impatient

[kevin read]

At last got my first spider after nagging my wife or the last 16 years of our marriage! my mexican red knee is the size off my finger nail and all ready i want it to be growing! my question is how long will i have to wait until it looks remotely like a red knee or should i go and buy a already fully grown one which are quite expensive? thx kev

[Steve McIntyre]

Hi Kev, if you want a T that grows quicker than a Red Knee and is certainly cheaper , I'd suggest a Red Rump (Brachypelma vagans). Of course, if it's definitely a red knee your after, then go along to one of the shows (April 20th, Kettering and definitely the BTS Show, 18th May) and you'll find a huge choice at very reasonable prices. But be warned, you'll probably come back with a bag full.

[jason holland]

lol...

when i first got my smithi, he/she was quite dull in its colouring. the orange didnt really show and the black was grey (it was about 2 inches in size) i got it the beginning of december. now in march.....



although i dont know how long it took for him or her to get from sling to 2 inches... but from 2 to 4 and half ish, took 3 months lol (2 moults)

[Peter Lacey]

I think you're going to have a long wait Kevin, the species you have (Brachypelma Smithi) is a rather slow grower although raising the temperature and feeding more than recommended will speed the process up. I have quite a few T's coming my way over the next few days and I believe I'll have a B. vagans which I may sell on - about 2&1/2", let me know.
Alternatively have a look in the classified section of BTS, there's often larger Ts available there and in other forums.

[kevin read]

Thx pete, much appreciated . kev

[kevin read]

wow jason , can,t wait. kev

[patsyking]

I had my little red knee sling on 2ng January. He too is the size of my little fingernail. No moult yet but I can't wait for him to be a bit bigger. I know its a long long time for them to grow to have their colours but I know it will be well worth the wait.

[kevin read]

how many times a week and what do you feed your red knee on? p.s nice talking to you .kev

[Andrew Ferguson]

My B.smithi juvi gets offered food about 3 times a week. It doesn't always take it though! The last time I fed it, I offered a meal worm that buried straight into the substrate! Smiffy must have felt the vibrations and dug it up.

So long as its rump looks full and rounded and not shrivelled or small, its well fed. Don't confuse its eating needs for ours.



p.s Welcome Kevin. I too have just got my first tarantula after nagging the wife. That's the easy bit. I'm currently building up courage to ask about a second tarantula.

[Kate Arbon]

Hi Kev, welcome to the board.
I currently have 6 B. smithi about the same size as yours. I think we have both got a long wait before they start looking like more than little house spiders, lol.

I feed mine crickets about 3 to 8 mm long. I buy a tub and stick it in the freezer to prekill them and then offer them like that, twice a week. That way the crickets last as long as I need, and the spiders can eat pretty big crickets compared to themselves without me worrying that they will get hurt.

Enjoy your little guy. I'm sure it won't be long till you have another If you want one that grows a bit quicker I recommend C. cyaneopubescens (Green Bottle Blue). They are colourful, fun spiders and they do grow a lot quicker than Red Knees.

[kevin read]

thx kate, nice 1.

[Dave Freeman]

I have a red knee and a chaco gold knee that when I bought them were of quite equal size.

Now, 6 months later, the gold knee is 3 times the size of the red knee.

I would strongly recommend a gold knee for the simple reason the growth rate and final size are stunning.

I do however think that they are far more skittish and unpredictable than people say, mine is a wonderful pet once its out of the tank but it can go crazy and run wildly around on trying to get it out of the tank. It climbs well and can fly out of the tank in the blink of an eye, but if you want something that grows and eats like a horse this is the one.

[Andrew Ferguson]

but if you want something that grows and eats like a horse

Then buy a horse!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist that one!

[Dave Freeman]

Then buy a horse!!!

Sorry, couldn't resist that one!

Haha, would have the spider any day mate.