Pokies!

[Sarah Wells]

Ok so ive decided to go ahead and get a pokie, But would like some advice and tips b4 i purchase one. I have seen some people use a cereal container to keep them in, do u all recommend this? i have a spare one so was going to use that, Where should i drill holes? and also what temperature do they do best at? And how much humidity do they need? What species would you recommend? and also are they quite active? Thanks

[Colin D Wilson]

Cereal tubs are great, just pop a few holes around the top edge and some about an inch above the substrate level for good air movement.

Temps i found work fine are between 76 - 80 odd in the day with a few degrees drop at night.

Humidity control would be a weekly spray (or pour some water on the substrate)

Different people recommend different species ...... but to be honest i think any of them are ok if you get one from a sling and get used to the way they go about their daily business.
If you're getting a larger one, then you should be fine, just treat it as the "look dont touch" scenario

[Lisa Baines]

P.regalis are obviously the cheapest and a usual starting point into pokes.

P.ruffilata, are the largest of the pokies and my female is a little nuts! She will run off given the opportunity! Ruffies are the only pokies that give me the run around but could be that they dont like me hahaha!

P.metallica are pretty laid back like avics

as for the others (I also have miranda, striata, formosa, tigrinaweselli and regalis) they do come out a fair bit but like all pokies one knock and they're off. These all seem not to shy but not crackers like my rufilata! Kinda half way temperament wise.

Cerial tubs are fine. I drill holes in the lid, a row 2" from the top of the tub and another row 2" from the bottom of the tub. Maximum ventilation. I use cerial tubs for males but I keep my females in exo terra terrariums (30 x 30 x 45cm)

Apart from the P.metallica which is kept at ambient temp of 28-30oc and the rufilata which is kept at room temp of about 25oC all the others are kept at about 26oC and sprayed to keep damp but not wet. I think the humidity should be about 70%?

To be honest apart from re-housing - which can be a lot of fun! - they are pretty easy to keep and a joy to see

[Sarah Wells]

Thanks for the reply Colin ill start looking at all the different types going to get one on Friday, cant wait I think i might go for a juvi or sub adult Thanks again for answering all my questions

[Sarah Wells]

Also thanks Lisa I do love the P. metalica but cant find any on the spider shop site or virginia cheeseman, unless i wasnt looking hard enough lol XD Still deciding tho, i have until friday

[Lisa Baines]

You're gunna hate me then! Just sold out on all my P.mett slings! But... I am keeping some back to sex (for now) and thinking about auctioning one (hopefully female!) off for charity

[Sarah Wells]

aww noo lol XD never mind, im sure i will get one eventually. Just gotta keep looking. Im going to the BTS show next year so hopefully will get one then

[Ray Hale]

I keep a lot of my Pokies in ceral tubs but some of the more exciting adults I tend to keep in glass tanks with vents (Custiom Aquaria). This is purely for aesthetic reasons as There is nothing like seeing an adult Pokey sitting on her bark in the early hours. Purely a matter of taste and if it works for you then go for it.

Cheers

Ray

[Peter Roach]

Cereal tubs are great, just pop a few holes around the top edge and some about an inch above the substrate level for good air movement.

Just like this

[John chambers]

last night I got to see Mark Porter's adult female regalis and his pair of gooty's.
I can't wait for my regalis sling now.
And next I'm going for miranda and then a gooty.
I may try and get two slings, one from different breeders.
But has yet can't find enough breeders with slings and other problem is finding small enough cork bark .. I've tried finding suppliers to see if they sell bags of odd bits .. But no luck.

And I also got to meet and speak to Mr Ray Gabriel and watched him with a pair of A.geniculata's for breeding.
It was great to put a face to a well known name

[Sarah Wells]

Thanks guys seriously cant wait for tommorow/ midnight lol, when i get money put in my bank XD now ive decided on a Poecilotheria bara sling Any one have any of these ?

[Ray Gabriel]

Where to start......Lisa good to see you bred P.met I was going to email you to reserve a couple of slings but never mind,

OK when i first addapted the 5l cerail container (there is a BTS article somewhere) for pokes I did do some experimentation including lots of little holes which did not really work, as the phorid flies could get in (Phorid flies may transmit nematodes) and the Trichorina could get out.

Increased ventilation = more maintenance=more disturbance= less chance of an eggsac.

I know cutting out the top of the pouring lid is a hastle, buying wire gause costs less than a beer, and stabbing with a soldering Iron easier but in the end I found out the ventilated lid worked the best. With only one area for ventilation (as i have seen in some pokie holes in the wild) the humidity stays a bit more constant and reduces a bit more slowly, to increase the humidity you only have to pour the water through the mesh lid so not directly disturbing the container.

Pete if I may make a couple of suggestions: increase the depth of the substrate up to the level of the holes, and increase the hide area to include the angled "handle part" of the tub as can be seen in the first pic, this gives the female more room in the hide to produce an eggsac, and with the binliner let the edge of the bin liner overlap the cork bark on both sides by an inch ensuring minumum light creeps through the sides.

Just some thoughts

Ray

[Ray Gabriel]

Sara there is no species called Poecilotheria bara. P. bara is a junior synonym of P. subfusca (there is more i can say here but wont untill the paper is ready all holotype examined)

These require a bit more experiance to look after I suggest you go for P. regalis first maybe even go for a group of 3 or 4 as they live well together.

Ray

[Sarah Wells]

Thanks Ray. It was called that on some website, nevermind lol, I have to wait til next friday now as forgot how much money i have to pay out this week but next week i shall be rich so ive decided to go for the P.regalis you have suggested and also im gonna get some slings which are on my wish list

[John chambers]

last night I got to see Mark Porter's adult female regalis and his pair of gooty's.
I can't wait for my regalis sling now.
And next I'm going for miranda and then a gooty.
I may try and get two slings, one from different breeders.
But has yet can't find enough breeders with slings and other problem is finding small enough cork bark .. I've tried finding suppliers to see if they sell bags of odd bits .. But no luck.

And I also got to meet and speak to Mr Ray Gabriel and watched him with a pair of A.geniculata's for breeding.
It was great to put a face to a well known name

Update: I have found a shop that sells broken off bits of cork ect and it's cheap too