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Tarantulas and other invertebrates: I’ve only really kept tarantulas and roaches (with a few scorpions, not enough that I feel comfortable talking about them) so that’s why I’m not touching on true spiders (widows, wolfs, jumpers are fairly common to keep), centipedes (freaking sweet looking, but I don’t know anything about), millipedes (even easier to feed, as you can give them left over veggies). There is a crap-load of other creepy crawlies kept by people including all sorts of crazy rear end ants, bees, mantises, solpugids, isopods, crabs, oh just about anything. Why should I own one? Invertebrates are practically plants in terms of care, but are even easier to take care of once you have a basic understanding down. You can keep them in practically any living accommodation (dorm, apartment, bedroom, etc) and are extremely cheap pets. Onetime costs below + cost of the tarantula and less than a dollar a month for crickets if you don’t have a colony of feeder insects. Break down of costs: Cage: <$1 to $20-30 for some of the truly massive guys, unless you get a custom cage, which can run up to $60 or some. $12 or so for substrate which will be more than enough for a few cages. Wood/Hides: (Something for your tarantula to hide in and crawl on) $5-15 depending on what and where you buy from, just avoid pine and cedar as those are toxic to inverts, and if you use wood from outside, at minimum strip the bark off and bake it for around 20 minutes at like 400 degrees, though I would recommend boiling it too. Tarantulas have a massive range of price, depending on size, sex, species and time of year. Size- Older (bigger) tarantulas will cost more than a sling (spiderling) of the same species, as the smaller the spider, the easier to kill by accident. However, WC (wild caught) adult tarantulas may cost less than their CB (captive bred) counterparts, but WC spiders carry their own risks. Sex-Once a male spider hits maturity, it will die somewhere between 6 months-2 years (extremely rare, 18 months is a more normal top end) This is due to MM (mature male) spiders being interested in only one thing, to the point of not eating. They literally starve themselves to death looking for sex. Females on the other hand will live a long, long life (30+ years in some species). As such, unless you only want a pet for a little while, or are a breeder you generally want a female. Species-kind of obvious why there is a price difference here, not going to discuss it. Time of year: Most breeding takes place in late spring/early summer with hatchings in the late summer, so tarantulas are abundant then, and easier/safer to ship due to weather. If you are interested in keeping any of these, please, please buy from an online dealer or at a convention, or an LPS (local pet store) if they seem knowledgeable and are keeping their animals well. Don’t buy from petco or other big chains, more often than not these guys don’t know poo poo about tarantulas. I’ve seen and heard of to many petcos selling improperly labeled tarantulas and mislabeled ones (how would you like to think you are buying a fairly docile species and instead end up with a ball of hatred) Fairly good beginners species include things from the Brachyphelma, Grammostola, Avicularia, and Aphonopelma genuses, although you still may end up with a defensive individual spider. Galleries of Tarantulas: Rick West: http://www.birdspiders.com/index.php http://www.scottstarantulas.com/Tarantulas1.htm Other Forums: http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/ http://www.atshq.org/forum/index.php One of my favorite Tarantulas (Aphonopelma behlei), caught in NM by a friend of mine who works at my LPS (local pet store)  I can't post pics of most of my Ts, or their set up, as I only have a few images saved, and I am over 2,500 miles from mine, and going farther over the summer. Also: If you want a T, check here first: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=3093738 ZarathustraFollower fucked around with this message at Jun 6, 2009 around 13:16 |
| # ? May 22, 2009 02:48 |
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| # ? May 23, 2013 17:56 |
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We already have an ongoing invert thread on the front page of this forum: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=3116434
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| # ? May 22, 2009 03:20 |
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mushroom_spore posted:We already have an ongoing invert thread on the front page of this forum: http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...hreadid=3116434 Thats just for basic care and help starting, for both Herps and inverts. I want an intensive thread for just inverts going (look at Crikeys Sale thread in the SA mart for an example of what I am talking about)
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| # ? May 22, 2009 03:22 |
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The thing is, the fact that the other thread takes questions/gives advice/helps pick your starter species/links to resources for both herps AND inverts is probably the only reason it's stayed on the front page of the forum. Invert-only threads run out of steam and vanish pretty quick, we have some interest around here but not a lot. Whereas general herp threads last until roughly the end of time.  Obviously you can do whatever you want, I'm just saying your resources may get more use in the other thread. EDIT: And it's not "basic care and just help starting" - I'm pretty sure we've had specific, detailed stuff posted whenever someone asked for it. 
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| # ? May 22, 2009 03:29 |
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Curious, are you the same mushroom spore from arachnoboards? I don't expect this thread to last longer than the summer, but I figure while Crikey is drumming up interest with his sales thread, this will give everyone a good place to chat and keep the sales thread organized, since he is starting a new one soon. I'd also like to not fill the current herp/invert thread with stuff like tarantualas molting, burrowing, arriving, new cage setups and the like, while still giving people a place to show it off and get comments.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 03:33 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:Curious, are you the same mushroom spore from arachnoboards? The one with a postcount high enough to destroy all hope of my ever having self-respect again? The very same.  And yeah, I see your point then, I assumed you were hoping for a much more long-term thing. Don't mind me. To contribute something on-topic: I have a spare ten-gallon aquarium and once it's decided whether I'm moving in a few months, I swear I am about four minutes' decision-making away from branching off into scorpion collecting. Emperor scorps are so neat. mushroom_spore fucked around with this message at May 22, 2009 around 03:39 |
| # ? May 22, 2009 03:36 |
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mushroom_spore posted:The one with a postcount high enough to destroy all hope of my ever having self-respect again? The very same. Nice. I wonder how many more goons are floating around on arachnoboards. My user name over there is "Harlock" though I only have like....30 or so posts as by the time I see a thread, anything I say would just be a repeat. Yeah, I just got into scorpions. Was at a convention and a guy had 1 week old emps for 2 dollars each. To cute to pass up. Also, I mentioned in Crikeys thread about eventually trying a communal murinus set-up once mine matures and I have more experience. I was thinking of a 30+gallon tank (basically, biggest one I can get my hands on, probably custom designed. Was planning on setting up a mini "river" with running water, a filter, and gravel for anything that gets in. Besides unleashing hell unto this plane of existence, what problems might I run into? ZarathustraFollower fucked around with this message at Jun 24, 2009 around 23:23 |
| # ? May 22, 2009 03:39 |
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I'm on AB as infestedtwinkie. I don't post much, just a lot of reading and taking it all in. I luckily caught my A. Avicularia molting today and got 14 minutes of it. Making a time lapse video right now and will edit the post with a link  .EDIT: I don't think a communal P. Marinus setup will work out too well for you. That terrarium setup does sound awesome though. Get your hands on some H. Incei for a communal setup. Maybe even some of the Poecilotheria species. I've also been building my own tanks lately for both terrestrial and arboreal species (thinking of a design for obligatory burrowers). I'll post some pictures of those also. infestedtwinkie fucked around with this message at May 22, 2009 around 04:49 |
| # ? May 22, 2009 04:38 |
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Main reason I'd try murinus is no one has before, plus it wouldn't be any money gone, as it would be slings from breeding my own. If I did something with a pokie, I'd try to get a dead tree trunk and build a hexagonal cage around it, see what they do for hides.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 04:58 |
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Anybody got anything good to trade for a 2"-2.5" unsexed Brachypelma boehmi or a female 3.5-4" Psalmopoeus irmina?  I'm willing to consider any trade, but especially A. purpurea or a female A. versicolor.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 07:32 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:Main reason I'd try murinus is no one has before, plus it wouldn't be any money gone, as it would be slings from breeding my own. If I did something with a pokie, I'd try to get a dead tree trunk and build a hexagonal cage around it, see what they do for hides. Actually, I know a fellow that tried a murinus colony with adults before. Ended up with one fat, gravid female.... Might be interesting to try it with babies.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 07:34 |
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Maek poast. I have scorpions.  H. Caboverdensisand      5 H. Judaicus. My girlfriend wants to put tiny ribbons on them.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 11:08 |
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Big Centipede posted:Actually, I know a fellow that tried a murinus colony with adults before. Ended up with one fat, gravid female.... From my understanding, you HAVE to start with babies from the same sac to have it work out ok. Also, Kharmakazy, it seems like you have a decent bit of scorpion under your belt, could you explain them a bit better? I'm interested in how to tell when they are in pre-molt, feeding requirements, and anything else major you can think of.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 14:00 |
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Holy poo poo, Kharma, I have been looking for someone with judas forever! I doubt you're interested in selling, but I have one left from a trio I got from crikey a while back. I don't know the gender, but I know these are social buggers and I'd rather he have friends than not.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 15:14 |
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Cowslips Warren posted:Holy poo poo, Kharma, I have been looking for someone with judas forever! I doubt you're interested in selling, but I have one left from a trio I got from crikey a while back. I don't know the gender, but I know these are social buggers and I'd rather he have friends than not. I'm a ways off from my guys breeding, but I plan on keeping mine communally once they become full adults. I wouldn't mind selling or trading off some of the slings when/if that ever happens... but that's not going to be for some time.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 20:12 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:From my understanding, you HAVE to start with babies from the same sac to have it work out ok. When they are in premolt they tend to not eat. They just sort of sit around. I feed my scorps a cricket about their size about once a week and mist lightly in their cage. These guys can go much longer without food tho. The Hottentotta caboverdensis reproduces through parthenogenesis. It doesn't require a mate. Once it reaches adulthood it will impregnate itself more or less and drop a few litters of slings. (I've read about 15-20 each brood) The Hottentotta Judaicus are regular sex having scorpions. I plan on putting them in one big tank together once they are grown up. I would put them together now, but there is a chance they would just eat each other.
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| # ? May 22, 2009 20:18 |
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What made you guys start collecting? For me I like how hardy these guys are combined with care and the sheer looks of tarantulas and scorpions. I've been thinking about getting into centipedes after seeing some of the pics of them eating. Also, once I got one, I just couldn't stop. They are all so cool, and the little personalities they have are fun to learn and get to know.
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| # ? May 23, 2009 18:14 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:What made you guys start collecting? I've always loved insects and spiders as a kid. When I was about 10, my parents got me an emperor scorpion. Ever since then I've been collecting bugs and snakes. At the moment, my collection is reduced to only 4 T's and 3 AZ bark scorpions, but I'm sure that I'll be up to a few dozen again in no time.
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| # ? May 23, 2009 20:07 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:What made you guys start collecting? I actually was scared of spiders, so I decided to get 2 tarantulas to get over it . Now I have 20+ and have to stop myself from buying more. Though centipedes still freak me the gently caress out. I doubt I'd ever get any of those.
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| # ? May 24, 2009 17:50 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:What made you guys start collecting? Crikey IRL started selling scorpions over in SA-Mart... He made them sound cool and I had to buy a couple. I am horribly disorganized and a pet I can keep in a ziplock container and forget to feed for a month is perfect. Cats don't do well under those conditions.
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| # ? May 24, 2009 18:17 |
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Cowslips Warren posted:Holy poo poo, Kharma, I have been looking for someone with judas forever! I doubt you're interested in selling, but I have one left from a trio I got from crikey a while back. I don't know the gender, but I know these are social buggers and I'd rather he have friends than not. I got some that I might be willing to trade, or possibly sell. F3lix fucked around with this message at May 25, 2009 around 00:57 |
| # ? May 25, 2009 00:20 |
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Got my T's from CrikeyIRL yesterday in the mail! Sorry for the horrible picture quality, all I have is my camera phone at the moment. G. Rosea  Click here for the full 1600x1200 image. B. Vagans pictured next to a dime  Click here for the full 1600x1200 image. enclosures  Click here for the full 1600x1200 image. So excited to have them finally! These are my first tarantulas as well.
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| # ? May 25, 2009 02:03 |
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ZarathustraFollower posted:What made you guys start collecting? I really honestly have no idea. I've never been afraid of bugs, and years ago my older brother inherited a rose hair or smithi or something, which eventually died for unknown reasons. I was like 16 at the time. Years later while in college and in firm adoration of backpacking and road trips, I wanted a pet that I could neglect for a few weeks. I'd been lurking in Crikey's old thread and just suddenly went INSANE and got an OBT and p. cambridgei for my first two T's  Now I go to the pet store every day after work to check on their meager collection of T's and educate the one person there who takes care of them, and then I come home and stare with adoration at my rapidly growing collection of T's. I think the fact that I exclaimed with new daddy like glee when my newly molted 1 1/2" OBT made it's first threat stance. Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at May 25, 2009 around 14:28 |
| # ? May 25, 2009 05:53 |
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Hypnolobster posted:I really honestly have no idea. Ha Ha... Stay on your toes. P. murinus and any Psalmopoeus are so loving fast they're practically teleporters. They're great species to keep, but you picked two of the fastest species I've ever had as your first two... particularly the Psalmo. There's nothing better than having a 2" suntiger lightning bolt up your arm and into your sleeve. Sometimes I'm loving amazed I haven't been bitten yet.
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| # ? May 25, 2009 08:24 |
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Big Centipede posted:Ha Ha... Stay on your toes. Yeah.. My cambridgei is still a widdle guy, but it's already displayed some of it's utterly ridiculous speed. Sometimes it likes to be calm, too though! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKIRAPpe_l4 Not pictured: it zooming up my arm onto my shoulder. I've handled the OBT a few times, but only once on purpose. I can't wait until it's mature and angry. 
Hypnolobster fucked around with this message at May 25, 2009 around 14:32 |
| # ? May 25, 2009 14:23 |
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Hypnolobster posted:Yeah.. My cambridgei is still a widdle guy, but it's already displayed some of it's utterly ridiculous speed. Be careful. A bite from an adult OBT wouldn't be a picnic. A friend of mine took a bite from an 1.5" and it left him miserable for hours.
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| # ? May 25, 2009 17:48 |
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Everytime I go to feed my rosehair with long tweezers she freaks the gently caress out and attacks the tweezers and completely ignores her meal. She can get pretty scary looking but I can't help but laugh  I guess it's just better if I throw the food in there. She'll find it eventually and if not I'll just fish it out later.
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| # ? May 27, 2009 23:28 |
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VidaGrey posted:Everytime I go to feed my rosehair with long tweezers she freaks the gently caress out and attacks the tweezers and completely ignores her meal. Hey, if I saw a fifty-foot metal monster coming at me waving a bucket of fried chicken, I wouldn't be too hungry either. There's basically no reason to tongfeed tarantulas unless you have arboreals who only want food if it's in their web up off the ground. Cause...yeah, they tend to do things like this. Or miss the cricket and slam their fangs into the metal tweezers instead.
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| # ? May 27, 2009 23:40 |
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mushroom_spore posted:Hey, if I saw a fifty-foot metal monster coming at me waving a bucket of fried chicken, I wouldn't be too hungry either. And you call yourself a goon! Somehow I get the impression that some gundamn-like creature and fried chicken would be a goons wet dream. Anyhow, about how long does it take for spiders to settle into their new home? The rosehair has taken some food but the vagans hasn't. I figured it might take a while to settle still. Also, does anyone else HATE flightless fruit flies. I know they are supposed to be good for slings but those fuckers just try to pour out of their capsule when I open the lid. Flightless or not they still can get everywhere. Also their larva are kinda gross 
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| # ? May 28, 2009 01:46 |
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VidaGrey posted:And you call yourself a goon! Put the container in the fridge for a minute or so and it will slow those fuckers down. God they were such a pain. I'll never go back to using them again. I rather give my tiny slings prekilled B. Dubia nymphs or cricket drumsticks!
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| # ? May 28, 2009 01:52 |
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Here's an interesting question- does anyone know anything about importing/exporting tarantulas? I had one as a kid, and it was a pretty cool pet, and I'd be interested in getting another of an easy to care for species (I'd probably just get a plain ol' Rose Hair if I did) now that I could properly care for one, but my spouse is military and I'll be moving fairly often- I'm not worried about moving with one in the states, but on the off chance that we end up overseas I'd have to know the possibility and cost involved of taking one to say, Germany, for instance. I guess if it came down to it I could get a family member to keep one for me while overseas, but I'd rather just get the idea out of my head now if importing/exporting would be an issue. I've googled, but haven't come up with a lot. Just curious.
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| # ? May 28, 2009 02:05 |
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infestedtwinkie posted:Put the container in the fridge for a minute or so and it will slow those fuckers down. God they were such a pain. I'll never go back to using them again. I rather give my tiny slings prekilled B. Dubia nymphs or cricket drumsticks! Are cricket legs enough for 1/4"-1/2" slings? I've been using an exacto knife to quarter "small" (probably 1/8") crickets for my slings, and they haven't seemed to have any problems with it. I check the next day and I generally can just barely make out the crumpled up remains.
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| # ? May 28, 2009 02:22 |
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I generally just crush the head of a cricket before I throw it to my scorpions. Its way too big for them.. but they just eat what they want and leave the rest. I take out the leftovers the next day. They seems to like to eat the heads first... must be nutrient rich.
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| # ? May 28, 2009 03:12 |
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Superconsndar posted:Here's an interesting question- does anyone know anything about importing/exporting tarantulas? I had one as a kid, and it was a pretty cool pet, and I'd be interested in getting another of an easy to care for species (I'd probably just get a plain ol' Rose Hair if I did) now that I could properly care for one, but my spouse is military and I'll be moving fairly often- I'm not worried about moving with one in the states, but on the off chance that we end up overseas I'd have to know the possibility and cost involved of taking one to say, Germany, for instance. From what I understand you need to have a license to import and export(I hear it is expensive and a pain to get). Crickey IRL in his SA-Mart thread would know more about the details. You definitely wouldn't have a problem leaving your T with your family. They're so easy to care for and hardy. As long as they provide water (water dish should never be empty) and food at least once a month and adult G. Rosea should do well.
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| # ? May 28, 2009 15:27 |
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infestedtwinkie posted:From what I understand you need to have a license to import and export(I hear it is expensive and a pain to get). Crickey IRL in his SA-Mart thread would know more about the details. You definitely wouldn't have a problem leaving your T with your family. They're so easy to care for and hardy. As long as they provide water (water dish should never be empty) and food at least once a month and adult G. Rosea should do well. Yeah, my understanding is that due to the hardiness of Ts and scorpions, most importing is under the table. Crikey has a video up on youtube about it (the one about making them look like books for shipping). I left all my stuff in my friends care for the summer as I am now in Germany myself, and I don't even worry about them. Basically, I said food once a week, mist 2-3 times a week except the big brown ones (all my desert species), keep water bowels full. So far my friend hasn't reported any deaths, and a few have molted. Also, I kind of enjoy tong feeding some of my Ts, specifically my adult versi and my younger emila. It is just so drat adorable when they rip the food away from me.
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| # ? May 30, 2009 16:08 |
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Finally done moving stuff over but I haven't unpacked my stuff but I do have pictures! Click here for the full 1000x692 image.  Click here for the full 1000x844 image. Second shot is a bit overly bright as I learn how to use my SLR as I finally have something to take pictures of near e that I want to take pictures of.
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| # ? May 31, 2009 04:56 |
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averox posted:Sling What kind of sling is that?
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| # ? May 31, 2009 07:01 |
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VidaGrey posted:What kind of sling is that? Looks like a Grammastola of some kind.
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| # ? May 31, 2009 07:23 |
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Yeah it's a grammostola aureostriata sling.
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| # ? May 31, 2009 14:48 |
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| # ? May 23, 2013 17:56 |
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There's something very amusing about the fact that I have an l paryhybana, an h maculata, an OBT, and my craziest and best feeder happens to be a b albopilosum.
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| # ? May 31, 2009 17:14 |
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