A big 'Hi!' and some advice wanted please?

[Johanna Turner]

Hi there
This is going to be a long winded one so stick with me!!

Just wanted to say this site 'rocks!' and I'm new to collecting/keeping spiders and the excitement it holds!

I have started with one or two spiders about a week or so ago which has now started to become obsessive!

I am after some info one keeping/housing and feeding some of my collection.

Firstly my Brachypelma smithi:
It's approx 10-12cm already and has the most voracious appetite, way more than I anticipated!
What would most people normally recommend for frequency of feeding and size of prey?
I have been offering adult brown crickets which it can't get enough off and has gone through at least 10-12 in 7 days plus i faced it with a locust the other evening which was almost full grown and it tackled this with gusto!!
Am I offering too much? Too big? What would be the recommended frequency of feeding and vlumes of food when feeding, can someone advise please?

Next my Grammostola rosea:
Approx 4cm in size, I haven't actually seen this one eat but it's abdomen seems full so I'm guessing the disappearing crickets are going into the spider and not off around my room somewhere!
Seems to pootle around happily enough, wanted an idea of growth rate, feeding info as above etc.
Waorried how to offer water to this 'un as too small for a bowl but I feel too big to drink from water droplets as that is currently what I am expecting it to do (Advice from pet shop to keep substrate damp and it will drink from that but not overly convinced!)

Then onto the latest editions!!

I first thought I had overfaced myself as a novice buying slings so small but I'm loving the effort involved in feeding and keeping these little guys!

acanthoscurria chacoana:
1cm, eating like a horse on micro crickets, fed approx 4 each night for the last 2 nights, abdomen looks full (to bursting tonight!) and have actually witnessed some contented catching and munching of prey! (Very exciting!)
Kept in spider pots supplied from thespidershop when purchased and this seems more than adequate at present.
This guy is kept in that inside a bigger tub which I spray with water to try and keep humidity up (as is the brachypelma albopilosum).
Again, pointers on keeping/feeding/watering etc gladly received.

Brachypelma albopilosa:
1cm, haven't seen eating but fed as much and as often as above and have seen it catch one micro cricket. Today it also looks full to bursting point so guessing that it fed successfully.
Has taken to making a burrow which it haunts now, occasionally see some form of life in the bottom of the pot!
As above, tips on keeping/feeding/watering etc

With both above slings, also interested in pointers on growth rate etc, and 'potting on'!!

I know many of you may think I should have investigated all this before purchasing (Please don't be angry with me!) as I only looked at temperatures and humidity levels before buying.
I agree I should have researched more, but I have a passion for exotics and an obsession to do everything right so I am trying to get myself more 'clued up' via this site.


So I'm looking forward to some advice from you spider owners and some pointers in the right direction.

Yours excitedly!!

Jo Mc

[Mark Pennell]

[quote]

Hi there
This is going to be a long winded one so stick with me!!

Just wanted to say this site 'rocks!' and I'm new to collecting/keeping spiders and the excitement it holds!

Thanks Jo!

I have started with one or two spiders about a week or so ago which has now started to become obsessive!

Yes this hobby is adictive and long term as they live a long time!

I am after some info one keeping/housing and feeding some of my collection.

You have come to the right place

Firstly my Brachypelma smithi:
It's approx 10-12cm already and has the most voracious appetite, way more than I anticipated!
What would most people normally recommend for frequency of feeding and size of prey?
I have been offering adult brown crickets which it can't get enough off and has gone through at least 10-12 in 7 days plus i faced it with a locust the other evening which was almost full grown and it tackled this with gusto!!
Am I offering too much? Too big? What would be the recommended frequency of feeding and volumes of food when feeding, can someone advise please?

OK almost always newly purchased spider will feed really well and gather all thats put in with them. You will find once it plumps up this feeding frenzy will slow down, one or 2 a week will be fine, I personally only feed mine every 2 weeks, then I put in five or six large black filed crickets.

You will most likley have a molting spider on your hands after this re homing and feeding session.

Next my Grammostola rosea:
Approx 4cm in size, I haven't actually seen this one eat but it's abdomen seems full so I'm guessing the disappearing crickets are going into the spider and not off around my room somewhere!
Seems to pootle around happily enough, wanted an idea of growth rate, feeding info as above etc.
Waorried how to offer water to this 'un as too small for a bowl but I feel too big to drink from water droplets as that is currently what I am expecting it to do (Advice from pet shop to keep substrate damp and it will drink from that but not overly convinced!)

OK G rosea are very slow growing and are renowned for fasting for long periods of time. As long as its plump and round all will be well. Use a shallow water dish with a few clean pebbles in, I have B, smithi juvs like this and they get on well this way. Don't keep this species to damp.

Then onto the latest editions!!

I first thought I had overfaced myself as a novice buying slings so small but I'm loving the effort involved in feeding and keeping these little guys!

acanthoscurria chacoana:
1cm, eating like a horse on micro crickets, fed approx 4 each night for the last 2 nights, abdomen looks full (to bursting tonight!) and have actually witnessed some contented catching and munching of prey! (Very exciting!)
Kept in spider pots supplied from thespidershop when purchased and this seems more than adequate at present.
This guy is kept in that inside a bigger tub which I spray with water to try and keep humidity up (as is the brachypelma albopilosum).
Again, pointers on keeping/feeding/watering etc gladly received.

Spiderlings are great fun and I recommend the the challenge of riasing them. Its much more satisfying and rewarding!. Small spiderlings can often feed for 2 weeks go off the food for 1 week and molt then a week later feed once more, its is highly likly to get a spiderling to molt like this for a few months then it will slow down and cycle will get bigger, till its at a stage were every 6 months and then annually.

Brachypelma albopilosa:
1cm, haven't seen eating but fed as much and as often as above and have seen it catch one micro cricket. Today it also looks full to bursting point so guessing that it fed successfully.
Has taken to making a burrow which it haunts now, occasionally see some form of life in the bottom of the pot!
As above, tips on keeping/feeding/watering etc

With both above slings, also interested in pointers on growth rate etc, and 'potting on'!!

Ahh a top choice B, albopilosum these are under rated I feel. I have bred this many times and found the spiderlings ravonous and fast growing. Yours may be on its way to molting and of its food, check for a dark abdomen.

I know many of you may think I should have investigated all this before purchasing (Please don't be angry with me!) as I only looked at temperatures and humidity levels before buying.
I agree I should have researched more, but I have a passion for exotics and an obsession to do everything right so I am trying to get myself more 'clued up' via this site.

Jo
We all did the same years ago, when I first started keeping tarantulas there was no real books to speak off!...

So I'm looking forward to some advice from you spider owners and some pointers in the right direction.

Yours excitedly!!

Jo Mc

Don't be afraid to ask any questions, we are all happy here to help anyone!
Regards
Mark

[Johanna Turner]

Mark
Massive thank you for your help, it's a great push in the right direction. Have moved the G, rosea into a slightly more realisticly sized tub and given less damp substrate. Will sort out a bowl/lid for it to drink from today as suggested.

The B, smithi is still eating like a horse, tried to go in to add a different water bowl last night and it was not impressed (Flicked hairs at me!) and this is the most tetchy it has been towards me since I have had it (Before now it seems to like trying to climb up my arm!) Will keep an eye out for slowing of feeding and will go onto the routine you suggest (Might print out your reply as a reference for feeding guide!!)

A, chacoana has a dark spot on it's abdomen and I've seen it mentioned that this could be a sign of an impending moult? Is this true?
Will also keep and eye on B, albopilosum and see what he takes in the way of food over the next couple of days.
What's the usual frequency of moult on the slings at this sort of size? I appreciate it's different between species.

I have saved this site link to my work favourites so I can have a browse through my lunch hour, and have also joined the BTS so trying to do it all properly and get the information and help I need from you more experienced keepers.

Thanks again
Jo

[J M Clegg]

Jo, I have an adult female Chacoana and she is FANTASTIC, but she is also big! We named her John Smith "no nonsense" after the Peter Kay advert. It doesn't matter what goes in there, it gets eaten almost instantly! She is a little nervous and likes to flick so watch yours as it grows. After her last moult she changed colour and is beautifil now. I have considered buying 3 or 4 of those slings from Lee as well, in the hope that one is a male and suitable for breeding.

You will find the people here a great help - and nobody will ever get fed up of questions.

[Colin D Wilson]

Starting Off in the hobby

Jo,

Looks like you're off to a good start with the T's you have, and with advise and guidance from people like Mark and others in the BTS you won't go far wrong

Two things that everyone in any hobby should realise...
1) no-one knows everything
2) there's no such thing as a stupid question (if one had to ask it, then one didn't know the answer)



Oh and Mark, you mentioned about when you started the hobby there weren't many books / literature about the subject (same here, in fact i think they were written on papyrus heh heh). I've started a thread asking people how they became involved with T's and how it all started as a hobby for them. i'm sure there's a few people who would like to hear how you started off.

[Johanna Turner]

Cheers Colin,
Appreciate the support.
I can safely say i am well and truly addicted!! I have a good selection of spiders now and am hooked!

Never did I think I would get so excited about a spider the size of half a grain of rice eating a micro cricket! I get a great pride in seeing them eat every time!!

I'm supposed to be doing my house up at the moment and yesterday I think I spent half the day going in and watching the babies as I did fixing skirting boards and putting up plasterboard!!

Just gives me enormous pleasure to see them growing and eating and looking healthy and knowing I am looking after them correctly. It's really interesting too, watching their behaviour and the way they lay their web and stalk and kill their prey!!

My friends and work colleagues think i'm nuts of course.....

[tracy dale]

me to

my chilean rose has given me little babies they have all moulted now, 1 of slings got stuck in its moult it was crawling around with 4 back legs caught up on each side i carefully removed the moult unfortunatly its back legs are a bit deforemed but i have seperated it and its still wandering round i'm taking xtra special care of this one he seems fine so i have high hopes. ill keep him healthy and hopefull his legs will moult back in time.

[Johanna Turner]

Well I'm guessing that that little guy will be staying with you for the long haul then?

I think it will have a special little place in your heart, bless it! lol!