Psycho Re-housed

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi, this might seem like a lame excuse to show off one of my tarantulas but I've had this one since tiny and it usually goes for me on sight! Its the only one that does, so to actually re-house the thing without getting bitten is pretty good for me. So here she is in her new home (excuse the haze, its web she put on the glass last night and I'm not sticking my hand in there to move it!)

[Neil Ashby]

Thats a wicked looking T Nicola , sorry for being thick but what is it ?

Im not big on aboreal spiders , i only have a versi myself

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Neil, this is a juvenile Heteroscodra maculata. They are one of those species which are really fluffy but move like bullets and bite first, ask questions later. Or in the case of mine; bite first, bite second and bite later when bored! (I still love the little thing as much as my others, perhaps I need therapy after all!)

[mike halewood]

I was offered one of these a while ago when I bought my Male A. genic. Complete with tank.

Very nice T though Nicola.

[Matt P Kent]

Nice. How did you go about transfering it? I have a P.Regalis that needs rehousing into a larger box, but I cant see any simple and secure way of moving it over.

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Matt,
The beauty of Poecilotheria is the bigger they get, the less they dart about. If your moving a juvenile for example and the old container fits into the new one just leave the lid off the old container (when inside the new one) and put the spider in a warm, dark place. The spider will do the rest. If this is not possible then get a large tub like a food storage tub and coax it into that. Then put that into the new home and let the spider wander out. I know it doesn't sound very clever but you want to avoid startling the tarantula. I defy anyone in the world to catch a startled Poecilotheria in full flight. I know it sounds crazy and you will probably get much better suggestions but arborials are not the keenest on breezes and I have been known to chase an adult P. miranda back accross the lounge floor into his tank by playing "blow football" with him. Seriously you might look daft but it works. You could use water misting spray but if you get it wrong he/she will be off. One thing you must NEVER do is try the old 'pencil on the back legs' trick. It might work for Avics (though not for mine) but not Poecilotheria. You start pushing a Pokies back legs ith a pencil and you're asking to get bitten. I was lucky with mine, I only got a threat posture but that was enough. Hope this helps!

[michael mcmahon]

ive got a p.regalis in a large kritter keeper til my glass tanks are being made by custom aquaria,will be recieving them on sunday.so gonna have to rehouse it which im not looking forward to.once its in this tank it wont need to be moved again.is it true if you do the tank change over in the bath and they escape they cant climb out the bath.also how often will a full clean out have to be done.

[mike halewood]

Michael, Just out of curiosity how are you getting your tanks from Custom Aquaria?? Are they posting them? As I wouldnt mind getting some more in the future.

Cheers Mike

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi Mike, There's a phone number on the "cubes" thread in this site. I think that's Custom Aquaria

[Helen Roberts]

I know what you mean Nicola. We rehoused what I believe to be an adult female H. maculata the other week. Getting her out of her old tank was the easy part but putting her into her new home was a completely different matter. She tried all ways to escape and even bared her fangs at us at one point. Luckily my husband has nerves of steel because my daughter and I were bags of nerves lol. And yes they are very quick as we found out.

[Robert Farmer]

Hi Matt,
The beauty of Poecilotheria is the bigger they get, the less they dart about. If your moving a juvenile for example and the old container fits into the new one just leave the lid off the old container (when inside the new one) and put the spider in a warm, dark place. The spider will do the rest. If this is not possible then get a large tub like a food storage tub and coax it into that. Then put that into the new home and let the spider wander out. I know it doesn't sound very clever but you want to avoid startling the tarantula. I defy anyone in the world to catch a startled Poecilotheria in full flight. I know it sounds crazy and you will probably get much better suggestions but arborials are not the keenest on breezes and I have been known to chase an adult P. miranda back accross the lounge floor into his tank by playing "blow football" with him. Seriously you might look daft but it works. You could use water misting spray but if you get it wrong he/she will be off. One thing you must NEVER do is try the old 'pencil on the back legs' trick. It might work for Avics (though not for mine) but not Poecilotheria. You start pushing a Pokies back legs ith a pencil and you're asking to get bitten. I was lucky with mine, I only got a threat posture but that was enough. Hope this helps!

I opened the lid on the last container and prodded my P regalis into it's new enclosure hassle free, bout 6" at the time it was, just made sure everything I did was slooooooooow lol

[michael mcmahon]

Michael, Just out of curiosity how are you getting your tanks from Custom Aquaria?? Are they posting them? As I wouldnt mind getting some more in the future.

Cheers Mike

hi mike theres a company called the reptile taxi that ive used in the past for picking geckos up etc.they are doing a delivery down that way so are gonna collect for me and deliver to mine.its costing 20 quid which is well worth it.ive ordered 3 of the larger aboreal tanks.and will be ordering a female singapore blue to go in one

[mike halewood]

Ah nice one, I've got 2 of the larger arboreal tanks that I ordered from them and collected at the BTS show. one house my AF P. regalis and my juv A. versi is in the other.

How would I use this Reptile Taxi?? I need to sort out some tanks in the next few months as I may go into breeding.

Cheers

Mike

[michael mcmahon]

Ah nice one, I've got 2 of the larger arboreal tanks that I ordered from them and collected at the BTS show. one house my AF P. regalis and my juv A. versi is in the other.

How would I use this Reptile Taxi?? I need to sort out some tanks in the next few months as I may go into breeding.

Cheers

Mike

hi mate the site is www.thereptiletaxi.co.uk 2 ladies that run it and they are great everyone on reptileforums.co.uk uses them and alot of shops other forums etc,the rates are very reasonable,car kitted out with vivs heating etc.ive used a few times.try and time it when they are in the area of collection and it will make it cheaper for you.if you need anymore info just ask me mate.they are long term members of rfuk and have a very very good reputation ive never heard a bad word about them