Communal Project Part 3: First Week’s Observations

July 14, 2016August 13, 2016 / cancerides / Leave a comment

The Communal Project series will document my setup of a Moncentropus balfouri communal, starting with the planning and acquisition of both the enclosure and tarantulas and continuing through as they mature. This is the third installment in the series; the first part is “Communal Project Part 1: An Enclosure by Brooklyn Bugs.” and the second part is “Communal Project Part 2: Nine M. Balfouri Slings” .

How will they adapt to the communal setup?

Now that the nine M. balfouri slings were housed in their new enclosure, it was time to let them settle in and to observe their behaviors. Although I had read plenty of accounts that should have assured me the risk for casualties was minimal, I still worried that that the tiny little slings would somehow turn on each other as they staked out territory and fed. After hearing for years how cannibalistic tarantulas were, it was very difficult for me to subdue the nagging feeling that this wasn’t going to work out.

However, I would soon learn that my fears were completely unfounded.

Within 24 hours, I started to see signs that my new wards would indeed be able to live peaceably. The following details my observations over the first week, including any details I thought were important or interesting.

DAY ONE: The evening they arrived, I decided to offer food right away. For the first meal, I dropped in 10 tiny B. lateralis pinhead roaches. I won’t lie; when I woke up the next morning, I rushed down to check on the communal partially expecting to find signs of spiderling cannibalization. Instead, I discovered that the little ones had been busy the night before, and fine curtains of webbing now covered some of the den entrances and cork bark.

Even cooler, four of the slings were bustling in and out of one burrow opening. Despite having shot off in several directions upon being housed, it seemed that the slings really had started to gravitate to the same den.

I also watched nervously as two slings encountered each other in another corner of the enclosure. At first, I was convinced that the larger of the slings was going to attack and kill the smaller. As they met, he froze, then reached out carefully with his first set of walking legs, almost as spiders do when they sense a prey item nearby. However, the other sling quickly reciprocated by putting out his fist sets of the legs. The two entwined for a bit, much in the same way males and females do when mating, as they continued to feel each other out. Then, about a minute later, they both walked off in different directions.

No attacks.

No bites.

No devoured sling.

I was amazed by the encounter; it appeared that they could differentiate between one of their own species and a prey item. There was no friction whatsoever. After watching many spiders reflexively pounce on anything that moved in their enclosures, I couldn’t help but to feel a bit mind-blown by this development.

As for feeding, I wasn’t sure if any of the roaches were devoured, and there still appeared to be several of them running around the enclosure. The slings either didn’t notice or didn’t care as they continued working on their den. I decided to give it another day to see if I could catch one or more feeding.

DAY TWO: Having seen a few of the roaches I dropped in still roaming around without a care in the world. I worried that some of the slings might not be eating. Remembering that the M. balfouri mothers often kill prey for their young, I killed a large cricket, mashed it up a bit, and dropped it in front of the den entrances. My hope was that I could catch some of this group feeding I had read about.

I popped in to check on the little guys before bed, and was floored by what I saw. Several of the slings were feeding on the cricket at the same time. Even more interesting, there was no fighting or friction between the feasting tarantulas. They very calmly approached the cricket, tore off a chunk of meat, and simply ate their meals.

I also observed that at least FIVE of the slings now occupied the same burrow. They really were purposely gravitating to the same burrow despite having enough space to stake out their own homes. This was true communal behavior I was witnessing, not just a bunch of spiders sharing space because they were forced to.

DAY THREE: I crept down late at night to see what my communal was up to (darned insomnia), and I discovered that all nine slings were apparently sharing the same den. For a full five minutes, I watched as they moved in, out, and around the single den entrance with at least four of the slings laying down webbing. They weren’t just living together; it appeared that they were cooperating with each other to build their home. AMAZING.

DAY FOUR: Failing to capture the group feeding on film the first time, I dropped another cricket in on the third night hoping that I might be able to get the next meal on video. I awoke early the next morning to discover several of them eating off of the same cricket. Like a buffoon, I sat their ogling this for bit before remembering to record it. By the time I grabbed my phone, a couple of the spiderlings had toddled off. Still, I managed to catch a few of them eating in the video below. Again, there were no spats or fighting to speak of, and the slings obviously recognized the difference between the prey and the other spiders.

DAY SEVEN: It’s official: all of the slings have adopted the center den as their home, and all are living communally in a single den. The amount of webbing in this area has increased with all lending a hand (or their webbing) to the construction. There are now several entrances including the main one, and the slings spend much of their day going in and out of them.

So, I can cross one of my questions off my list.

~~Will the slings all gravitate to one burrow?~~

Yes, they sure will…and cooperate to build it apparently.

Having raised three M. balfouri slings to adulthood that were kept alone, I do have a couple observations:

I’ve noticed that these slings are out in the open MUCH more than my specimens kept separately ever were. Although I’d catch mine out and about every so often, they were very skittish and would spend the majority of their time hidden in their burrows. Perhaps my communal subjects will display more of that secretive behavior as they become more mature, but so far they seem to be much bolder than my last specimens. Could this be because they feel more secure when kept communally? I’m not sure.
My first batch of slings were very finicky eaters, often going weeks without eating and often refusing prey one week only to indulge the next. They would also be intimidated by normal sized prey items, and I’d have to feed them crickets that were smaller than what I would usually feed slings that size. As a result, they grew slowly often taking several months between molts. These new slings, however, have been eating like machines. I drop a cricket in and they are on it in minutes. Now I’m wondering if these slings will eat more and grow faster in the communal setting.

With these latest developments, I would have to revise my list of question I wanted to answer.

~~Will the slings all gravitate to one burrow?~~ An enthusiastic YES for this.
Do they really eat together and without friction? (I want to catch more feedings)
Is their any difference in behavior in M. balfouri slings kept communally as apposed to kept individually (I raised three from slings previously)
Will their ability to get along change as they mature?
Do M. balfouri slings kept communally eat more and grow fast than those kept alone?

As I move ahead, I’ll look to answer these questions and will post updates whenever I observe, photograph, or film something of interest!

Next up…M. Balfouri Communal Project Part 4: How Many M. Balfouri Slings Does It Take to Eat a Large Roach?

Communal Project Part 2: Nine M. balfouri Slings

June 25, 2016August 13, 2016 / cancerides / 6 Comments

The Communal Project series will document my setup of a Moncentropus balfouri communal, starting with the planning and acquisition of both the enclosure and tarantulas and continuing through as they mature. This is the second installment in the series; the first part is “Communal Project Part 1: An Enclosure by Brooklyn Bugs.”

After a couple of years of research and daydreaming, I will finally be setting up my first communal.

I’ve been fascinated by communals since I first saw photos of H. incei setup on a forum several years ago. I had always known tarantulas to be cannibalistic, so I was intrigued by the idea that a group could live together harmoniously without it turning into a survival of the fattest bloodbath. Since then, I’ve read articles and blogs, watched YouTube videos, and even spoken to a couple keepers who have tried it. I’ve researched the many species said to tolerate a communal living situation, including Poecilotheria species, Heterothele villosella, Neoholothele incei, Pterinochilus murinus, and of course, the Monocentropus balfouri.

Although all of these species have demonstrated the ability to co-habitate with other members of their species without immediately resorting to cannibalism, the level of true “communalism” can vary greatly. Every keeper would love to witness a true tarantula community where members actually benefit from living in close proximity to each other, possibly hunting and even eating together. But the fact is, many of these species are forced to live closely together in the wild due habitat constraints; they don’t naturally prefer it. Therefore, when they are forced to live together in an enclosure, the relationship between the inhabitants more closely resembles a fragile tolerance than a strong communal bond.

As a result, many keepers who have tried to keep communals have found the need to abort the projects upon discovering that their ten lithe specimens had suddenly become five portly ones. With many of the communal setups, cannibalism is a constant threat, and the thought of needlessly loosing often expensive Ts is enough of a deterrent for many keepers. Personally speaking, I love my spiders and pride myself on not having many deaths in my collection. The possibility that by creating a communal I might putting a group at risk of unnecessary death was a tough concept for me to get by.

One species has always stood out for me in the communal list…

One of the species that seemed to demonstrate some legitimate communal tendencies was the Monocentropus balfouri. I had discovered early on that this beautiful tarantula had some of the strongest motherly instincts of any species, and a quick Google search of “M. balfouri mother with slings” brings up some amazing photos of this maternal spider seemingly nurturing its young. This is an animal that keepers have witnessed killing prey to feed its spiderlings, as well as standing guard over them like a protective parent. Hobbyists that have kept this species communally report slings huddling together in the same burrow, even when given space, and feeding on the same prey…together. I have read several accounts by folks who have set up more than one balfouri in an enclosure, and it seems that it doesn’t matter the size of the specimens that are introduced together, they all live quite harmoniously.

After reading several accounts by keepers who had tried communal setups, it seemed that the chance of casualties was low…ridiculously low. I only found one instance where one of a group of about a dozen disappeared, but there was nothing to indicate it didn’t just die a natural death (and not at the fangs of one of its cage mates). Even more promising were the many photos of juveniles and adults living and even feeding together peaceably.

It seemed like if I was going to attempt a communal setup, M. balfouri would be the species to do it with. However, although the prices on these gorgeous Ts have continued to drop over the years, they still run about $60 or so for slings. It would be quite an investment to get one of these going, especially if I wanted to start with more than just a handful. For a little while, it seemed like it would remain a bit of a pipe dream.

Enter Tanya from Fear Not Tarantulas

After my last fantastic experience buying from Fear Not Tarantulas, I got to chatting with Tanya about spiders, the blog, and her breeding projects. It’s been fantastic conversing with someone who is not only knowledgeable, but also thoroughly entrenched in this amazing hobby. During one of our conversations she made an amazing offer; she would hook me up with enough M. balfouri slings to finally start that communal I had been pondering for years. To say I was ecstatic would be an understatement.

The original plan was to start with five or six specimens, so I had to go ahead and set up an enclosure that wouldn’t be too large for the .75-1″ slings, but that would also allow for plenty of room for growth (for more on the enclosure, click here!). Once the enclosure was ready, I gave Tanya the go ahead to ship my tarantulas. I had shared my photos and ideas for the design of the enclosure with Tanya, and when it arrived I explained that it was a little larger than my first idea, but I thought that it would work out well. After texting me with updates on the packing (as well as a photo of the A. amazonica I was was also getting), Tanya informed me that she was actually sending nine M. balfouri. NINE. I was absolutely floored. The extra space would definitely go to good use.

She shipped them promptly and they arrived expertly packed, labelled, and in fantastic shape. As a picture is worth 1000 words, I’m guessing that a video is worth even more. Below is the video of the unpacking along with the rehousing of the nine M. balfouri slings into their new homes (the rehousings start at about 3:32). I will admit to feeling just a bit of apprehension as I started loosing the slings into their new enclosure together. A part of me really worried that they might turn on each other or I might capture friction on camera.

It soon became apparent that my fears were unwarranted as the rehousing went off without a hitch and the nine little slings scuttled to the pre-formed burrows without a single incident of aggression. Even better, when I checked on them later in the day, a few of the slings had actually taken residence in the same burrow.

I’m finding the communal setup utterly fascinating, and I’ve been checking on them constantly to see how they are getting along. So far, so good. As these little guys continue to make this new enclosure their home, I will continue with updates including my observations and video/notes on any behaviors of interest. A few questions I hope to answer are:

Will the slings all gravitate to one burrow?
Do they really eat together and without friction?
Is their any difference in behavior in M. balfouri slings kept communally as apposed to kept individually (I raised three from slings previously)
Will their ability to get along change as they mature.

Next up…M. Balfouri Communal Project Part 3: First Week’s Observations (and Video of Group Feeding!).

* A very special THANKS to Tanya at Fear Not Tarantulas who made this whole project possible!

Communal Project Part 1 – An Enclosure by Brooklyn Bugs

June 24, 2016August 13, 2016 / cancerides / 2 Comments

After years of considering starting a communal, it was finally going to happen courtesy of Tanya and Fear Not Tarantulas . Tanya from FNT was graciously hooking me up with nine M. balfouri slings (much more on that in my next post!), so I was actually going to witness some of this species’ communal tendencies firsthand. Out of all of the species I had read up on that could supposedly be kept communally, this was the one I had always thought demonstrated the most legitimate communistic tendencies. The fact that they are also one of my favorite species didn’t hurt either.

So, now that I would actually have the spiders I would need to get this project going, another question arose…what would I keep them in?

Although most of my enclosures are quite utilitarian (Sterilite containers, deli cups, and Mainstay canisters make up the majority of my cages) I really wanted to use something a bit more extravagant for this set up. After all, this tank could very well become the centerpiece of my collection, so it made sense to spend a bit for something nice.

As I originally planned to receive 6 to 7 slings, size was an important consideration. I didn’t want it so large that the slings would be encouraged to become territorial and not interact much, yet I wanted to make sure that it was large enough to allow for some growth. After much reading and deliberation, I decided that it would make more sense to give them a much larger enclosure than I normally would for slings that size, thereby giving them more room to grow. This would allow them to spend more time in this enclosure before the inevitable rehousing was required, which would obviously disrupt them. At first, I was looking for something about 7″ x 7″ x 10″ or so to house the slings, although these dimensions were just a starting point.

Also, due to the fact that I would be closely observing the specimens as they settled in and grew, I really needed an enclosure that was as transparent as possible. My acrylic enclosures are all very clear, so I decided to go this route. I checked out several pre-made acrylic enclosures from a few different dealers and couldn’t find the size or design I thought I would need for this unique project. I also wanted to make sure that the vents were as close to the top as possible so that I could pack it full of substrate. M. balfouris are fossorial, so they need some depth. Plus, I wanted to make sure that if the slings climbed, a fall wouldn’t harm them. Finally, I wanted the enclosure to open from the top and not the front.

While doing a search for acrylic enclosures on the Tarantula Forum, I stumbled upon a post for standard and custom acrylic enclosures in the classifieds section. The sample photos posted were quite amazing and included cylindrical enclosures and even a lunchbox cage. The prices on the standard sized models were quite reasonable, and the fabricator was obviously very skilled, so I shot off an email to Jonathan and Bela of Brooklyn Bugs asking a question about one of their designs.

Communication was superb.

Jonathan, the craftsman, responded quickly via email then text, and was incredibly helpful in working out the details of my new enclosure with me. I explained what I would be housing and indicated the model I was eyeing. After a quick conversation, Jonathan suggested that he could easily fabricate a custom cage for me that would better fit my purposes than the one I was looking at. So, instead of using one of his pre-existing designs, I instead sketched out a plan for the cage I would like to see. A short phone call later, the details were hammered out and Jonathan set to work building my cage. After much deliberation, we decided on 8″ x 8″ x 12″ with a hinged top and two vents on each side. Jonathan also suggested putting a lip around the top edge to eliminate any gap and to keep the small slings from escaping..

I initially worried that a custom cage would prove much pricier than comparably-sized standard designs; after all, Jonathan would have to build this cage from scratch. Instead, it was quite comparable to and, in some cases, less expensive than similar ones I had priced out on other sites. The cage itself, even with it being a custom design, was only $80. Considering I know that he had to do a lot of extra work to make my vision come to life, I think that was incredibly reasonable. I also assumed that I would have to show some patience as I waited for my enclosure to be fabricated. The last vendor I spoke to about creating a custom enclosure told me that the wait would be about two weeks

Nope. Amazingly, Brooklyn Bugs had it done in less than 24 hours.

Even better, he sent some work in progress photos as he worked so I could see my enclosure take shape. It was hard not to get excited after getting to watch it all come together.

Photos © Brooklyn Bugs

We nailed down the final design of the new habitat on Friday afternoon, and the enclosure was completed and ready to ship on Saturday. Jonathan shipped it promptly on Monday afternoon via FedEx, and the box showed up on my doorstep Tuesday afternoon. It took only about four days from when we started discussing the enclosure for him to build and ship it. The turnaround from start to finish was amazing.

For a video review and my reaction when opening the package, click below:

Needless to say, I was floored when I opened the package and got to examine the cage in person. Jonathan really did a gorgeous job on it; not only does it look beautiful, but it is probably the sturdiest acrylic enclosure I own. Even after being filled with soil, it doesn’t wiggle or flex at all. When discussing the design, he asked if I would like it with black tape on the edges, as he likes to add it for a stylistic touch. I’m glad I went with this option, as I adore the aesthetic of it. As a super cool bonus, the enclosure also came with a container of 100+ white dwarf isopods. I actually keep many moisture-dependent species and had been planning to pick some up for a quite a while.

My new 8 x 8 x 12″ enclosure from Brooklyn Bugs.

And the new enclosure all decked out and ready for several M. balfouri slings!

I’m absolutely elated with the end results. Amazingly, it actually came out better than I had expected (and I went in with high expectations!). My new enclosure will definitely become the centerpiece of my collection. In fact, I’m so impressed that I’ve already sent Jonathan and Bela the plans for an arboreal enclosure I would like them to build.

For folks looking for quality acrylic enclosures, especially if you want to get creative and build something that suits your needs and tastes, you should definitely talk to the guys at Brooklyn Bugs. You can check out some of their designs by clicking the link, or send them an email at brooklynbugs14@yahoo.com.

NEXT UP … Nine Monocentropus balfouri from Fear Not Tarantulas!

Fear Not Tarantulas – A FANTASTIC Place to Buy Spiders

April 30, 2016April 30, 2016 / cancerides / 7 Comments

Between the blog, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now my YouTube channel, I spend a lot of time talking to keepers new and established and answering inquiries into various aspects of the hobby. One of the most common questions I get is “where is a good place to buy tarantulas online?” Although I have a couple go-to dealers that I won’t hesitate to recommend, I’m always on the lookout for new dealers to buy from. I’ll be honest; I get a certain thrill from clicking on a new tarantula site for the first time and perusing the stock. And, when I find a dealer that I have a good experience with, I do my best to spread the word.

While watching some video on YouTube last week, I met theswimmingfox, or Melissa Fujimoto, a fellow tarantula enthusiast. I commented on a video she had posted showing off one of her gorgeous Phormictopus sp. purples grooming itself. During the ensuing conversation, Melissa mentioned that she had bought hers from Tanya at Fear Not Tarantulas.

Hold up…who?

I was honestly shocked, and a little embarrassed, that I had never heard of this dealer before, especially after hearing Melissa rave about their service. I hadn’t seen many folks carrying the sp. greens, so I had to assume that if Tanya had these in stock, she had a lot more goodies to offer. I immediately did a quick Google search and located the site…and quickly got excited.

A great site with dozens of amazing species to choose from.

The site is very well laid out, with the tarantulas for sale organized by slings, juveniles, males, females, and package deals (along with some other convenient choices). What’s more, there is even a “species descriptions” tab that brings you to husbandry notes for a plethora of species. These aren’t generic and often useless care sheets, but tips and observations culled from the folks at FNT’s own experience and research. Personally, I think this is an amazing idea and something I wish more dealers would do.

Now, I do a LOT of window shopping on various dealers’ sites, and I’ve seen many that carry the “standard” avic, grammy, and brachy species but don’t offer some of the rarer or less common tarantulas that usually catch my eye. This is definitely NOT the case with Fear Not Tarantulas. Sure, Tanya carries many of the “hobby staple” species, but her stock is incredibly diverse, including rare species of Avicularia, H. pulchripes, Phormictopus sp. greens, and several Pamphobeteus species. Even better than the selection might be the prices with many species selling for less than what I was used to seeing. The prices on some of the females she was offering were particularly reasonable.

After a couple days of making lists of the spiders I was interested in, I finally placed my order for a female Psalmopoeus irminia, a juvenile Brachypelma vagans, an Avicularia juruensis sling, and a “probably female” Lasiodorides polycuspulatus. I should mention that FNT also offers several choices of freebies when you spend a certain amount, although I opted not to select one for this order. Shipping was $45 for FedEx overnight and LAG, which is quite reasonable, especially if you buy a few Ts in your order. Orders over $500 get free shipping, which is great for folks who have the coin and want to make a big tarantula purchase. My order placed, I was quite excited, not only about the tarantulas, but see how this transaction went.

My new female P. irminia from Fear Not Tarantulas

Probably the best communication I’ve ever had from a dealer.

The next day, I received a text from Tanya asking me if it would be okay to ship my order that day, or if I would prefer she waited. Having been shipped orders with no warning before, and having to frantically email dealers to try to get a shipment delayed so I could be there to receive it, I can’t even tell you how much I appreciated this gesture. She also double-checked to see if I wanted my package held (I did) which was very important to me as I have all of my FedEx shipments held for pickup. I’m always worried there will be a mix-up, so the fact that the dealer was actually thoughtful enough to reach out before she shipped was amazing.

Now, as I mentioned earlier, the L. polycuspulatus was labelled as “prob F” on the site, which I took to mean it might be female or might not. At $35 for a 1.5″ specimen, I honestly thought the price was good regardless of the sex. To me, “prob” means “maybe”, so it was a non issue. Well, during our text conversation, Tanya said that this specimen was actually unsexed, and the “prob f” was a personal note that erroneously made it onto the website. She was unsure of what the sex was, and offered an apology, a refund if I wanted it, or said she could substitute a female B. vagans for it. As luck would have it, I had been on the lookout for a female vagans, so this was an amazing upgrade. Although I offered to pay the difference, she simply substituted the sexed female for they unsexed specimen I had already ordered.

Even cooler? She actually texted a photo of the adorable female as she was packing her up! I honestly couldn’t get over the fact that she was actually texting me while my order was being assembled.

I’ve mentioned before that I often get a better idea of how a dealer’s customer service is when the order doesn’t go perfectly. Personally, I like to see how people react if there is a mix-up or hiccup. The fact that Tanya immediately mentioned what she saw as an issue and then upgraded my order to make up for it is the type of response that makes me trust a dealer completely.

My new female B. vagan (being a bit coy) from Fear Not Tarantulas.

Tanya’s packing gets an A+

My box arrived as scheduled, and I rushed home to open it up. This was easily one of the best packing jobs I’ve seen. The box was lined with foam stuffed with newspaper for padding. Even better, the heat pack was tightly secured behind a piece of foam, keeping it from slipping and becoming loose in transit. There was no way this thing was moving. This is a detail most don’t consider, but if a heat pack bounces loose and settles next to the tarantula vials, it would likely fry the spiders. I definitely appreciate the attention to detail and the obvious understanding of great packing practices.

The Ts themselves were well secured in vials lined with moist toilet paper or paper towels, and these were carefully wrapped in moistened newspaper. When I unwrapped them, I was floored to discover that not only were the vials labeled with the species’ names (made with a label maker, no less) but three actually had the date of their last molts on the package. WOW. I’ve have ordered tarantulas dozens of times, and I’ve never seen this before. Not only is it incredibly great information to have for records, but it shows that the dealer really pays attention to her animals.

The tarantulas themselves were in great shape, and all have been housed and have eaten. You can tell these animals were well-cared for. My new female B. vagans is absolutely adorable, and the A. juruensis is so inquisitive that I just might have been tricked into a brief, impromptu handling session… This order proved to be an amazing experience all around, and I’m already making up a wishlist for my next order.

I would highly recommend Fear Not Tarantulas to beginner and established hobbyists alike.

I get a lot of new hobbyists who ask about good places to buy tarantulas, and I’m very careful about who I recommend. I look for places not only with a good selection of Ts and easy to navigate sites, but also great communication. Those new to the hobby often have many questions, and I feel they should be directed toward dealers who will take the time to consider and answer these questions. Tanya at Fear Not Tarantulas knows her stuff, and her communication during this transaction was the best I’ve ever received. I’m more than confident that this approachability would be much appreciated by someone new to the hobby and making their first purchase. And, of course, their great prices and diverse stock would make FNT a great shopping destination for established keepers looking for rarer Ts with great customer service. Fear Not Tarantulas gets my highest recommendation for great prices, diverse stock, and quality shipping and communication.

An adorable A. juruensis sling from Fear Not Tarantulas

Site Update – Husbandry Notes by Species!

April 23, 2016 / cancerides / 7 Comments

When I first started Tom’s Big Spiders, it was really only to share some of my cool experiences in the tarantula hobby. I honestly never expected anyone to discover or read what I was writing; instead, it was more to serve as a fun outlet (and to spare my family and friends from having to listen to prattle on about bugs). However, little by little, I actually developed an audience as the content evolved from fun molt and feeding posts to more informative husbandry and species notes. With folks actually reading what I was writing, I focused less on the fluff and more the informative and hopefully educational articles.

As a site that was basically created with no real audience in mind, I didn’t give a heck of a lot of thought on how to arrange it (or on the name, for that matter!). However, as I wrote more and more content, and saw what folks were reading and searching for, it quickly became apparent that I needed some way to organize information so it was easier to find. Therefore, some new pages evolved out of the mix: added were Resources, Vendor Reviews, and finally the most popular page, Beginner Guides.

I also created the Topic Index page, which was supposed to act as a site map of sorts, but it quickly became outdated and was mostly ignored. Particularly, the species-specific husbandry articles were getting overlooked as there was no real clearly designated page for them.Folks were often asking if I could talk about species I had already covered because they couldn’t find the post.

Well, that’s finally been fixed…introducing the Species Husbandry Notes page.

Having done husbandry articles or videos on 40+ species , it was high time I created a page just for species care. I didn’t just want it to be a list of names though…it needed to have some visual flair and possibly a quick way for folks to identify the challenge level of each species. I spend a lot of time trying to get good photos of all my Ts, so I definitely had a lot of material to work with. After a few hours on Photoshop, I came up with what I hope will be a visually-appealing and useful system.

Each species’ name bar is color-coded to indicate the potential level of “challenge.” These designations are based on ease of husbandry, temperament, speed, and venom potency, and are only meant to serve as guidelines for those new to the hobby or species. Obviously, keeper experience and ability, as well as variations in individual specimens’ behavior can be hugely important as well (and can’t really be factored in). Bottom line, if the spider is labeled orange or red, spend a little more time researching its temperament and husbandry needs.

The colors work as follows:

Green – Beginner
Yellow– Intermediate
Orange – Advanced
Red – Expert

If I’ve done a husbandry blog on the species, just click on the photo to be sent to it. If there’s no article yet, you’ll be sent to the husbandry video on YouTube (my goal is to eventually get write-ups for all of the species).

Hopefully, this will make it easier for folks to find the info they need while affording them the opportunity to peruse all of the species husbandry notes if they feel so inclined. I have 33 of the spiders up as I write this, and my goal is to create guides for all of the 60+ species I keep. Also, I will continue to periodically update articles with the very latest observations, notes, and photos to ensure that all posts are current.

Again, thank you to all who currently use Tom’s Big Spiders as one of your sources for tarantula information!

Tom

Hysterocrates gigas – “Cameroon Red Baboon”

March 12, 2016 / cancerides / 2 Comments

A gorgeous, if a bit reclusive, baboon species.

Back in August of 2014, I ordered a couple .75-1″ Hysterocrates gigas slings from Jamie’s tarantulas. At this time, I had been acquiring several baboon species, and I had become fascinated with the gigas since discovering YouTube footage of one seemingly diving into water and swimming. I had never heard of this behavior from a tarantula before, so I decided that I definitely needed one in my ever-expanding collection.

Upon receiving the two timid slings, I housed them in 32 oz Ziploc deli containers. The T. gigas is a fossorial species that loves to build intricate and extensive burrows, so the taller cups allowed for several inches of moist substrate for tunneling. Within a day of being introduced to their new homes, both of my slings burrowed straight to the bottom.

The first several months I kept my gigas slings, I rarely saw them. I keep a number of fossorial speices, and I usually have good luck catching them out and about in the morning when I come down for work and first turn on the lights. These guys, however, were much more reclusive and difficult to spot. Occasionally, I’d catch a glimpse of a back leg as one quickly slunk down into its burrow, but that was about it.

I did know that they were eating well. Twice a week or so, I would drop in a cricket, and it was almost always gone by morning. On the rare instance that the prey item was still there the next day, I would just assume the spider was in premolt and wait a week to try again. Due to the amount they were eating, I guessed that they had to have put on quite a bit of size during this period. However, the fleeting glimpses I was able to catch of them made it difficult to assess their size.

My H. gigas young adult retreating to her den. Check out those thick back legs…

For temperatures, they were kept 72-75° in the winter and 75-80° in the summer months. I didn’t notice any difference in how much they ate due to seasonal temperature changes. This is a species that does not tolerate dry conditions, so I made sure to keep the substrate moist by periodically pouring water in and letting it percolate down the sides of the enclosure. This helped to keep the lower levels of its den damp even as the top of the substrate dried out a bit. I also provided each with a small water dish (both were unceremoniously buried several times).

Definitely a fast-growing tarantula.

Finally, in March of 2015, about 7 months after I first acquired them, I opened one of the enclosures to find a gigas perched right on the surface. I was floored. My little sling was now easily a 3″ tarantula. I had heard that this species had a fast growth rate, but I wasn’t prepared to discover a spider this large. It was time for a rehousing.

The H. gigas is an Old World species recognized as having a nasty disposition and a potent bite, so I was particularly cautious when rehousing these two. They both proved to be a bit skittish, but I saw no defensive behavior from either. That said, tarantulas are known to experience temperament changes as they mature, so they could easily develop a bit more attitude in the future. Many keepers have reported that their specimens are quite defensive and willing to bite. Currently, both of my specimens are spending more time on the surface, and I usually catch them out in the mornings. If disturbed, they will immediately bolt back to their burrows (which made getting these photos a joy!).

My, H. gigas enclosure

Now that they are about 5″ each, they are housed in large Sterilite plastic containers with about 7″ of moist substrate and water bowls. Both dug to the bottom and have excavated huge burrows beneath the surface. I currently feed them each one large dubia roach once a week. After their next molts, I will likely rehouse them into their final enclosures, which will offer a bit more space and about 10″ of moist soil to dig in. I’m also still giving some thought to creating a custom enclosure for one that would allow for a deep water area in one end. It sure would be cool to observes some of that swimming behavior in person…

The H. gigas is readily available in the hobby with slings usually fetching about $15-20. For those interested in fast-growing Old World fossorial species, that price is an absolute steal. This is a beautiful and interesting species, if a bit shy, and a wonderful to addition to any baboon tarantulas enthusiast’s collection.

Tom’s Big Spiders on Facebook.

February 15, 2016 / cancerides / 2 Comments

This is just going to be a very brief post to let those interested know that I now have a Facebook page for Tom’s Big Spiders. I’ve had a lot of folks ask if I was on Facebook, and although I’ve had a personal account for years, I rarely use it. However, after some encouragement from a couple hobbyist, I’ve decided to get the page I set up last year going. I will be posting articles from TBS and videos on my YouTube channel, as well as other less formal stuff.

Bear with me as I try to figure out how to use FB again…boy it’s been a while!

Tom’s Big Spiders on Facebook

Tom

Breeding Project: Poecilotheria Regalis

January 4, 2016January 4, 2016 / cancerides / 4 Comments

What better way to start the new year than with some breeding projects?

With many of my females maturing, it’s time for me to get going on some of the breeding projects I’ve been anticipating. First up is a pairing between my mature male and female Poecilotheria regalis. I was very fortunate that this male and female, purchased separately as a sling and a juvenile respectively, matured at about the same time. Although I was cutting it a bit close (the male had his final molt a couple months ago), everything eventually fell into place nicely.

Background

7″ mature female P. regalis

The female was purchased as a 2.25″ unsexed juvenile about 22 months ago. Her last molt was on December 2, and since then I’ve fattened her up a bit with three large dubia roaches and a hissing cockroach. She is currently about 7″ in length.

6.5″ male P. regalis

The male was purchased about 14 months ago as a 1.5″ sling and had its final molt in early November. He’s been observed tearing down sperm webs a couple times over the past several weeks, so he’s been ready to go. Although I would have ideally used this male earlier to breed, I wanted to wait until my female molted out one more time and gained a bit more size. He is currently about 6.5″.

Introducing the male and female.

I’d considered a few ways to introduce the two potential mates to each other. Courtships can last quite a while for Pokies, and I reasoned that I might not be able to sit by with a camera and hope to catch the process. I was also hoping to leave them overnight as to offer a dark, noise-free breeding environment. As Poecilotheria species are rather tolerant of each other (as evidenced by the many successful communal set-ups out there), most keepers reported that they allowed the two specimens to remain in the same enclosure unsupervised anywhere from overnight to a week. I planned to keep them together for an evening.

I had read about “shark tanking/shark caging”, which is when the male is added to the female’s enclosure for a few days while inside a smaller enclosure to protect him. The idea is to allow the pair to get accustomed to each other while still keeping the male our of harm’s way. Eventually, the male is released so that he can mate, hopefully with less risk of getting eaten by the female.

I know that several keepers have used this technique with some success, but the breeders who I have spoken to had not used shark tanking with the successful pairings of their Poecilotheria species. Also, the size of my female’s enclosure wouldn’t have allowed the space needed for this practice, so it became a moot point.

I also considered capturing the male and carefully introducing him directly into the female’s enclosure. Again, however, I worried that the size of the enclosure might not be conducive, as a spooked male might run directly into the female, getting munched before he could do his thing. Also, if the male was able to successfully insert, my female’s enclosure would offer minimal space for escape should she then decide she was hungry.

After measuring the two containers that housed my specimens, I decided that I would buy a much larger enclosure that would accommodate both the cages. With this setup, I would be able to put both enclosures in, open the tops, and let the spiders find each other on their own. This would avoid spooking the tarantulas during the introduction and allow them to encounter each other as they might in the wild. This breeding tank also offered plenty of free space should the male need to beat a hasty retreat.

A “breeding chamber” for my P. regalis pair. Both pokie enclosures were place inside this larger enclosure and their lids removed.

The tank I chose was a 27-gallon latch-able Sterilite container that offered enough floor space and height to allow the spiders to mingle on neutral territory. I used my soldering iron to put ventilation holes in both sides to allow for air flow, and I placed it on a small table in a corner of my tarantula room that doesn’t get much traffic.

The pairing

I placed both enclosures in the breeding chamber earlier in the day, but I waited until the evening to take the tops off. Within an hour, both had started to crawl out of their cages to explore. Just before bed, I observed both the female and the male drumming their legs as they courted. I’m taking this as a good sign that their may have been an insertion after I went to bed. When I turned the lights out, they were still at opposite ends of the enclosures continuing their courtship ritual.

I left them in unsupervised overnight, and when I checked on them in the morning, both were fine and perched in opposite ends of the larger enclosure. All told, they spent about 14 hours together, with about 10 of that being in darkness. I left them a bit while I had my morning coffee so I was awake enough to wrangle them both back into their cages. As it turns out, I didn’t need the coffee; each had returned to his and her respective enclosures while I was gone. I couldn’t have asked for an easier pairing.

The next step

Although I’m pretty optimistic that the two mated last night, I’m going to go ahead and try again next weekend while I still have the male. After that, it will be a watch-and-wait game as I hope to discover the female is gravid. With any luck, I’ll have a sac in a few months. I will not only post a blog update if I have any news, but I will also update this post.

Next up … it’s time to find a date for my female P. vittata.

Wish me luck!

Sexing Tarantulas Using Molts

November 8, 2015January 24, 2016 / cancerides / 8 Comments

For most tarantula keepers, females are where it’s at.

It’s not that we don’t have love for their male counterparts. In fact, some male species like Phormictopus and Pamphobeteus are more colorful and stunning than the females. No, in most instances, the reason comes down to longevity and their ability to produce young. Female tarantulas are much more long-lived than their male counterparts, often thriving decades after the males have matured and expired. Females can also be bred to produce slings, an integral and fascinating part of the hobby for many.

The story is a bit different for male tarantulas. Some species of male tarantulas can mature in just over a year, leaving you with a leggy, antsy boy who wanders around his enclosure in a desperate attempt to fulfill his life’s goal to mate with a willing female. At this point, the best thing you can do for this tarantula that you have lovingly raised and cared for is to ship him off to someone with a female for breeding, leaving you with an empty cage. Sure, you can do do a breeding trade for half of the slings a successful pairing produces, but not all attempts end in viable sacks, and some end with the male being unceremoniously munched.

Those who enjoy raising tarantulas (and who don’t feel like paying the higher prices for sexed females) will often pick up spiderlings. As small slings are often difficult, if not impossible, to sex accurately, you never know exactly what you’re getting when you pick up a tiny spiderling. Many keepers (myself included) will pick up three or more slings of the same species at a time to increase their chances of getting a female. You then feed them, love them, and watch for signs that you might have hit the spider jackpot with a female.

Female C. cyaneopubescens molt (GBB)

Sometimes you notice one growing faster than the others, and immediately suspect a male. After all, males in many species will grow and mature faster. Other times, you see the spider’s underside pressed up against the side of its enclosure and you swear you see female parts. And still others, you’ll latch on to some physically dimorphic feature, like color or patterning, in hopes that it indicates a female.

Any keeper who has patiently waited to sex a spider they have raised from the sling stage has undoubtedly experienced the thrill of discovering they have raised a young lady … or the letdown that their beloved pet is a more short-lived male.

How do you sex a tarantula?

There are several methods keepers to use to determine the sex of their tarantulas, but many are not very accurate or require the keeper to have plenty of experience as well as a keen understanding of the anatomy of many species.

One method used to sex tarantulas is ventral sexing, which entails examining the tarantula’s ventral area (the bottom of the tarantula) around the epigastric furrow to try to determine its gender. The epigastric furrow is an opening between the set of book lungs closest to the cephalothorax (body) of the spider. Folks using this method will compare the curve of the furrow, the distance between the anterior book lungs, and the angle of the lungs to determine gender.

In females of some species, the epigastric furrow is more pronounced with what can be described as “lips”. In others, it is not nearly as pronounced. This method takes plenty of practice and knowledge of what both the female and male characteristics of each species are. Keepers attempting this technique will want to do some research and get some photos of both males and females for comparison.

A ventral shot of an A. insubtilis. This specimen was likely male.

Personally, I don’t even try to sex via ventral shots anymore, as I don’t feel that I’m particularly good at it, and it’s often not very accurate. Sure, some species like some of the Poecilotheria sport some fairly obvious lady parts early on, but others can be quite misleading and difficult to determine. Arachnoboards has a wonderful area where keepers can post ventral shots of their Ts so that others can determine the sex, but due to the trickiness of using this technique, many of the responses are just guesses (as evidenced by the same spiders being proven to be a different sex later on). Still, if you attempt this method, try posting a good ventral photo up on this board to get some other opinions.

There is also the epiandrous fusillae method. With this technique, the keeper looks for epiandrous fusillae, or a second set of micro spinnerets used by mature male tarantulas to create sperm webs. This is a technique that requires a keen eye and a lot of practice, so it might not be the most appropriate for some keepers, especially those new to the hobby.

Sexing your spider using the molt

The best way to your tarantula is to examine its exuvia or molted exoskeleton. An intact molt from a larger specimen (smaller specimens may require use of a microscope) can be examined for evidence of the female’s spermathecae, or the receptacle the female that stores the male’s sperm in. This organ is often described as a little “flap” or “pouch” above the epigastic furrow.

Although this method can be tricky at first, especially with smaller specimens, it’s the most accurate and easy to practice. All you need is an intact molt, some good lighting, and you can give it a shot. Here’s how to go about it:

A comparison of molts from a 3.5″ male and a 3.5″ female T. stirmi. The piece of paper on the female molt is showing the “flap”.

1. First off, you’ll want to do some research and find reference photos for both a male and female of the species you want to sex. I would encourage folks to hop on Arachnoboards’ Tarantula Sexing board and check out some of the shots there, or do a Google or Bing image search and study some of those. Every species is different, so looking at a molt from a L. parahybana might not be useful for determining the sex of a GBB.

2. Next, you need a molt that has the abdomen flesh containing the book lungs intact. If the abdomen has been completely shredded in this area, you will find it difficult or impossible to sex the molt. I try to grab the molts from spiders I want to sex right after they molt (as long as I can do it without disturbing the tarantula).

3. You need to soften up the exuvia, or molt, to make it less fragile and more pliable. I use a very small spray bottle and give it a few squirts. I then wait a few minutes for the molt to soften up. Other folks will drop the molt into a dish of warm water for a minute or so. Either of these methods work, just use care when handling the molt not to tear it or get urticating hairs on you. You may also want to put it on a piece of paper towel to wick up some of the excess water.

4. Position the molt so that the fangs are facing up and the molt is on its “back” on your well-lit working area. I like to use white plates myself, but a piece of foam board would be great if you want to pin the molt down. Now, carefully spread out the legs and unfurl the abdominal skin if it has become twisted. Work slowly and carefully, as the area that you need to sex the molt is VERY fragile and will tear. I will usually use toothpicks and cotton swaps to unfurl mine. You want to open up this abdominal skin so that you can see the underside of the area where the two sets of book lungs are.

5. Now, some folks will immediately spot a slit between the set of book lungs closest to the body and think that they have a girl. Not so. This slit is found on both males and females. What you are looking for is a pronounced “flap” or the spermathecae, which will be above the epigastic furrow if present. The smaller the specimen, the more difficult this area can be to see. I often use a magnifying glass or take a close-up photo with my phone to get a better look. On well-developed females, you can even take a small piece of paper and slide it behind the flap to be sure.

UPDATE-FURROW

If you find the spermathecae, congratulations … it’s a girl! If not, and you are sexing a largerer specimen, you are likely looking at a male. You can always try again on a future molt to double-check.

Now this all sounds quite simple, but it’s not always that cut and dry. Some species don’t develop enough for the casual keeper to sex until later in their life cycles. Also, males from some species will have organs that can be mistaken for spermathecae, meaning that sexing those species can be a bit more challenging. If you are trying to sex your pet, you should spend some time researching and examining molt photos from both the males and females of the species. For some wonderful reference diagrams of the spermathecae of females from different species, check out this site. A Google search will also bring up several useful photos, and you can also check the sexing topic on Arachnoboards and compare the photos.

L. itabunae female molt with the spermathecae highlighted.

Recognizing mature males

It should be mentioned that mature males can be quite easy to sex, and you will often hear keepers refer to their males as “hooking out.” This expression comes from the fact that males from some species develop tibial “hooks” behind the knees of their first set of walking legs upon maturing. The key word here is “some”, as many species will not present this feature while others, like some in the Avicularia genus, will have hooks too small to see.

An illustration of a male tarantula. Some species don’t have tibial hooks, so it is better and more accurate to look for the emboli.

Honestly, the phrase should be changed to “bulbing out” or something similar, as keepers should be keeping an eye out for another telltale feature; namely the bulb-like emboli at the end of the male pedipalps. The pedipalps are the shorter set of appendages inside the first set of walking legs that look like shorter legs. When a male spider has his ultimate molt, he develops emboli, or essentially the male’s sexual organ used to deliver the sperm to the female, on the end of his pedipalps. Instead of the ends of these appendages looking like the rest of the tarantula’s “feet”, they will instead be round and bulbous (some keepers refer to them as “boxing” gloves).

A comparison of a mature male’s pedipalps (with emboli) and a mature female’s.

Because all male tarantulas will develop this feature, it makes more sense to look for emboli when trying to determine if your spider is a mature male or not.

Not only do males mature much faster than their female counterparts, but there are often many physical differences between a male and female of the same species. First off, males tend to be thinner and “leggier” than the girls, who are much more heavy-bodies. Many male tarantulas have different colorations than females, with some being very pronounced. Female L. violceopes, for example, sport gorgeous iridescent blues and purples upon reaching maturity. Males, on the other hand, are brownish to olive in color. Some males also mature at a much smaller size than the females of the same species; this can lead to some confusion for keepers who discover that their gangly male is done growing at 5″ and will never reach the 7″ max size of the females they’ve read about.

Unfortunately, many of these features won’t appear until the specimen’s ultimate molt, so those using this “method” would literally be discovering their pet’s sex at the latest possible opportunity.

Lots of practice is required!

No matter what method you choose to try to sex your specimen, research and practice are key. I have literally examined over a hundred molts now and spent countless hours staring at sexed molts on my computer screen. And although I feel like I’ve definitely got the hang of it, I still have difficulties at times. I’m certainly not yet an expert yet. When you’re first starting out, be sure to try and sex every molt you can. Do you have specimens that are already sexed male or female? If so, examine and photograph their molts as practice and to use as references.

With all of the variations between species, it can be very difficult to know what to look for. I would encourage anyone attempting to sex their T to look up the species first and find out all you can about it’s anatomy or any sexual dimorphism. Some questions you should be researching are:

Are their differences in colorations, marking, or bandings between the sexes?

Is this a species that can be sexed ventrally with accuracy?

What is the shape of the female’s spermathecae?

At what size to the genders become apparent enough to accurately sex by molt?

Does the male of this species have an organ that could be mistaken for a spermathecae?

Does the male of this species have tibal hooks?

Sexing may seem daunting and confusing at first, but with enough practice, most keepers will be successfully identifying the genders of larger specimens in no time. And honestly, the first time you examine a molt and discovering that the sling you have raised for a year is a little lady makes all of the effort and frustration worth it.

* Note: I will continue to update this blog with photos of sexed molts. It’s my hope that this can be a resource for some looking for reference photos.

Tarantula Care Sheets – An (Un)necessary Evil

June 30, 2015June 30, 2017 / cancerides / 10 Comments

We’ve all done it.

While perusing a tarantula site, you come across a new species that totally catches your eye, but whose care and husbandry you are unfamiliar with. Eager to learn about this specimen, you hop onto Google (or bing, if you’re an iconoclast) and frantically type in the scientific name of species as well as the following words…

CARE SHEET

As you start clicking on the results, one-by-one, your excitement inevitably turns into confusion … and later frustration.

You see, each of the care sheets you read seems to contradict the one you read before it. One says the species enjoys low humidity while a second says they’ll die if not kept moist. One lists an ideal temperature range of 68-80° while another explains that temps below 80° can be deadly. A fourth sheet says the species can reach a maximum size of 9″ while a fifth states the size taps out at around 5″.

Now what?

Most of us learned years ago that the internet can be a literal sewer of misinformation and lies spoken as irrefutable truth. It takes a bit of patience, internet savvy, and general common sense to wade through the knee-high piles of internet detritus to find those useful and accurate nuggets of information.

Never is this principle more clear than when searching for information on tarantulas.. The amount of misinformation online is staggering, and it often feels like the bad information far outnumbers the good.

The fact is, many of tarantula care sheets are just plain WRONG.

For the sake of this argument, let’s define “care sheets” as those brief, usually single-page basic care instructions for specific pets or animals. These sheets usually offer the basics like what and when to feed, ideal temperatures, humidity, and set-up. They are basically distilled, stripped-down instruction manuals for your exotic pet.

There’s a reason experienced keepers abhor care sheets, and that’s because most offer incomplete or incorrect information. Many present outdated information that, if used, could lead to the death of your beloved spider. Others are written by folks who have little to no experience in the hobby who, in their misguided attempts to share their love for the arachnoculture, simply regurgitate earlier information they read on another inaccurate site or blog (or, even better, cut and paste from a Wikipedia page). Although I can appreciate wanting to write about an activity you love, doing so with no valid experience is a bit irresponsible.

Look at some care sheets for common species and you’ll soon see it; several different pages offering the EXACT same information, word for incorrect word. In some of the more comical examples, they even share the same typos and grammatical mistakes.

Personally, when I look for information, I’m looking to hear from folks who have successfully kept the species I’m researching. I don’t want some generic and random temperature ranges and bogus humidity requirements from some self-professed tarantula expert whose only experience comes from incorrectly keeping a G. rosea for ten years. In the very least, I want notes from someone who has proven they have kept this species alive and thriving for a reasonable amount of time.

The problem for many is that to correctly research a specimen, it takes time and patience, and those are two things that many of us lack. Care sheets offer a quick and easy read; something we can glance over in less than five minutes and feel that we’ve been adequately informed. However, as many in the hobby will point out, tarantula keeping is NOT something you want to take a haphazard approach to.

If you really want to learn about that new species, here’s how to go about it.

Tips for finding accurate information

1. Check the message boards for information and to speak to other keepers.

Arachnoboards and The British Tarantula Society forums are both amazing places to get current and relevant information about tarantulas. Start by using the forums’ search functions to find archived info about these animals. Look specifically for posts made by those who actually keep the species you’re looking for. If you still have questions, make a post and ask folks for their opinions on how they keep these species.

2. Speak to reputable dealers and breeders and ask for advice.

Many of the tarantula vendors online are very experienced and willing to help with your questions. In my personal experience, Jamie from Jamie’s Tarantulas and Paul from Pet Center USA are both incredibly approachable and eager to help. If you have a question about a species and are having no luck finding information, don’t forget to use the dealer as a resource.

3. Check the dates of the information you find.

The hobby is constantly evolving, with new species being introduced often. When searching for specific care notes, whether it be on a website or, even better, a dedicated forum, check to make sure that the information was posted recently. That’s not to say that older information can’t be correct; however, you’ll want to cross-reference it with a more current source to be certain.

4. Check the credentials of those offering advice.

If you’re on a reputable forum like Arachnoboards, or getting advice directly from a breeder, you’re likely in good shape. However, if you stumble on a tarantula site purporting to proffer expert advice, be sure to research the credentials and experience of the folks running it. Anyone can set up an intuitive and professional site these days, and a slickly-designed web presence does not necessarily equal quality information. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to toss the person an email inquiring about what species they currently keep. If they don’t or haven’t kept the species you are researching, move on.

5. Compare, compare, compare…

If you stumble across what you think is a good source, don’t stop there. Take the time to look at what some other keepers say. Then, when you’ve got a few sources, take a moment to compare and contrast them. What are the commonalities? Where do they differ? Are there questions that aren’t yet answered? If not, continue to research (or see numbers 1 and 2 of this list).

Take your time and do it right…your Ts will appreciate it.

In the early days of tarantula keeping, before Google became the go-to research tool, the only way T keepers could find information was to read often outdated books or speak with other dealers and keepers. Back then, photocopied care sheets detailing rudimentary animal care were commonly handed out at pet expos or in pet stores so that the customer had an idea of how to care for his/her new pet.

Back then, this was a necessary evil.

However, the hobby has grown immensely in the past twenty years, and advent of this little thing called “the internet” has made it simple to locate accurate and appropriate information for just about any species. Static, archaic, and often just plain inaccurate care sheets should be allowed to go the way of aquarium gravel for substrate.

It might take a little extra effort, but the next time you want to learn about a new species, take some time to do some research and to reach out to those who have experience. You’ll not only receive richer, more useful information than any care sheet could provide, you might just also make a new friend in the hobby.