Rehousing Conquest

[Alexander Ramsey]

For those who saw my "four horsemen" thread you will know that Conquest is my new H. minax.
For the record, minax translates to menace.
Since getting my minax (6 days ago), it has been a fairly placid animal, only moving quickly when coaxed......with long implements.

How things have changed, I have a large 3ft tank which I think I'll split into 2 smaller ones together, and have today bedded half of it out with a good deep layer of peat/vermiculite mix. So the time came to move Conquest from the small fish bowl container it has been residing in to the new large tank.
To start with I just put the fish bowl in the big tank and thought the T would discover the other end was warmer and start up home. Not the case, it came out the fish bowl and wedged itself in the corner behind the bowl.
I decided that with a little encouragement it would walk over to the warm side, so I got a ruler and was just going to gently nudge her in the direction but when the ruler was in about 10" range of the minax it threw a really quite shocking threat posture, for about 2 seconds, then charged at the ruler and nearly knocked it clean out of my hand.
After a 5 minute violent debate about greener grass and standing ground, the minax realised the ruler would not succumb to its onslaught and so shinned up it for my hand.
In the interest of self preservation I quickly laid the ruler down and retreated to a safe distance.
Conquest on the other hand had not finished by a long shot and perched next to the glass throwing threat postures for about 10 mins (good photo opportunity)((with the lid securely on)).

This aggresion only fueled my desire to acquire more haplopelmas, so if anyone needs a buyer let me know. Also, does everyone suffer from the steamed up glass in a heated moist environment problem or are there any good suggestions how to get around this?

[michaelmckinney]

LOL,

I think that is the favourite stance for a Haplopelma. My lividum jumped out on to my leg before, fortunately for me, I got her back in the viv with no bites LOL (after sitting still for 15 mins trying to pluck up the courage to move LOL). And I know what you mean when you say the aggression just makes you want more of the genus, I'm exactly the same. LOL.

Michael..

[Matthew Baines]

You think the minax is bad you aint seen nothing yet . I have a few different earth tigers and trust me when i i say they are like kids compared too fred webst and myra spindley my male and female haplopelma sp ' vietnam' i mean it , when i put fred in his home for the first time he was laying on his back with his fangs poised to bite whilst thrusting at thin air and hissing , me and lisa were cautious and thats saying something for someone who once owned the most deadly scorpion on the planet and used too handle it. I named them after sick evil folk for a reason!!!! Not looking forward too putting them together too breed one bit ( apart from the after rewards , btw im going too do it beginning of october so they have had 6 weeks too settle) As for the steam u need more ventilation . Oh and i never antagonise my earth tigers unless it is absolutely neccesary ( rehousing etc) because if / when they get hold of you from what i understand they keep biting and it will hurt for possibly months all over your body (potent venom). Leave them too there own thing and you will have no problems would hate for my favourite genus of spider too be dwa listed for killing someone who was allergic too the venom

[Phil Rea]

Be careful when splitting one tank to make two. Spiders can get through very small gaps, and some can chew through mesh. If one gets through to the other side, you'll end up with one fat spider.

As for dwa listing, let's not go there. There have been no documented deaths from tarantula envenomation, so let's not stir up a wasp's nest.

[Alexander Ramsey]

Cheers.

Thanks for the replies,
When I say split, I mean seal in a snug fit piece of glass down the middle but the advice is duly noted.

[Peter Lacey]

I'm sorry but I can't see one valid reason for proding a spider in the manner you describe. "Antagonise" is a very apt word.

[Alexander Ramsey]

Peter I absolutely agree, and the only reason for it was so I could seperate the tank into 2 halves as it is easily big enough. Generally my T's live a very comfortable life and I only intervene when absolutely necasary. Even more so because a Haplopelma is not shy about making its feelings known!!

[Matthew Baines]

As for dwa listing, let's not go there. There have been no documented deaths from tarantula envenomation, so let's not stir up a wasp's nest.

I only used the term as a worst case scenario

[Peter Roach]

I decided that with a little encouragement it would walk over to the warm side

errr......... Why ?
Dont you think it could work out that its warmer across the other side of the tank by its self ?
There are very few aggressive tarantulas but many defensive ones. Dont poke it and it wont get aggressive with you.

Also, does everyone suffer from the steamed up glass in a heated moist environment problem or are there any good suggestions how to get around this?

Turn the heating down or off or add more ventilation.

[Alexander Ramsey]

To clear this up.

Just to be clear on this, I needed the T in a safer place than it was for the purpose of measuring up the splitter glass for the division of the tank. Time was a factor and there was no unnecessary antagonism of any spiders.
I am not the type of person to do this and am not the type of person to intentionally get the backs up of anyone, spider/bts member or otherwise as appears to be the case here. If this is so, then apologies all round.

[Phil Rea]

I only used the term as a worst case scenario

Fair enough, but what I was getting at is that there are plenty out there who would like nothing better than to see our hobby dragged into the mud, so it's sometimes better not to supply them with any ammunition

[Matthew Baines]

Ok i see what your saying now . Dont seem to be having a good day with my foot in mouth disease at all today lol

[Chris Sainsbury]

Hi

Just a thought, but have you thought about filling up that spiders tank with substrate (earthy type of substrate and not small stones), say about 6 - 8 inches deep and getting rid of the rock thing?
Cheers
Chris

[Samantha Lewanewsky]

I don't think it's small stones in the substrate Chris, looks like vermiculite with peat/compost mixed in.

[Alexander Ramsey]

plenty of substrate,

Sure enough, there is about 9 inch of peat / vermiculite mix, the stone thing is one of a few ornaments (gothic theme seemed apt) just to give plenty of shelters, hiding places, nooks etc as I understand this is preferred by Asian burrowers.