My Day with T's

[Elaine Ross]

My parents and I went the the Butterfly Farm just outside Edinburgh today and I got to see a few different T's. They had a few G. rosea's, a couple of B. smithi and a B. emilia.
I was lucky enough to get to hold a B. smithi adult female which was larger than I expected and approx 28 years old and also an 8 year old G. rosea. I was so impressed with the B. smithi.
They also had a Pterinochilus murinus. Now that one was a bit scary. Am I right in thinking they should be in an arboreal setup or am I off base. They had this one in a terrestrial tank and very dry looking.
There was a Haplopelma lividum that I didnt get to see as it was in hiding, an L. parahybana which was huge but partially hiding.
They also had a Poecilotheria fasciata (if I remember correctly but definitely a Pokie) but it was also in a terrestrial setup. Very beautiful though with amazing markings.
I was going to have a word with the guy about the right setups but didnt feel confident enough to with being such a newbie myself. Should I say something? Its not far from me so could go back in a few days or so.

Elaine

[Colin D Wilson]

I think you have the right idea, they need educating.
Animals need to have the right enclosures to survive well..... anything else is just existing !!
P Murinus is mainly terrestrial, will burrow if substrate allows and will also show arboreal tendancies if the opportunity allows. humidity should be around 70%
Pokies, as a general rule like to use their arboreal "talents" to the full (i know of a few kept individuals that don't feel the need to climb though there should be that provision in the enclosure.)

you could have a quiet word with the chap and direct him to this forum, where he will be given the advice from hundreds of communial years experience. you never know he may just become a member !!!

[Elaine Ross]

Thanks Colin. I kind of thought the Pokie was arboreal. It was on the glass near the top of the tank and very beautiful. The substrate looked like bark chips and there was a cork bark hide and water dish but everyting looked very dry as I would expect with the G. rosea (they had them named as G. spatulum). Most of the tanks has that type of bark chip substrate.

I did speak to the young guy but he didnt know anything asbout them as he worked with the reptiles. He did say that all the T's were pets that were no longer wanted and dumped there. The other older man there was running around doing whatever as the place was really busy.

I will try having a word with them and give them directions here also. I just thought I should get advice first.

Elaine

[Colin D Wilson]

Going off topic slightly, but now concerned a little because of the inexperience they've shown with their arachnids, what condition were the reptiles, if you have any concerns or questions on this, use private messaging to contact me and i'll address them so you can go back with correct info.