Hello from Palm Springs

[sedge]

Hello everybody,

What a great Forum and a wonderful Community. I have been lurking for several weeks.

As far as exotic pets are concerned I have kept marine and Reef aquaria since the early 80s.

I have a daughter turning 7 this month and she is a major animal lover. We of course have the obligatory dogs and cats. When my daughter was 4 she wanted a hamster. I told her she had to go to hamster school before she could get one. It was a joke. But I actually found one. Since then she became obsessed with betta fish. I found a community of local breeders. Then she moved on to reptiles. We have a gorgeous bearded dragon and a rosy boa.

I asked her what she wanted for her upcoming birthday and she said a tarantula. Hence why I landed here.

I have a G. pulchripes sling incoming from Jamie's tarantulas this week along with her spiderling kit.

When my four-year-old son heard that his sister was getting a tarantula he stated he wanted a scorpion for his 4th birthday coming up just three weeks later.

So I added an an adult tarantula enclosure to my order from Jamie to house the Scorpion and will be picking up an Asian Forest scorpion from my local pet store. I was looking for a P. imperator, but I guess due to the Embargo they are hard to find.

Anyway, these will be my first arachnidae so I am sure I will run into many questions. I have had so much fun looking at all the Beautiful Creatures within this forum and appreciating everybody's enthusiasm and support for each other.

 

[LC72uk]

Welcome to the Group....................LC72UK

 

[Marija]

Hi and welcome to TF! The folks are awesome here, helped me with all my concerns and questions. Needless to say, you've come to the right place
Your kids are lucky to have such an awesome parent
Hope to see pictures of your slings when they arrive!

 

[Nicolas C]

Welcome around here sedge. That's wonderful how your children have interests in animals: kudos to you the parents for this!

Your choice of G pulchripes as a first tarantula is really excellent: they are hardy, not too defensive and really beautiful. It's gonna be fun for your daughter to watch it grow.

As you stated about scorpions, a Heterometrus spp. (spinifer for instance) will be just as good as a P imperator, and easier to find. Watch out for the pinch and sting though for your kiddo.

 

[Pasodama]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
Great members, here, who will be happy to help you out with any questions, etc.

Nice choice with the G. pulchripes. A beautiful T that is one of the better ones to start out with.

 

[Enn49]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Any questions, just ask and there is usually someone around to help.

 

[MassExodus]

Welcome to TF. One suggestion. Arid species of scorpions are much hardier than the moist species. I recommend you draw your sons attention to H paucidens and H troglodytes. IMO they are the coolest scorps around. Weak venom, hesitant to sting, but they do pinch. Also the desert hairy is great, but they stay underground mostly. Feisty as hell, but once again, weak venom. Ive got both kinds, moist and arid, and I think the arid species are far more interesting.

 

[sedge]

Thank you all for your welcoming comments.

Welcome around here sedge. That's wonderful how your children have interests in animals: kudos to you the parents for this!

Your choice of G pulchripes as a first tarantula is really excellent: they are hardy, not too defensive and really beautiful. It's gonna be fun for your daughter to watch it grow.

As you stated about scorpions, a Heterometrus spp. (spinifer for instance) will be just as good as a P imperator, and easier to find. Watch out for the pinch and sting though for your kiddo.

Yeah, I was first searching for a female sub-adult but couldn't find one. I realized quickly that slings are most prevalent and allow the pleasure of watching it grow.

Perhaps we will find an adult at a show or the classies.

Welcome to TF. One suggestion. Arid species of scorpions are much hardier than the moist species. I recommend you draw your sons attention to H paucidens and H troglodytes. IMO they are the coolest scorps around. Weak venom, hesitant to sting, but they do pinch. Also the desert hairy is great, but they stay underground mostly. Feisty as hell, but once again, weak venom. Ive got both kinds, moist and arid, and I think the arid species are far more interesting.

My B&M has both. I will look at that. My 4 year old DS will not be handling any arachnidae. He's good with the boa under supervision but I'd worry more for the scorpion's wellbeing. DS needs more maturity.

 

[sedge]

DD&DS checking out some Ts at a show.

Hanging out with a Burmese

This is Sunny in November 2016 at 5 months old. He's much bigger now and the colors are even more vivid.

Lava is her name (11-16). Picky little girl. Only eats live pinkies. She's grown 3 inches since then.

 

[sedge]

Got shipping notice from Jaime. She ships from my local hub about 60 miles away so the baby Gp should be here tomorrow.

 

[Marija]

Hello there
View attachment 22793

Well, this ain't creepy at all

 

[MassExodus]

Someone gave that guy an atomic wedgie..

 

[sedge]

@Shampain... where the heck did you find that old picture of me?

 

[sedge]

Baby Gp arrived in less than 24 hours from shipping. Great packaging. Kudos Jamie.

 

[Enn49]

That is just soooo cute

 

[sedge]

I cut that giant piece of cork bark she sent me and used 1/3 of it and then carved out a tunnel. I didn't glue the cork bark onto the side of the enclosure. I thought it would be difficult if I ever had to remove it. I also didn't see the point for a terrestrial. It makes sense for an arboreal. However I glued the Moss and silk plants onto it

 

[Marija]

Baby Gp arrived in less than 24 hours from shipping. Great packaging. Kudos Jamie.

Adorable little baby Best of luck with it!

 

[Pasodama]

Cute kiddos & critters.

Congrats on the arrival of your T. He/She is very adorable!
The enclosure looks nice too.