My Avic Purpurea arrived dead :-(

[Enn49]

@Charlotte They are all in the living room but I keep all of their containers in vivariums so my cats can't get at them except the 2 adult ones that have their own ExoTerras. The cats are more interested in the crickets than the Ts.

Most of my Ts are on my thread Enn's bunch

 

[Charlotte]

@Enn49 I wish I could put mine in the living room, just not enough space or anywhere safe to put them without them being in the sun or in the cats view. I'd like a room specially for Ts.

How do you transfer your Ts so you can clean out their containers? I'm a bit nervous about transferring, I do maintenance around them but at some point I am going to need to do the whole terrarium.

 

[Chubbs]

@Enn49

That makes sense to do them on different days, do you have a special room for them?

My fiance has a cat and so far she hasn't noticed them at all, I'm trying to keep it that way. Cats are so curious!

Thank you for looking around for me, I really appreciate it. Let me know if he has any luck finding me one I'm also looking for a versicolor adult I've come across loads of slings but no adults at all, such beautiful tarantulas.

I'm off to have a snoop at your Ts in the album now

Well adults are pretty pricey. Also I doubt anyone with an adult is female is really going to want to give it up. The only adults you're likely to see are males.

 

[Enn49]

@Charlotte I have a 3 tier viv stack that has my Royal python in the top one and the larger T containers in the bottom 2. The tiny one's containers are in an ExoTerra on the sideboard alongside the big Ts ExoTerras.

When a thorough clean or rehouse is called for I empty the nursery viv of all containers and do the transfers in there. I empty the little ones into a cricket tub, catch cup at the ready that way I have 2 chances to catch them. The larger ones my son usually helps and we gently coax them into a tub. I have a few tubs with hinged lids that are great for the purpose. We even managed to rehouse the 6.5" P. vittata twice without any problems.

 

[Charlotte]

Well adults are pretty pricey. Also I doubt anyone with an adult is female is really going to want to give it up. The only adults you're likely to see are males.

I have noticed they're a bit pricey, the guy at the spider shop offered to sell me one of his for £80 I may have to do it!

 

[Charlotte]

@Enn49

I guess I've just gotta stay calm and do it slowly. I don't think I could have an aggressive species, purely because when it comes to transferring it I'd be terrified of it jumping at me and escaping!

I went to my local reptile centre and nearly died when I saw the condition of the containers the Ts were in, I had to say something. The guy insisted he had a guy that came and did them and he knew what he was talking about but even I knew the Ts must be really unhappy in their containers, he had about 10 Grammastola Rosea in moist humid containers with water dripping down the side, they were all steamed up! Do not get me started on the arboreal Ts he had. His idea of transferring was way to dangerous for the Ts, they could be hurt or dropped quite easily.

At least you have your son to help, I'm all alone ha!

 

[Enn49]

@Charlotte Yes, the secret is to do everything slowly and calmly. Sometimes I think I prefer doing it on my own as I can give them all of my attention.

 

[Chubbs]

While I don't recommend any old world species or fast/defensive new worlds to beginners, I can tell you that transferring them isn't all that difficult. The tarantula isn't going to jump at you and bite you in the jugular. If it runs, let it run. There are several hands off methods for transferring tarantulas.

 

[Charlotte]

@Chubbs I think it's just a fear I have to get over and the only way is to do it and see that it isn't as bad as I'm imagining. I see people on YouTube doing it and they make it look so easy.

If I gently try to get my grammostola porteri to go forward with either tweezers or paint brush she jumps, I try to let her know I'm there so she doesn't get a sudden shock of being touched on the back leg but she does it everytime.

From what I've seen most just go forward and go where you want them to go but she seems very jumpy.