Couldn't resist any longer -- Getting a P straita sling and accessories from Jamies

[Whitelightning777]

I was on Jamie's website and I worked up the nerve to get P striata. She has the enclosure, feeders, enclosure for the feeders (pinhead lats), caresheets for the feeders, everything except for the kitchen sink!!

I already have a larger enclosure twice the size of the juvenile one from Jamie's that opens at the top, but it might be TOO large for a sling that is only 1"-1 1/2" in size. I'll make the final decision when I get everything. The Jamie's enclosure lifts up at a lower level but is closed at the top. Pokies run in circles so ??? The respective sizes are 4"x8"x8" versus 4"x4"x8"

The size of the vial used to ship might be a factor, eg will it fit into the enclosure if necessary? I'm leaning toward the Jamie's one and will probably end up using because my M balfouri sling and my 2" spinifer scorpling just LOVE their terrestrial enclosures. Both have exactly zero stress in them and no problem catching feeders whatsoever.

What clinched the deal was that Mike's basic tarantulas lists OW slings and P striata as a good starter pokie.

http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/Handling-OW-tarantulas.html

Strangely enough, the listing for Striata has disappeared from her website even though it was up there for at least the past week. That means I may well have obtained the very last one!!

I have very large plastic totes and a bathtub that I always use anytime I open up the Balfouri's enclosure. I've had zero escape attempts.

 

[Enn49]

Congrats on finally taking the plunge and getting a Pokie

 

[Metalman2004]

Good luck! They are Lots of fun! Don’t let your guard down.

Also, may I suggest installing a smaller door for feeding time? I have tem on my pokie enclosures and its quite convenient!

 

[Whitelightning777]

I guess a trip to Lowe's is in my future. Those small flip open electronic covers for sockets would be perfect, or just a small piece of sheet metal and 2 screws,.which I already have.

 

[Miss Moxie]

Zero escapes just means you've built zero experience on dealing with escapes, keep that in mind. My female P. striata got away from me when I unboxed her. 7.5" of pokie on my bookcase. Because I have experience with escape artists, she was back into her enclosure within two minutes.

 

[Metalman2004]

I guess a trip to Lowe's is in my future. Those small flip open electronic covers for sockets would be perfect, or just a small piece of sheet metal and 2 screws,.which I already have.

Those ideas sound like they probably look better but here is what I did. I melted a hole in the side of the container, cut the top off of a water bottle and hot glued it on top of the hole. Instant trap door.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Zero escapes just means you've built zero experience on dealing with escapes, keep that in mind. My female P. striata got away from me when I unboxed her. 7.5" of pokie on my bookcase. Because I have experience with escape artists, she was back into her enclosure within two minutes.

I will do the transfer in my bathtub in a big full sized tote therein. I've had zero problems with this method. Best of all, I can hang my flashlight right off of the shower head.

A cozy dim enclosure hide should appear more inviting then a 960 lumen light hanging off of a lanyard straight up!!

I'm also putting in some type of feeding port as well.

 

[Whitelightning777]

.... Or if I use the larger cage, the top slides out sideways. You just have to open it up wide enough for the tongs or the width of whatever your feeder is.

The larger one is a Terra Blue with the reptilock. My scorpling found it to large and was dazed and confused and does better in a smaller one.

I'm sure if I put in cork bark or some structure freestanding right in the middle, she'll make a web that I can just drop feeders right inside of, which is exactly what my versicolor has done rendering absolute size irrelevant.

It's officially time to make this as complex as possible!!

It's probably easier to work in a larger enclosure without spooking the T as well.

 

[Metalman2004]

I will do the transfer in my bathtub in a big full sized tote therein. I've had zero problems with this method. Best of all, I can hang my flashlight right off of the shower head.

A cozy dim enclosure hide should appear more inviting then a 960 lumen light hanging off of a lanyard straight up!!

I'm also putting in some type of feeding port as well.

While you are right to guess that it won’t like the 960 lumen flashlight, the reaction my pokies have to bright light is not a very happy one. I only shine a flashlight on them when I really need to see something, but their reaction is usually to run back and forth like a tweaker thats gone too long without hitting the meth pipe. I’m not sure I’d want that happening during a rehouse.

 

[Whitelightning777]

The light will encourage them to go low and use hides in the cage instead of trying to make a run for it. I'm also going to make sure I put the tote box outside in the cold and have the cage warm before getting it in. It should prefer a warm dim place versus a cold blinding bright one.

Fingers crossed.

I did the same thing when unpacking my balfouri sling, straight under the cork bark no issues.

 

[Metalman2004]

The light will encourage them to go low and use hides in the cage instead of trying to make a run for it. I'm also going to make sure I put the tote box outside in the cold and have the cage warm before getting it in. It should prefer a warm dim place versus a cold blinding bright one.

Fingers crossed.

I did the same thing when unpacking my balfouri sling, straight under the cork bark no issues.

As usual I applaud your creativity but overcomplicating things doesn’t help.

Besides being OW tarantulas balfouri and pokies don’t have much in common. Balfouri are burrowers so by nature they’ll go “down.” Also, they are fast when scared but they have no problem moving at a stroll when not provoked.

Pokies are arboreal and when they freak they’ll go up, down left and right all at the same time. They don’t stroll, they move like they have ADHD and 2 pots of coffee more often than not.

I know you’ll do it your way and I’m sure you’ll report back that everything worked exactly as planned. Good luck!

 

[Whitelightning777]

Update:

I found that one of my hole saw bits is the exact same diameter as an old vial with a tight lid.

This means that unless Jamie's cage shatters during the process, I can add a feeding port which will greatly improve the safety factor for both the T and myself.

I can also add a retention bracket to ensure that the lid will never loosen up or come off by itself.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Update:

She's in the cage safe and sound.

Jamie's cage was so tight I wondered if I'd have to break it to open it. The feeding port didn't work either.

She was packed very tightly and the packing was cool to the touch. She walked right into her new enclosure.

I attached some cork bark and driftwood to make the perfect spot for a web. For now, she's still exploring and finding all the hiding places. She basically acted very much like the Versicolor, except for walking under and hiding under stuff.

I have no doubt that she will easily dominate the cage. She's already criss crossed it at least 3 times.

Pics and video links will follow soon. I gotta go to work.

 

[Metalman2004]

Glad it made it in okay! Looking forward to the pictures and hearing your solution for the feeding port.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Here's pics of her cage and of herself. The hide wouldn't quite fit in the other one.

Once she's situated, there's only one small area where the web can go unless she wants to just stay aground for. a while.

It's a spider sniper's nest that the viewer can see into and the T feel secure in. At least, that's the plan.

Her actual size is about 1.5" as advertised by Jamie's. Before I left, I can confirm that she found her hiding place and can no longer be found. I'll feed her in a few days, sooner if she starts to be actively hunting.

Maybe it's just my imagination, but she appears to be a little more intelligent and reactive then my other inverts. Time will tell.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Glad it made it in okay! Looking forward to the pictures and hearing your solution for the feeding port.

The solution is that the vial I was going to use shattered as I was sawing though it, which led me to the conclusion that I should use the other cage.

It got cut off, but you can see part of the reptilock which fits the top. Open it no wider then a feeder roaches or a mealworm.

The only potential gotcha is if she's hanging out on back of the lid itself. I situated it so the lid open up to the rear meaning you add food to the front.

I really want to use the flashlight first to see where she is before opening it up. All other precautions apply.

 

[Whitelightning777]

Ok here's the high drama and intense action scenes...or maybe not.

 

[Metalman2004]

Cute little spider. That cage is massive...

 

[Whitelightning777]

They have a fast growth rate and is desirable to minimize the number of rehousings. Still, she's actually taking control of the situation.

 

[Whitelightning777]

My pokie Patricia is doing something unexpected. She's hanging out upon the roof on the enclosure right where the screen touches the frame and in the corners.

This probably means that hisser pinheads or perhaps even fruitflies are indicated because they also walk up the glass.

Of course, in the other enclosure, this would make her totally 100% visible in theory, but maybe not. The frame, of course, is black and it certainly does put her out of the direct line of sight mostly and she can see anything going on in the cage. The question is how well they see. A critter like a mantis would have no problem seeing something moving on the opposite side etc.

The good news is that the hide puts anything that climbs it within easy range of the higher regions.

If I rattle the lid, she'll slowly walk down the glass, circle around and find another corner. Of course, putting a clear sheet of plastic and making a small hole just enough for the feeder ought to prevent escapes.

I'm surprised how calm and fearless she actually is so soon after being placed there.

My Klugi and Balfouri hid out for weeks before even being visible. The balfouri only proved it's existence by the expanding range and types of tunnels that would appear.

The good news is that some of the hissers also hid in the very same corners back when my scorpling was in that enclosure. Any roach dumb enough to pull a stunt like that is lunch, which is exactly the point. The fact that she'll walk down the glass for 30-45 seconds provides plenty of time to toss in a feeder.

What a clever clever clever girl!!

(Technically unsexed but hope springs eternal!!)

It also means that getting footage should be no problem. For a T as interesting as straita, this is a great development.