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**Karin Mitton** · 23-05-07, 12:56 PM

From one newbie to another welcome!
Have heard of a few people that keep millipeeds, but not sure they are quite to my liking. I also want a red leg, but then I want all the Brachypelma species!

**James Box** · 23-05-07, 01:22 PM

i'm with you there...i'm also interested in the Aphonopelma genus as well. all the docile ones are great, though i've no issues with nervous or aggressive spiders. i loved my C Darlingi, afterall!

i love my millis! i'd recommend them to anyone. they're easy to feed as they eat old to rotting vegetables, which can mean fruit flies...but not if you keep on top of it.
they're inquisitive and docile animals, once they get over their initial shyness, and the sensation of their hundreds of legs walking on you is quite cool!
i say they're docile, but one was chewing on me yesterday. not sure why it thought i was a plant, but at least it didn't hurt more then a minor scratch!
the only thing to check on is the number of mites they have. i've often heard that they have a symbiotic relationship with "helper" mites, but they can apparently be irritated by them if there are too many.

**Warren Beattie** · 23-05-07, 01:38 PM

Hullo!

Nice collection. I fully expect to see it expand rapidly.

Nice starter species, too.

My first two were a pair of Trinidad Chevron slings, raised to adulthood with few hiccups. I was surprised when I heard people talk about their aggression and unsuitability as beginner tarantulas.

I've thought about millis, especially after seeing the impressive variety at the BTS show. But with everything else I bought, I'll have to see if I have the space...

And yes: the Brachypelma genus can be addictive.

**Colin D Wilson** · 23-05-07, 02:51 PM

Hi james and welcome.

Like you, we keep milipedes and have the Giant african (for one of the common names) we have two sharing a 4ft x 3ft x 2ft enclosure with three whites tree frogs in a mini "ecosystem". with the addition of about 50 or so woodlice we dont have to "clean out" very often as the waste products from each gets eaten by the next one down on the list as it were.

This is the place for gaining info and others experience in the tarantula hobby, if you feel like you're ready for your next T, post in the classifieds or bulletin board and i'm sure someone will answer you. dont forget the shops that post here too such as the spidershop and tarantulashop, in my opinion better priced and better quality than your usual local pet shop.

**Robert Farmer** · 23-05-07, 07:27 PM

Originally posted by Colin D Wilson View Post

ont forget the shops that post here too such as the spidershop and tarantulashop, in my opinion better priced and better quality than your usual local pet shop.

I'll second that, my local pet shop's trying to flog a 4cm B Smithi for £55, a 10cm P Murinus for £55 and a 10cm T Blondi for £65...

I told him I'd give him £50 for the lot (more than anything to take them away from the appalling conditions they're currently residing in) but no joy.

His response was "someone will pay that price for them"... nuff said!

Oh and welcome James!

**Helen Roberts** · 24-05-07, 08:43 AM

Hello and welcome. You do have a nice collection there and it will grow as mine and my daughters has done. I also keep scorpions (3 Emperors, 1 Arizona Desert and 1 Flatrock) but no Millipedes at the moment. Our spider collection now totals 12 but 6 of those are my daughters and 3 belong to one of her workmates, but when she moves into a new flat her Ts will go with her which will leave a bit of room for me to expand my collection.

My daughter used to get her Ts through her work but I've bought the last 3 from The Spider Shop and have had excellent service from them. As far as pet shops go, from my limited experience I don't think they keep them in the right environment, so I probably wouldn't buy from one.

I've learnt so much from everyone here and they're all so friendly, so for any advice etc you've come to the right place.

**James Box** · 24-05-07, 09:31 AM

Cheers! nice to meet you all

thanks much for the advice regarding the Spidershop and Tarantulashop. i'll definitely check them out in the near future!
yeah Warren, i saw a few at the convention...one was looking rather poorly, although she was a large specimen. she wasn't holding herself up right, and her abdomen was a bit small...the other options were some unsexed subadults...and silly me i didn't take the risk on getting males...i mean so what if i do? could try breeding! and they were a tenner each.
oh well! you live and learn, and thankfully there are these online shops you guys have mentioned!
i fully agree with the comments about petshop conditions, quality and prices...i've seen some spiders at ridiculous prices in shops i've come to think are not ideal for the animals... best to support the humane alternative.
Helen, i did see a nice flatrock scorpion at the show...but didn't go for it at the moment. one day i'll probably expand my scorpion collection, but i'm content with my Emperors for now! even though they're stroppy!

Collin, that set-up you have with the millis is fascinating!! i have mine in a smaller tank at the moment, but may have to increase the size and try my hand at a miniecosystem like you have! that's amazing. i'll see about collecting some woodlice in the next few days as well. any advice about making sure the woodlice are safe to go into the tank?
also, is there truth to the "helper" mite stories i've heard, or do you de-mite your milli's entirely? i'm thinking that might be best if i'm going to have two other types of animals in there...

**Elaine Ross** · 24-05-07, 11:01 AM

Hi James and welcome to the forum

Elaine

**Colin D Wilson** · 24-05-07, 11:23 AM

James,

The woodlice i use are gathered from my own garden (pesticide free and wild !!!) and also remote areas of woodland and /or forest (again ascertained as free of chems)

The helper mites (if kept under controll) are just as they say...helpers that clear up bits and bobs from mouthparts legs etc. BUT if the numbers get too great they can become an annoyance and cause stress so i get the millipede on a flat surface and use a cotton bud with vasaline (petroleum jelly) on it and wipe off the majority being careful not to clog up the "Breather holes" along the flanks of the milli.

**James Box** · 25-05-07, 11:28 AM

thanks very much for the advice, that's precisely what i'll do! guess i'll be raiding the back garden over the weekend. nice excuse to get outside over the bank holiday weekend, anyways

i think i'll be adding these little critters to all the tanks...though they may get nibbled on a bit by the younger t's... but i suppose that's probably not a terrible thing...bit of an alternative to the crickets!
cheers!

**Colin D Wilson** · 25-05-07, 12:35 PM

You may find, as i do, that most T's leave them well alone and tend to go for the "more juicy" prey items

**James Box** · 25-05-07, 12:44 PM

sounds like the system works!
i'd not heard of using woodlice to keep tanks tidier before and wouldn't have even thought of it! how'd you get the idea?

**Colin D Wilson** · 25-05-07, 03:04 PM

I had do a lot of research for a piece written work needed for a qualification i was doing at the time and woodlice featured heavily in the whole waste breakdown scenario for the environment, a bit of further research on the matter and a word or two with some arachnology guru's and i've used them ever since.

**Mark Pajak** · 29-05-07, 02:01 PM

New Member

I thought I'd introduce myself seeing as I am a very recent BTS member/ forumite!

My name is Mark Pajak and I've been into spiders since I was born, really for me this was a forgone conclusion (do a google search of my surname to find out why - clue: its Polish!) Although I certainly dont share this passion with my immediate family who have had to put up with my zoological endeavours right up until I moved out 6 years ago - now my student flatmates have to put up with it. (they are very wary when I am near the tupperware!)

Anyway I have pursued my fascination through university and I graduated with a degree in Zoology from Bristol Uni a few years ago. My collection includes an adult 10 year old B.smithi reared lovingly since spiderling (my first). At present I have what I believe to be a sub adult female L.parahybana bought as a spiderling labelled T. Blondi. (shes far too black pink and red and much less brown than any blondi pics I've ever seen). I also have three P.fasciata spiderlings and three baboon spiderlings (P.lugurdi, S.calceatum and P.murinus) I am no stranger to the fast and nasty spiders having previously owned an adult S.calceatum - just remember they run UP when startled! I am also eagerly waiting for my first A.versicolor to arrive from the spider shop!

I think the main reason for the trend for this hobby to grow exponentially on someone is that "if you have housing and food for one spiderling - you've got enough for 20!"

So thats that, I've become a BTS member to take a more professional approach to the hobby and will eagerly study the online journals. I will also aim to produce some material fit for publication as soon as I make attempts to breed my spiders. I would ideally like a bit of info on the ins and outs of the "50/50 rule" as I am sure there are some politics behind it all. One question I do have about breeding is - is it considered wrong to mate siblings in captivity due to "inbreeding depression"? and what lengths do people go to avoid this happening? I know the BTS encourages the captive breeding of spiders but I'd really like to know where one would start!

Anyway thats that - I am in Bristol and will make every effort to attend future BTS events. Greetings!

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