starburst baboon

[michael mcmahon]

hi i recently got a tarantula a few days ago,,i asked the man in the local reptile centre for an interesting species to watch and one that would spin a nice web.so anyway i ended up with a starburst baboon,,after searching the net i realised maybe this guy shouldnt have sold me one of these as there quite aggressive,i had a chile rose a few years back and looked after it well,im guessing its common sense with this 1 like never leave the viv open put your hands in etc,,any help or input would be appreciated,,thanks

[Stewart Macgregor]

Hi Michael,

It's hard to give the right advice with just a common name. If you could get the scientific name then that would make it a lot easier. The reason for this is common names vary and are often interchangeable, there is no "official" common name for any species. Scientific names pin down something, they are international and everyone knows which species you're talking about.

A lot of people become intimidated by the thought of learning common names, but when I started the hobby I found that it wasn't really something you sat down and learned. Instead, I picked it up gradually by reading books and websites. After a while scientific names become second nature.

Anyway, this one is especially confusing because the term "starburst baboon" crops up in a few common names for different species, with completely different care requirements.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Pterinochilus murinus, sometimes referred to as the Mombassa Golden Starburst Baboon, is a terrestrial species that has a a wide range across Africa. No need for misting and the substrate should also be dry, just provide a water dish and a hide of some description. These will often burrow in the substrate or web their containers. They are a defensive and fast moving species, so be careful when dealing with them. I tend to keep a cricket tub handy just in case mine decides to make a run for it during cage maintenance, although this hasn't happened to me yet!

You may also come across Pterinochilus murinus RCF. The "RCF" bit stands for "Red Colour Form". These have the same appearance as regular Pterinochilus murinus, but instead are a vivid orange colour. These are often classed as a semi-arboreal species. They are very opportunistic and hardy, and will web everywhere. They are faster than the regular Pterinochilus murinus, and also a very defensive species. My philosophy is "don't bother it, and it won't bother you". I make sure to give these species a hide, as they will tend to stay in there most of the time, which makes tank maintenance much easier. I use a pair of 12" tweezers for maintenance, if you haven't got some they are available from many online dealers. www.thespidershop.co.uk is a good one.

The other species you might have ended up with is Heteroscodra maculata, often given the name of Togo Starburst Baboon. Here's a picture of one:


These are an arboreal species also from Africa. They like it more humid, and this can be achieved through the use of a few inches of slightly moistened substrate, a water dish, and the occasional misting when needed. Give them a piece of corkbark against the side of the enclosure to use as a hide. Even better is a length of bamboo about 3 inches wide, this gives the spider a very dark secure retreat. H. maculataare very fast moving and are also very defensive. The same precautions should be applied as when dealing with P. murinus.

Give them the respect they deserve and you won't have a problem. If you have any more questions just ask Hope this helps,

Stewart[/i]

[michael mcmahon]

hi mine looks identical to the mombassa starburst pic you shown

[Stewart Macgregor]

In which case I would give it a good few inches of dryish peat as a substrate and a flowerpot on its side as a hide. Make sure to provide a shallow water dish, although don't be surprised to find it buried or webbed over! For defensive species like Pterinochilus murinus, you might find it useful to use something like a pipette or turkey baster for refilling the water dish. This keeps your fingers well out of biting range!

[michael mcmahon]

hi its got 2 and a half inches of jungle bed which is a mixture of different substrates like peat etc its made by t-rex,,ive got a wooden log in a arch shape kinda like a wooden bridge and some bark goin up the side of the tank because its set up aboreal style,and a plastic plant,the spider has spun a light web at the side of the tank but im guessin it will construct sum sort of chambre

[Stewart Macgregor]

Your setup sounds fine, but I wouldn't bother shelling out for fancy substrates from the pet shop in future. Head on down to B&Q and grab yourself a big bag of peat and some vermiculite instead, it'll cost you a lot less and last far longer!

Just be sure to stick a water dish in there. Even tarantulas from dryer climates need to drink. You can use a coffee jar lid, or anything similar. For many of mine I use the plastic saucers that go under small flower pots.

[sarah Smith]

Nods good advice by the way if yours is a mombassa no need to have the tank set up arborally. Even my red colour form though she will and does climb around alot perfers to hide under her log most of the time.

[Mark Lynes]

Please don't use peat. Peat is obtained from the unsustainable destruction of unique wildlife habitats such as blanket bogs. There are now plenty of peat free alternatives available and there can be no excuse for not using them, whether for keeping theraphosids, gardening ow whatever.Most garden centres, including B & Q, now stock a wide variety.

Mark

[Neil Richardson]

Nods good advice by the way if yours is a mombassa no need to have the tank set up arborally. Even my red colour form though she will and does climb around alot perfers to hide under her log most of the time.

She's not doing much climbing at the moment though is she dear?


Though yes, she does tend to be out late at night climbing around her tank, but spends the day under her bark. Right now she's with an eggsac, so she's not doing much of anything.

[sarah Smith]

true dear one true lets hope this sac develops right and she is a good mum this time round.