new to t's

[John chambers]

Hi John, perhaps they said it wasn't good cos Brachy's are notorious flickers? Other than that I can't see why it wouldn't be a good first, but then I don't own one, so can't judge that well.
How are you getting on with that book?

J x

hi Joanna .. I'm finding it very good and well worth buying.
I know much more than I did and cold blooded said they flick hair but it was that the mex redknee gets too moody as they put it..but I've read that all t's can get a off day..
and I've looked at pink toes - chilli rose - flameknee - and don't like em as much as the b.smithi.
but I don't want to get a t that will put me off of them it's not like I'm going to have it with me watching tv lol but I don't want to have one that I can't trust... if that makes sense?.

[Joanna Pendleton]

Hi John, perhaps they said it wasn't good cos Brachy's are notorious flickers? Other than that I can't see why it wouldn't be a good first, but then I don't own one, so can't judge that well.
How are you getting on with that book?

J x

[John chambers]

http://www.thebts.co.uk/keeping_tarantulas.html Might help

thanks Vicky ..
still wonder is it the shop wanting to sell beginners the chilli rose or does the Mexican redknee turn bad?.

[Vicky Child]

http://www.thebts.co.uk/keeping_tarantulas.html Might help

[John chambers]

hi Colin.
I will try and get there.. also I spoke to a shop that sells t's and was told the b.smithi isn't a good one to start with and the guy said he is a member and knows Peter that deals with cold blooded and got his first t from the a chilli rose.
thing is I don't like chilli rose and he said a flame knee is a good calm one to start with also.
what I can't understand is if the mex redknee isn't that good and gets too moody why hasn't any one said.
every thing I read or see on YouTube says they are good.
and cold blooded said a 12 inche enclosure is good.
yet I've read I'll need a 24 inche one ?.
so very misleading to what is fact or not...

[Colin D Wilson]

hello Colin.
that would be great thank you
where can I find detales of this ?.
See Above
also I'm going for the exo terra with removable top and front door that has a lock made in to it.
I'll cover the mesh top so the t can't get stuck and the fact I can use the front or roof to get in will make cleaning easier.
Sounds ok, good quality tanks and you can get a fair amount in them for the spider to dig and do
as for substrat I'm thinking of using coco fiber as I buy it in a brick and use it for my two chemelions and it's cheap easy to keep clean.... that's if that's ok?.
I don't use it myself but a lot of people swear by it, cheap and cheerful stuff
I am not rushing getting a t but I am learning alot about them.
and also learning the not to do's.
Best way to go about starting off with a pet spider, too many people rush into things or make an impulse buy without checking details first.
thanks again.
John

I think you'll do ok

[Colin D Wilson]

Here's the info......

http://thebts.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?6386-Bts-silver-annivesary-exhibition-2010-Update

......and here's the directions
http://www.thebts.co.uk/media/BTS%20...nouncement.pdf

[John chambers]

I think you need to get yourself to the BTS expo in May John.
If you can hold off till then you'll more than likely get a fantastic deal (compared to pet shop prices and quality)
There will be loads of members there that would give advice and help you decide if you asked, I wouldn't have a problem giving up half hour to help you make a choice if you found me in the midst of the chaos

hello Colin.
that would be great thank you
where can I find detales of this ?.
also I'm going for the exo terra with removable top and front door that has a lock made in to it.
I'll cover the mesh top so the t can't get stuck and the fact I can use the front or roof to get in will make cleaning easier.
as for substrat I'm thinking of using coco fiber as I buy it in a brick and use it for my two chemelions and it's cheap easy to keep clean.... that's if that's ok?.
I am not rushing getting a t but I am learning alot about them.
and also learning the not to do's.

thanks again.
John

[Colin D Wilson]

I think you need to get yourself to the BTS expo in May John.
If you can hold off till then you'll more than likely get a fantastic deal (compared to pet shop prices and quality)
There will be loads of members there that would give advice and help you decide if you asked, I wouldn't have a problem giving up half hour to help you make a choice if you found me in the midst of the chaos

[John chambers]

that's a fair thing todo as I see it.
today I went and chated to the guy that has the b.smithi for £90 and was told he took it as part ex.
it's about 3.5 to 4 inches (without legs spread out) he said it's very skitish.
And he feeds it 3 crickets aweek.
he keeps em in a exo terra.
he had chilli rose - pink toe ( 2 of ) 1 pink toe was in a web high up.
so I'm still trying to find a good shop or breeder in Essex..
as yet no luck.

[Lee Corless]

and also is she a breeder? as she doesnt seem sure whether some of them are captive bred or wild caught so i wasn't sure if she was a breeder or just a dealer? I might be more happy to buy one's she's bred then. The wild caught bit put me off.

Like I say though just cos the info on the website made me feel uncomfortable doesnt mean there is anyhting wrong with it, i guess we all go with what we feel comfortable with

J x

x

After reading a few of her blogs, she does import a few from over seas(Germany), but she also breeds them her self, But in all honesty she started out breeding stick insects and other general bugs.... its only the past few years she has got into breeeding and selling Ts....

Like I said before, I do not want to come across as defending her.

I am just saying what i think.....

[Joanna Pendleton]

I am not defending her, but a lot of places sell unsext T.... I know that if i was a sucsefull breeder with a shop on the net, then i would probably say "i don't know how to sex them"... it's just business sense. she is not going to turn around and say "yes i will give you a female" because she will end up with 100s of males

thats just my 10bobs worth...

very good point Lee, alhtough I think id be more likely to say yes i do know how to sex them, although this is tricky and I will never guarentee 100%, rather than i havent got a clue.

and also is she a breeder? as she doesnt seem sure whether some of them are captive bred or wild caught so i wasn't sure if she was a breeder or just a dealer? I might be more happy to buy one's she's bred then. The wild caught bit put me off.

Like I say though just cos the info on the website made me feel uncomfortable doesnt mean there is anyhting wrong with it, i guess we all go with what we feel comfortable with

J x

x

[Lee Corless]

I am not defending her, but a lot of places sell unsext T.... I know that if i was a sucsefull breeder with a shop on the net, then i would probably say "i don't know how to sex them"... it's just business sense. she is not going to turn around and say "yes i will give you a female" because she will end up with 100s of males

thats just my 10bobs worth...

[Joanna Pendleton]

Joanna .
in the book it does say how to sex them and what to look for in males.
I can understand if it's that small that you can't see but if people are putting it in a book there must be a age that tells them the sex.. because what happens if you buy a t and it turns out to be the wrong sex?.
in the book it said with slings you buy three to stand a chance of getting one right sex.
but what with sub-adults when does the hooks show on males ( that help him hold off the female)
how many molts till you know it's a female?.
it's like a case of pot luck.. but that means buying adults and losing the growing up part after bonding with a t that could be the wrong sex you really wanted.

John :-/

To be honest for me I just wanted a female cos they live longer, so will be a bit sad if our sling is a male, especially as it's my 3 yr olds, but then if i got her a hamster or something that would only live a couple of years too! our sling is very small and I don't mind that it couldnt be sexed as is only 2nd instar and can only sex from 4th moult i think!

I guess it's more annoying if you want to mate and keep getting the same sex Ts. But then maybe in that case you wouldnt be as bothered about getting them as slings and watching them grow. My A.chalcodes is a female though and only about half way to mature, so that kind of size is prob a good one to get if you fancy seeing them grow a bit, but defo want a female?

J x

[John chambers]

it might be worth emailing http://www.metamorphosis.zookeepers.co.uk too, they had a fair few b.smithi's in when I asked.

thanks Vicky I'll try them..