Aphonopelma chalcodes "Arizona Blonde" Rehouse and Notes
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- Опубліковано 29 тра 2020
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www.tomsbigspiders.com - Домашні улюбленці та дикі тварини
My ALL-time favorite species. As American as Springsteen, docile as a lamb, and stunning. My girl's name is Helga. Leggiest blonde I know.
Man, I need to get one of the docile ones. All of mine have had 'tude! haha Sounds like Helga (LOVE the name) is quit the looker! :)
@@TomsBigSpiders I've had a total of 3 in my lifetime. Two were great, one was diabolical.
@@squirrelysquirrel5332 Ha! Glad it's not just me. This one is actually just full of personality. She cracks me the heck up.
Mines a total spaz.
Docile he said bahahaha
I absolutely love lil Ms Nikki!!! and her attitude 🤣. She is so adorable. Smacked that paint brush a few times, came out of her hide like, HEY, you wana piece a me?? My E campestratus has gotten to be like this to. Very out of the ordinary for her. Hoping she'll grow out of it. Great video Tom!!! Tyfs God bless you
I'm glad that she "acted out" a bit. haha When I go to feed her, she will sometimes charge out of her den and stand there like she's challenging me. haha Awwww....that E. campestratus sounds adorable! lol Thanks, Debbie!
My A. chalcodes instantly kicks hair and gives me threat postures. The crazy ones always have a special place in my heart.
Hahahaha. She sounds like a fun one!
I am seriously thinking about getting into the T hobby. I am doing as much research as I can before getting my first sling and I really appreciate your videos and all of the information they provide.
Hello, Baker! Well, I hope that you do. It truly is a lot of fun. :) And thank you so much; I'm so glad that you find this stuff to be useful!
IIt's actually cute how she attacked the brush lol.
Hi, Charlotte! Yeah, I actually thought that was pretty adorable. haha
I think this will be one I always have. It's not flashy, but something about is endearing.
Yeah, they are awesome little spiders.
I’m from Colorado. For several years now I have been wanting to see the Tarantula migration down in La Junta. My son and I finally went a month ago. Wow the most informative and awesome site I’ve never ever seen. We saw at least 3 to 4 dozen males on the side dirt roads and crossing the road. We also saw many Nests. Although at the time. I did not know exactly what they were, but now I do. It took several weeks for me to talk my wife into buying a tarantula. I researched and decided to get me a 3” Arizona blonde, A. Chalcodes. My granddaughter named it Zoe. Most likely an older T but neat as hell. Well like Lays potato chips you can’t just eat one. And went to get some crickets for Zoe and bought my second T, a 3 inch Curleyhair. T. Albophilosus. My grandson named It Larry. Enough of the rambling love your videos as 69-year-old vet, most of these critters will outlive me. Tks
Hello, Mike! So sorry for the late reply! I would love to see the migration myself. That sounds absolutely amazing. And I love the name Zoe! hahaha They truly are like potato chips...it is such an addictive hobby. You have quite the collection there already...be careful. ;) And thank you so much!
Got mine as a 2” juvie. She has only eaten once in 3 months and has made this totally awesome dirt funnel.
That sounds about right. haha
Definitely one of my all time favourite T's. My girl is super docile. Never once flicked hairs, threat posed or bolted. She's amazing and so pretty 😍
Hi, Steph! Yours sounds like a total sweetheart!
I love my A Chalcodes. The coloration on the chelicerae makes it look like they have a little mustache, and they have such stocky little bodies. My little gal is a little bulldozer, and I look forward to the day when she emerges from her underground vault. That Nicki of yours is a lovely gal, and I adore her spunky attitude.
Thank you so much, Dani! It DOES look like a mustache! haha Sounds like you have a cutie!
Dani Kordonowy one of the things that got me over my arachnophobia was realizing that they all seem to have a Yosemite Sam mustache
One of my favorite T’s! Love my girl Lilyth 🥰 She is still a juvenile but can’t wait till she’s an adult. Its a nice sight to be able to go out into the desert and see them (MM’s) walking around. The desert rly is beautiful here in Arizona as well as the tarantula 🥰
Love the name! I would love to be able to see them in nature!
Mine is competing with B.hamorii when it comes to slow growing, i got mine as a juvenile three years ago and it has not molted once.
I have a sling I picked up about two years ago at around .3". It's now about .75". haha Both of those species grow at a glacial pace.
If I ever actually pick up a T or two, this species will very likely my first. They’re just too gorgeous!
Hello, Ryan! It's a great species to start with! :)
I adore my adult female, with her gorgeous subtle earth tones, and she is one of my very top favourites. She is a more tolerant individual. She also hunkers down from November to March every year, although she does come out and say hi the odd time when I top up her water.
Hello, Vanessa! They have such a beautiful and understated coloration. Glad to hear that yours has that wintering behavior as well! :)
Mine doesnt kick hairs she runs at me with her abdomen up shooting poop 😂
Awwww...hahaha She comes at you with the poo canon! lol
please film this omg
My sling was super "hey how are ya!?" Didn't mind when I was doing maintenance in it's enclosure and then boom! December hit and it went underground and won't come out.
Hi, Julia! Yeah, these guys tend to burrow a bit when younger, especially during the winter time.
I gave my A chalcodes 5-6 inches of substrate and she not only burrows but makes pretty elaborate tunnels and works on them every night. It's one of the coolest things I've ever seen! I love this species! I've watched this video a couple handfuls of times to see if you mention that much digging common behavior lol
Hey, Steve! Was she a captive bred one or wild caught? It's such an awesome species.
@@TomsBigSpiders I assumed she was captive bred based on what my local shop previously told me, but she is a juvenile, I didn't question it until now.
Yup... just an adorable little one 🙃
Thanks, Ann! :)
I have two A Chalcodes and they're stark opposites ironically. One of them is the only spider in my collection that demands a full water dish at all times, if it starts to get low she will perch on top or near it until I fill it again and then she immediately goes for a very long drink. My other one slaps and hides every time I try and moisten down a corner or fill her water dish, then she'll hide out on the dry substrate until the damp corner dries out a bit. It's amusing to be able to see how two individuals from the same species can be such polar opposites when it comes to water.
Hello! I LOVE how different individuals can be. Your two obviously illustrate that every spider can be different. That was one of the major points I was trying to make in this video. Thank you so much for chiming in!
I've had it for 8 months and it's still very small. I'd guess about 11/2" but I no longer need a magnifying glass to see it.. haha!
The kit did come with substrate and I am using it. It has been hiding all winter and refused food. I did discover 1 molt and it has finally emerged now that Spring is upon us. I actually observed him eating a piece of mealworm I had offered so it seems to be doing well.
It has occurred to me that since it is content and eating that I should just leave things as they are for now. Sometimes it's best not to rock the boat by trying to fix what isn't broke!
BTW I enjoy your videos more than any others. I find them informative as well as fun. Don't concern yourself with talking too much either.... The more you gab the more I learn!!
Regards
Hello, Cathy! Man, I have one that I've had for a year and half that it 1/2"! haha They are definitely slow growers! Mine used to hide all winter as well. And thank you so much!
Just wanted to take a second to say thanks, I’ve been binging your podcast, these videos and your blog for a couple months now in preparation for my first T. It’s an incredible resource you’ve put out for research junkies like me, I definitely think you’re providing the tools to succeed in the hobby at every level and I wanted to show my appreciation and say thank you for that! Keep up the good work!
Hello, Anthony! Thank you so much...I truly appreciate that! I'm so glad that you find it helpful!
Mine is named Callie and she doesn’t use her hides at all. She just sits on top of her cork bark hide most of the time
Awwww...love the name. I'm pretty sure that mine was wild caught, so that's probably why she still uses her burrow!
She's so cute!!! 😍
My captive raised male was the sweetest, most docile guy ever. He was one of only 3 that I handled.
I have sub adult wild caught female that is extremely skittish, but not defensive (yet 😂). She came into an lps injured and they gave her to me. She was beautifully cooperative when I put corn starch on her damaged pedipalp. Love how their little personalities vary. I have a soft spot for A chalcodes.❤️
First off, so sorry for the late reply! Awwww...he sounds absolutely adorable! And that poor girl! I'm glad that she found a good home!
Mine was also docile as a tarantula could possibly be. Truly tarantulas are individuals.
They really are, and sometimes I don't think that we take that into account. :)
Man that attack on the brush is the cutest ever, its like a cat on paws attack lmao! Good to see you Tom happy 1st of June btw lol. God bless my man..
Sorry for the late reply, Justine! Wasn't that adorable! I love how she charged out right after that. hahaha Happy 1st of June to you as well. I hope you're doing great!
@@TomsBigSpiders Its all good ma man! Right lmao I'm applying for a job right now and I can't wait to start again in the hobby... Prolly start a yt channel?? what ya think lmao!
Beautiful spider!
Thank you, Robin!
Thanks for the video Tom! Love your care guide videos! I hope your weekend is going well! ☺
Hello, Gabe! Thank you very much! So far, so good for the weekend. I hope that you are enjoying yours!
Thanks for the reply Tom, you’re awesome. Thanks to your advice the addition of some moisture turned my sling into an eating and molting machine !
Hello, Allen! That's great to hear! I've found that works with a lot of the Aphonopelma slings!
3:07 the way the light is reflecting makes her look like a cyclops! Also, absolutely love the name. Some great close up shots in this video.
Sorry for the delay! Ha! It really does! And thank you!
Hey Tom, just wanted to pop on here and say I love your content so much! I’ve watched some of your husbandry videos, I follow you on Instagram, and I listen to your podcasts all the time at work. I love your podcasts a lot and I find them to be so helpful when it comes to learning while also still doing what I need to do at work or around the house. You’re awesome and all your content is so informative. Thank you for doing what you do!
Hello, Dani! Thank you so very much! I truly appreciate you taking the time message me. :)
Still hard to get over here in Europe, wish I had one :) Only easy-to-get aphonopelma here is seemanni, don't ask me why.
Hey, bud! We get a lot of our stock imported from Europe, so it seems like we need to repay the favor and start breeding and exporting some of these!
I brought her enclosure down off the shelf so me and my A chalcodes could watch this video together 💕 my spider is quite tame she is about 11-12cm so probably full size now and she was even more docile before her last moult. I dont even try to handle most of my spiders its only when Ive had a spider for a while and Im certain it will be fine from their behaviour when Im moving them and rehousing and stuff. but even now I can handle her w/ out worrying and I dont think Ive ever seen a threat pose from her and she would never bolt unless I did something silly
So sorry for the delay, Super Loops! Awwwwwww...that's adorable! :) Sounds like you have a sweetheart. I'm hoping Nicki calms down a bit as she puts on more size...I love that crazy little fluffball!
Yeah I totally miss the migration every October in southern Arizona. Take care Tom. Ibnsarachnids aka Rob
Hello, Rob! Oh, man...I would LOVE to be able to see that!
A. Chalcodes... they are either quite spicy or the calmest pet rocks! It's a guessing game with these. 😀
YES! hahaha I had to comment on that, as people always chime in on my older A. chalcodes video saying things like, "Why don't you hold yours? They are so tame!" Ummmm...YOURS might be tame...mine are NOT. haha
One of my dream Ts but here in Philippines A. Chalcodes is very rare
Hello, James! So sorry for the late reply! Yeah, one of my Filipino hobbyist friends was telling me that!
Great video Tom and glad to see you guys are keeping healthy and safe. Nikki is a stunner and beautiful colour. Enjoying all your videos during these crazy times in lockdown . Take care brother.
So sorry for the delay, bud! I missed a whole bunch of comments. Yes, we are all doing well, thank you! I hope that you and yours are okay. Thank you so much!
These are definitely on my wish list.
Hi, Rosalinda! They are definitely cool little spiders!
@@TomsBigSpiders I've acquired 13 tarantulas in 3 weeks and went from never having seen one in real life to obsessed with them. I've told myself I need to stop buying spiders but I'll admit I have a little wishlist for species I still want. I've never been a collector but there's just something about ts. Thanks for all your help. I watch your UA-cam and listen to your podcast. All my critters are healthy and eating thanks, in part to your guidance.
I'd love to see another feeding video. I know you hate doing them but you have an amazing collection and I love seeing it. And your girl nikki is beautiful.
I might be able to do that. I have crickets coming tomorrow, and it's been a while... :)
@@TomsBigSpiders awesome!!!! Listen I will have a avicularia egg sack soon and I would like to send you 5 or 6 slings, how would I do so?
I woke one morning to find my Brachypelma Hamorii half in and half out of its enclosure it chewed through its metal lid and was stuck. lost a leg and is doing fine otherwise. she was in a 10-gallon tank with one of the Wal-Mart metal lids. I know the mesh lids they can chew through but didn't think she would be able to get through this one lol hope you and your family are doing well thanks for all the great videos. my Aphonopelma chalcodes is still in its hole under its log has been for a few months now.
What type of metal lid was it? The thick mesh? That's a bit scary! haha I'm glad to hear that she is okay. And I do hope that you and yours are well. Thank you!
@@TomsBigSpiders Exo Terra Screen Cover, 10 Gallon
I love our female, Vivian. She's adorable and sweet. She's not even 4 inches yet and we think she's about 8 years old.. On top of that, they are so cute!
Hello! I love the name. :) She sounds like a total sweetheart! Yeah, they are adorable. :)
Beautiful girl! My first T was a chalcodes. Mine is so very docile. Great rehouse
Hello, Kim! Thank you so much! Hopefully, Nicki calms down a bit as she puts on some size. :)
Over here in South Africa i have not seen any available, hopefully they will be in the future.
Hello, Shawn! Yeah, I only realized recently that they were scarce in other countries. Hopefully, some folks start breeding them!
Hi Tom! Hope you're all well your side of the pond! Have been catching up with your vid's so, thanks a bunch!
One of these was my third T (if I recall) and he's still going, bless him- had to hold his food to his fangs for ages today to get him to finally eat, he's a geriatric lil' guy now. Bit wobbly... Has always been a bit kooky too!? A bit unpredictable but love him none the less. :)
Take care and keep em' coming! Cheers! x
Moggy! Great to hear from you! First off, so sorry for the delay in replying. I missed a whole bunch of comments! Awwwwww...that's so sad! It's horrible watching the males waste away. I'm glad that he's still going! I hope all is well!
💯👍 love my girls!! Sandy and Mandy
Sandy and Mandy...awesome names!
Love A Chalcodes my female is like an obt with her attitude. Great video Tom as usual thanks for making them!
Hello, Andy! Glad to know that I'm not the only one who got a crazy girl. haha Thank you!
I love my girl, Newt. Named after the badass kid in aliens. She's never been all that defensive with me, and only kicked hairs once, but I can tell she'd rather not be bothered. Hit and miss with eating (had a year long stretch where she maybe ate 6 crickets)...when she's hungry she eats as enthusiastically as my LP though. Awesome species. Definitely near the top of my list, beginner or not.
Newt! "They mostly come at night. Mostly..." I LOVE that movie...awesome name! Mine's eating well now, but early on she would fast. Yes, they are awesome spiders! :)
Lovely t tom defo on my list 👍🏽 great vid man
Lee! Great to hear from you bud! Thanks so much. They are awesome little spiders.
Thank you so much for making this video! I've been seriously considering one of these and getting to see a "negative" temperament (as well as the spiffy new enclosure) is really helping me make the decision 🤔
My pleasure, Lily! I'm so glad that this was helpful. Thanks for saying hi!
I'm pretty new to Ts....I got an Arizona Blonde in my last order, inexpensively.
I have to say s/he is my favorite new baby. Instead of booking it or cowering, it sits and looks at me. I can feel its tiny little gaze 😂
I'm really excited to see how it grows and develops!
Hahaha. She's plotting...don't trust her. ;) Seriously, that's awesome, congrats!
@@TomsBigSpiders plotting how she can get me to feed her! Seriously obese sling. People lied when they said that Ts will fast when they've been overfed. 😂
@@demonwolfmoon Much of the fasting that people talk about comes from feeding them a lot in a short period of time. They'll eat like pigs, fill up, and then spend weeks to months not eating. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders well,.she finally molted, and trimmed down a bit. Now to keep her there. B Klassi looks like she's going to pop. It seems like some of the Ts are prone to eating EVERY DROP of their food when on a sling feeding schedule of 2x a week, regardless how hefty they are looking, while others stay slender.
Thanks Tom for another awesome video!!! I give my sling moisture and it seems to like that area as long as it's not too wet.... I'm not sure of the specific behavior of these's T's in the wild but I do live in Arizona and if they were to burrow deep enough they will find moisture.... we have a clay layer below the surface that tends to retain moisture.... also in the late summer- early fall every year we experience a monsoon season where it can be raining heavily off and on, often causing flash flooding in certain areas so I'm sure these t's will have to deal with those conditions as well in the wild. During the winter, temps here can drop close to freezing temperatures sometimes getting to freezing temps or below so it makes sense why they would burrow during that time of the year... it's burrow or get frozen alive.... I love my AZ Blonde sling... it's mostly in it's burrow atm unless it's searching for food or dumping dirt out of it's burrow but it's created a pretty awesome tunnel system lol.
Hello, Alexandrei! Thank you so much! Yeah, I mention the moisture as a lot of people hear that they are an "arid" species, and try to keep the slings dry. I've found that mine will all burrow and eat better if allowed to find some moisture. Like you say, you just have to look at the local climate to understand that you do have periods of rain (and that they can burrow to find moisture). Yours sounds like a cutie! Thank you for chiming in!
The times that "Nicky" would bury herself may have more to do with the seasonal changes with moisture and not so much the temperature. What many do not realize that in Arizona, the top layers of the soil may be very dry, but depending on the season, if you dig a bit you will find a lot more moisture than you would expect. Yes, I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area. Just an idea.
I think that you're exactly right. I think I mentioned in another video with another species that it might be the dry air, as the temps are usually pretty consistent. That would make perfect sense!
@@TomsBigSpiders It was just a guess. There was a local young gentleman in either Arizona, or a border state of Arizona that used to take a pet male around the desert to breed with wild females. The videos were pretty awesome. I do not believe he posts anymore though. Almost lost his pet there a few times. lol
I love seeing these in the wild they are awesome
Hi, Buffy! I would LOVE to be able to see these in the wild! :)
If you ever get the chance to get out this way I can totally show you a few areas that they are out and about
@@Buffy_kitten_offical We'll definitely have to someday. And that would be great!
this one is my favorite of all your spiders now. that name fits so well not only because of the booty but also the attitude. bad girl chalcodes lmao
Haha! She sure has grown up to emulate her namesake. haha
I have my own Aphonopelma Chalcodes, and it is a very good eater. Not so sure about it's temperament yet, but generally if I open the enclosure it darts back in it's hide. It's about 2" now, and honestly is my favorite so far. Thanks for all of the tips dude.
Hello, Chad! Sounds like you have an awesome spider there! :)
@@TomsBigSpiders Thank you sir! I have 4 now, and probably about to be 6 or 7 by then end of the weekend!
I love the name Tom! 😁😁😁 Mine is nowhere near yours. As you say theses species do grow very slowly. I’ve had mine for about 2yrs now. At the moment mine is skittish at times. Especially when it comes to disturbing the enclosure or doing any general maintenance. Always hides to it’s burrow. Feeding has been up and down at times and yes he/she will fast at times as well. Great video buddy and I like the rehouse set up you used. Take care my friend and of course be safe out there
Michael! So sorry for the delay in replying...I somehow missed a whole bunch of comments! This might be the slowest growing spider I have. haha She was VERY skittish and shy early on, but she seems to be calming down a bit now. They sure are pretty, though. haha I hope you and yours are well!
In every video you make, we can feel how passionate you are about these animals, its truly awesome to watch your videos and listen to your podcasts. Nikki is beautiful !Definitely a must have species. I've just started collecting the Aphonopelma genus about 3 months ago. I presently have A. Iodius and A. Hentzi in my collection. Placed an order yesterday, 15 minutes or so before you posted this video, what a coincidence lol. I'll soon have 2 A. Chalcodes slings.
Hi, Paul! So sorry for the delay! Thank you so much! I started collecting them myself a few years ago. I still need an A. iodius, though! haha Congrats on your A. chalcodes sling!
I love my Rust Rump sub adult ❤️ my grumpiest spider with more attitude than my OBT 😂
Hello, Thomas! HA! Yeah, they aren't all "cuddly"! lol
Hey Tom! Love this video and now retroactively regretting how much I've overlooked Aphonopelma! She is SO CUTE I love her attitude! She's also a very pretty spider, she looks so soft and fluffy! I guess I really never looked at these guys cause the black on the femurs and the toes is really striking! Super adorable spider!
Also my GBB just matured out male and I'm picking up a T. ockerti in exchange for him- another spider I am dying to get my hands on thanks to you! Tom you're so bad for my wallet but so good for my soul, lol! Keep up the awesome work!
- Charlotte
I love these guys! Waiting on my male to mature so I can try to pair him with my female.
Hello, Warren! Fingers crossed that the eventual pairing is a success!
Like to see a collection tour Tom
I will do another one eventually. Right now, I rearranging everything and upgrading a lot of cages. Soon... :)
Hey Tom 🙂
Here in Germany they are very hard to find. I've looked for them a few years and never find one!
Last week I was lucky and bought 2 females and 2 males. Looking forward to breed them in the future, so they can get a little more here in the hobby!
The chalcodes I bought are out of the wild and friends of us imported them from the USA.
They just got 4f/4m.
So I can make sure that they become breed!
Take care and stay save
Jean🙂
I found out that they are very scarce over there a couple years ago...it had never occurred to me before that. Good luck on your breeding; I hope you get hundreds of little babies! :) Thanks, Jean!!!
@@TomsBigSpiders thank you 🙂‼️
We hope that it works out good😁👍🏼.
Take care👍🏼💪🏼
I love my A. chalcodes! So much so I have 7 of them with 3 different morphs. I think the New River Rust Rump is my favorite morph.
Hello, Ron! They are such awesome little spiders! This one here was originally the "A. schmidti", but the name was rejected in the 2016 Aphonopelma genus revision.
I was going get 1 off these until I read how slowly they grow I don't think I could wait 7 years for a T too grow a few inches although it's rewarding growing them from slings too adults I just prefer the faster growing tropical species.
Hi, Wayne! Yeah, they grow sooooo slooooowly. haha I have a sling that I bought two years ago at about 1/3" or so. It's now a whopping 5/8". haha
The spider shop in the UK has just got a large stock of these in, 3 different variants, I am very tempted because they are quite cheap and to me very interesting.
Oh, man...I would snatch them up! :)
@@TomsBigSpiders I am gonna order an Aphonopelma chalcodes 'new river rust rump' on Monday morning, before the weather gets too cold for postage. They cost £65 for an adult female which seems quite reasonable to me. I Have not been in the hobby very long, so calm new world species are my thing at the moment. They have 3 variants left in stock, the new river rust rump', the Arizona blonde and the flagstaff orange, they also have some Aphonopelma moderatum and seemani's in stock too, although the moderatum's are quite expensive.
So glad to know that they have tendency to hide away during the winter time. My A. chalcodes completely sealed off the entrance of her burrow for about 2 months now (since October). It’s her first year in my care so I didn’t know what to expect during this “hibernation” time. I just bought a new bigger enclosure, and now im wondering if I should just wait until she comes out of hiding sometime next year?
Mine did this for four years. This seems to be a common behavior with this species, especially wild caught ones. Mine would usually come back out in the beginning of April. Personally, I would wait until next year.
Great video! Just to chime in i haven't seen to many in the uk. But that's just me only been in the hobby since February lol. But one is on the list to get.
Hello! Yeah, there have been a LOT of people saying that they are rather scarce over there! And thank you!
My first T was/is a female of this species. She's excitable but docile. I handle her when she climbs out. She hesitates at the top, and I have to encourage her to actually climb onto my hand. One of the funniest things I've seen was when a dubia roach played dead beneath her. She put all her front legs together and drug the dirt backwards a little at a time. After about twenty minutes, she grabbed and ate the roach. Do you think that dragging is instinct or a modicum of thinking? I've watched her corner a cricket so that it had nowhere to go. She is by far my most interesting spider to watch.
Hello, Jeffrey! Awwwww...she sounds adorable. That roach story is hysterical! From what I've seen, it's instinctual. They can perceive even the slightest motion from the roaches, and then act. That said, I've seen some evidence that some of them can "learn" behaviors. I believe that they might do a bit more "thinking" than we give them credit for.
i live in germany and got a small female chalcodes! really hard to come by and quite pricey but soo worth it ☺️
Congrats for snagging one! I've been told they are very difficult to come by over there!
First, this is not an attack on you Tom, just an observation on the culture as a whole. As a new keeper, one thing that drives me crazy is the lack of specifics most experienced keepers provide when it comes to humidity levels. The recommended protocol for many slings seems to be, "Moisten the sides of the enclosure once or twice per week." Ok, but that doesn't take into account the average humidity of the environment where that particular keeper is located. I would imagine that moistening the sides of the enclosure once or twice per week would have a far different mid-to-long-term effect somewhere like Jacksonville or Seattle than Phoenix or Las Vegas, as the moisture would quickly evaporate in the latter cities while remaining and possibly pooling at the bottom of the enclosure in the former. I realize I'm probably overthinking this a bit but I can't help but feel like the humidity of the greater environment ought to be taken into account. As keepers, if we're constantly looking to refine and perfect the craft (art?) of keeping tarantulas, should this not be addressed? Please let me know if I'm way off base here. Thanks!
Hi, Brian. First off, so sorry for the delay...I missed a bunch of comments.
That's because any keeper that knows what he/she is doing does NOT measure humidity or even worry about it. Those "ideal" humidity levels your read about on those generic (and often terrible) care sheets online are complete BS. I don't measure humidity in any of my enclosures, and I only have a digital hygrometer in my tarantula room to give me a general idea if the air is too dry in the winter. When working with tarantulas, spiders that require some extra moisture are referred to as "moisture dependent." For these tarantulas, we give them moist substrate and a water dish. I don't mist, either, as it's pretty useless; it evaporates too quickly. I use a bottle with holes in the top to make it rain.
Here's an article I wrote about temps and humidity that explains things better: tomsbigspiders.com/2015/01/19/humidity-temperature-and-tarantulas/
Basically, don't worry about humidity. If they need moisture, keep part of the sub moist and give them a dish. Slings can dehydrate more easily than their juvenile and adult counterparts, so most need moist substrate at all times. If you have one that is hanging around it's water dish, soak down a corner. That's about it.
And, you are spot on about local climates playing an important part. Humidity here in the summer gets quite high, so I don't need to worry about keeping substrate moist. In the winter, when it's very dry, I have to be more diligent. Folks from drier locales would also have to be more careful.
And if you DO find a care sheet or a UA-camr who is giving ideal humidity requirements and number...run away. ;)
I hope that helps!
Hey Tom! Great video as always. I found your channel early this year on a recommendation from a private breeder. I always enjoy the way you explain things. I was wondering if you could do a more in-depth video on phormingochilus so. rufus. There’s almost nothing on them online and I recently purchased a sling from Fear Not. Being that I am new to the hobby this year, I know it was a bit of a brave purchase but, I just love the look of these spiders and I figured with my knowledge I will grow with it and learn as it grows. Your channel has been a big help to me considering I already have five slings and two of which are old worlds. Keep up the great work and thank you.
Michael! First off, my humble apology for the ridiculously late reply. I somehow missed a whole bunch of comments. UGH Thank you so much for the very kind words! I have to get another sp. rufus, as mine was a male and has since passed. They are awesome spiders.
Wait...I just found an older video I did. haha. Here you go! ua-cam.com/video/cTLBDhqdS98/v-deo.html
Great video. Mine hates to eat lol
Thanks so much, Channy! hahaha Mine does well now, but back in the day....yikes! lol
Thank you Tom ! Haven't seen one of these on the market . As an appreciater of big butts myself , I may have to name my G actaeon Kim . Hilarious ! Thanks again .
Hey, Dan! Hahahahaha. The whole thing started as a joke...but then it stuck. Hopefully, you can find one!
Molted two days later .
She is beautiful. I have a large female and a sub adult male and looking forward to attempting to breed these guys. They can be readily available in the UK at certain times of the year. I think most are wild caught and imported as they are more available in the winter probably caught during migration period. My female is WC but she is a very gentle giant and very inquisitive.
Hello, Ian! Yeah, you definitely need to breed them. haha It sounds like the UK is in good shape with them, but they are scarce in other countries.
Where do you get spring tales from for the substrate in some of your enclosures?
Sorry for the delay! Here's where I got the last batch from: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WLHZP34/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have an idea for a new video. A top 10 or more list of the most unique species. I'm looking to expand my collection but not with more that are similar to the ones I have or from the same genus. So for example the t. Stirmi can tick off the big tarantula box. H. Chilensis as the docile one. H. Gigas as it swims. M balfouri for the communal-Ness. The best webbing species(l. Megatheloides for me though not a tarantula) . Perhaps a pamphobetus for the death roll takedowns. A list of tarantulas that have characteristics or behaviours unique to them. Love ur videos Tom keep it up ur videos give me peace in these worrying times
Hello, Kris! First off, I'm so sorry for the very late reply. I missed a bunch of comments. That's a really good idea! Maybe instead of a top 10, make it like an awards show? :) Thank you so much for the suggestion...you've got me thinking now. haha And stay well!
@@TomsBigSpiders I'm happy to help and yes that's even better. "And the award for best takedowns goes to..." . Etc. You could even expand it into different videos with each video a different category. So the nominations for the best webbing species are.... Then you can tell us how each one is one of your favourites every single time lol (sorry if you don't get the english humour), and then pick a winner at the end of the episode. Thanks for the reply its the second time we have spoke now you don't really expect it with a UA-cam channel. Keep doing what you do Tom peace
Hey Tom, I was wondering if you could give me any information on a Bario Bat Eater (Phormingochilus pennellhewlettorum), I have alot of experience with Ts, but I can't seem to find alot of information about them. Thanks and keep up the awesome content!
Hello! So sorry for the delay!
I haven't kept that particular species, but I HAVE kept other Phormingochilus. Give them deep, moist substrate as slings and juveniles. I usually set them up like arboreals, but with plenty of dirt to dig in. They will burrow and hide when smaller (and even some larger specimens will stay hidden in burrows). They eat great, grow quickly, but if kept correctly you will rarely see them. Adults will also need moist substrate and a good place to hide. Some will do a little burrowing/webbing behind their cork bark and build web curtains around it. Throw in some sphagnum moss if you have it, as they use that for their web curtains. I hope that helps!
What would be better as a beginner? This one or a Brazilian black? Amazing how they can climb up almost any surface.. plastic..glass.. etc.
It's honestly a toss up. The Brazilian black tends to be VERY popular, and it might grow a bit more quickly. And yes, it is!
Love it, how do you keep the enclosure closed? I want to make one too
Hey, Kimmie! For a few, I bought acrylic hasps and cement and put those on. However, now I have shelves positioned so that if I put two in stacked, it keeps the lids down.
Hey Tom great vid an the a chalcodes I do have a sub adult and I'm from the UK and she is wild caught and I agree there not as docile as some make out,I assume there are some docile ones.great species to own.i also have an a seemani who I never see just stays in her hide.
Hello, James! Thank you! Yeah, I wanted to talk a bit about the temperament for this one, as there is a lot of talk about how calm and tractable they are. Although there are many calm specimens, there are also some rather skittish and defensive ones. My A. seemanni has finally outgrown her burrow.
Awesome video on an awesome species Tom. It’s so funny that I kinda named mine in the same way as yours. Mine is called Adipose, after an alien on the tv show Doctor Who, basically an adipose is a little ball of fat. As mine was a real chunk when I got it 😂 Hope yourself, billie and the family are well.
Hey, Tink! Bahahahahaha Great name...that's hysterical! We were definitely thinking along the same lines. lol And thank you! I hope that you and yours are well!
Do you drill holes in the bottom of the terrarium to prevent molding or other yucky possibilities?
Hello! Nope. If you keep the bottom levels moist and let the top dry out, mold usually isn't an issue.
have you done any videos on sericopelma?
I did a couple on my Sericopelma Santa Cantalina!
Is it wrong to think of an A hentzi as being an A chalcodes with different colors? I got my juvie A hentzi at an expo, and I think she is wild caught (based on her price and size). She also has a little bit of an attitude. She is very sweet and docile and curious normally, but she will randomly have spurts of attitude. She's the only T I've gotten a threat posture from so far -- for the crime of filling up her water dish. I rehoused her into a nice Lorex enclosure the other day, and she slapped both my tongs and the catch cup! I like it better when she isn't stressed out, but it's very interesting behavior to see. It also makes me realize I truly am no longer afraid of spiders.
Hello! Nahhhhh....hahaha They are quite similar. Sounds like you have quite a bratty one there! haha That's adorable! :)
Hey Tom, what would you recommend I house my L. parahybana 4 inch sling in?
Hello! Something around a couple gallons or so would work.
I like the upgraded enclosure. I'm always looking for the perfect T tank. How did these turn out and do the close securely enough?
So, basically I have shelves set up in a way that I can stack these enclosures two high and slide them in so that the top shelf keeps them closed. I also had a couple that I cemented acrilic hasps to in order to keep them closed. Right now, I have two rows of ten on the shelf, and they are working great.
Tom, I grew up in southern Arizona and these guys were everywhere in the desert. The Males would go looking for females in the fall. I would save as many as I because people would just run them over. I am getting three slings coming this Friday the 3rd of July. I got them from DTG and they came from a breeding project she had. Take care Tom. Ibnsarachnids aka Rob
How's it going, Rob? :) I wish I lived in an area that had them....I'm pretty jealous of folks who get to see them in the wild. And congrats on your slings!
First I just want to say that I absolutely love your videos! They are so helpful! I've got an Itty-bitty A. chalcodes sling that I am currently keeping in a dram vial. Like all my other tiny slings I try to keep part of the soil damp. Well this one will not come off the side of the vial. I've had it 2 weeks and it has eaten for me. Should I be concerned?
Thanks so much, Jennifer! I wouldn't worry quite yet. My last A. chalcodes sling did the same thing. Sometimes, if you make a narrow furrow between the substrate and the glass, and carefully dribble some water in, it can encourage them to burrow. You can also try leaving prekilled prey in over night. Unfortunately, they can be a bit more sheepish eating when they aren't burrowing.
Preparing to rehouse a sling from a T complete housing I purchased from Fear Not Tarantulas. How deep should the substrate be? And what proportions of peat, top soil and sand?
Hi, Cathy! What size are the slings? Do they include substrate with the complete housing package? If they do, try to pack down the sub and don't make it any deeper than an inch or so. As for combining peat, topsoil, and sand, I would do about 45/45/10.
Hey Tom I just listened to the podcast where you list the top 13 species you would keep and I looked through my tiny collection to find my top 5. I only have 7 right now but it was still quite difficult. I would have to keep my b. Emilia sling, my n. Incei sling, my LP, my GBB and my T. Albipalosum
Hello! I already want to redo that list. I HATE having to choose favorites. haha Great list! :)
Arizona blonde started it all for me, fell in love with tarantulas when I bought my girl locally. She was about 2.5 inches now she is 3 ish inches and in premolt now. My Arizona is docile but she will flick the tongs and spray bottle when I am working with her. Alittle spunky but I wouldn't trade her for anything. Love your stuff Tom!
Hello! I think these guys end up being the first tarantulas for a lot of people. They definitely have a very fervent fan club! Yours sounds like a spunky sweetheart. Thank you!
@@TomsBigSpiders It means alot getting a message from you Tom, alot of the skills and knowledge I've obtained came from you sir. You have helped me alot, do you sell tarantulas as well? Just was curious
Great video and a beautiful spider 👍 I live in Sweden and have never seen them for sale here only A. seemanni and A. anax. If only I could get a breeding pair 😊
Thank you so much, Nina! We need to get you guys some specimens to breed! And I didn't realize that A. anax was more prevalent over there...how odd! :)
@@TomsBigSpiders you don't see the anax not as much as the semanni, but I have seen them a couple of times, I saw one in my local shop just the other day😀I hope there will be expos again in the fall or that shipping becomes more reliable at least. But I'll def try breeding them if I can.
Hi Tom, I recently got one of these as my first T. I have been trying to research more. Could you recommend some reputable sites to get good info?
Have you checked out Mike's Basic Tarantula? He has been a go-to for me for years. www.mikebasictarantula.com/
How do you compare their growth and size to A seemani? Thanks Tom..
This is one of the slowest growing tarantulas I've kept. As for size, they are similar. The A. seemanni might be a bit larger.
Is that the large sho box?
I think that's the medium sized one; not the one for high heels.
I'm from UK and it's nearly impossible to get one here, I got my juvenile from thespidershop uk , that's the only seller that I know that sometimes has them but they disappear quick
Fellow European here, I'm still trying to obtain one... maybe once the pandemic calms down I'll be able to go to the States and pick one up because I've never seen a sling/juvie available in EU. They are so beautiful!
It's so odd, because two people just told me that they are prevalent in the UK. haha Everyone else has told me that they are difficult to come by there. Those guys must have gotten lucky! Hopefully, they start breeding them over there soon!
@@TomsBigSpiders are captive bred slings common in the trade in the USA or is the species only so popular because of wild caught specimen?
@@Trupiato They breed them like crazy here in Germany rn, if we wait 6 months i bet they will make their way to the UK soon. I see them pop up on expos and websites (like spiderstore.de) somewhat frequently, but same as you said, they are gone very quick and i think it`s kinda fishy with those adult specimen that come out of nowhere and i don`t want any wild caught. I`ll wait for slings/juvies.
@@TomsBigSpiders Little update, after over half a year of searching I finally found L1 slings for sale in my country! Can't wait to see mine grow, and I surely will put your husbandry video to use when taking care of the baby 😊
My very first tarantula was this species. I have had him for about 3 years going on the 4th. Very slow growing an even temperament, for the most part. I named him Blondie. Not very original I know. Thanks for the video.
Hello, John! Yeah, mine have been some of the slowest growing spiders I have ever kept. I like the name Blondie! haha
Both of mine are booty aimers and circling pacers when disturbed.
Booty aimers! hahahaha I love that! Hope all is well, Daniel!
In trying to find a suitable container for Arboreal species, it's difficult finding one that gives the height needed without it also having a larger foot print over all. Is it okay to keep a sling, or young juvenile T in a somewhat larger overall container in order to get one with the height that they need? I want to make certain that I have everything that the T needs before I go about choosing which species I want for my first T.
Hi, Baker! Check out exo terra nano talls or the 12 x 12 x 16H models...those work out well for adult arboreals. For slings and juveniles, you can keep them in something a little larger, but I wouldn't recommend putting one directly into an adult enclosure. So sorry for the late reply!
Off topic but I started my balfouri communal with 5 slings how often did you see multiple of them at the same time? I usually see 2 or 3 in different tunnels but they all dont use the same. The enclosure is pretty small so I dont think they're taking diffrent territories. I have fed them quite a few roaches in the last 3 weeks.
Hi, John. First off, so sorry for the delay. I think I mentioned in one of my videos that I have almost never seen all of them out at once. I've had mine for close to four years now, and I only saw all 9 once.
@@TomsBigSpiders no need to be sorry your busy and I'm just happy you reply to people. My balfouri started molting one after another. Then the other night I saw all 5 in the same area. They are eating machines. Easily eat 10 small dubias a week.
I have a half inch A.chalcodes and she's straight psycho lol, attacks tongs threat poses and kicks hair she didn't even have when I got her lol. Made a burrow when I first got her but she sits all day on the top of her cork bark. Molted 3 times in the 7-8 months I've had her but doesn't appear to have gotten any bigger but I expected that
Hello, Bill! Hahaha! That's adorable! Hopefully she calms down a bit for you once she puts on some size. Yeah, they are sooooooo slow growing!