New keeper in AZ!

[Sarrianna]

Hello, everyone! I just got into the hobby and am LOVING it so far! I picked up my first sling a little over a week ago after a TON of research, but, like anything else, there is still so much more information out there that I am excited to learn. I am stoked to be a part of this community! And I am sure Bregan is excited as well They are an avicularia purpurea and just the cutest thing IN THE WORLD.

Any tips on 1. heating the enclosure slightly without building a larger enclosure around it? and 2. How to stop myself from amassing a ridiculous collection of these wonderful animals?

 

[Oursapoil]

Hello Sarrianna,

Welcome to the hobby, forum and family.
I will leave to my friend @octanejunkie the honor of sharing the link to an amazing thread he created on how to care for avicularia that will likely have answers to all your questions.
For the second question I can't unfortunately help you as you will see that many (if not most) people on this forum already, including myself, have been very weak fighting this addiction.
Once again, welcome to this marvelous place

 

[PanzoN88]

Hello, everyone! I just got into the hobby and am LOVING it so far! I picked up my first sling a little over a week ago after a TON of research, but, like anything else, there is still so much more information out there that I am excited to learn. I am stoked to be a part of this community! And I am sure Bregan is excited as well They are an avicularia purpurea and just the cutest thing IN THE WORLD.

Any tips on 1. heating the enclosure slightly without building a larger enclosure around it? and 2. How to stop myself from amassing a ridiculous collection of these wonderful animals?

Welcome to the forum and hobby.

Never been to Arizona so I don’t know what weather patterns in your area are like, though I’m assuming it doesn’t get cold enough very often to call for supplemental heating. I usually just use the room heating in the winter and no special precautions were needed.

As for your second question: that might be a question best suited for a licensed therapist.

 

[Sarrianna]

Welcome to the forum and hobby.

Never been to Arizona so I don’t know what weather patterns in your area are like, though I’m assuming it doesn’t get cold enough very often to call for supplemental heating. I usually just use the room heating in the winter and no special precautions were needed.

As for your second question: that might be a question best suited for a licensed therapist

I am not sure my therapist can, or wants to handle that kind of burden, let's be real.

It does get rather hot, so my concern is actually because we have central air so it tends to be dry and cold more often than not. I was looking up some reason why she may not be webbing and one of the theories was that she might need just a touch more heat so I figured I would start there with my questions! I will move into the Avic threads though and poke around for some info. Thank you!

 

[octanejunkie]

Hello and welcome! A fine first T species you've selected there. Congratulations.

My esteemed colleague @Oursapoil basically flashed my bat signal so here is my opus for your consumption; feel free to contribute, comment or call me an idiot. This is what's been working for me and my 202 Ts:

Keeping Avicularia species - Updated with Pictures

I keep several different arboreal species of tarantula but not all of them require the same care. The general care and keeping of the various avicularia-type arboreal species differs from all other arboreal and terrestrial species; but it's not complicated. A little history I lost my first...

www.tarantulaforum.com

Supplementing the local environment for a single enclosure is tricky. For a while I maintained a microclimate, like a heated tank or cabinet, but now I just manage the space all my enclosures are in. As you will learn, there is no need to obsess about getting all conditions 100% right, just like nature throws curve balls tarantulas adapt.

Regarding avics webbing, they do so when they are ready. Keep providing it the basics, and water, and it will web when it's ready.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[ArachnoHorn]

Hello, everyone! I just got into the hobby and am LOVING it so far! I picked up my first sling a little over a week ago after a TON of research, but, like anything else, there is still so much more information out there that I am excited to learn.

Welcome!
Beware: The hobby gets EXTREMELY addictive later on

 

[Sarrianna]

Hello and welcome! A fine first T species you've selected there. Congratulations.

My esteemed colleague @Oursapoil basically flashed my bat signal so here is my opus for your consumption; feel free to contribute, comment or call me an idiot. This is what's been working for me and my 202 Ts:

Keeping Avicularia species - Updated with Pictures

I keep several different arboreal species of tarantula but not all of them require the same care. The general care and keeping of the various avicularia-type arboreal species differs from all other arboreal and terrestrial species; but it's not complicated. A little history I lost my first...

www.tarantulaforum.com

Supplementing the local environment for a single enclosure is tricky. For a while I maintained a microclimate, like a heated tank or cabinet, but now I just manage the space all my enclosures are in. As you will learn, there is no need to obsess about getting all conditions 100% right, just like nature throws curve balls tarantulas adapt.

Regarding avics webbing, they do so when they are ready. Keep providing it the basics, and water, and it will web when it's ready.

Welcome to the forum!

This is an amazing resource, thank you so much! I am (as I am sure a lot of us were with our first little ones) just overly worried about her being comfy and happy

 

[Sarrianna]

Welcome!
Beware: The hobby gets EXTREMELY addictive later on

*looks up from list of littles available at my local pet store* hm? sorry, I missed that, what's up?

 

[DustyD]

Extra heating of tarantulas is one of those topics that gets varying opinions, mostly against it I think. In general tarantulas can be very resilient creatures and in the wild live in some extreme temperatures.

But being an overprotective T papa, I do supplement my tarantulas with heat, both in the summer when I have the air conditioner on and so far on nights this fall with temperatures already dipping to about 40 F outside and 66 F inside where the Ts are ( the room heating element is on the other side of the room).

I do have their enclosures inside larger ones and use low wattage heating cables or heating pads to warm up a side. The heating pads are on a pane of glass that I place 1-2 inches from the tarantulas.

 

[m0lsx]

Hello & welcome. I live in the UK & use no extra heating & our temperatures are much lower than yours. I just keep my room at a temprature I feel comfortable in. But if you are concerned about temperatures, then the Aphonopelma chalcodes (Arizona Blonde) could be a good T for you. It lives in the wild in Arizona, so should survive OK there. My A chalcodes is one of my favourites, she is a real character & one of only a couple I have named. They are a great T regardless of where you live.

 

[Sarrianna]

Extra heating of tarantulas is one of those topics that gets varying opinions, mostly against it I think. In general tarantulas can be very resilient creatures and in the wild live in some extreme temperatures.

But being an overprotective T papa, I do supplement my tarantulas with heat, both in the summer when I have the air conditioner on and so far on nights this fall with temperatures already dipping to about 40 F outside and 66 F inside where the Ts are ( the room heating element is on the other side of the room).

I do have their enclosures inside larger ones and use low wattage heating cables or heating pads to warm up a side. The heating pads are on a pane of glass that I place 1-2 inches from the tarantulas.

ooh this is awesome, thank you!

 

[Sarrianna]

Hello & welcome. I live in the UK & use no extra heating & our temperatures are much lower than yours. I just keep my room at a temprature I feel comfortable in. But if you are concerned about temperatures, then the Aphonopelma chalcodes (Arizona Blonde) could be a good T for you. It lives in the wild in Arizona, so should survive OK there. My A chalcodes is one of my favourites, she is a real character & one of only a couple I have named. They are a great T regardless of where you live.

The AZ Blonde was next on my list lol! I see them all the time out here (for obvious reasons) and they are always super chill when you gently nudge them out of the way like, "oh you need me to move out of the road, yeah sure, on sec" and saunter off.

 

[DustyD]

Some suggest heating the area, such as a space heater, but I prefer more localized heating. More control I think and the heating elements I use are 15-25 watts so less power consumption.

****important : Do I think my tarantulas could survive in these lower temperatures and even lower. Most likely yes. But I still don’t want to chance it.

My mind likens it to keeping a dog or cat indoors. Many species of them have sufficient fur that they could survive 30-40 F temperatures and I believe thick coated huskies and others may even do better in cooler environments.
Some people keep dogs and cats outside most or nearly all of the time. But most people I know keep them inside. And I do understand that there are major differences in physiology and the way tarantulas and mammals regulate body heat.

 

[Sarrianna]

Some suggest heating the area, such as a space heater, but I prefer more localized heating. More control I think and the heating elements I use are 15-25 watts so less power consumption.

****important : Do I think my tarantulas could survive in these lower temperatures and even lower. Most likely yes. But I still don’t want to chance it.

My mind likens it to keeping a dog or cat indoors. Many species of them have sufficient fur that they could survive 30-40 F temperatures and I believe thick coated huskies and others may even do better in cooler environments.
Some people keep dogs and cats outside most or nearly all of the time. But most people I know keep them inside. And I do understand that there are major differences in physiology and the way tarantulas and mammals regulate body heat.

For sure. I have a little Italian Greyhound that wears a sweater all year indoors because he is just always shivering otherwise haha

 

[octanejunkie]

The higher temp you keep them the faster their metabolism, growth, etc. and the shorter their lives will be overall. Feeding schedule plays into this as well.

 

[m0lsx]

The AZ Blonde was next on my list lol! I see them all the time out here (for obvious reasons) and they are always super chill when you gently nudge them out of the way like, "oh you need me to move out of the road, yeah sure, on sec" and saunter off.

I call mine Hohokam, partly because her homeland is the Seonoran Desert, but mainly because she can move as much substrate as the Hohokam people did when they irrigated the Sonoran desert.

 

[m0lsx]

Too much heat too close to the enclosure can be a problem. So be aware, tarantulas burrow to escape warmth. Thus, NEVER EVER put a heating pad under an enclosure. Also be aware that the temperature in full sun for the tarantulas natural environment may be very high. But in a burrow or the shade temperature can be very different.

For example if I looked at the weather in Arizona. If I applied the natural environment marker, as some do for animals, tarantulas etc. Then I might reasonably conclude that humans from Arizona need those high temperatures to survive, despite the fact that humans can & do die in direct sun there. Tarantulas are the same, they may survive in hot weather conditions, but they don't need those temperatures to survive.

 

[Sarrianna]

Too much heat too close to the enclosure can be a problem. So be aware, tarantulas burrow to escape warmth. Thus, NEVER EVER put a heating pad under an enclosure. Also be aware that the temperature in full sun for the tarantulas natural environment may be very high. But in a burrow or the shade temperature can be very different.

For example if I looked at the weather in Arizona. If I applied the natural environment marker, as some do for animals, tarantulas etc. Then I might reasonably conclude that humans from Arizona need those high temperatures to survive, despite the fact that humans can & do die in direct sun there. Tarantulas are the same, they may survive in hot weather conditions, but they don't need those temperatures to survive.

That's excellent advice, thank you.

And, as someone who lives here, people living here is a testament to mankind's arrogance lol People should not live here. It's like living with the angry sun from Mario Bros 3

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome!

 

[Noodlelove]

Hello, everyone! I just got into the hobby and am LOVING it so far! I picked up my first sling a little over a week ago after a TON of research, but, like anything else, there is still so much more information out there that I am excited to learn. I am stoked to be a part of this community! And I am sure Bregan is excited as well They are an avicularia purpurea and just the cutest thing IN THE WORLD.

Any tips on 1. heating the enclosure slightly without building a larger enclosure around it? and 2. How to stop myself from amassing a ridiculous collection of these wonderful animals?

I just looked up Avicular purperia and what a beauty. That's going to be a gorgeous setup with that baby in it. What a beauty