know for sure how many people there's in their nations (not joking).

Extreme poverty, third world enviroment, third world hospitals, deseases, Jihad terrorism, civil riots/wars, military coups... there's everything, but not trusted bite reports from their Docs when it comes to Pterinochilus murinus bites (except for South Africa.. all the infos arrived from those T's scholars, once).

In almost 25 years of T's keeping, OBT is the only T i have that i feed and refill the water dish without removing completely the lid, unlike the others, Baboons as well. That T is a born to fight T, master in induce keepers into a sense of false security.

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I understand where you are coming from, though for the sake of argument, in the same bite report thread a poster describes his cat that got bit by a 6 in OBT- while the cat was sick from it, she did survive. I'd reason that if it didn't kill a 10 lb cat it'd be very unlikely to kill a 30-60 lb child. Of course different people may react differently to the same venom so there is that possibility. But obviously I don't take my children's safety lightly. What it came down to for us was deciding that we were confident that our children would never be in a position to get bit. The room the Ts are in is always closed and locked. The P. murinus enclosure is set back against the wall and behind several other enclosures (out of reach). It's enclosure is only ever opened with the door to the room closed and no kiddos present. I see it like keeping toxic substances in the home. Yes, we have bleach, other cleaning products, prescription medications etc. Those things are kept locked away, there are child locks on their tops, they are handled and administered with caution. Is it possible that some way, somehow one of our children could still manage to get into one of these things and get hurt? Yes. Is it probable? No. The chances are so low with the precautions we take that I am comfortable having these things in the home.

I'm surprised the cat survived tbh. I still feel that a bite from an OBT could be pretty dangerous to a small child.

Also I know this is all about personal taste, but why just a P.metallica. There are many beautiful species out there with less potent venom.

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Well to be quite honest, it's was pretty damn disheartening. The words "medically significant bite" are what scare my wife away the most. I just took all my T's to the local store and sold them. Then I destroyed some cool custom exoterras that I made, so that way they would fit in the trashcan outside a little better. I know it's childish to do something like that, but it sucks working my way towards my favorite tarantula and my wife saying no way all of the sudden. Tarantulas are my hobby, and now it's gone. Ha I feel like a whiny, agsty teenager. Audios folks! Maybe one day I'll be back on the forums, but probably not any time soon.

You handled that like a champ... /sarcasm

I feel like a dick saying this but you make angst filled teens seem mature. Why throw away a hobby just because you can't get one T today. I've been nagging my significant other to let me get more tarantulas and she constantly tells me no. I had to win a crazy bet and sell my tokay so that she would let me get one (but ha to her, I have two!). Don't give up just because you get denied, keep pushing and providing information to her and maybe one day she'll let up.

That escalated quickly. ..

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Part of me feels divorce would have been the easier path taken.



/End sarcasm.

My SO also recently started telling me "no, you have enough now", I really really really wanted M. Balfouri sooooo bad I could cry, for the past few months. I kept nudging and pushing and nudging and pushing (in a good way) until he told me I can have two more Ts. I immediately ordered two M. Balfouris. What I like to do as well, if I receive a freebie I tell him he can have it, I even ask him when I order something is there any T he'd like to have? I also told him he can have one of the balfouris, just out of generosity and appreciation. That seems to help as well. If I never got to have these balfouris, it's not that big of an issue, because maybe later on? But personally I wouldn't sell my WHOOOLE collection and give up the hobby just because I can't have one tarantula.

Lmao....me n the wife went into the lcoal pet shop to pick up some mice for the snake and frog....I seen an OBT and jokingly said I'd like one her reply was you can have a T by all means....but I'll be moving out(major arachnophobia squeals at any thing bigger than a money spider)....a few weeks later she got me Syrup my A.gen lol a month later she got herself an avic. We now have an L.Para that's she pretty comfortable with going in the tank and sorting it out while he's moving around lol A.gen moves too quick for her liking lol she now would like an Oligoxystre diamantinensis....think I've created a monster lol

scarhbar said:

Well to be quite honest, it's was pretty damn disheartening. The words "medically significant bite" are what scare my wife away the most. I just took all my T's to the local store and sold them. Then I destroyed some cool custom exoterras that I made, so that way they would fit in the trashcan outside a little better. I know it's childish to do something like that, but it sucks working my way towards my favorite tarantula and my wife saying no way all of the sudden. Tarantulas are my hobby, and now it's gone. Ha I feel like a whiny, agsty teenager. Audios folks! Maybe one day I'll be back on the forums, but probably not any time soon.

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I hope you held on to your nook.

---------- Post added 09-05-2015 at 01:36 PM ----------

All that could have been sold quickly here to fellow hobbyists....the enclosures themselves could have brought you a pretty penny.

KristinaMG said:

I understand where you are coming from, though for the sake of argument, in the same bite report thread a poster describes his cat that got bit by a 6 in OBT- while the cat was sick from it, she did survive. I'd reason that if it didn't kill a 10 lb cat it'd be very unlikely to kill a 30-60 lb child. Of course different people may react differently to the same venom so there is that possibility. But obviously I don't take my children's safety lightly. What it came down to for us was deciding that we were confident that our children would never be in a position to get bit. The room the Ts are in is always closed and locked. The P. murinus enclosure is set back against the wall and behind several other enclosures (out of reach). It's enclosure is only ever opened with the door to the room closed and no kiddos present. I see it like keeping toxic substances in the home. Yes, we have bleach, other cleaning products, prescription medications etc. Those things are kept locked away, there are child locks on their tops, they are handled and administered with caution. Is it possible that some way, somehow one of our children could still manage to get into one of these things and get hurt? Yes. Is it probable? No. The chances are so low with the precautions we take that I am comfortable having these things in the home.

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I have no doubts about that, about all the precautions you have prepared.
The essence of my comment was that, since there's no valid bite reports coming from the African nations were Pterinochilus murinus lives, we simply doesn't know that, and will never probably. And this, of course, because T's aren't those "aggressive" animals common people in general love to depict, unlike crocodiles etc
I know that cat bite report but, for example, Atrax robustus venom (males especially) can kill an healty 100 KG man (if antivenom shot isn't per time given) without doing nothing, or almost nothing, to dogs or cats. What i want to say is that Pterinochilus murinus venom is more stronger than sometimes enthusiasts believe.
However a must have T

---------- Post added 09-05-2015 at 03:36 PM ----------

scarhbar said:

Well to be quite honest, it's was pretty damn disheartening. The words "medically significant bite" are what scare my wife away the most. I just took all my T's to the local store and sold them. Then I destroyed some cool custom exoterras that I made, so that way they would fit in the trashcan outside a little better. I know it's childish to do something like that, but it sucks working my way towards my favorite tarantula and my wife saying no way all of the sudden. Tarantulas are my hobby, and now it's gone. Ha I feel like a whiny, agsty teenager. Audios folks! Maybe one day I'll be back on the forums, but probably not any time soon.

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There's a thing called "patience", the art of waiting. You said you had "Avics" and Acanthoscurria geniculata. Great T's. I assume your wife accepted those. Yet you wanted so badly one of the most fashion, IMO overrated (ornata, regalis, hanumavilasumica are better for me) teleport speed, medically significant bite, T's. With that said, tastes are tastes.. but i think you pushed too far. Wait some years, before, no?

They (Pookies) are actually medically significant bite T's, probably the worst when it comes to venom potency (with Stromatopelma calceatum) among Theraphosidae. "Pookies" are able to teach a strong man a new meaning for the word "pain", so your wife concern is reasonable, at the end of the day.

I look back at this, and I'm so damn embarrassed. I'm sorry you had to witness that stupidity. I was having a bad week. I had one of my pediatric patients die a while ago and I got really depressed about it last week, and I think Prozac is really screwing with my emotions. I had plans to kill myself that weekend. I got rid of my tanks and spiders to give them good homes before I did end myself. It was an extremely stupid way to deal with everything, but it was a pretty low point for me. It's certainly no excuse for my stupid choices, but it's partially why I did it. I'm getting help now. And it looks like maybe I'm treating wrong disease with wrong meds, which can make things worse. But I'm sorry that this thread went to shit.

My wife was really cool. She's stayed very calm and collected through it all, and even went back to the store to get my A. Genic for me. And she's even considering letting me keep the P. Metallica, as long as I can find a way to lock it up.

Once again, sorry for making this thread crappy. I'm really embarrassed just reading my old stuff. Hopefully I'm not banished from the community or seen as the crazy weird guy. Apparently using SSRIs (like Prozac) can make Bipolar depression a lot worse. Finally getting a good diagnosis and meds should help a lot

scarhbar said:

I look back at this, and I'm so damn embarrassed. I'm sorry you had to witness that stupidity. I was having a bad week. I had one of my pediatric patients die a while ago and I got really depressed about it last week, and I think Prozac is really screwing with my emotions. I had plans to kill myself that weekend. I got rid of my tanks and spiders to give them good homes before I did end myself. It was an extremely stupid way to deal with everything, but it was a pretty low point for me. It's certainly no excuse for my stupid choices, but it's partially why I did it. I'm getting help now. And it looks like maybe I'm treating wrong disease with wrong meds, which can make things worse. But I'm sorry that this thread went to shit.

My wife was really cool. She's stayed very calm and collected through it all, and even went back to the store to get my A. Genic for me. And she's even considering letting me keep the P. Metallica, as long as I can find a way to lock it up.

Once again, sorry for making this thread crappy. I'm really embarrassed just reading my old stuff. Hopefully I'm not banished from the community or seen as the crazy weird guy. Apparently using SSRIs (like Prozac) can make Bipolar depression a lot worse. Finally getting a good diagnosis and meds should help a lot

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Sorry you are going through such a rough time. Never be ashamed to seek out professional help. My brother has bipolar disorder and ADHD. My son has severe Autism. We need and get lots of help around here. Hugs to you.