Brazillian Salmon Pink Birdeater

[Iya]

I am thinking of adding a Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater, but I wanted to get a few facts first. When ready the caresheet it says to have a light and a under heat pad, but whenever I look into this, this is strongly frowned upon. I was wondering if this species really did need it. Also it says it has to be in at least a 10 gallon tank, but the lady at the store said that that was really not necessary. I want to get as much info as possible before I take the step. I have 5 tarantulas already, a Copper Chilean, Rose Chilean, Texas Brown (male and female), and a Cobalt Blue spiderling. I thought that this might be a good addition. Any information will be appreciated, thank you in advance.

 

[ManlyMan7]

Hi lya, awesome addy and one that should be in every collection. My 9" girl is about to molt any day now and I am looking forward to it. This girl is a gem.

I do not recommend lights or a heat pad. Lights are not needed for a nocturnal species like most tarantulas. G. pulchras are an exception as they do seem to love to bask. Typically, lights for tanks will dry them out. And heat pads will do the same and can run the risk of burning your T if they burrow down to it.

As for tank size, you will eventually need 10 gallons or greater. These are one of the largest Ts in the world. Before Theraphosas were discovered, these were considered the largest T.

 

[IamKrush]

No light or heat pad.also as said above they will need a 10g min as an adult. A 20gal long would be better. Alot of care sheets state it will get up to 10". But from seeing photos or videos of other peoples LPs 8" is more common. I currently am raising a sling. I got it as 1/2" and now its 1.5" in about 4 months.

 

[IamKrush]

The temperament for me dealing with it as a sling. Ive noticed it to be very shy at first burrowing and hiding in the burrow as a sling. At a inch and a half its still skittish but will come one of its hide when i open its enclouser to see whats going on then will run away back inits home. I heard they become more mellow and hang out out of the burrow as they get bigger.

 

[ManlyMan7]

I don't know about 10", but I can tell you my girl is every bit of 9" and is premolt. I am hoping she gets to 10".

I would think that 10" is very possible, but that it is not common. Much like 12" is not all that common for Theraphosas. You have specimens that are larger and some that are smaller than normal. Males of T species show such a range as well. I once had a 7.5" mature male Lp, and have held a 9"+ mature male Lp.

They definitely become bolder with age. My Sabea doesn't use a hide. I eventually removed hers since she only webbed it over.

 

[IamKrush]

I don't know about 10", but I can tell you my girl is every bit of 9" and is premolt. I am hoping she gets to 10".

I would think that 10" is very possible, but that it is not common. Much like 12" is not all that common for Theraphosas. You have specimens that are larger and some that are smaller than normal. Males of T species show such a range as well. I once had a 7.5" mature male Lp, and have held a 9"+ mature male Lp.

They definitely become bolder with age. My Sabea doesn't use a hide. I eventually removed hers since she only webbed it over.

View attachment 22495

Very nice T you have there. Looking forward for mine to get bigger.

 

[ManlyMan7]

Sabea is about 6 years old.

These can grow very fast as young, but when they hit maturity (around 6-7"), their growth slows way down.

I will also caution you that they like to explore, and have been known to cut through metal screen mesh with their fangs. Sabea even broke her fangs off a few years ago and didn't eat for 5 months until she molted again.

 

[IamKrush]

Sabea is about 6 years old.

These can grow very fast as young, but when they hit maturity (around 6-7"), their growth slows way down.

I will also caution you that they like to explore, and have been known to cut through metal screen mesh with their fangs. Sabea even broke her fangs off a few years ago and didn't eat for 5 months until she molted again.

Thats what i heard they can also get stuck if they climb on it. I plan on making a plexiglass lid for the tank when the time come to do so.

 

[IamKrush]

Sabea is about 6 years old.

These can grow very fast as young, but when they hit maturity (around 6-7"), their growth slows way down.

I will also caution you that they like to explore, and have been known to cut through metal screen mesh with their fangs. Sabea even broke her fangs off a few years ago and didn't eat for 5 months until she molted again.

I'm glad to hear she recovered after the fangs broke off. I bet that was a stressful wait.

 

[ManlyMan7]

I did the plexi lid but then she managed to get her fangs between the lid and the rim of the tank. That is when she broke them off.

After that, I moved her to a tank I made myself. 3/16" plexi, 14"x18"x9" She has no lips on this tank to get her fangs hooked on, and not enough vertical room to fall and hurt herself.

 

[Paul Bowen]

I have 2 Lps. One is a sling and the other a 4" female. Both are super easy to care for and have been eating at least once or twice a week. The sling has burrowed but the female chills outside alot. Love them both

 

[IamKrush]

I did the plexi lid but then she managed to get her fangs between the lid and the rim of the tank. That is when she broke them off.

After that, I moved her to a tank I made myself. 3/16" plexi, 14"x18"x9" She has no lips on this tank to get her fangs hooked on, and not enough vertical room to fall and hurt herself.

View attachment 22496

Nice. You made that one?

 

[ManlyMan7]

Yes I did.

 

[IamKrush]

Yes I did.

Nicely done. I've thought about making my own when the time is right.

 

[kormath]

I am thinking of adding a Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater, but I wanted to get a few facts first. When ready the caresheet it says to have a light and a under heat pad, but whenever I look into this, this is strongly frowned upon. I was wondering if this species really did need it. Also it says it has to be in at least a 10 gallon tank, but the lady at the store said that that was really not necessary. I want to get as much info as possible before I take the step. I have 5 tarantulas already, a Copper Chilean, Rose Chilean, Texas Brown (male and female), and a Cobalt Blue spiderling. I thought that this might be a good addition. Any information will be appreciated, thank you in advance.

ignore the care sheets, they're just full of useless information and will stress you out trying to keep the humidity and temps where they say it should be. I only look at 1 care sheet - www.mikebasictarantula.com - and that's just to read the growth rate, food consumption, temperament and his comments. I only buy slings, so it gives me a heads up kind of as to what i can maybe expect.

My LP lives on dry eco-earth coconut fiber mixed with peat moss. I use a water dish for humidity. Room temps are 73-77 in the winter, 77-82 in the summer. Water dish is filled every other day or 3rd day depending how long it takes to evaporate. Chum is fed once a week on Sundays, but he may get a snack on Wednesday when i feed my tiny slings. He's 4" now, give or take, could be female. he's never climbed the walls that I've seen to get a vent pic and his last molt was destroyed and couldn't be sexed.

Chum lives in a medium Kritter Keeper, but is going to be rehoused soon to a larger enclosure, not sure if i'll put him in the XL kritter keeper or the larger Dalle Craft enclosure. Thinking to put him in the Dalle Craft one, as it's big enough to be his final home, and i don't think it's too big to stress him out at his current size.

 

[ManlyMan7]

In general, I would agree with you on care sheets, and I also agree with the link to Mike's Basic Taratunla page. He has a lot of experience and has taken time to put that experience up on the web.

But I would also like to offer another set of care sheets I believe are done well. Granted, I am partial as I have written most of these myself and have, in some cases (mostly for those species very new to the hobby) have gathered my information from the scientific papers describing the species. I have aimed to make these accurate and reliable.

Since these are on another forum, I won't give the link directly here, but you can find it by googling "Pterinopelma sazimai care sheet" and seeing the first hit in that search. At least it is first in my search.

I do have a care sheet for Lp there too.

 

[kormath]

In general, I would agree with you on care sheets, and I also agree with the link to Mike's Basic Taratunla page. He has a lot of experience and has taken time to put that experience up on the web.

But I would also like to offer another set of care sheets I believe are done well. Granted, I am partial as I have written most of these myself and have, in some cases (mostly for those species very new to the hobby) have gathered my information from the scientific papers describing the species. I have aimed to make these accurate and reliable.

Since these are on another forum, I won't give the link directly here, but you can find it by googling "Pterinopelma sazimai care sheet" and seeing the first hit in that search. At least it is first in my search.

I do have a care sheet for Lp there too.

so the first link in google searching for that in as an invalid link, it goes to page full of spyware/phishing adds to click this update that blah blah. And if you look closely it's saying it's a P. sazimai sheet but the link is to an A. purpurea sheet

Then the 2nd link is to threads in AB, and then it's Tom's Big Spiders blog.

So either my search is different or your page has been hijacked and flooded with phishing/spam crap

Screen shot for hell of it

 

[ManlyMan7]

Hmm. I have noticed that page coming up a few times lately, and yet, if I go back and try again, I get through.

The A. purpurea care sheet info there is curious as well, but I can't help but wonder if that is because the first care sheet on the home page of care sheets is for purpurea.

Gonna have to look into this. Thanks....

 

[terror_corpz]

this is how I keep my LP see if you can get some tips here if you like ☺☺