Eupalaestrus

[John chambers]

Hi.

I was looking on the net to see what other Eupalaestrus*there is and was shocked to find just three in the whole sp.

Eupalaestrus*campestratus
Eupalaestrus*spinosissmus
Eupalaestrus*weijenberghi

I know some keep E.campestratus but what about the others?.
Are they alike ?
Does any one breed them?.
Or are they over looked!.

John

[Michael Olsinia]

There is also a fourth species according to the WSC: E. guyanus, but AFAIK only campestratus is commonly available in the hobby. E. weijenberghi pops up occasionally, but not that often.

[Christopher Smallman]

Well thats 2 more than I knew about

When I rejoined the hobby over a year ago Virginia Cheeseman had some E.weijenberghi juvs along with E.campestratus I chose the later.

Then a couple of months back she had an adult E.weijenberghi but was a little pricey for me.

As a species I dont think they are bred enough as the 2 I knew about are rather gentle spiders.

Chris.

[Kelly Battman]

my Husband and I have an E.campestratus(Martha,named after a colombian friend) it is the most docile T we own really is a pet rock, stunning colours if you like pink hehe but an amazing feeding responce would love to find an adult male to try and mate her, although Tim is really into his baboons and other old worlds he does have a huge soft spot for this T

[John chambers]

my Husband and I have an E.campestratus(Martha,named after a colombian friend) it is the most docile T we own really is a pet rock, stunning colours if you like pink hehe but an amazing feeding responce would love to find an adult male to try and mate her, although Tim is really into his baboons and other old worlds he does have a huge soft spot for this T

Lee at the spider shop has juvi's for sale on his website if that helps

[John chambers]

Well thats 2 more than I knew about

When I rejoined the hobby over a year ago Virginia Cheeseman had some E.weijenberghi juvs along with E.campestratus I chose the later.

Then a couple of months back she had an adult E.weijenberghi but was a little pricey for me.

As a species I dont think they are bred enough as the 2 I knew about are rather gentle spiders.

Chris.

It would be good if these were being bred more as like you say they are good and just not enough to go around.
The Americans like em alot and over there they cost alot.
I was told that some imports come over as adults..

[John chambers]

On 28th I got my first E.campestratus from Mandy C and have to say what a lovely t she is.
She's four years old and 100# female..
I'm very pleased with her and she walks around her tank and is at easy all the time.

[John chambers]

my Husband and I have an E.campestratus(Martha,named after a colombian friend) it is the most docile T we own really is a pet rock, stunning colours if you like pink hehe but an amazing feeding responce would love to find an adult male to try and mate her, although Tim is really into his baboons and other old worlds he does have a huge soft spot for this T

Hi Kelly.
is it normal for pzb to take ages for molting!.
I've had mine a month now and still no molt and she doesn't attack food even when it walks right up to her face.
She drinks alot..

John.

[Kelly Battman]

ours is fully adult and only moults once every 12-14 months but will stop eating for about 2 months before hand,as long as shes drinking and not looking dehydrated should be fine ,congrats on getting one by the way such a pretty and placid spider
oh are the colours looking washed out and/or dull ? usually a pretty good sign a moult is due but it can take a while
Tim

[John chambers]

Hi Tim.
yeah she is grayish looking and her rump has hair loss and very black coloring skin.. no sign of pink at all.
She is a total darling and makes me wonder if all the genus are like this.
I'm very pleased I got her and the sp is a great starter t also apart from the worry when molting lol.

John.

[Christopher Smallman]

Hi John.

Here is a list of my moults for this speices or should I say the gaps between the last feed and the moult

23/7/09 ~ 7/8/09, 11/11/09 ~ 12/12/09, 26/2/10 ~ 31/3/10.

As you can see its about a month in pre-moult and I dare say as they get larger so the time between moults will become longer.

I have found this is the one spider that wont eat until its about to burst so sometimes mine fools me with a none eat day when all she is being is a lady and not stuffing her face unlike my Brachypelma lol.

Chris.

[John chambers]

Hi Chris.
I've given her food and the next day I've looked for it and nothing.
But I've watched a locust walk right up to her and she does nothing just sits there.. so I remove the food just so it won't bug her.
she is drinking alot as I top it up ever two days and her bald patch has got from her spinners to near her top of the rump.
it's black with some small patches where hair has come out and she only has grey that's very dull as your see from pics on arachnophiles.
I can open her enclosure and she don't run off and when she is out of her hide she just changes places to site or she might show off her belly lol.
She is a great t and I'm very happy with her.

I'd love to get a E.weijenberghi also but I've read they are bird eaters?
I wouldn't of thought this genus got that big!.

John.

[Christopher Smallman]

As I said they arent a greedy spider what I do if they refuse food and cant work out if its pre-moult or a full spider is leave them for 10 to 14 days and offer food again those that were full may eat those that are about to moult wont.

The "Birdeater" tag is just that its used to denote spiders from the America's mainly the South. Its like most African tarantulas are called "Baboons" and Asian's are "Earth Tigers" not saying they wouldnt eat maybe a chick that had fallen from a nest in the wild but having one stalking you budgie in the living room I guess would not happen

Chris.

[Christopher Smallman]

Just had a look at your PZB album on AP and its hard to say if its near pre-moult unless you are living with the spider but as she does still take food its not going to be any time soon.

Glad to see yours is not camera shy I get to see mine only if its dark usually and as soon as I touch the enclosure its a view of her backside waddling down her cave

Chris.

[Kelly Battman]

I wouldn't worry about the moult too much if the conditions are right. Our little only fed when we left her alone coming up to the moult but then stopped for a couple of months. she didn't have much of a Bald abdomen just a few hairs missing but her colours did look really pale almost a light Beige but then you get a big fluffy pink T.