gooty saphire ornamental review..

[ArachnoFreak666]

Poecs are easy as the males tend to have a button that can be pretty obvious.

666, IME poecs are usually sold at about 3/4", which I agree is a great starting place, especially considering their growth rates.

true. well I may actually consider getting more than one now, because they grow so fast. hopefully I end up with both a male and female! (fingers crossed)

 

[DVMT]

Poecs are easy as the males tend to have a button that can be pretty obvious.

666, IME poecs are usually sold at about 3/4", which I agree is a great starting place, especially considering their growth rates.

I took a couple of vent pics and I clearly see a dot. Didn't know about the dot method for pokies. Thanks!

 

[Poec54]

poecs are usually sold at about 3/4", which I agree is a great starting place, especially considering their growth rates.

They're around 3/4" at 2nd instar, which is the most common size they're sold at.

---------- Post added 10-27-2014 at 07:51 PM ----------

I took a couple of vent pics and I clearly see a dot. Didn't know about the dot method for pokies. Thanks!

At around 2", you can vent sex them. Females have thick, shiny white lips, and males have a tight slit and a dot above the vent, which is a mound for the miniature spinnerets used in making sperm webs. With most arboreals, I just grab a flashlight when they're on the side of the cage. Once a female Poec is mature, you can see her big white lips from across the room.

 

[JahillHimself]

Here are some pics...I hope they show up right...here is the enclosure and it sitting right outside that hole like I described. A few other views as well...and a view from up top of the tube web it has created to its hide. Pretty cool.

 

[Beary Strange]

I may get one and am aware of the potency of their venom. I don't intend on handling it! just think it will be a very cool species to have for show!

Very few people intend to handle OWs--but being fast, defensive and skittish means things don't always go as you intend.

 

[viper69]

In one word...classifieds!!!! Plenty of breeders and opportunities here in the AB classifieds!

Hmm wonder where you heard that advice from

 

[ArachnoFreak666]

Very few people intend to handle OWs--but being fast, defensive and skittish means things don't always go as you intend.

yeah ive heard stories of them running out of their enclosure and right up someones arm. I know this could happen, but I feel as though id be ready for it and would be looking out for that anyway.

 

[Poec54]

yeah ive heard stories of them running out of their enclosure and right up someones arm. I know this could happen, but I feel as though id be ready for it and would be looking out for that anyway.

You have a lot to learn, grasshopper. It's not merely up your arm. They often continue running onto your back, where you can't see or reach them. When transferring cages, I've had Poecs run inside my shirt, and even inside up pant legs. You stand in the middle of the room and carefully disrobe, and look thru your clothing. I got my first Poec over 15 years ago, and have a lot of them now, and I still get surprises from them. Any one of the species is capable of this, and more.

No, you're not ready for that.

 

[gobey]

You have a lot to learn, grasshopper. It's not merely up your arm. They often continue running onto your back, where you can't see or reach them. When transferring cages, I've had Poecs run inside my shirt, and even inside up pant legs. You stand in the middle of the room and carefully disrobe, and look thru your clothing. I got my first Poec over 15 years ago, and have a lot of them now, and I still get surprises from them. Any one of the species is capable of this, and more.

No, you're not ready for that.

Is there really a way to be "ready" for that?

You either accept it and calm your nerves. Or don't get the T. Or get the T and freak out and have a bad time.

And I mean with any T doing that I suppose. Not just a Poec. As you said many others are capable of this. Even my Avic would make mad dashes for freedom when I got him way back and tried maintenance when he wasn't quite in his hide shut off from such behavior. Lessons learned.

If my poecs are acting squirrely I leave them be. And I try to perform all maintenance with only a crack of the lid open, I have noticed with size mine tend to stay out of hiding more. But disturbance usually sends them back into their retreats. But not before spazing out all over the enclosure first doing laps.

Imagine that in your room or on your body.... If possible try to block them in their hides during heavy maintenance. I do that with my OBT I ever have to completely remove the top of it's enclosure. I put a cup over it's hide. It has never given me a problem bolting wise or defensive behavior wise. But why take the chance....

Again. I accept the possibility of these Ts taking off into my room or onto my person. But really. Can I be properly "ready" for that? Is there some kind of test lol?

 

[Poec54]

Is there really a way to be "ready" for that?

You either accept it and calm your nerves. Or don't get the T. Or get the T and freak out and have a bad time.

Like you said 'calm nerves.' That's the key, and precious few beginners are going to be calm when big, hairy spiders race out of their cages and climb on them. It's laughable for anyone to think that 'online research' can prepare you for the actual experience. It takes years of hands-on experience, gradually working your way up with them, and getting familiar with them, to be able to deal with these situations. People should be in no hurry to jump into the deep end. Most people neglect to figure in their calculations the other people they live with, and how they can be dragged into this with escapes. Set your wishlists and ego's aside, and take it in stages. No extra points for getting advanced species, especially if you wind up in over your head.

 

[DVMT]

You have a lot to learn, grasshopper. It's not merely up your arm. They often continue running onto your back, where you can't see or reach them. When transferring cages, I've had Poecs run inside my shirt, and even inside up pant legs. You stand in the middle of the room and carefully disrobe, and look thru your clothing. I got my first Poec over 15 years ago, and have a lot of them now, and I still get surprises from them. Any one of the species is capable of this, and more.

No, you're not ready for that.

This is exactly how I got bit by my H. maculata. Up my arm, down my back, put my hand back idiotically to intercept her and WHAM! 3 WEEKS of muscle spasms and hand cramping. Not fun!

---------- Post added 10-28-2014 at 06:58 PM ----------

They're around 3/4" at 2nd instar, which is the most common size they're sold at.

---------- Post added 10-27-2014 at 07:51 PM ----------



At around 2", you can vent sex them. Females have thick, shiny white lips, and males have a tight slit and a dot above the vent, which is a mound for the miniature spinnerets used in making sperm webs. With most arboreals, I just grab a flashlight when they're on the side of the cage. Once a female Poec is mature, you can see her big white lips from across the room.

Good to know. Thanks poec!

 

[cold blood]

Hmm wonder where you heard that advice from

I'd like to give a shout out to viper. :wink:

Both you and KeithB were responsible for my first Avics, too.

Thanks guys

 

[Lucy Lambaste]

I have a 2" P. Metallica that I found on Craigslist as a 1.75" sling for $130. That was lucky, though, as I haven't seen them on there again. It is definitely very light sensitive, so if you are using a flashlight to get a better look it will bolt. Getting a small sling has been good for me as your skill at keeping it grows with the spider. Keep in mind your male and female will mature at different rates, so if you are wanting to breed you may want to stagger your purchases. Also, mine is very small and in an enclosure that will last for awhile. It is my most venomous T, so I have been researching the "Bag Method". Search it on here, if you are interested. I am newer to the hobby, so maybe someone can offer some more insight on if it really has worked for them? These bites sound so painful, I don't think it would be overkill to take precautions.

 

[Poec54]

I Keep in mind your male and female will mature at different rates, so if you are wanting to breed you may want to stagger your purchases.

Definitely. You want a female that's a year or ideally, two years older than the male.

 

[ArachnoFreak666]

You have a lot to learn, grasshopper. It's not merely up your arm. They often continue running onto your back, where you can't see or reach them. When transferring cages, I've had Poecs run inside my shirt, and even inside up pant legs. You stand in the middle of the room and carefully disrobe, and look thru your clothing. I got my first Poec over 15 years ago, and have a lot of them now, and I still get surprises from them. Any one of the species is capable of this, and more.

No, you're not ready for that.

actually ive experienced this many times with the Ts that i already own. the idea of a large tarantula that could possibly be very harmful, running all over my body doesnt scare me. i know it can happen and am well aware of the consequences of any sudden movements in the event of it happening and will accept the consequences if it does. although, of all the tarantulas and slings ive had that made a mad dash all over my body, i have never once "freaked out" ive always stayed calm and slowly worked them off of me and back into their enclosure. i really dont think there is much more for me to learn in a situation like that. i do realize that these Ts are alot different from most as far as behavior and all the learning will just come from experience. you cant learn much about them from experience, if you dont experience it. right?

 

[DVMT]

actually ive experienced this many times with the Ts that i already own. the idea of a large tarantula that could possibly be very harmful, running all over my body doesnt scare me. i know it can happen and am well aware of the consequences of any sudden movements in the event of it happening and will accept the consequences if it does. although, of all the tarantulas and slings ive had that made a mad dash all over my body, i have never once "freaked out" ive always stayed calm and slowly worked them off of me and back into their enclosure. i really dont think there is much more for me to learn in a situation like that. i do realize that these Ts are alot different from most as far as behavior and all the learning will just come from experience. you cant learn much about them from experience, if you dont experience it. right?

Please don't downplay the consequences. I have a pretty high threshold for pain and the H. mac was 3 weeks of hell on my muscles. Ever have a calf muscle or that muscle in the arch of your foot cramp suddenly and put you in instant pain? This happened on a daily basis, often times to more than one area at once, it was often crippling. I even woke up in the middle of the night a few times with both calf muscles tighter than Superman's underoos. I can tell you that if you aren't scared of OW venom, you should be. Also, being aware of their venom potency and being prepared for what you are going to go through are different. No amount of reading or anecdotal input can prepare you. I will tell you that since that experience I will never again handle an OW and I take the utmost care in transfers and maintenance now.

 

[Pociemon]

You might want to get some experience first with other less potent tree living T´s, such as avicularia, and from there to some tapinauchenoius, they make any poec look slow in comparison, but they do have mild venom. When you are comfortable with those, you are ready for a poecilotheria.
I have kept poecs for many years and i have had some of them up my, back, sleeves inside or outside. I even almost killed one who was hiding in my training pants. It survived with 2 pedepalps and 5 legs missing. Today he is a ready male p metalicca!. But it is not something that happens often, but if you breed as many as i do, you sometimes risk having a "fight" with the males.

 

[cold blood]

You might want to get some experience first with other less potent tree living T´s, such as avicularia, and from there to some tapinauchenoius, they make any poec look slow in comparison, but they do have mild venom. When you are comfortable with those, you are ready for a poecilotheria.
I have kept poecs for many years and i have had some of them up my, back, sleeves inside or outside. I even almost killed one who was hiding in my training pants. It survived with 2 pedepalps and 5 legs missing. Today he is a ready male p metalicca!. But it is not something that happens often, but if you breed as many as i do, you sometimes risk having a "fight" with the males.

Or get a Psalmopeous. They behave much like pokies, with venom that's not nearly as dramatic and lack urticating hairs.

 

[ArachnoFreak666]

You might want to get some experience first with other less potent tree living T´s, such as avicularia, and from there to some tapinauchenoius, they make any poec look slow in comparison, but they do have mild venom. When you are comfortable with those, you are ready for a poecilotheria.
I have kept poecs for many years and i have had some of them up my, back, sleeves inside or outside. I even almost killed one who was hiding in my training pants. It survived with 2 pedepalps and 5 legs missing. Today he is a ready male p metalicca!. But it is not something that happens often, but if you breed as many as i do, you sometimes risk having a "fight" with the males.

I do have an avic. right now I have a white knee, rose hair, gbb, pinktoe, red knee, and a fireleg. also I never once said I intended on handling it like I do my others. this T will be meant strictly for display purposes, and also for me to watch myself (if its not hiding that is)

---------- Post added 10-30-2014 at 12:35 AM ----------

Please don't downplay the consequences. I have a pretty high threshold for pain and the H. mac was 3 weeks of hell on my muscles. Ever have a calf muscle or that muscle in the arch of your foot cramp suddenly and put you in instant pain? This happened on a daily basis, often times to more than one area at once, it was often crippling. I even woke up in the middle of the night a few times with both calf muscles tighter than Superman's underoos. I can tell you that if you aren't scared of OW venom, you should be. Also, being aware of their venom potency and being prepared for what you are going to go through are different. No amount of reading or anecdotal input can prepare you. I will tell you that since that experience I will never again handle an OW and I take the utmost care in transfers and maintenance now.

im not "downplaying" the consequences. I know it can be a very painful experience. and I never said that I wanted to handle it when I do get one. I simply want one for "show." but in the event that one does crawl up my arm when cleaning it enclosure or feeding it, I just simply said that I will "accept the consequences" for what could happen. I know that these Ts arnt to be messed with. I feel like you guys are examining what I am saying way too much and making sence of it yourself, when all im trying to get across is that I know what could happen and how bad it could get and mentally, I can ready my self for it if it does happen. physically, I wont be ready, but oh well, it wont last forever and in the end it will be because of my negligence and not the tarantulas fault.

 

[tweakz]

Coming from someone who dove head first into getting an OW I'm gonna tell you that experience and knowledge are very different things. After 3 months of being in the hobby I can tell you that my knowledge rivaled that of almost anyone on here but boy did I I find out how important experience was when I had to do my first two rehousings. That being said I can tell you're going to do it anyway, which is fine, just
dont say we didn't warn you. Be careful and like gobey was saying there are few times when you need to fully open the enclosure. Even getting the T into a catchcup can be done with out fully opening the enclosure (if it's side opening and you have lots of patience). Also being someone who recently got tagged by a 7" ornata let me say this again, BE CAREFUL! Another piece of advice when rehousing: large open space, very long and thin object, get T to run out of enclosure, big ass deli cup. Don't ever get comfortabe or you will be able to empathize with my ornata experience. Good luck.

Also, they can jump...they can jump far.