new to t's

[John chambers]

hello all.
first I wish to fill you in on my problem.
when I was a child of five my mother and step father moved to a house and
as we were all looking around it they called me to the bathroom.
and showed me a very large pair of spiders.
they started to say to touch one of them and this I didn't do.
and they took me by my arms and legs and held me over the bath saying I will be placed in it so the spiders can run over me.
they didn't do it because I screamed my lungs out in fear.
I'm now 48 and every time I see a large garden spider I get the fear back.
Now the funny thing is I like to watch the red knees I get to see at zoos or in rep shops as I and my wife keep lizards.
my wife once worked in a petshop that started to sell tarantulas and she had to bring home a chilli rose.. after she asked me if it was ok just for the night.
I can say I didn't like it as once I got near it.. it would rush about.
yet when we was at a zoo they did a tarantula holding season and I was so close to trying it till I sure the spider was a dark one and the fear came back.
so what would be the best to start with as I want to get this fear out of my life once and for all.

thank you.
John.

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi John
First of all welcome to the forum.

An idea i have reccommended to a few people with an intense fear is to keep a spider in a secure tank, in another room (so you can visit on YOUR terms) and have their partner feed and look after it.
Your scenario with your partner having experience with spider would suit this i think.
You need to treat the spider like a tropical fish tank (i.e. viewing factor only, we dont reccommend the handling of spiders as a society anyway (see rules and regs)) If you can get to grips with the fact that the spider is there, cannot harm you in any way, and is just to be seen as a thing of beauty then i would say one of the red leg tarantulas (Brachypelma) would be a good choice due to the fact they are colourful and have a "pet rock" attitude where they move around minimally and make a good display specimen.

Any further questions.... just post away ok

[John chambers]

thanks

I'm reading as much as I can find on the net and have watched nearly ever vid on YouTube about red knees and red legs ..
I'm not keep on the curly hair ( the look of em ) and like my wife keeps saying at some time there will be a time I'll have to put my hand in ... I don't want to push my wife in to keeping a tarantula even if she's ok with it as I look after her bearded dragon and I'm getting her used to my male chemelion that she feels uneasy with.
unlike his sister that stands her ground .. but in time my wife is getting better with him.
and I see the piont in having a t in another room.
it's finding the right encloser too that's hard.
some say a creeter keep others say a ten gallon tank or a exo rep encloser.
but most of them are high and does it need a lock?.
can a t push lids open ?. how can you tell if a younger t will grow to be calm?.
who's the best to buy from?. what's the best book or does a breeder give help?.
do red knees - red legs make webs?. and why..
are they fast movers ?.and the big one .. what if I get a bite what do I do?.
so many qeustions sorry..

[Joanna Pendleton]

THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S GUIDE,
Third Edition (2009)
Stanley A. Schultz and Marguerite J. Schultz

This is a good book to get, you can get it from amazon.

I have a medium exo-terra plastic terranium.
I've been told Ts can push up hinge lids, but my terranium has a hinge lid, that sort of slides and locks into place.

I got mine online from the spider shop, they sell equipment too. I'm not scared of Ts but I was a little nervous that I wouldn't be very good at looking after one or that I'd worry about them getting out.
However now I have one, I have no such worries.

Your other questions i'll leave to someone who know's what they're talking about to answer!

Apart from to say I have chosen A. chalcodes for my first T x

[Colin D Wilson]

this will be the easiest way i think

some say a creeter keep others say a ten gallon tank or a exo rep encloser.
The choice of tank is up to you at the end of the day

but most of them are high and does it need a lock?.
If you have the substrate as high as you can then the spider wont fall and harm itself, a lock will be your choice for your peace of mind

can a t push lids open ?.
Yes they can if it's loose fitting so a secure fitting lid will be the most important, most of the specific tanks are very well made and secure (exo terra have a locking mechanism and the option to put a combi lock on the doors)

how can you tell if a younger t will grow to be calm?.
You can't i'm afraid, but then again if you're to treat it as a "Look - no - touch" pet it won't matter.

who's the best to buy from?.
There are a few online shops and private breeders galore, you could start with the classifieds on here and do a search for "ads" in you local area. post on here with your questions/worries before you buy

what's the best book or does a breeder give help?.
There are several books available, saying this all the nswers you could need are available by searching or asking questions on this (and other) forums

do red knees - red legs make webs?. and why..
Yep, though not the sort of webs you see in the garden etc, they'll web for moulting, securing their burrow, whilst feeding to name a few reasons.

are they fast movers ?.
They're normally quite slow and deliberate movers, though can put on a fantastic turn of speed when foods available or if startled

and the big one .. what if I get a bite what do I do?.
Say ouch, swear a few times for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and take some pain killers, anti histamenes can help, if you're the sort to have bite/sting alergic reactions (wasps/bees etc) then a trip to A&E would be advisable. the bite hurts more than the effect most of the time, you'll possibly feel a little nausious and lethergic for a few days. (different tarantula species can give different bite effects for eacg individual so it's hard to say exactly what you'll feel like)

so many qeustions sorry..
No problems

[James Quinton]

theres some great replys here, i personly love the idea of keeping it in another room and viewing it on YOUR terms. My wife is the same, she doesnt like the T's but doesnt hate them either, she will help with feeding and misting, and is more then happy to unpack a spider shop delivery and sorting the slings out, just the juvies and adults she wont do, either way we never hold any of our T's, its a great way to either harm your self or kill the T (a fall from a few inches high is enough to kill a T)

[John chambers]

red knee

first thank you to every one that is being a great help.
the none hands on idea I like..
But why do some owners handle t's and believe the t loves them.
after all it isn't like a dog or cat so the t isn't going to love is it?.
and they kill the male after mating don't they?... so no love lost there.
so why do owners play with t's like on YouTube shows.
also how many on here breed or own Mexican red knees and for how long?.
the reason behind this is I'm thinking when I make the step to get one I'll have owners details to what the mrk can be like from all sides and not just book.
And you all know I'm going to be asking more questions..
as I see it if you don't ask you don't learn no matter how stupid it may sound.
and why do people have more then one t or then breeders.
thank you again..
John.

[Kurt Baird]

But why do some owners handle t's and believe the t loves them.

Its just the way some people are. Some people don't see the point in owning a tarantula if you aren't going to interact with it. Its generally agreed that a T doesn't appreciate handling, so they don't need it.

and they kill the male after mating don't they?... so no love lost there.

It is highly possible if the breeder doesn't intervene straight after mating, but I think the majority of breeders try to save the male afterwards.

also how many on here breed or own Mexican red knees and for how long?.

I've had a Red Knee (B.smithi) for around 18 months now and she is great. She hardly ever moves, is a pretty reliable feeder and so far we have had no trouble with her. I also have four (I think ) other Brachypelma sp.

[Colin D Wilson]

We'll go again with this idea as it worked

the none hands on idea I like..
It will be the safest all round at the end of the day

But why do some owners handle t's and believe the t loves them.
I think it's just people trying to find more than the normal "pet link" and attempting to anthropomorphise

after all it isn't like a dog or cat so the t isn't going to love is it?.
Actually we have no way of knowing, but we'll go with no

and they kill the male after mating don't they?... so no love lost there.
Not Always, the male in most cases mates and then does a runner , sometimes though he's too slow, she's not in the mood, he makes a mistake in reading her responces and the worst happens.

so why do owners play with t's like on YouTube shows.
Bravado, stupidity, inquisitiveness, lack of knowledge, to prove a point ... these are some reasons attributed by responsible keepers, at the end of the day .. who knows..maybe they think it makes good TV.

also how many on here breed or own Mexican red knees and for how long?.
Have to wait for others to reply here, my Partner has had a sub adult male for two years.

the reason behind this is I'm thinking when I make the step to get one I'll have owners details to what the mrk can be like from all sides and not just book.
Excellent, you can never learn everything from just one source and it's best to get as much information from as many areas as you can

And you all know I'm going to be asking more questions..
No problems, i won't get bored

as I see it if you don't ask you don't learn no matter how stupid it may sound.
The only way to learn, there's no such thing as a stupid question, but you can get stupid answers

and why do people have more then one t or then breeders.
People normally start off with one spider then see another that they like, this can lead to a person collecting all the species in one genus because they like those in particular or just collect all the different species they like in a massive "mix and match" type thing.
In simple terms (and there's more reasons than this) breeders are different as they will (in general) collect breeding groups of particular spiders from which they breed and get offspring, then sell them to buy more adults for breeding. Or just maybe they are particularly smitten with one species an have a go at "making their own"
thank you again..
John.

[Joanna Pendleton]

Hope I can help!

Not that knowledgeable but hope I can help, here goes!

first thank you to every one that is being a great help.
the none hands on idea I like..
But why do some owners handle t's

well. . .
Handling, I think, is a matter of personal choice. I find they're a lot more in to handling in America (apologies to any American's amongst us who disgree) and the BTS does promote not handling Ts, for the basic reason of the Ts safety. (even a short fall could prove fatal, especially if the T is a bit of a skittish one and bites, it can often get flung unintentionally. Or if the human is a bit of a skittish one and freaks out and drops the T!!!). I would handle mine to get her in and out of her terrarium for cleaning purposes for example, but that's not going to be very often. Although I would like to get my baby one used to being handled occasionally purely as she is my daughters and when she is older she may want to, which again is her choice, although I have advised her of the danger to her T if she does.



and believe the t loves them.
after all it isn't like a dog or cat so the t isn't going to love is it?.

Personally I believe a cat or dog is no more capable of loving a human than a T. Humans's just project human emotions and feelings onto their cats and dogs. I guess some may do the same for their Ts.


and they kill the male after mating don't they?... so no love lost there.

It can happen, with some species more so than others but is not necessarily the case. I think someone with experience breeding may be able to give you more info on this.


so why do owners play with t's like on YouTube shows.

I'm not sure why owner's play with Ts on you tube but then again so much of the content of you tube baffles me! I do however appreciate seeing some you tubes of other T-related stuff. A couple of guys seem to film a lot of decent stuff which either gives advice or is good to watch. (eg, pulling an egg sack from a T, what Ts look like when first "born", the egg's with legs stage, some of this and some of the advice about different Ts living requirements and temprements I wouldn't have known without them). That answers why I watch it, I guess they film it because they have a passion for Ts and want to share that passion and their knowledge with other enthusiasts!

also how many on here breed or own Mexican red knees and for how long?.
the reason behind this is I'm thinking when I make the step to get one I'll have owners details to what the mrk can be like from all sides and not just book.

I think again hopefully someone who's more experienced and know's the others on the site better than me may be able to give you more info but perhaps try the classifieds on here to see who is selling slings, or indeed anywhere else. If they are selling slings Id assume chances are they're bred them. I bought both my Ts from seperate people/shops online and found both to be very helpful and happy to answer email's/phonecalls. (the spider shop, and bugs sticks and mantids)


And you all know I'm going to be asking more questions..
as I see it if you don't ask you don't learn no matter how stupid it may sound.

It doesn't sound stupid. Its those who do not ask for knowledge and sit blindly in the dark who appear stupid. I also ask many questions as I am new to Ts, and have found the people Ive asked to be nothing but helpful and no-one though it sounded stupid lol!!!


and why do people have more then one t or then breeders.

Not everyone has more than one. I have 2, a sub-adult and a sling. But I can see myself getting many more in the future! I think it's all about having a passion for them. They are wonderful creatures to keep and so beautiful, and there are so many different types. I guess they are also a fairly easy pet to have a few of. Cant imagine people having the same room for 100s of dogs as they do for 100s of Ts!!!
While I'd love to have quite a few I'm not sure I'd want to breed, as I'm not confident enough really, but saying that maybe a few Ts down the line I will be. Apart form it being an amazing process, people breed because so many people want Ts and we need to have captive breeding to stop them being caught in the wild and sold. Some Ts are already considered endangered, partly due to habitat destruction (mainly in india/asia), but also due to illegal trafficking (Brachypelma's from mexico being the main example). As Ts become more popular pets so we need to breed more/support captive breeding to ensure they do not become critically endangered or extinct.


thank you again..
John.

no worries John, hope Ive helped you and hopefully some knowledgeable people can expand more on some points.

J x

[Joanna Pendleton]

Haha, I took so long writing my reply that 2 other's replied while I was doing it (it was the quoting and colouring your writing that took me so long, as I am a complete idiot with computers but wanted to look stylish like Colin, pmsl!)

J x

[John chambers]

[QUOTE=Joanna Pendleton;48709]THE TARANTULA KEEPER'S GUIDE,

I have a medium exo-terra plastic terranium.
I've been told Ts can push up hinge lids, but my terranium has a hinge lid, that sort of slides and locks into place.
Hi Joanna.
I've look at the spider shops site and see that they use grills,
I have read that t's can get claws stuck in grills.
so that would mean 1 very upset t waiting to be helped and ready to nail the person helping.
so I'm staying away from wire or mesh grills.
I have seen one I liked but again it had a front grill aswell as a top one.
I'll keep looking and it's the size too as a sling won't need alot of space but later I'll be buying more ...so maybe a large 1 would be best and save some money as it will grow in to it.
I think a female would be best as I keep reading males are faster.
ok females are larger and from what's on YouTube some are very big ..biger than Ive seen.
and I've got to look at all the what if's for the future as to plan ahead to make sure I've covered everything so the t won't ever suffer and nor will we.

[Joanna Pendleton]

Well, if you're getting a sling any small container with some ventialtion holes is fine. Just a deli tub will do, or a jar or a small plastic tub like mine. I just put holes in it with a nail and sanded it off a bit.

Cheap and cheerful!

I've not heard of Ts getting stuck in lids, but then ive also not heard of them having claws pmsl, do you mean the fang or a leg?

I wouldn't put a T in anything too large. they won't be able to find their food! My sling is in a tiny tub but it still seems a little big for her. Its nto too expensive to get a few cheap tubs in differing sizes til your T is big enough to go into a terrarium.

I think a female is best to get if you want it to live for a while after maturing. But of course with slings you kind of get what your given and wait to see what it becomes.
x

[John chambers]

on tube some say they clime and can get claws stuck ..so must be feet.
and I don't know should it be a sling or sub-adult?.
and what about heat?.
just watched a tube vid and the smithi must be 7inche with feet spread.
yet it/she looks so calm..
and another guy talks about a choco I think he calls it and picks it up by holding it's sides!.
he runs riversiderepitles in us.
god so much to take in...can't wait for that book to come ( the one you told me about )

[Kurt Baird]

I wouldn't get a sling. They're not the best for first time keepers, although that is the route i personally went down. I would go with a juvenile, as they're more devolped than a sling but you still get to watch them grow.

If you're worried about the T getting stuck in meshing (and it does happen, has happened to me once or twice) then you can go with an Exo Terra faunarium, they come in a number of sizes so you can pick the right one for your T.