Housing Recommendations

[Johanna Turner]

Me again

Should really be thinking about going to bed at this late hour....

More important things to worry about though!

I have just 'acquired' a L, parahybana and a T, blondi, both are about 2" in size at the moment, I have them in thespidershop's 1.3ltr stackable containers at present.

Was wondering what other people would recommend as my only worry with these things I as they are quite shallow it's a bit of a tricky job opening them to chuck food in wihtout startling the T's out of the container!

They are a little too easy to get out of at speed!

I'm toying with the idea of buying some Faunarium's that Exo-Terra do as they are deeper and the opening is in the center of the lid which allows a little more room for manouvering without upsetting the little T's into making a run for it!

Any recommendations please?

Again, I am like an 'information sponge' at the moment but I am learning as I go along and keep thinking of more things day by day! Just want to get it right!

[Michael Olsinia]

Hi Johanna,

I don't have any Exo-Terra containers, but I do use the 1.3lt and 3lt stackable boxes without any escapes (yet!). I put the spiders hide at one end and the water dish at the other. Then I only have to open the 'small' end of the lid to feed and water, and the spiders usually rush into their hides at the other end. Hope that helps.

Mike.

[Adam Smith]

The container you are keeping them in now is fine. Best way to feed without escape is to gently lift on of the corners of the lid and throw the cricket it. I use the deep plastic tanks myself half the time however they are highly notorious for drying out very quick and does not do well at holding in humidity even with 1/2 - 2/3 vents covered up doesnt work. Just keep at it and see how you go. T blondis are fast as juveniles I had one years ago. IMO I think you could have done with a few more years in practical spider keeping before embarking on blondis. New people to the hobby are jumping in far too fast and not having the practical expereince. Anyone can read the care sheet or books but that alone isnt enough its all hand on know how.

[Erik Heidrich]

Put the cricket in a film container or shipping vial. Then all you need to do is open one corner of the tarantulas enclosure, and dump the cricket in.

[Johanna Turner]

I think you could have done with a few more years in practical spider keeping before embarking on blondis. New people to the hobby are jumping in far too fast and not having the practical expereince. Anyone can read the care sheet or books but that alone isnt enough its all hand on know how.

Adam
I appreciate your honesty and I have taken your comments on board, I think whereas my first few slings were ideal starters, it was only when I got the larger species and saw how quick they were they I did question my capabilities!
I am going to see how it goes and should the worst some to the worst may either offer them up for resale or just a good honest (Experienced) new home.

I plan to spend a lot of time on them (My boyfriend has his PC, I have my spiders!) and so far have found it both interesting and rewarding.

I appreciate you can only get half the facts from a care sheet, hence the reason I frequent these boards!

Thanks for your advice (And honesty!)

To all other who have replied, thanks for the info - I'm guessing the biggest pointer is 'Leave them alone as much as possible!'
The less fuss/stress their put under the more settled they are going to behave I suppose.

[Phil Rea]

I also use those containers. The only thing I have done with them is drill more holes to increase ventilation, otherwise they are ideal.

Personally I wouldn't try to put obligate burrowers such as H. lividum or arboreals such as Poecilotheria sp. in them, but they're brilliant for terrestrials

The faunariums are good, but as Adam has pointed out, they do dry out in no time.

Never kept T. blondi myself but can relate to 'fast' spiderlings and juvis. Just treat them with respect, and try not to give them the opportunity to bolt. Easier said than done, but if they're skittish, just don't feed them and wait until they've calmed down before trying again.

You'll get used to the 'speed' of them soon enough.

[Johanna Turner]

Cheers Phil

I have prety much sussed all of them out now and how they all behave.
The earlier purchases are all pretty well behaved and although have a turn of speed, they tend to stay within the confines of their pots!
The 3 that arrived yesterday (Bold in my signature) are certainly more 'Flighty'

I know I may have overfaced myself but even in the selection of these bigger species I did take their temperament into consideration.

For example I do love the H, lividium and the P, murinus but I know these can be quite defensive and even aggressive in some cases so have steered well clear of these for now.

[Adam Smith]

Adam
I appreciate your honesty and I have taken your comments on board, I think whereas my first few slings were ideal starters, it was only when I got the larger species and saw how quick they were they I did question my capabilities!
I am going to see how it goes and should the worst some to the worst may either offer them up for resale or just a good honest (Experienced) new home.

I plan to spend a lot of time on them (My boyfriend has his PC, I have my spiders!) and so far have found it both interesting and rewarding.

I appreciate you can only get half the facts from a care sheet, hence the reason I frequent these boards!

Thanks for your advice (And honesty!)

To all other who have replied, thanks for the info - I'm guessing the biggest pointer is 'Leave them alone as much as possible!'
The less fuss/stress their put under the more settled they are going to behave I suppose.

however i guess when it comes to these days everyone has to get them at some point and there is no real guidlines as to when someone is experienced enough or not. I can see you have quite a few so you havent jumped in the deep end which is good L parahabyana are great spiders near same size as blondi but not as aggressive. As long as you take care of the blondi and know where it is so not to startle each other.

[Johanna Turner]

Hi again
Better reaction last night, was excited to get home and see how everybody had settled in and they seemed better.
Offered them food (L, parahybana / T, blondi) and just did it as quietly as possible and the reaction was far less frantic - I suppose I might have been in the same mood yesterday if I had spent the night within the clutches of Royal Mail and their mail handling teams!

I just have to treat them differently to the more 'sedate' spiders I have and have a bit of respect for them!

That said I had more arrive yesterday which I rehoused last night. Another Theraphosid and the striking M, robustum. After the advice and learnings from the previous night I did manage the transfer from carriage pot to new home with a lot less stress and it was a much more controlled and quiet affair - so that made me feel better!!

I'm so happy with my collection to date and I still get very very excited when I get home to go and see what the kids are doing!!

[Adam Smith]

your spider collection grows with every post lol. Speed of spiders still makes me nervous at times after all these years, trying to take pictures of my sub adult female P murinus RCF or the adult female Megaphobema velvetosoma I try as quick as can as I can just see them make a break for it over the bed.

[Johanna Turner]

your spider collection grows with every post lol.

What can I say, I've gone a bit mad!!

And you wonder why I am scared to attend the exhibition!!!

[Adam Smith]

your definitely a hobbyist now your just like the rest of us. lol

[Johanna Turner]

your definitely a hobbyist now your just like the rest of us. lol

It was funny last night, a colleague of mine who's not really interested in T's was chatting to me after work so I started showing him some of my pics and what my slings would look like full grown..

I was chattering away in my element and then stopped and said 'You think I'm mad don't you?!' and he replied 'No, I can tell you're really into what you're doing because of the way you talk about them! You know all their latin names, about their habitat, how they mate etc etc'


I think he was actually quite impressed!!

I think I need to get out more!! lol

(PS managed to take some more photos of the newbies which I will post on the photo section, and progress has been made, I'm getting along better with the T, blondi and L, parahybana!!)

[Adam Smith]

The more impressed people are what you tell them the less afraid or sceptical they are, which is all good. My partner has just come round to letting me have snakes, fear thats from the future mother in law, I think it helped that I got my gf a cat of her own as she missed hers back home. Miss reptiles so be fun get back into them.

[Johanna Turner]

I agree

I had alsorts when I lived at home and never looked after anything properly. After 3 years of owning my own home I've started again (Don't know what took me so long!) and decided if i was going to do it i would do it properly.

I do have a house full though!

Started back into it with a rescue Boa someone had left in a flat nearby.
Cuddles as he is known is going strong now, approx 6ft at the mo.
I also have an evil teenage Iguana called Gojilla! He's hard work!
A gammy legged chameleon that has a genetic defect in one of his joints, doesn't stop him though!
And a white's tree frog.

Plus all the T's and 5 cats!


So I spend all my free time cleaning up after everything!!! By about 9pm i get some 'me' time!


Wouldn't have it any other way though!