Hello, ex- arachnophobe, new to hobby, from the U.K

[Whitelightning777]

Thank you @Whitelightning777
Again, stunning photos, they are beautiful colours, don’t think I’m ready for a baboon yet though, lol.
Thank you so much for the suggestions.
I can see I’m gonna need some more vivs!

If you feel comfortable working with A geniculata and can rehouse it or get it to do what you want, a H pulchripes sling about 1 inch to 1.5 inches won't overwhelm you. Yes, H pulchripes is a baboon tarantula. It is NOT anything like the OBT. It will always run rather then fight. I've never received a threat posture from one. The only time he did that was when he was confused by a feeder roach.

Just always work in the bathtub in a large plastic tub with the enclosure inside of that. Place an inch of cool water into the large tub. The idea is that if the T bolts, he gets cold wet feet and won't escape. A paintbrush and a catch cup are your friends.

To be perfectly honest, I didn't bother with the cool water etc the last time i rehoused him.

Another thing you can do is to put the enclosure or vial etc with the T inside into an area that is about 60 to 65 degrees for an hour or two.

Put the destination enclosure into a warm area, about maybe 80 degrees. As you rehouse the T, it'll be drawn to the desired area and you'll be able to close the lid without and drama.

Never use a refrigerator to stun or shock a tarantula into submission. That's way too risky.

This is how I unpacked my Poecilotheria Striata sling when I got him. He calmly walked into his new home like a walk in the park. In that case, I warmed up the cork bark decor first.

Actually, I should do a video on it if there is any interest. Having said all of that, don't push yourself too hard or go more extreme then you want. Just know that the average person can rise to the skill level to keep H pulchripes and others who behave in similar ways when they keep feisty new world terrestrials.

M balfouri also falls into this catagory as well. As always, slings rule because you can grow with the spider.

Do read the video description. Yes, it's boring but shows real time OW feeding behavior.

Maxine passed away from fecal impaction, a condition that is almost 100% fatal and that can strike tarantulas without warning.

RIP

 

[Tabitha]

A few sites to tempt you even more
http://spidershop.pl/?lang=en
http://www.spidersworld.eu/en/
https://www.spidersonline.pl/en/

Thank you Enn49, I’ve just had a look, very interesting stuff, so how quick is the postage from PL to U.K? They obviously arrive o.k.

 

[Enn49]

Thank you Enn49, I’ve just had a look, very interesting stuff, so how quick is the postage from PL to U.K? They obviously arrive o.k.

Postage is usually 5-6 days although I have had one order that took 9 days, no DOAs ever. Spidershop.pl and Spidersworld.eu both will courier, which usually takes 1-2 days by van, delivery is either Saturday or Sunday, it costs a bit more but worth it if you're ordering a few and you can order them in winter.too. If you order containers you can add Ts at no extra cost.
.

 

[Tabitha]

@Whitelightning777 thank you so much for all that info, none of which I knew or would even of thought up, so helpful and it’s been really interesting to learn, I will watch the video too, I’m sure I’ll find it equally interesting and helpful.
My geniculata hasnt given me any trouble so far because she’s walled up her tunnel, I hear this might be a premolt behaviour? I hope she will be o.k, but I did rehouse her without any worries and she was no trouble. I’ll look into baboons. So far mine have all been 6-8 cm legspan and that’s a nice size for me, not too scary but nice to see and observe.
Gosh and I had no idea about fecal impaction, I’m so sorry, that must of been heartbreaking.
Thank you again for all this great info.

 

[Tabitha]

So exciting day, my albopilosum arrived safe and well, I actually took the tissue out the vial with my fingers, last time I used forceps! I instantly adored her, she’s so pretty and nice and slow! She’s just lovely, she’s called Pandora.
Here she is next to a sharpie for scale, she doesn’t look that big there, she flattened out after getting out the vial.

 

[Enn49]

Congrats on the new arrival, she's gorgeous . I always feel I want to give albos a cuddle

 

[Whitelightning777]

@Whitelightning777 thank you so much for all that info, none of which I knew or would even of thought up, so helpful and it’s been really interesting to learn, I will watch the video too, I’m sure I’ll find it equally interesting and helpful.
My geniculata hasnt given me any trouble so far because she’s walled up her tunnel, I hear this might be a premolt behaviour? I hope she will be o.k, but I did rehouse her without any worries and she was no trouble. I’ll look into baboons. So far mine have all been 6-8 cm legspan and that’s a nice size for me, not too scary but nice to see and observe.
Gosh and I had no idea about fecal impaction, I’m so sorry, that must of been heartbreaking.
Thank you again for all this great info.

@Whitelightning777 thank you so much for all that info, none of which I knew or would even of thought up, so helpful and it’s been really interesting to learn, I will watch the video too, I’m sure I’ll find it equally interesting and helpful.
My geniculata hasnt given me any trouble so far because she’s walled up her tunnel, I hear this might be a premolt behaviour? I hope she will be o.k, but I did rehouse her without any worries and she was no trouble. I’ll look into baboons. So far mine have all been 6-8 cm legspan and that’s a nice size for me, not too scary but nice to see and observe.
Gosh and I had no idea about fecal impaction, I’m so sorry, that must of been heartbreaking.
Thank you again for all this great info.

Here's how they can get when excited. I used the tote and cold water for that one. He ran around for a few minutes but would turn right around when he felt the water.

Eventually he went in and I got the lid down which precipitated another episode. The key is barriers in layers.

Some NW species are every bit as fast, maybe even faster. GBBs and the pumpkin patch as well as some of the dwarf species can really kick on those afterburners.

Psalmopeous irminia can also get up and go. If I had more room, I'd go for that genus or a confirmed female pokie.

NW arboreals are famous for great leaps of faith. I mean Avics and those formerly called Avics and others like that.

 

[Ethel Webster]

Welcome Tabitha! I am the friend that you refer to in your opening post! Nice to see you here too! They sure are addictive! As of today, I have 8 tarantulas and 2 jumping spiders. In fact my spiders now outnumber my hairy and scaly pets!

 

[Tabitha]

@Whitelightning777 thanks again for your advice and the video, somewhat alarming to me! LOL, I’m definitely going to have some emergency procedures in place, I am not ready to have one loose in my bedroom! Thanks and everything has been really helpful. The hybris is stunning by the way.
Thanks you @Ethel Webster i’d recognise that name anywhere! Good to see you here.

And thank you ALL for the advice, welcomes and photos! Much appreciated!

 

[Sharkee81]

Welcome to the forum! I join several weeks back and I must say there is a lot of help and knowledge of our hairy little friends here and that’s thanks to all the wonderful people In this forum that are willing to give it out.Good luck looking for a E sp red. I’ve been looking for one for several weeks now and no luck. Hope your chances are better.

 

[awareman]

Hi Tabitha,
Welcome to the forum. I am also fairly new to the hobby, but like you, I am looking into good beginner species. What you have is a great start. Have fun

 

[Dave Jay]

So exciting day, my albopilosum arrived safe and well, I actually took the tissue out the vial with my fingers, last time I used forceps! I instantly adored her, she’s so pretty and nice and slow! She’s just lovely, she’s called Pandora.
Here she is next to a sharpie for scale, she doesn’t look that big there, she flattened out after getting out the vial.
View attachment 30509
View attachment 30510

View attachment 30511

Nice tarantulas!
While I think it's good that your confidence is growing using tongs is a good habit to develop, I nag my wife about this all the time. It's all too easy to fall into the trap of using your fingers to move or grab things in an enclosure if you haven't developed the habit of using tongs.
Two examples, the very first tarantula sling I unpacked leaped out of the vial like a jack in a box onto my thumb as soon as I opened the lid. I doubt it was aggressive, but it freaked me out and I dropped/threw the vial instinctively.
A more relevant example perhaps is that I was wondering if the surface of the substrate was dry in an enclosure. I hadn't seen the spider for days and it wasn't visible in it's burrow so I almost poked the substrate with my finger but stopped myself and used a metal chopstick I keep as part of my invert keeping kit that was nearby. As soon as I poked the substrate the spider jumped "out of nowhere" and attacked the poker! If I hadn't kept scorpions for years and developed the habit of using implements I would have been bitten. I wish my wife had of seen it, she's very lax in that respect because she's always handled spiders around the house and has no fear of them at all.
I don't want to alarm you, but it is easy to think you'll just use your fingers and using tongs etc is a hard habit to develop, the more you use them the more it becomes instinctive to reach for them, I think it's wise to train yourself to use them in all situations.
Maybe I'm just paranoid but that's my take on things.

 

[Whitelightning777]

With tongs, sometimes decor or other objects in the cage are a little bit too big or to heavy to move.

Spark plugs pliers or needle nosed pliers can help greatly. I use these to lift my scorpion's water dish.

Shown here are regular tongs, long tongs and spark plug pliers. These spark plug pliers have rubber gripping surfaces which keeps water dishes from cracking. These are, of course, optional.

 

[Tabitha]

Hi @Dave Jay thats really good advice, I thought I should be more pro active with being more hands on but you raise a very important point, I have snakes and I never ever take risks with them, not even for a second so it’s taught me a very valuable lesson that I must get into a safe routine with the spiders, whether docile or otherwise, best to have rules, plans for escapees, and tools and take no chances and work with a good safe practice, so thank you, that really made me think.
Thanks you @Whitelightning777 too, I will endeavour to get a range of suitable tools for various jobs. I have some 24” snake feeding tongs which I like but will get some spark tongs too.
Thank you all and look who’s out today after being in her tunnel for weeks, my acanthoscurria geniculata, showing off her new clothes after molting.
Now guys.. I’m trying to decide if I need a B emilia! Trying to say no but it’s not working!

 

[Dave Jay]

Hi @Dave Jay thats really good advice, I thought I should be more pro active with being more hands on but you raise a very important point, I have snakes and I never ever take risks with them, not even for a second so it’s taught me a very valuable lesson that I must get into a safe routine with the spiders, whether docile or otherwise, best to have rules, plans for escapees, and tools and take no chances and work with a good safe practice, so thank you, that really made me think.
Thanks you @Whitelightning777 too, I will endeavour to get a range of suitable tools for various jobs. I have some 24” snake feeding tongs which I like but will get some spark tongs too.
Thank you all and look who’s out today after being in her tunnel for weeks, my acanthoscurria geniculata, showing off her new clothes after molting.
Now guys.. I’m trying to decide if I need a B emilia! Trying to say no but it’s not working!
View attachment 30657

You need! You need! No question about that!

 

[Tabitha]

I got, I got!!! she will be here tomorrow or Wednesday!

 

[Dave Jay]

I got, I got!!! she will be here tomorrow or Wednesday!

Excellent!

 

[Whitelightning777]

Pics or it didn't happen.

 

[Tabitha]

Thanks @Whitelightning777
She will be here tomorrow I think, I must of ordered a little too late for next day delivery so will definitely get some photos tomorrow. I’m very excited!
my harmorii flicked a load of hairs at me today, first time so I’m a bit no rash though so I’m lucky!
Now onto the serious task of finding a name for the emilia!

 

[Rs50matt]

I'd agree it's addictive. Was in same position myself not long ago. Still not sure how I'd react to a large t. I only really have slings atm and a juv vagans but I do think he is in pre moult and I haven't been this excited for a while . In the 2 months or so I've been in the hobby I've acquired 8 Ts . What I will say thou is the Euathlus sp. red is possibly my favourite T but I am really struggling to find one anywhere (I'm also Uk). I'll be heading to western and eastern invert shows soon so hoping to pick one up