We have had a baby

[Neil Duggins]

Just couldn't resist, Collected a Little Blondi from Mike today and another Exo Vivarium for it, oh and some more green stuff, I haven't received my Journal yet so lots of tips for it's well keep would be greatly appreciated.

A Few pics

This is the heat mat I have fixed to the base of the glass



Here is is looks cosey




Not sure if I will keep it here but I'll see how it goes.



Its a Humidity meter

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

The setup looks pretty good.

I have 3 at the moment, 1 adult female and two juveniles.

Keep the temp around the 80f mark and give the back wall and over the plastic plant a good spray once or twice a week. Don't let the substrate dry out but also don't let it get too wet.

They are pretty undemanding T's, feed well and grow fast if the habitat is right.

Also keep the water dish topped up, but as your blondi is still small, I would only half fill the dish just to be on the safe side.

I would also cover one half of the mesh lid to help keep the humidity up, if it were me, probably the back half.

By the way, I know that you have bought it, but I wouldn't take too much notice of the humidity gauge, they are notoriously inaccurate (I never use them), a good thermometer is a better bet, ideally digital.

Good luck with her, she looks a really nice T, any problems or concerns you are more than welcome to post here or e-mail me.

Howard

[Adam Walters]

Hi Neil,

Very nice looking T.blondi and setup you've got there. I'm a big fan of these ExoTerra's, have a couple myself already and plan to get some more from Mike when I get chance.

A question; do they sell Tarantulas at the Hollybush place too? Can I ask what you paid for it?

Cheers,
Adam.

[Neil Duggins]

cont

I suppose they have about 15 maybe more, best to ask Mike, I have two of the Terra Units now, 1 for Siefer and 1 for "it" (don't have a name yet)

Give Mike a shout the cheapest T was I think £5, The Blondi's where a little more than that but IIRC there was one more expensive

N

[Neil Duggins]

feeding

She didn't want the pinkie but 5 Brown Crickets go down just nicely, Also had 2 pieces of glass cut and had the edges ground smooth so I can limit the evaporation if anyone has a ex tank they need to be 25x11cm after grinding.

You can see them in place on the second picture

Certainly Holds the Condensation now



Both Glass's in place



Thanks to Huk7 for the idea and advice

[Adam Walters]

Hi Neil,

Nice to see how your setup is going there.

I understand that the substrate is probably still drying out, but don't close off the ventilation completely in order that there is always condensation. Sooner or later you will run in to problems with mould and a high risk of mites etc.

[Neil Duggins]

cont

Hi Neil,

Nice to see how your setup is going there.

I understand that the substrate is probably still drying out, but don't close off the ventilation completely in order that there is always condensation. Sooner or later you will run in to problems with mould and a high risk of mites etc.

Yeah got it Adam, I tend to keep the glass on when the room is up to temperature otherwise it seems to dry out quickly, The Blondi is on a diet today, I gave her a locust last night after she put the crickets away(One that Siefer didn't want) and she took off with it within a few mins its completely gone this morning such an appetite for a such a small T Siefer has now had two lots of crickets (I'm more happier now because since moult its the first food she has taken) Her fangs must be hardening off now I suppose

Both spiders love the cover of the little tree/plants I have put in, do any other keepers use these, The blondi loves to sit in the lower branches, while the C.rose sits with her front set of legs sticking out

[sarah Smith]

I use a sort of fake moss type thing for my GGB's they love it and it has encouraged them to web as they would in the wild. Its also helped them feel more secure in their lairs as it is draped over the entrance holes.

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

I use a sort of fake moss type thing for my GGB's they love it and it has encouraged them to web as they would in the wild. Its also helped them feel more secure in their lairs as it is draped over the entrance holes.

Hi Sarah,

Where did you get hold of that?

[Neil Duggins]

I use a sort of fake moss type thing for my GGB's they love it and it has encouraged them to web as they would in the wild. Its also helped them feel more secure in their lairs as it is draped over the entrance holes.

Hi Sarah,

Where did you get hold of that?

I have seen this stuff at Mikes place "The Hollybush garden centre"

When I looked at the Blondi this morning it was just peeping out of its little exo terra hideaway, most of yesterday it was firkling around in its tree.

Noticed it has a small dark area on its bum, what does a sling look like post moult ?

[sarah Smith]

I cant remeber exactly where I got hold of the fake moss Huk I think it was in one of our localpets shops in their small reptile stuff bit.

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

I cant remeber exactly where I got hold of the fake moss Huk I think it was in one of our localpets shops in their small reptile stuff bit.

Thanks!!

[Layla McInnes]

You can get real moss which holds moisture wonderful or can be kept dry from most reptile shops ( South coast should have it Howard esp with their amphibians) and garden centres also have bigger cheaper bags of it for hanging baskets. I go through it and take out all the twigs that are left in.

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

You can get real moss which holds moisture wonderful or can be kept dry from most reptile shops ( South coast should have it Howard esp with their amphibians) and garden centres also have bigger cheaper bags of it for hanging baskets. I go through it and take out all the twigs that are left in.

Cheers Layla, I have indeed seen it in Soutcoast, but two things concerned me about it:

1) - Can it not encourage mites?

2) - I was always under the belief that this stuff was extremely difficult to keep moist

Am I wrong??

Howard

[Layla McInnes]

well I use it for tank decor and to help the humidity, if I am bothered about humidity in a tank (more my chameleon than spids) then Im regularly spraying. It holds it if you spray it for a while or soak it. I have never seen mites in any of my enclosures with it but we are quite good with getting rid of bolus and have good ventilation anywyas so mites shouldnt arent generally a problem.