Hello, spider people

[jackys]

Do you know if there is a forum thread on here about them? I've had a look but can't seem to find anything. Will watch the video later when kids in bed

Hmmm I don't recall an "All about the GBB" thread, but I haven't been here all that long. I *have* seen plenty of scattered mentions... Using the scientific name "Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens" or "C. cyaneopubescens" would broaden your search, though I'm mostly seeing pics and "for sale" posts when I try it. GBB came up in a recent "What T's are next on your list?" thread, but only briefly.

You could always start a new thread if you can't find one that answers your specific questions- I'm sure it wouldn't take long for someone who has a GBB to chime in!

 

[Enn49]

I find this guys care sheets are quite good http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/Chr-cyaneopubescens-care-sheet.html

 

[Stacey Ryan]

I find this guys care sheets are quite good http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/Chr-cyaneopubescens-care-sheet.html

Yeah I really like this guy. Seems to know his stuff.

I've just brought some small crickets. And a cricket pen. Do in need to put substrate in the pen?

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[jackys]

Yeah I really like this guy. Seems to know his stuff.

I've just brought some small crickets. And a cricket pen. Do in need to put substrate in the pen?

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I don't give them substrate, just egg crates. But I usually only get a couple at a time and they're gone within a week or two at most, so I don't know if conditions would have to be different to keep them longer.

 

[Stacey Ryan]

I don't give them substrate, just egg crates. But I usually only get a couple at a time and they're gone within a week or two at most, so I don't know if conditions would have to be different to keep them longer.

The box I got has blooming loads of them.
Should I wait til tonight to feed my T? What time of day do u feed yours?

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[jackys]

The box I got has blooming loads of them.
Should I wait til tonight to feed my T? What time of day do u feed yours?

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I just do it whenever is most convenient... Often early in the morning, sometimes early evening after work. Time of day doesn't seem to make a difference and they snap the food up as soon as they sense it. I try to drop the food very close, almost on top of them, to make sure I see them eat. B. hamorii will even reach up to grab it out of the air sometimes

I've heard it's "better" to feed them at night, maybe because they're nocturnal, but mine don't seem aversely affected.

 

[Stacey Ryan]

I just do it whenever is most convenient... Often early in the morning, sometimes early evening after work. Time of day doesn't seem to make a difference and they snap the food up as soon as they sense it. I try to drop the food very close, almost on top of them, to make sure I see them eat. B. hamorii will even reach up to grab it out of the air sometimes

I've heard it's "better" to feed them at night, maybe because they're nocturnal, but mine don't seem aversely affected.

Think il feed him tonight when the house is quite as he still hasn't came out his hide yet

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[Enn49]

The box I got has blooming loads of them.
Should I wait til tonight to feed my T? What time of day do u feed yours?

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In the US you can buy crickets separately, 2 or 3 at a time but I've yet to find anywhere in the UK where you can do this, they just sell boxes of them. I buy mine on line once a fortnight and can just make them last long enough.

 

[jackys]

In the US you can buy crickets separately, 2 or 3 at a time but I've yet to find anywhere in the UK where you can do this, they just sell boxes of them. I buy mine on line once a fortnight and can just make them last long enough.

Hmm that's interesting, I'm in the US and hadn't heard that before! Pet stores near me usually let you choose what size you want too. I get like 8-10 tiny crickets per week or 4-5 big ones, because inevitably some will die on the way home or within a few hours. They are fragile little things -_- I'm just glad they're cheap.

Still trying to find the perfect conditions to reliably keep them alive for 2 weeks, but high humidity seems to kill them faster.

 

[Enn49]

Hmm that's interesting, I'm in the US and hadn't heard that before! Pet stores near me usually let you choose what size you want too. I get like 8-10 tiny crickets per week or 4-5 big ones, because inevitably some will die on the way home or within a few hours. They are fragile little things -_- I'm just glad they're cheap.

Still trying to find the perfect conditions to reliably keep them alive for 2 weeks, but high humidity seems to kill them faster.

The supplier I use sells quite a few different sizes:-
Micro 1-3mm
Small 4-5mm
Med/small 6-8mm
Med 8-12mm
Standard 12-18mm
Large 15-20mm
Ex. Large 20-30mm

The smaller sizes you get hundreds in but the larger sizes not so many. They come with a substrate which I presume contains a feed of some sort and I can just about keep them long enough to keep the Ts happy until the next order.

 

[jackys]

The supplier I use sells quite a few different sizes:-
Micro 1-3mm
Small 4-5mm
Med/small 6-8mm
Med 8-12mm
Standard 12-18mm
Large 15-20mm
Ex. Large 20-30mm

The smaller sizes you get hundreds in but the larger sizes not so many. They come with a substrate which I presume contains a feed of some sort and I can just about keep them long enough to keep the Ts happy until the next order.

Haven't seen substrate with feed in it, though I have seen packaged "cricket feed" for sale. I haven't tried it yet, mostly because I have such small batches. I've been giving crickets some combination of dry oats, dry cat food, fresh potato, fresh orange, and fresh banana.

 

[Stacey Ryan]

The supplier I use sells quite a few different sizes:-
Micro 1-3mm
Small 4-5mm
Med/small 6-8mm
Med 8-12mm
Standard 12-18mm
Large 15-20mm
Ex. Large 20-30mm

The smaller sizes you get hundreds in but the larger sizes not so many. They come with a substrate which I presume contains a feed of some sort and I can just about keep them long enough to keep the Ts happy until the next order.

Should I crush the heads of these crickets?

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[jackys]

Should I crush the heads of these crickets?

Nah, that's not necessary. The crickets would only pose a danger if they were hanging out in the enclosure during a molt, or if they were really huge compared to the spider (nobody wants feeding time to turn into a gladiatorial death-match lol).

 

[Stacey Ryan]

Thank God for that! I really wasn't looking forward to that. I'm worried that it will burrow and hide and then die, hidden away somewhere. Will they do that?

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[jackys]

Thank God for that! I really wasn't looking forward to that. I'm worried that it will burrow and hide and then die, hidden away somewhere. Will they do that?

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Haven't seen a cricket die in the enclosure yet, but I do inspect the cages at least once a week for spot-cleaning (boluses and poop... ew). That's a good time to remove a dead cricket.

I wouldn't worry too much if they hide. In my experience, when crickets hide they always resurface within a few hours, or by the next day at the latest. If I see them hanging out after 24 hours, I remove them with tongs or a mini catch-cup and wait a week before feeding again. So far, crickets have only escaped being eaten if one of my T's is in pre-molt (at a certain point, they lose interest in food. When they molt, I won't feed again until at least a week post-molt).

But that's why I try to drop the crickets right next to the T... If she's hungry, they'll probably get grabbed immediately

 

[Stacey Ryan]

Haven't seen a cricket die in the enclosure yet, but I do inspect the cages at least once a week for spot-cleaning (boluses and poop... ew). That's a good time to remove a dead cricket.

I wouldn't worry too much if they hide. In my experience, when crickets hide they always resurface within a few hours, or by the next day at the latest. If I see them hanging out after 24 hours, I remove them with tongs or a mini catch-cup and wait a week before feeding again. So far, crickets have only escaped being eaten if one of my T's is in pre-molt (at a certain point, they lose interest in food. When they molt, I won't feed again until at least a week post-molt).

But that's why I try to drop the crickets right next to the T... If she's hungry, they'll probably get grabbed immediately

Is it still ok to put the cricket in, if the spider is hiding in his hide with a wall of substrate at the entrance?

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[Stacey Ryan]

Is it still ok to put the cricket in, if the spider is hiding in his hide with a wall of substrate at the entrance?

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And if i were to use a heat mat where woupd i place it, on th side or top? Because I read that the bottom is a no no

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[jackys]

If it were me, I'd wait a day or two to see if he comes out. There isn't an urgent need to feed him, and he might just need a little more time to settle in. I know "The Tarantula Keeper's Guide" and the care instructions I got with my T's said to wait 2-7 days before feeding. I ignored it just because they were sitting out in the open, didn't look scared/stressed, and showed feeding response behavior.

Not sure about the heat mat, haven't bothered with those myself.

 

[Stacey Ryan]

Ok, I didn't feed him last night. I decided to wait, like u said it is urgent that he gets fed now. And if the crickets die, theres plenty more where they came from lol. Thank you for getting back to me.

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[Stacey Ryan]

Ok, I didn't feed him last night. I decided to wait, like u said it isnt urgent that he gets fed now. And if the crickets die, theres plenty more where they came from lol. Thank you for getting back to me.

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Isnt*

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