I just lost it and LMAO at the shot with the threat pose plus the thumbs-up and "great beginner species!!!" caption. I love it... And I love MINE, MWAHAHAHAHAHA!
I am finally getting my first group of 4 slings from fearnottarantulas C. Cyaneopubescens , Avicularia Minatrix, aphonopelma chalchodes, and Hapalopus sp. Columbia. Your videos have helped me with all the questions i have had, and that you go through The Bio Dude for your substrate has reassured me of my purchases so far. Keep doing what you do, you beautiful human.
Congratulations! Those are some awesome species! :) And thank you so very much! Yeah, I've been using the Bio Dude substrate for everyone. I love the stuff. It's expensive, but I find that it's worth it for me. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders I was already using their substrates for my Blue tounge skinks, so it made it easy to repurpose my leftover materials. Because of them u already have a nice excess of mealworms as well.
@@TomsBigSpiders well go ahead and add another 4. Cyriocosmus ritae, Neoholothele incei, Dolichothele diamantinensis, and Cyriocosmus perezmilesi. I might start up a waxworm colony while thinking ahead. Could be a nice choice for a first meal after a molt.
Having a GBB in my house for a few months now, I have a hypothesis: Could it be that their temper has something to do with the setup of the tank? I have a tank with sliding doors on the front, and I set it up in a way that there's good places between roots and branches to set up a lair. I deliberately kept the front part more open with little anchor points. She promptly webbed a tunnel with two exits, one on each side of the entangled branches, with her hiding place right in the middle against the back wall. Every time I turn the key and open the tank, she immediately hides there. Never a hair kicked, never anything close to a threat posture! I feel completely comfy changing the water, or feeding her. I think they react more defensively to threats from above - i.e. in a container that opens right above their heads, especially in enclosures with little stuff to web to. Threat from above, the way to flee is down - where there is no way. Result: the spider feels cornered right away and acts defensively. What do you think? Could that be the case?
I think that you bring up excellent points! I've since moved mine into a 12 x 12 x 12" enclosure that offers more height and front and top access, and she does seem a bit more calm. She also has some height and plants to web up and around. I still get some skittishness, but she not quite as quick to kick hairs.
@@TomsBigSpiders: My tank is w40cm x d30cm x h30cm (16 x 12 x 12 ''). She has used the full width in the back between the branches to make her tunnel. I think the key is to give them something stable to web UNDER, so they feel protected from above. Mine hasn't webbed crazily much, actually. Just a nice tunnel, and a light, transparent canopy of web all the way up to the top of the branches (I wish I could attach photos here, it's so hard to explain in text...). For now, she stopped and seems fine with it. That may well change. After all, we have her for only a few months, so we'll see. Watching a ton of videos about GBBs and their keeping, I observed that these thick, super-dense web carpets tend to happen more often in low terrestrial enclosures that open on the top, or in enclosures with anchor points that are not stable enough and get flattened out. In that case, the heavy webbing might actually be a stress symptom - the spider trying to compensate a general uneasiness with something familiar: her own webbing. Then, once a week, you open the lid and every tentative string of webbing she made towards the top gets ripped apart. Result: The uneasiness doesn't go away, because there's no safe retreat - on goes the webbing, and the defensive behaviour... Spiders usually hate to waste energy. And tons of silk don't come from nowhere. The spider needs resources for that. These are just observations by someone who is rather new to the hobby, so my conclusion might be just a load of donkey dung. That's why I would love to hear the opinions of people who have much more experience than I with different setups. The sad thing is: we can't really see if a spider is doing fine in her enclosure, or just doing kind of okay-ish. Or if she's absolutely miserable and just refuses to die because they are such hardy creatures. Funny detail: I also dug in a halved cork bark tube. She went in there on the first day during exploaration, then left it after half an hour and closed the entrance with web from the outside. I guess that was her way of flipping me the finger. Message taken, Schnappi, thank you very much.
KaroKoenich sounds like my setup for my gbb is similar to yours and she acts the same as yours she has a tunnel in the back behind the drift wood and little bit of a web matting across anchor points.
i did EXACTLY the same, 20x20x30cm enclose for a 3 inch spider with 2 big spiderwood pieces and a branch with 5 arms that make like a tipi. open front she made a web in the tipi 2 entrances front and back. but she usually hangs out in the open and i can easily slide the front-glass up and she just doesnt care ( unless i shake it too much because the shelf isnt 100% flat but thats to be expected) but never any hair-kicking. if anything she bolts to her hide, yes she is fast AF >.
Tom Moran I just ordered a GBB from www.arachnophiliacs.com here in Canada and started to watch this and luckily I watched this, it is a 3” female GBB I wouldn’t want the enclosure to be too small or too big for what it needs
I have to say, I think you may have saved my gbb sling's life with this video. I had it housed in a moisture reliant substrate because it was a sling...it didn't web, it crouched in the top of its enclosure (terrestrial spiderling/Jamie's) and I was super worried about it. It ate well, but just didn't really seem stoked. After watching the vid, I changed the sub to sand/peat/coco mix and put it in a juvenile terrestrial enclosure instead and after about 12 hours, it's suddenly webbing up the whole place, hanging out on the bottom near the sub for the first time since I've had it, and I have to say, from it's prior behavior, seems totally stoked now. A weight has been lifted!!! Thank you so very much, I am so grateful for these vidoes!!! I know you get tons of requests, but a Brachypelma baumgarteni sling care vid and ephebopus cyanognathus sling vid would be my request if we could make one! Happy New Year to you and again, Thank you for saving our little Sprite!!!
Hello, Christine! That is AWESOME! I'm so glad that this is helpful! We always say to keep slings moist, but there are some exceptions to that rule. The GBB seems to be one of them. I'm so glad to hear yours is now doing better and webbing up. :) As for the care videos, I'm currently raising up a B. boehmei sling, and I have a B. baumgarteni hybrid. I could definitely do something for that species and the care is identical. And, I'm embarrassed to say that I STILL don't have an E. cyannognathus yet! I definitely have to fix that! :) Happy New Year!
Thanks so much, bud! I'm REALLY enjoying making these, and the response has been fantastic. I keep over 100 species of animals, so I have plenty I can make. hahah Happy New Year to you and the family, bud!
My first GBB will be here tomorrow and I use Tom's videos for my crunch time learning every time. It will be only my third T. My first two are a Curly Hair and a Brazilian White Banded. Those two synced up their growth schedule and closed themselves up in their burrows the same day and then a week later, molted on the same night. I can't wait to add the GBB to my new hobby because it is my favorite that I have studied making it my dream T. Thank you Tom Moran for ALL of the information that you have given the community. My daughter is a Physics teacher so I know how hard it is for you to find the time to make the Awesome videos that you give us!!! Take care and, as always, Semper Fi !!!
Great video. Thanks for pretty much instantly pointing out not to keep them moist. Also I find this one of the hardest species to film. The amazing colors just don't come across on video very well, you really have to see it in reality to get the full experience. Just more reasons to own one haha
Thanks so much, bud! Yeah, when I first got mine, a lot of the care sheets said they needed it hot and moist. Nope! And I agree COMPLETELY. It's just so difficult to get those colors to pop on film. Thanks again! :)
Hi Tom! I have one GBB "Goober", and bought her because of color and loved the intricate webbing. She was just a wee sling when I got her and has always been easy, but did escape once, only briefly. YIKES! According to what you are saying, we are housing her well. This is off subject, but my hubby and I re-housed Snuggles our OBT and we were expecting an insane tantrum, but she was so easy going and did not rear up once, she was so amiable and took to her new home well. Thanks to your re-housing videos we set up a system for her safe and escape proof transfer. Thank-you so much, and Happy Holidays.
Essie! Happy New Year! :) Love the name 'Goober'. hahaha Yeah, they can be quite quick and skittish. One of mine almost got out once. Ugh And I'm SO glad to hear the OBT housing went well! That's great! I was all hyped up when I did mine, and she was a total sweetheart. Sometimes, they can surprise you! :) Thanks again!!!
Thanks for such an awesome video. I wish your video was further up. I was gifted a GBB Sling as my very first tarantula and all the care information I saw said to keep it damp for slings, while others were telling me dry. You are the only one that actually explained the difference and why they should be kept dry. Wonderful video, I have subscribed.
Tom, you crack me up! You are such a teacher. Of course you like the sound of your own voice. As a fellow teacher, I can completely relate. What it really is, is you feel like you have information that is terribly important, so you imparted several different ways, just hoping that one of those ways will click with your students and a crucial new neural pathway will be formed in their brains. Well done you!
I seriously do! If you look back at my old videos, I never spoke. I can't stand the sound of it. hahah And you're dead on about wanting to hit as many avenues as possible. I did the website but realized that many folks don't like to bother reading, so I moved to video. Now I'm doing the podcasts, as folks can listen while they are doing other things. I might have to try singing next...haha Thanks so much for getting it, bud! :)
The photos you showed were sooo great. The cobalt blue legs, the turquoise carapace and the orange abdomen came thru as if I were there. Love them but cannot keep one. I enjoy having them vicariously thru you who do keep them. If I had a chance to own a T this would be the ONE. So beautiful and leggy. Love the webs. They are gorgeous at all stages of development. A really pretty showcase T. Thanks Tom. :D
These husbandry videos are a great way to showcase the species a bit while still providing a lot of important information. Keep up the good work! I'm looking to get my first tarantula before too long and these have been high up on my list for a while
This is the video that helped me so much with my first T, a GBB named Gumdrop. She puts the "arboreal" in semi-arboreal. She has thrived using this husbandry guide. Yours are absolutely STUNNING. They are one of the most beautiful species out there and I love how easy they are to care for. My girl has done great with just a water dish and me sprinkling water on her webbing or the side of the enclosure nearby after a molt. Watching her change colors is awesome.
Thanks so much, Midnight! That's awesome. This really is such a stunning species. :) The color changes they go through as they mature are amazing. Mine often drinks from her webbing as well. Thanks again! :)
So after watching so many of your awesome videos, yesterday I went to an expo and walked out with a GBB! I was planing on a nhandu chromatus, but this is now my first tarantula! He/she is about 3.5 cm. Thank you for all the great content!
Congratulations, Lorena! That's awesome! GBBs are such a gorgeous species, and one I show off to folks who think that all tarantulas are just big brown spiders. :) N. chromatus are stunning as well, so hopefully you end up eventually getting one of those, too. :) Thank YOU for the kind words!
Tom, got my first 1/2 sling beginning of Nov. 2019. I set its enclosure up right off the get go in an 8x8cube with options for burrow or climb, seems to enjoy webbing on top of the corkbark hide and living there. Went with your info on keeping it a little warmer around 75 and the eating machine is an understatement! Growing very well, 1.5-1.75 inches big now. I enjoy watching this one so much I had to go get another this week. It is starting out at about 1inch already and it too has its own 8x8cube, but has chosen to make its web all across the top half of the exo terra back ground. Their personalities are very different, the first is very casual/mellow and seems to like to show off in the open. The second is very excitable and will try to find 5 different hiding places at once if it even thinks you are looking at it. Your awesome videos are turning me into an addict... haha. Keep it up! Cheers!
This is one of my favorite species to grow up from a sling. The growth rate is great, and the color changes are amazing. Glad to hear that yours are both doing well! It's funny, as after buying my first, I too went and grabbed a second. haha
Great video! Thank you! I'm getting a GBB sling and was unsure of the enclosure size/type. This really helped me out! I love your videos. I refer back to them all time for info about specific T's. Never worry about how long your videos are. Then more info shared between keepers the better we can all keep our T's happy and healthy 😊
Thank you for all the info, my first GBB sling will be here on Tuesday. I have had one other T rose hair female I got as a juvie/adult. She lived almost 12 years. I mourned her very hard, but I am excited to pick up the hobby again after three years.
GBB's...forever a favourite 👌. They certainly seem to like a little more room than most others even as slings. Always take advantage of it with their webbing. My little guy made quite the impressive home! Happy New Year to you and your family Tom!
Yeah, this is one of the species that seems to do well with a bit of extra room. They can blanket so much in white! :) Happy New Year to you and yours as well, Ian! :)
Finally got one for my b day yesterday. Got it for $45, 1/2" sling from a guy in Warren OH. I also got 2 obt slings and 2 Mexican red knee slings.He gave me a baby Asian forest scorpion free and an LP sling cause it was my b day. The Gbb slings are beautiful.
Hey Tom. My daughter expressed a persistent interest in having a "pet" spider. I hopped online and was happy to find your channel. Our first T is on its way to us now. We decided to get a C. Cyaneopubescens from JamiesTarantulas.com based on your videos and blog. You've got a new subscriber out of us and we are really hoping to see a rehousing video of the GBB. I'll be doing all of the husbandry and feeding (for a while at least). We don't plan on handling it at all. My daughter is ecstatic anyway! Thanks for all the great information chief!
Hello! Wow, that is awesome! I kept my first in one of those Jamie's enclosures as well (they are both two 5" adult females now). Thanks so much for the subscription as well! They go through amazing color changes as they grow...you're both going to love it. :) Thanks again!
Tom Moran Hey Chief. Just wanted to give you an update on our new addition. We received him/her from Jamie's in great shape. We waited a couple days and offered a really small B. Lat and she was all over it. I waited an hour and offered a more size appropriate B Lat and she snagged that up quickly as well. Got to observe some really interesting behavior. She took the lat under her corkbark hide and webbed off the entrance before beginning to feed!!! Really cool to see!! Is this a defensive behavior to alert them to any threats while they eat or is there another reason for this behavior? Thanks again for all of your videos and your responsiveness!!!
Happy to say one of these beauties are going to be my first T. I'm so excited to finally get into the hobby. Though I have a feeling I might not have just one after a while. But your videos and all of the info on FNT has helped me feel a lot more confident and informed. I used to assume that the A. Chalcodes would be all I could handle and now all the wishlist species I thought were a pipe dream like T. Blondi, OBT, and P. Metallica suddenly don't seem so far away. But soon I'll have the Webmaster to enjoy and I can't wait to watch them grow.
Congrats, Cody...that's awesome! The hobby is VERY addictive, so you will likely have quite a few after not too long. haha I have all three of those species, and I love them. They won't give you that much trouble if you are prepared. :)
Hey Tom! Happy New year when it comes to you and your family. Love the gbb and the webs they make. Mine is just now starting to show adult coloring. Always exciting to watch. I actually bought those fish tank tree trunks for her enclosure one on each side love how she webbed around them. Thanks again for a great video!
Beautiful GBB Tom. my girl is mature . i keep her in a tall enclosure mine enjoys climbing on the sides. plus in this enclosure she is less bothered and skittish when i remove the top to feed or water.
Thanks so much, Tim! I was actually thinking of your setup and what you had observed about their behavior. Mine will be going into semi-arboreal setups soon. :)
Another great and informative vid! Keep it up man. Just got my first T (B. emilia) today and your channel has been a constant source of information for me and ultimately helped me decide to get one of these fuzzy dudes myself. So big thanks for your work! Btw: awesome shirt!
GBB was my first sling. Rehousing it is a task for sure. It really likes to try to escape. It's helped me get the confidence I need for faster species.
@@TomsBigSpiders mine was very bolty. I have picked up my first old world yesterday. A rear horned baboon. I got my rehousing down pretty good. Watching hundreds of videos from you and Dave's beasties really helped. Thanks for putting this content out there.
Thank you for the video. Just adopted my first T yesterday which happens is the green bottle blue. Just a little sling right now getting ready for his/her FIRST molt and I was terrified because I felt a bit unprepared but I've done research all day and have now found this video and feel more secure.
I absolutely love this spider! I never even new about this species until I discovered the hobby. Then the fact that it webs up it's enclosure is so DOPE! Can't wait to get one! 😎
Nice husbandry video! I am super happy that I picked a GBB to begin with. Mine has such a fantastic behaviour (as all of my t´s) and never did anything that made me feel uncomfortable. Whenever I open the enclosure it just slowly disappears in one of it´s few web tunnels and shows up again like 5 to 10 minutes after I am done with maintenance. When it comes to feeding this one is in it´s own league. I just need to drop the food item somewhere on the webbing and can watch the tarantula hunting it down. This is such a beautiful species! Happy new year to you and your family, Tom! Deuces :D
Hey, Emanuel! They are just such an amazing species. And I LOVE watching them hunt. They are stone cold killers. :) And a Happy New Year to you and yours as well! hahaha Deuces!
Great video!! Thanks to you and another UA-cam channel, dark den, I'm now starting the hobby myself, I've ordered a B.Hamorii, got the enclosure set up just waiting on it being delivered and my local pet shop have 2 GBB slings so I'm thinking about getting one of them but can't wait to get into the swing of things with this hobby!!
Thanks so much! And welcome to the hobby! Be careful, it can be VERY addictive! :) You're starting with a great species, one I think should be in every collection. What size are you getting? :) I would definitely snatch one up if the price is right. They were one of my favorite species to grow from slings. Thanks again!
I don't have them and I feel the addiction!! Haha and the B.Hamorii I'm getting is only a 6cm juvenile, I might have to wait a while for it though because I stay in Scotland and it's currently snowing like crazy in the UK so need to wait for better conditions before the spider shop will dispatch!! and the shop is selling the GBB slings for £8.99 each!!
That's a good sized one! :) Man, snowing like crazy in the UK? Now, that's not normal, right? We've been getting some wonky weather in the states as well. You can always ask if they can hold to ship until the weather clears up. £8.99 is a great price!
Yeah it is so annoying that for months Ive been studying them and looking up as much info as possible so I'm not going in blind, but been excited the entire time then when it finally comes to getting it, is has to snow!! and they emailed us saying it will be put aside until more it is more favourable weather conditions and excellent I will definitely go down and pray they are still there haha
Believe me, I can certainly appreciate the anticipation! I can remember waiting to get my first. I can't imagine having to wait indefinitely. haha The good thing is the vendor knew enough to hold onto them for you. I just had someone ship when they should have held, and I got a dead sling. :(
I can testify to keeping them at higher temps they will grow quicker. I received my GBB 1" sling 2 days b4 Thanksgiving. It molted Thanksgiving day and molted again around 1am this morning. I didn't manage to record the process though I wish I would have now but as I was checking on mine b4 bedtime, it had already flipped and was on its back. I didn't want too disturb it...checked again about 45 mins and it was done and I can see a good size gain. Can't wait to show everyone. My video making hasn't been to steady lately with the holidays but I do plan to pick up making vodeos a lot more very soon. Love these notes too Tom. I had 11 come in (slings) 2 days late yesterday and only had 1 alive (C. versicolor)...luckily the guy offers LAG and we plan to just meet in person this next weekend. 5 hr drive for me lol but it beats getting more dead slings...but yea nice video.
I have a hobby buddy that kept hers in the 80s, and they grew like weeds. Mine are kept in the 70s, and they grow fairly well. I keep trying to record something molting again, and I always miss it. One day I thought I recorded one, but I somehow turned the camera off. Ugh. They do gain a good amount of size when they molt. I LOVE waiting for the colors to start to appear. Oh no!!! They were all dead? That's terrible! I had that happen once, and it was heartbreaking. Who did you order from, if you don't mind me asking? Five hours! WOW. Now THAT'S a trek! hahaha. Good luck...let me know how it turns out!
Tom Moran it was someone I met on tarantulaforum.com by the name of Dreadz. He had reviews posted from arachnoboards.com (arachnoboards.com/reviews-reports/dreadz.529/) and everything went great. I have nothing bad about the purchase other than he used USPS for shipping. He told me $30 for overnight but said some reason the fastest he could ship for that price (when he shipped them) was 2 days. They were supposed to show up by 3pm Thursday but didn't till 11am yesterday (Friday). They were all packed good and had a heat pack but yea...being 2 days with an extra day added didn't help. I had got 5 C. versicolor, 2 T. violaceus, 3 Hapolopus sp large, and another LP...all slings. Surprisingly, one of the C. versicolors was still alive and after a 24 stay in ICU, is now acting perfect. We have since talked and are planning to meet up this coming weekend and he is going to replace the ones that were lost except the 2 T. violaceus, which saddens me cuz I was almost more excited about them than my C. versicolors lol. He did say he has some T. sp "Caribbean Diamond" he can replace them with though. I was also super stoked about the Hapolopus sp Colombia large, they are sooo pretty and from your husbandry video, they really do sport their adult colors even when so tiny lol. Mine, although dead, were around 1/3" and looked like ity-bity adults...but now I'm rambling lol.
I have a sling coming on Wednesday. Thought I’d treat myself for Halloween. Really looking forward to this one arriving. Thanks as always for your great husbandry advice.
Love and need this information thank you much Tom. We just pick up a GBB sling (our 2nd T in a month) and will definitely be referring back to this video again and again.
they are a fantastic species, seeing mine grow from a sling to a mature male was very rewarding. i lucked out with mine being fairly docile but his feeding response is very strong. i noticed giving him wax moths was a really good show and he seemed to "enjoy" chasing moths more than crickets or locusts and seeing him leap into the air to catch them was astounding, one of those "blink and you'll miss it" moments.
if you can get wax worms over there it'll be worth getting them as an alternative to morio/ super worms and they don't take very long to mature and the moths have no biting capability. giving them to T's with a very aggressive feeding response would be best.
Awesome video. I've been debating whether or not to get back into the hobby for a year now. I've been making a list of good beginning species since it's been a while since I've had a T. After watching a quite a few of your videos I've decided this weekend I'm going to order a GBB and a Phormictopus sp. South Hispaniola. Thank you for your information and knowledge, there are multiple T's I'm now considering keeping thanks to you. Some later down the road of course..."cough cough" OBT.
Heck, yes! Two fantastic species (and two of the most beautiful!). Are you getting them as slings? If so, you'll have plenty of time to grow with them. :) Thank YOU so much for taking the time to comment. :) Hahahaha. Love those little orange demons. :)
I love that they're not as sensitive to noise as my Carabena Versacolor. I keep my GBB with me on the dining table while my Versacolor is in the office where it's quiet and warmer. Now, I don't have kids or dogs so it's always quiet at home anyway but even so, my Versacolor wants it SILENT while the GBB is okay with being out on display
Had to revisit this video Tom as I'm considering rehoming my GBB into a slightly larger enclosure and wanted to remind myself of the conditions they prefer so your definately my go to teacher but don't tell Richard( the collective) as always stay safe brother.
Hey, bud! That's awesome...I hope that it goes well! I have to rehouse my other one soon, so I'll get some footage of that soon. And I won't say a word. haha
just ordered my gbb Sling from fear not with the starter set up. I am a beginner I have one pink toe trantula I have always been fond of the green bottle something about the name as well. Thank you for the tips and pointers I will be keeping mine semi aboreal
@Tom Moran How often do you need to clean out the enclosure for the GBB? I am thinking of purchasing a 2 inch female from Fear not Tarantulas. I have a 8x8x12 acrylic enclosure from tarantula cribs I will be using for the T.
I enjoy your awesome videos, and appreciate you sharing Tarantula husbandry knowledge. I did want to mention, however, I believe that the pronunciation of cyan is /ˈsīən. It's the color blue.
Hi, Lou! There was a big discussion about this on one of my videos where folks who knew Latin were arguing over whether it was a hard 'c' or pronounced more like an 's' (something about it only being an 's' sound if followed by i or e?). It was a wonderful discussion and illustrated, once again, that no one can ever agree with how Latin is spoken. haha That said, I usually say it with the 's' now because of the blue bit. Thanks!
is there any tips to help handling a GBB, i got one recently and i was told and also when doing a bit of research on forums people were saying they are docile and can be handled but mine sounds like you were explaining, he seems to flick hairs a lot, and gets scared a lot. i was told to use a soft tipped brush to stroke him with so he can get use to being touched but it seems to stress him out a lot. Is there anything i can do so i can handle him or at least get him use to being handled when needed
Mine are two of the most skittish and flighty spiders I have. They will kick hairs at the slightest disturbance. This is a species I normally do NOT recommend handling with, nor would I attempt to handle mine. They are generally thought to be skittish and they are quite fast for New World terrestrials. Although there are always the oddballs that will seemingly tolerate handling, the species on a whole is not a good one to hold. If he's kicking hairs and seems stressed, I would advise against trying to handle him.
@@TomsBigSpiders arrrr that's not good news, i wish i knew this info before getting him lol but alot of the forum etc are hit and miss on what info to take but hey ho you live and learn. back to the drawing board i suppose. cheers for getting back to me bud its highly appreciated
@@BoyBettaKnow2010 No worries, and sorry for the bad news! One of the main reasons that I started my website years ago (and later, this UA-cam channel), was to try to get accurate info to people. You look online, and there are just so many folks talking about them that have never even kept the species they are talking about. I only talk about species I keep, and I'm constantly checking with others to compare notes. If you ever have a question, please feel free to ask! - Tom
Every spider has a different personality, if it’s kicking hairs panicking and running off when disturbed I wouldn’t not handle it , it will just behave the same on your hand or even worse. Also the soft tip brush... when you open your enclosure gently tap the back of the abdomen and you can probably tell the mood based on how they react.
Do you know what kind of temperature or humidity i should keep it at because I've been looking into GBB's for a bit of time and havent come across and info, thanks :)
Room temperature is fine (high 60s - 80s). This is an arid species, so they should be kept dry with a dish. They do not require moisture (humidity). Hope that helps!
Hi Tom! Thanks for the videos about GBBs...I had one since three weeks a sub-adult of about 3 inches legspan...just amazing to watch web all around the little shelter she had in her enclosure...but after two weeks she hides herself almost all of the time in it: she's very very calm... except for eating of course!! I'd like to know if maybe a too low temperature may be the cause of this very calm behaviour, is it from a stress or she feels comfortable in her shelter?! Once again I really appreciate your video of husbandry: effective and great! Take care!
Hello! She could just be very calm in her shelter. At that size, mine were rather laid back. They didn't become more skittish until they hit about 4-5" or so. At that point, they became a bit more spastic. They've since settled down though. What are the temps there? :)
Tom Moran Hi Tom! Thx for your quick answer...in fact few minutes after my comments I went on your(very nice and complete) site...and my conclusion is: she must be in pre-molt! Last Sunday was her last feed...and she just killed the cricket without eating it...and has I was thinking that she was building a new part of her den she was in fact closing it...I've noticed some kind of strange moves like convulsions or something more epileptic...I've read that's it's sometimes a sign of pre-molt. The temperature here is about 68° at night and 80° max during the day...very nice for humans and T's! Once again thx for every infos, on your site: clear, serious, straight to the point! This GBB is my first Tarantula so your experience were very good and speaking to me !
Hi Tom! I live in Louisville and the ambient humidity is pretty high (even now in the fall it's hovering around 70%). I know you say not to sweat humidity too much generally, but do you think this could be a problem for my GBB sling? I love your content and podcasts BTW, some of the most useful out there. I think the community is lucky to have you.
Hi, Philip! If you keep the substrate inside the enclosure dry, it won't be a problem. It's more an issue when folks are giving them moist substrate. The summers here get quite humid, with 90 % being normal, and mine do fine. Thanks you so much!
I absolutely loved my gbb.. God rest her. I kept mine at about room temperature and she did just fine.. Regular molts almost.. They are feisty and great Web builders. Cool video
Tom Moran oh definitely, I think they are so common now that they are somewhat unappreciated in the hobby if you know what I mean. fantastic t's and should be appreciated more.. Great starter t's if u want something different but not too unsettling, I wouldn't ever handle mine though as they are quite flighty. Also great to watch feeding and super quick.
Getting a GBB sling this weekend from Anastasia for my birthday from my husband. Not sure if he is too happy about this. I am so excited!! Your videos are always great. Thinking about trying to do a more natural set up. How would I go about sanitizing elements from the woods? Have you done any set ups like that?
"Not sure if he is too happy with this." hahaha I'm sure he'll grow to appreciate it. :) And that is an absolutely awesome birthday gift. :) I have. You will have to either microwave or bake whatever you're using to get rid of any mold or parasites.
great video, I was a bit unsure about the humidity for my GBB but I guess I made the right call keeping her dry, her webben though hasn't been what I expacted though, she took al the decoration I had in there, piled it all up and webbed some over that... hopefully she'll do more webbing when she has grown and gets to be rehoused
Hey, Andrew...yeah there was a lot of bad info out there early one. A water dish works, and you can sprinkle water on the webbing. They can drink from that. From what I've seen, they do NOT like the moist sub. Fingers crossed that yours webs for you!
@tom moran I got mine (a 1" specimen) and put it in the beginner kit enclosure from FNT. All it did was immediately web up the fake leaf and sit there, not really moving a lot. Maybe changing orientation. Refuses food. I'm concerned, should I do something, and if so what? Its in the 3" cube enclosure. I do have larger enclosure from Jamies but that seems too big.
Hello! How much substrate does it have? Is it moist? Does it have a starter burrow? Let me know, and we can take it from there. They are quite shy, so it could just be settling in.
@@TomsBigSpiders Inch and a quarter cocoa fibre, water dish. Started off damp but I've not wetted the substrate since I got it 2 weeks ago. Probably mostly dry by now. Has still webbed up the leaf. Has starter burrow in corner, and under the cork bark. Also put in another piece of cork bark leaned up against an opposite corner, but ignored it. It eats as long as I drop the roaches directly on the webbing it made on the leaf, otherwise it ignores it. I dropped two tiny nymphs on the web yesterday and it ate both. So it'll eat, but it won't explore or hunt.
Im going to be picking up a gbb sling very soon can't wait to see grow to adulthood this will be my first sling most of my T i got them at juvenile size to adult so this species is a pretty simple sling to take care of can you give me tips on like ive seen some videos where it said to give slings pre killed crickets or roaches
Congratulations, Joseph! They are very simple to take care of. I have never had to feed mine prekilled; they were both excellent and voracious hunters from early on. You should be fine if you can find small prey items.
I have ordered my first GBB from Fear Not Tarantulas. Can’t wait for the weather to calm so I can get the little guy/gal!!! Beautiful T! I love the threat pose! For me it’s not as intimidating as the H. Lividum lol but still wouldn’t want a tag from either one lol
FearNotTarantulas is an awesome place to order from! Tanya is awesome. That's were I purchased my GBB from, along with other species, amd I couldn't have been happier.
I always err on the side of caution and have things held until I'm getting a few days of milder weather. You only have to receive one box of dead spiders to realize that a little patience can go a long way. :) And Tanya is amazing! We actually got to hang out with Tanya, her son, and her two nephews just after Thanksgiving. Fantastically nice people who really know their arachnids! :)
i had mine since a 1cm sling its about 3" now and everything you said hit the nail on the head :) great T!, could you do a updated video on the H-maculata (togo starburst) as i have seen a lot of mixed notes about them, some say arboreal some say semi arboreal, mines in a heightened terrestrial setup with a log to climb, it hides under it on the ground more than it climbs up high, i feel like i dont know enough about it, i did watch your video from 2011 on it but any extra info would be cool
I'm trying to get more footage of mine so that I can do another video. Both have become quite shy. I give them some room to get off the ground, but they mostly stay hidden behind their hides. My two dug a bit until they put on some size 3" or so), but they now stay off the ground. What size is yours?
Do you think I could house an adult GBB in a 18x18x24 Exo Terra? I'm thinking about using terra aranea, filling up the tank as much as possible and using cork and grape wood. I am also thinking about using tall succulents instead of tropical plants. I want to add arid springtails and dwarf isopods but I don't know if they will bother the tarantula.
Hey, Hector! I would be a worried about the height of it. As long as you can raise that substrate level up high enough, though, you should be fine. I would be curious to see the setup when it's done.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks for the reply! It will probably never happen because my parents despise tarantulas, but it's nice to think about. Have you used the Biodude's terra aranea? If so, how is it? Does it stay dry at the top and moist at the bottom? I might forgo plants entirely and just have some springtails and dwarf isopods.
Seriously AWESOME vid. I’m going to get soon hopefully. Do you think the exo-terra 12x12x12 would work as an adult enclosure? And what size Jamie’s Enclousure is that 7x7x11 or the 8x8x14? Thanks Tom, your husbandry videos are the best.
I have a GBB and she is still in the sling category I believe. Is there a reference or guide for feeding and knowing how the abdomen should look. I don’t want to over feed. She recently ate a small meal worm, but your video says to feed about 2 to 3 times a week.
It all depends on the size of the prey item. If the meal worm was large compared to her body, then she may fill up or only eat one more time. You can easily give them bigger meals once a week without issue. When GBBs are getting ready to molt, they will usually stop eating and often web themselves up. They will also be rather lethargic overall. Unlike other terrestrials, their abdomens don't get very fat. Hope that helps!
I’m thinking of getting a GBB from Arachnophiliacs if I have that right there in Surrey Canada. With critter keepers do you add holes on the 2 sides of the critter keeper? I bought the tarantula keepers guide to get to know tarantulas more
I HAVE added holes to the sides before, but with that species, the ventilation in the top should be perfectly fine. If you put one in a critter keeper, must make sure you start with one 2" or so. Any smaller than that and they can possibly squeeze out of the vent holes.
Tom Moran I just got it yesterday in the mail I ended up using a eco terra enclosure 12x12x18 hopefully not to big with a hide that looks like 2 logs together and a fake cactus and a fake plant for aquarium
@@TomsBigSpiders can it live slightly in the tropical humidity range?I removed moss and some plants after learning they live in arid climates it's my first turantula and it's not moving much at 73% humidity can someone help me out
Im considering getting this species as my first tarantula. I was wondering how far can they throw their hairs? Obviosly i wont stick my face right infront them but i was just wondering what to expect as far as a safe distance.
Hi, Anthony. They can go up in a pretty good-sized cloud, but most don't kick larger than a foot radius or so. Many times, they give you kind of a half-hearted kick, and they don't go far at all.
Great video! I have 2 Questions: I have raised an Aphonopelma Seemanni and a Grammostola Rosea in the past, both male's died of old age after several years in my care. I have not owned a T since, about 10 years, I am wanting to start my collection again. I was going to start with 4 slings 2 Caribena Versicolor and 2 Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens. I have watched your care videos for both species and believe I can successfully raise them. All that to say my questions: Where do you recommend buying slings? For food I would like to raise a colony of Turkestan Roaches, do you have a place you would recommend getting a starter colony from? Thank you for your help!
@@TomsBigSpiders FYI the GBB has since dropped in price for slings I just ordered 2 from Fearnottarantulas for $39 each. Arrived in excellent health and hungry. Thanks for your help in starting my collection!
I'm trying to get ideas on a perfect setup for a GBB as it's going to my first T, I've done plenty of research and landed on it cause I was looking for something that webs a lot and is fairly docile. My idea was a fairly large enclosure as they are both semi Aboreral and opportunistic burrowers. A couple of long cork bark burying all but the entrance and connecting so it can make two entryways along with some drift wood for anchor points and fake ivy over the entrances. Any feedback or would be appreciated, thank you.
Hello, Josh! They are amazing spiders if you like color and LOTS of webbing. :) I think that the semi arboreal setups are the way to go with these guys. It will encourage the webbing, and it will leave plenty of room between the keeper and the spider. This tends to lead to calmer specimens. I think that you'll find if you give them plenty of things to anchor webbing to above the surface, you'll find that yours sets up shop right in the open.
Bought one couple months ago an love it beautiful an growing rapidly:) just placed another order of regalis which Im a bit scared or nervous about but ik their worth it there quite gorgeous!
So sorry for the delay in replying...I missed a bunch of comments! I LOVE my P. regalis, and she has been very well behaved. Just give them room, and you'll do fine. :)
What are they like for bolting the enclosure if its kept open for to long when changing water or feeding. This is an update just to say that when it comes to feeding or changing water mine has a tendency to run circles on the side of the enclosure drumming frantically when I try to get the water dish out it has a tendency to strike at me.
Ummm...mine always stayed in the enclosure and didn't bolt out. However, rule of thumb, don't leave any enclosures open for longer than you have to for skittish spiders.
hi tom, got your channel due to the seller of my very first T a GBB they told me if i needed to know anytthing this is the place:D, so ive come for your wisdom. just rehoused her into a nice terarrium they told me shes about 2-3 years old, i guess shes about 2-2.5 inches from head to boootaahhh and i was wondering how important that dry-bone coconutfibre is cause my enclosure is showing some signs of damp bottom (hoping it wont affect her) cause for total block of fibre was needed 3liters and i just used 0.5liter. i plan on feeding her the day after rehousing, been like 5 days since last feeding so 6-7 days inbetween.
fyi, mine is way more colourfull compared to your juvi slings. so maybe its a male -_-??? they told me its a female i dunno. but its really chill thought men are more fiesty
Hello, Thom! So sorry for the delay! Congrats on your GBB. I love that species. For this species, a bit of damp substrate won't harm them; I just wouldn't put them on all damp substrate. I would definitely allow it to completely dry out, though, and just supply water through a water dish or by sprinkling water on the webbing.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks for getting back to me :) substrate has already dried for 80%. She just closed her 'lair' off and rejected food so i guess she is gonna molt '*#exciting*' !! Gonna refill her water dish and spray a little on her web to help her molt, right?
Hey tom, decided to get a GBB as my second T (going to get it by the end of this month). Got a quick question regarding the enclosure for her: Found an incredibly good deal on a 16x10x10 glass enclosure and I was wondering if it would be an option to use this for my GBB as her permanent home already. The specimen im getting has diagonal legspan of about 3" and I´m not sure if this tank is too big for a GBB of that size or if it will grow into it without risking any problems, caused by the size of the enclosure. Cheers and keep up your awesome work! Can´t wait to see updates on your recent breedings btw :)
Hello! I would say for at 3" specimen, it might be a bit big at first, but it will grow into it. I would just make sure to load it up with a bit of sub and maybe some plants and decorations for it. Is it 16" high? If so, that might be a bit too tall.
Tom Moran thx for the answer Tom! Sorry, should have specified length, depth and height. 16" lenght, 10" are depth and height. Good to know she will grow into it! Gonna keep my eyes open if I maybe find something a bit smaller for her. Probably going to get the 16x10x10 enclosure as well (perfect excuse to get another T in the future haha) Btw: love your podcast! Really great for those trainrides to university. :D Looking forward to the upcoming episodes. Hopefully a lot of people will check it out. Cheers!
i have my gbb now for about a year and i only misted her enclosure on her first molt with me ( she was 3 y/o ) since then never misted her again and she molted again without issue's. she has a waterbowl wich i see her use pretty often its awesome!
Im quiet concern right now, because i rehouse my newly molted sling, like 2 days ago to its new enclosure and the sub is quiet moist because it is wet when it arrived to me.. im planning to dry it out even the sling is already there..is it fine?
I just lost it and LMAO at the shot with the threat pose plus the thumbs-up and "great beginner species!!!" caption. I love it... And I love MINE, MWAHAHAHAHAHA!
I am finally getting my first group of 4 slings from fearnottarantulas C. Cyaneopubescens , Avicularia Minatrix, aphonopelma chalchodes, and Hapalopus sp. Columbia. Your videos have helped me with all the questions i have had, and that you go through The Bio Dude for your substrate has reassured me of my purchases so far. Keep doing what you do, you beautiful human.
Congratulations! Those are some awesome species! :) And thank you so very much! Yeah, I've been using the Bio Dude substrate for everyone. I love the stuff. It's expensive, but I find that it's worth it for me. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders I was already using their substrates for my Blue tounge skinks, so it made it easy to repurpose my leftover materials. Because of them u already have a nice excess of mealworms as well.
I might have a problem cause I keep telling myself "maybe just 2 more" lol.
That's exactly how it starts. hahahahaha!!!1
@@TomsBigSpiders well go ahead and add another 4. Cyriocosmus ritae, Neoholothele incei, Dolichothele diamantinensis, and Cyriocosmus perezmilesi. I might start up a waxworm colony while thinking ahead. Could be a nice choice for a first meal after a molt.
Having a GBB in my house for a few months now, I have a hypothesis: Could it be that their temper has something to do with the setup of the tank? I have a tank with sliding doors on the front, and I set it up in a way that there's good places between roots and branches to set up a lair. I deliberately kept the front part more open with little anchor points. She promptly webbed a tunnel with two exits, one on each side of the entangled branches, with her hiding place right in the middle against the back wall. Every time I turn the key and open the tank, she immediately hides there. Never a hair kicked, never anything close to a threat posture! I feel completely comfy changing the water, or feeding her.
I think they react more defensively to threats from above - i.e. in a container that opens right above their heads, especially in enclosures with little stuff to web to. Threat from above, the way to flee is down - where there is no way. Result: the spider feels cornered right away and acts defensively. What do you think? Could that be the case?
I think that you bring up excellent points! I've since moved mine into a 12 x 12 x 12" enclosure that offers more height and front and top access, and she does seem a bit more calm. She also has some height and plants to web up and around. I still get some skittishness, but she not quite as quick to kick hairs.
@@TomsBigSpiders: My tank is w40cm x d30cm x h30cm (16 x 12 x 12 ''). She has used the full width in the back between the branches to make her tunnel. I think the key is to give them something stable to web UNDER, so they feel protected from above.
Mine hasn't webbed crazily much, actually. Just a nice tunnel, and a light, transparent canopy of web all the way up to the top of the branches (I wish I could attach photos here, it's so hard to explain in text...). For now, she stopped and seems fine with it. That may well change. After all, we have her for only a few months, so we'll see.
Watching a ton of videos about GBBs and their keeping, I observed that these thick, super-dense web carpets tend to happen more often in low terrestrial enclosures that open on the top, or in enclosures with anchor points that are not stable enough and get flattened out. In that case, the heavy webbing might actually be a stress symptom - the spider trying to compensate a general uneasiness with something familiar: her own webbing. Then, once a week, you open the lid and every tentative string of webbing she made towards the top gets ripped apart. Result: The uneasiness doesn't go away, because there's no safe retreat - on goes the webbing, and the defensive behaviour... Spiders usually hate to waste energy. And tons of silk don't come from nowhere. The spider needs resources for that.
These are just observations by someone who is rather new to the hobby, so my conclusion might be just a load of donkey dung. That's why I would love to hear the opinions of people who have much more experience than I with different setups. The sad thing is: we can't really see if a spider is doing fine in her enclosure, or just doing kind of okay-ish. Or if she's absolutely miserable and just refuses to die because they are such hardy creatures.
Funny detail: I also dug in a halved cork bark tube. She went in there on the first day during exploaration, then left it after half an hour and closed the entrance with web from the outside. I guess that was her way of flipping me the finger. Message taken, Schnappi, thank you very much.
KaroKoenich sounds like my setup for my gbb is similar to yours and she acts the same as yours she has a tunnel in the back behind the drift wood and little bit of a web matting across anchor points.
i did EXACTLY the same, 20x20x30cm enclose for a 3 inch spider with 2 big spiderwood pieces and a branch with 5 arms that make like a tipi. open front she made a web in the tipi 2 entrances front and back. but she usually hangs out in the open and i can easily slide the front-glass up and she just doesnt care ( unless i shake it too much because the shelf isnt 100% flat but thats to be expected) but never any hair-kicking. if anything she bolts to her hide, yes she is fast AF >.
Tom Moran I just ordered a GBB from www.arachnophiliacs.com here in Canada and started to watch this and luckily I watched this, it is a 3” female GBB I wouldn’t want the enclosure to be too small or too big for what it needs
I have to say, I think you may have saved my gbb sling's life with this video. I had it housed in a moisture reliant substrate because it was a sling...it didn't web, it crouched in the top of its enclosure (terrestrial spiderling/Jamie's) and I was super worried about it. It ate well, but just didn't really seem stoked. After watching the vid, I changed the sub to sand/peat/coco mix and put it in a juvenile terrestrial enclosure instead and after about 12 hours, it's suddenly webbing up the whole place, hanging out on the bottom near the sub for the first time since I've had it, and I have to say, from it's prior behavior, seems totally stoked now. A weight has been lifted!!! Thank you so very much, I am so grateful for these vidoes!!! I know you get tons of requests, but a Brachypelma baumgarteni sling care vid and ephebopus cyanognathus sling vid would be my request if we could make one! Happy New Year to you and again, Thank you for saving our little Sprite!!!
Hello, Christine! That is AWESOME! I'm so glad that this is helpful! We always say to keep slings moist, but there are some exceptions to that rule. The GBB seems to be one of them. I'm so glad to hear yours is now doing better and webbing up. :) As for the care videos, I'm currently raising up a B. boehmei sling, and I have a B. baumgarteni hybrid. I could definitely do something for that species and the care is identical. And, I'm embarrassed to say that I STILL don't have an E. cyannognathus yet! I definitely have to fix that! :) Happy New Year!
I can’t get enough of these videos. Just excellent information and knowledge. Goes long way to helping me as a keeper
Thanks so much, bud! I'm REALLY enjoying making these, and the response has been fantastic. I keep over 100 species of animals, so I have plenty I can make. hahah Happy New Year to you and the family, bud!
My first GBB will be here tomorrow and I use Tom's videos for my crunch time learning every time. It will be only my third T. My first two are a Curly Hair and a Brazilian White Banded. Those two synced up their growth schedule and closed themselves up in their burrows the same day and then a week later, molted on the same night. I can't wait to add the GBB to my new hobby because it is my favorite that I have studied making it my dream T. Thank you Tom Moran for ALL of the information that you have given the community. My daughter is a Physics teacher so I know how hard it is for you to find the time to make the Awesome videos that you give us!!! Take care and, as always, Semper Fi !!!
I'm so sorry for the late reply! Thank you so much. Congrats on your GBB...I love that species. Thank YOU for the very kind words!!!!
Great video. Thanks for pretty much instantly pointing out not to keep them moist.
Also I find this one of the hardest species to film. The amazing colors just don't come across on video very well, you really have to see it in reality to get the full experience. Just more reasons to own one haha
Thanks so much, bud! Yeah, when I first got mine, a lot of the care sheets said they needed it hot and moist. Nope!
And I agree COMPLETELY. It's just so difficult to get those colors to pop on film. Thanks again! :)
Mine is currently in premolt so should I spray the enclosure or should I just keep it as is with the corner moist and the bottle cap with water?
Hi Tom! I have one GBB "Goober", and bought her because of color and loved the intricate webbing. She was just a wee sling when I got her and has always been easy, but did escape once, only briefly. YIKES! According to what you are saying, we are housing her well. This is off subject, but my hubby and I re-housed Snuggles our OBT and we were expecting an insane tantrum, but she was so easy going and did not rear up once, she was so amiable and took to her new home well. Thanks to your re-housing videos we set up a system for her safe and escape proof transfer. Thank-you so much, and Happy Holidays.
Essie! Happy New Year! :) Love the name 'Goober'. hahaha Yeah, they can be quite quick and skittish. One of mine almost got out once. Ugh
And I'm SO glad to hear the OBT housing went well! That's great! I was all hyped up when I did mine, and she was a total sweetheart. Sometimes, they can surprise you! :) Thanks again!!!
Thanks for such an awesome video. I wish your video was further up. I was gifted a GBB Sling as my very first tarantula and all the care information I saw said to keep it damp for slings, while others were telling me dry. You are the only one that actually explained the difference and why they should be kept dry. Wonderful video, I have subscribed.
Tom, you crack me up! You are such a teacher. Of course you like the sound of your own voice. As a fellow teacher, I can completely relate. What it really is, is you feel like you have information that is terribly important, so you imparted several different ways, just hoping that one of those ways will click with your students and a crucial new neural pathway will be formed in their brains. Well done you!
I seriously do! If you look back at my old videos, I never spoke. I can't stand the sound of it. hahah And you're dead on about wanting to hit as many avenues as possible. I did the website but realized that many folks don't like to bother reading, so I moved to video. Now I'm doing the podcasts, as folks can listen while they are doing other things. I might have to try singing next...haha Thanks so much for getting it, bud! :)
The photos you showed were sooo great. The cobalt blue legs, the turquoise carapace and the orange abdomen came thru as if I were there. Love them but cannot keep one. I enjoy having them vicariously thru you who do keep them. If I had a chance to own a T this would be the ONE. So beautiful and leggy. Love the webs. They are gorgeous at all stages of development. A really pretty showcase T. Thanks Tom. :D
These husbandry videos are a great way to showcase the species a bit while still providing a lot of important information. Keep up the good work! I'm looking to get my first tarantula before too long and these have been high up on my list for a while
Thank you! That's exactly what I was hoping to do. :) Do you know which species you want to get?
I have my first GBB sling arriving tomorrow, yours was the first video I watched, with The Tarantula Collective being 2nd. No others needed 😁
Hello, Vanessa! That's awesome...congrats! I do hope that it arrived safely and is doing well!
This is the video that helped me so much with my first T, a GBB named Gumdrop. She puts the "arboreal" in semi-arboreal. She has thrived using this husbandry guide. Yours are absolutely STUNNING. They are one of the most beautiful species out there and I love how easy they are to care for. My girl has done great with just a water dish and me sprinkling water on her webbing or the side of the enclosure nearby after a molt. Watching her change colors is awesome.
Thanks so much, Midnight! That's awesome. This really is such a stunning species. :) The color changes they go through as they mature are amazing. Mine often drinks from her webbing as well. Thanks again! :)
So after watching so many of your awesome videos, yesterday I went to an expo and walked out with a GBB! I was planing on a nhandu chromatus, but this is now my first tarantula! He/she is about 3.5 cm.
Thank you for all the great content!
Congratulations, Lorena! That's awesome! GBBs are such a gorgeous species, and one I show off to folks who think that all tarantulas are just big brown spiders. :) N. chromatus are stunning as well, so hopefully you end up eventually getting one of those, too. :) Thank YOU for the kind words!
Tom Moran, thank you! Happy Mother's day to your wife!
Thank you, Lorena! I will pass that along to Billie :)
I just ordered one it’s 6cm long female I’m exited to get it
Tom, got my first 1/2 sling beginning of Nov. 2019. I set its enclosure up right off the get go in an 8x8cube with options for burrow or climb, seems to enjoy webbing on top of the corkbark hide and living there. Went with your info on keeping it a little warmer around 75 and the eating machine is an understatement! Growing very well, 1.5-1.75 inches big now. I enjoy watching this one so much I had to go get another this week. It is starting out at about 1inch already and it too has its own 8x8cube, but has chosen to make its web all across the top half of the exo terra back ground. Their personalities are very different, the first is very casual/mellow and seems to like to show off in the open. The second is very excitable and will try to find 5 different hiding places at once if it even thinks you are looking at it. Your awesome videos are turning me into an addict... haha. Keep it up! Cheers!
This is one of my favorite species to grow up from a sling. The growth rate is great, and the color changes are amazing. Glad to hear that yours are both doing well! It's funny, as after buying my first, I too went and grabbed a second. haha
Great video! Thank you! I'm getting a GBB sling and was unsure of the enclosure size/type. This really helped me out! I love your videos. I refer back to them all time for info about specific T's. Never worry about how long your videos are. Then more info shared between keepers the better we can all keep our T's happy and healthy 😊
Hello, Jenanigans! Thank you so much; I'm so glad that it was helpful! And thank you for the very kind words. :) Happy Holidays!
Today is April 17 2021. Today I got a baby GBB. This video helps a lot. Thanks Tom!
Congrats, Mars! I'm so glad that this was helpful!
Thank you for all the info, my first GBB sling will be here on Tuesday. I have had one other T rose hair female I got as a juvie/adult. She lived almost 12 years. I mourned her very hard, but I am excited to pick up the hobby again after three years.
I'm so sorry to hear about your rose hair, but congrats on your new GBB!
so that's why mine died :/ this is one of the best husbandry videos I've ever seen, you do a really good job!
Thanks so much! And so sorry to hear about yours. :(
GBB's...forever a favourite 👌. They certainly seem to like a little more room than most others even as slings. Always take advantage of it with their webbing. My little guy made quite the impressive home! Happy New Year to you and your family Tom!
Yeah, this is one of the species that seems to do well with a bit of extra room. They can blanket so much in white! :) Happy New Year to you and yours as well, Ian! :)
Finally got one for my b day yesterday. Got it for $45, 1/2" sling from a guy in Warren OH. I also got 2 obt slings and 2 Mexican red knee slings.He gave me a baby Asian forest scorpion free and an LP sling cause it was my b day. The Gbb slings are beautiful.
Congrats (and Happy Birthday!). That's awesome!
Hey Tom. My daughter expressed a persistent interest in having a "pet" spider. I hopped online and was happy to find your channel. Our first T is on its way to us now. We decided to get a C. Cyaneopubescens from JamiesTarantulas.com based on your videos and blog. You've got a new subscriber out of us and we are really hoping to see a rehousing video of the GBB. I'll be doing all of the husbandry and feeding (for a while at least). We don't plan on handling it at all. My daughter is ecstatic anyway! Thanks for all the great information chief!
Hello! Wow, that is awesome! I kept my first in one of those Jamie's enclosures as well (they are both two 5" adult females now). Thanks so much for the subscription as well! They go through amazing color changes as they grow...you're both going to love it. :) Thanks again!
Tom Moran Hey Chief. Just wanted to give you an update on our new addition. We received him/her from Jamie's in great shape. We waited a couple days and offered a really small B. Lat and she was all over it. I waited an hour and offered a more size appropriate B Lat and she snagged that up quickly as well. Got to observe some really interesting behavior. She took the lat under her corkbark hide and webbed off the entrance before beginning to feed!!! Really cool to see!! Is this a defensive behavior to alert them to any threats while they eat or is there another reason for this behavior? Thanks again for all of your videos and your responsiveness!!!
Absolutely awesome as always tom and a stunning looking tarantula.
Thanks so much, bud!
Happy to say one of these beauties are going to be my first T. I'm so excited to finally get into the hobby. Though I have a feeling I might not have just one after a while. But your videos and all of the info on FNT has helped me feel a lot more confident and informed. I used to assume that the A. Chalcodes would be all I could handle and now all the wishlist species I thought were a pipe dream like T. Blondi, OBT, and P. Metallica suddenly don't seem so far away. But soon I'll have the Webmaster to enjoy and I can't wait to watch them grow.
Congrats, Cody...that's awesome! The hobby is VERY addictive, so you will likely have quite a few after not too long. haha I have all three of those species, and I love them. They won't give you that much trouble if you are prepared. :)
Hey Tom! Happy New year when it comes to you and your family. Love the gbb and the webs they make. Mine is just now starting to show adult coloring. Always exciting to watch. I actually bought those fish tank tree trunks for her enclosure one on each side love how she webbed around them. Thanks again for a great video!
And a very Happy New Year to you and yours, Christine! :)
I absolutely LOVE all of the webbing. They just blanket everything in white. :)
Beautiful GBB Tom. my girl is mature . i keep her in a tall enclosure mine enjoys climbing on the sides. plus in this enclosure she is less bothered and skittish when i remove the top to feed or water.
Thanks so much, Tim! I was actually thinking of your setup and what you had observed about their behavior. Mine will be going into semi-arboreal setups soon. :)
Another great and informative vid! Keep it up man. Just got my first T (B. emilia) today and your channel has been a constant source of information for me and ultimately helped me decide to get one of these fuzzy dudes myself. So big thanks for your work! Btw: awesome shirt!
Congrats on your B. emilia! :) Thanks so much for the kind words, as well. :)
Ha! And thanks on the shirt. :)
GBB was my first sling. Rehousing it is a task for sure. It really likes to try to escape. It's helped me get the confidence I need for faster species.
Yeah, they can be quite fast (and kicky) when motivated!
@@TomsBigSpiders mine was very bolty. I have picked up my first old world yesterday. A rear horned baboon. I got my rehousing down pretty good. Watching hundreds of videos from you and Dave's beasties really helped. Thanks for putting this content out there.
Thank you for the video. Just adopted my first T yesterday which happens is the green bottle blue. Just a little sling right now getting ready for his/her FIRST molt and I was terrified because I felt a bit unprepared but I've done research all day and have now found this video and feel more secure.
Hello, Toni! Congrats on your green bottle blue! I'm sure that she'll do just fine for you. :) Thank you!
I absolutely love this spider! I never even new about this species until I discovered the hobby. Then the fact that it webs up it's enclosure is so DOPE! Can't wait to get one! 😎
They really are one of the gems of the hobby. So much to love with them! Thanks!
Nice husbandry video! I am super happy that I picked a GBB to begin with. Mine has such a fantastic behaviour (as all of my t´s) and never did anything that made me feel uncomfortable. Whenever I open the enclosure it just slowly disappears in one of it´s few web tunnels and shows up again like 5 to 10 minutes after I am done with maintenance. When it comes to feeding this one is in it´s own league. I just need to drop the food item somewhere on the webbing and can watch the tarantula hunting it down. This is such a beautiful species!
Happy new year to you and your family, Tom! Deuces :D
Hey, Emanuel! They are just such an amazing species. And I LOVE watching them hunt. They are stone cold killers. :)
And a Happy New Year to you and yours as well! hahaha Deuces!
Great video!! Thanks to you and another UA-cam channel, dark den, I'm now starting the hobby myself, I've ordered a B.Hamorii, got the enclosure set up just waiting on it being delivered and my local pet shop have 2 GBB slings so I'm thinking about getting one of them but can't wait to get into the swing of things with this hobby!!
Thanks so much! And welcome to the hobby! Be careful, it can be VERY addictive! :) You're starting with a great species, one I think should be in every collection. What size are you getting? :)
I would definitely snatch one up if the price is right. They were one of my favorite species to grow from slings.
Thanks again!
I don't have them and I feel the addiction!! Haha and the B.Hamorii I'm getting is only a 6cm juvenile, I might have to wait a while for it though because I stay in Scotland and it's currently snowing like crazy in the UK so need to wait for better conditions before the spider shop will dispatch!! and the shop is selling the GBB slings for £8.99 each!!
That's a good sized one! :) Man, snowing like crazy in the UK? Now, that's not normal, right? We've been getting some wonky weather in the states as well. You can always ask if they can hold to ship until the weather clears up. £8.99 is a great price!
Yeah it is so annoying that for months Ive been studying them and looking up as much info as possible so I'm not going in blind, but been excited the entire time then when it finally comes to getting it, is has to snow!! and they emailed us saying it will be put aside until more it is more favourable weather conditions and excellent I will definitely go down and pray they are still there haha
Believe me, I can certainly appreciate the anticipation! I can remember waiting to get my first. I can't imagine having to wait indefinitely. haha The good thing is the vendor knew enough to hold onto them for you. I just had someone ship when they should have held, and I got a dead sling. :(
LOVE love love your videos, Tom, keep them up, and thanks! I've got three slings of these, this video is really helpful!
Thank YOU So much for the very kind words. I LOVE this species! :)
I can testify to keeping them at higher temps they will grow quicker. I received my GBB 1" sling 2 days b4 Thanksgiving. It molted Thanksgiving day and molted again around 1am this morning. I didn't manage to record the process though I wish I would have now but as I was checking on mine b4 bedtime, it had already flipped and was on its back. I didn't want too disturb it...checked again about 45 mins and it was done and I can see a good size gain. Can't wait to show everyone. My video making hasn't been to steady lately with the holidays but I do plan to pick up making vodeos a lot more very soon. Love these notes too Tom. I had 11 come in (slings) 2 days late yesterday and only had 1 alive (C. versicolor)...luckily the guy offers LAG and we plan to just meet in person this next weekend. 5 hr drive for me lol but it beats getting more dead slings...but yea nice video.
I have a hobby buddy that kept hers in the 80s, and they grew like weeds. Mine are kept in the 70s, and they grow fairly well. I keep trying to record something molting again, and I always miss it. One day I thought I recorded one, but I somehow turned the camera off. Ugh. They do gain a good amount of size when they molt. I LOVE waiting for the colors to start to appear.
Oh no!!! They were all dead? That's terrible! I had that happen once, and it was heartbreaking. Who did you order from, if you don't mind me asking?
Five hours! WOW. Now THAT'S a trek! hahaha. Good luck...let me know how it turns out!
Tom Moran it was someone I met on tarantulaforum.com by the name of Dreadz. He had reviews posted from arachnoboards.com (arachnoboards.com/reviews-reports/dreadz.529/) and everything went great. I have nothing bad about the purchase other than he used USPS for shipping. He told me $30 for overnight but said some reason the fastest he could ship for that price (when he shipped them) was 2 days. They were supposed to show up by 3pm Thursday but didn't till 11am yesterday (Friday). They were all packed good and had a heat pack but yea...being 2 days with an extra day added didn't help. I had got 5 C. versicolor, 2 T. violaceus, 3 Hapolopus sp large, and another LP...all slings. Surprisingly, one of the C. versicolors was still alive and after a 24 stay in ICU, is now acting perfect. We have since talked and are planning to meet up this coming weekend and he is going to replace the ones that were lost except the 2 T. violaceus, which saddens me cuz I was almost more excited about them than my C. versicolors lol. He did say he has some T. sp "Caribbean Diamond" he can replace them with though. I was also super stoked about the Hapolopus sp Colombia large, they are sooo pretty and from your husbandry video, they really do sport their adult colors even when so tiny lol. Mine, although dead, were around 1/3" and looked like ity-bity adults...but now I'm rambling lol.
I have a sling coming on Wednesday. Thought I’d treat myself for Halloween.
Really looking forward to this one arriving.
Thanks as always for your great husbandry advice.
Congrats! You won't be disappointed! :) Did it arrive yet? :)
Thanks!
Yes! It’s home now, every time I look it’s webbing everything up. And it’s feeding response was fantastic when I fed it yesterday. ❤️
Love and need this information thank you much Tom. We just pick up a GBB sling (our 2nd T in a month) and will definitely be referring back to this video again and again.
Glad that it was helpful! :) Thanks so much!
I see that I watched this a week ago and got one! It looks just like your little one ...love the sling beautiful!!
Congrats! That's awesome! They are an amazing species to grow from a sling. :)
I just bought a sling for 45. Definitely a informative video.
Congtrats...and I"m so glad!
Great video with great advice! This will be my go-to video when people ask me about the GBB.
Thanks so much, Karl! :)
they are a fantastic species, seeing mine grow from a sling to a mature male was very rewarding. i lucked out with mine being fairly docile but his feeding response is very strong. i noticed giving him wax moths was a really good show and he seemed to "enjoy" chasing moths more than crickets or locusts and seeing him leap into the air to catch them was astounding, one of those "blink and you'll miss it" moments.
That sounds absolutely spectacular. I can just picture it leaping at the prey. Wow!
Thanks!
if you can get wax worms over there it'll be worth getting them as an alternative to morio/ super worms and they don't take very long to mature and the moths have no biting capability. giving them to T's with a very aggressive feeding response would be best.
I can definitely get some! They're not as common as some of the other feeders, but I've had them in the past. Thanks so much for the tip!
you're welcome :)
Great video on the GBB. Amazing colors and CRAZY webbing. One of the T's on my list someday.... HNY!!
Thanks so much, Meg! You definitely have to get one at some point. :)
Yay, tomorrow I get my first one, adopting it from another owner ✨ as usual, your videos are very helpful
That's awesome...congrats! And thank you! :)
Great video! I get my 1" GBB in a couple days and found this very helpful and informative.
Hello, Miranda! I'm so glad that this was helpful. Congrats on your GBB! :)
Awesome video. I've been debating whether or not to get back into the hobby for a year now. I've been making a list of good beginning species since it's been a while since I've had a T. After watching a quite a few of your videos I've decided this weekend I'm going to order a GBB and a Phormictopus sp. South Hispaniola. Thank you for your information and knowledge, there are multiple T's I'm now considering keeping thanks to you. Some later down the road of course..."cough cough" OBT.
Heck, yes! Two fantastic species (and two of the most beautiful!). Are you getting them as slings? If so, you'll have plenty of time to grow with them. :) Thank YOU so much for taking the time to comment. :)
Hahahaha. Love those little orange demons. :)
Yes. I'm going to get both as slings from Fear not tarantulas.
I love that they're not as sensitive to noise as my Carabena Versacolor. I keep my GBB with me on the dining table while my Versacolor is in the office where it's quiet and warmer. Now, I don't have kids or dogs so it's always quiet at home anyway but even so, my Versacolor wants it SILENT while the GBB is okay with being out on display
Had to revisit this video Tom as I'm considering rehoming my GBB into a slightly larger enclosure and wanted to remind myself of the conditions they prefer so your definately my go to teacher but don't tell Richard( the collective) as always stay safe brother.
Hey, bud! That's awesome...I hope that it goes well! I have to rehouse my other one soon, so I'll get some footage of that soon. And I won't say a word. haha
just ordered my gbb Sling from fear not with the starter set up. I am a beginner I have one pink toe trantula I have always been fond of the green bottle something about the name as well. Thank you for the tips and pointers I will be keeping mine semi aboreal
Congrats! One of my all time favorite species to grow up. You are most welcome...good luck!
@Tom Moran How often do you need to clean out the enclosure for the GBB? I am thinking of purchasing a 2 inch female from Fear not Tarantulas. I have a 8x8x12 acrylic enclosure from tarantula cribs I will be using for the T.
As long as you're spot cleaning and taking out boluses (remains of prey) you should haven't to completely clean it out at all.
@@TomsBigSpiders ok thanks!!!
I enjoy your awesome videos, and appreciate you sharing Tarantula husbandry knowledge. I did want to mention, however, I believe that the pronunciation of cyan is /ˈsīən. It's the color blue.
Hi, Lou! There was a big discussion about this on one of my videos where folks who knew Latin were arguing over whether it was a hard 'c' or pronounced more like an 's' (something about it only being an 's' sound if followed by i or e?). It was a wonderful discussion and illustrated, once again, that no one can ever agree with how Latin is spoken. haha That said, I usually say it with the 's' now because of the blue bit. Thanks!
is there any tips to help handling a GBB, i got one recently and i was told and also when doing a bit of research on forums people were saying they are docile and can be handled but mine sounds like you were explaining, he seems to flick hairs a lot, and gets scared a lot. i was told to use a soft tipped brush to stroke him with so he can get use to being touched but it seems to stress him out a lot. Is there anything i can do so i can handle him or at least get him use to being handled when needed
Mine are two of the most skittish and flighty spiders I have. They will kick hairs at the slightest disturbance. This is a species I normally do NOT recommend handling with, nor would I attempt to handle mine. They are generally thought to be skittish and they are quite fast for New World terrestrials. Although there are always the oddballs that will seemingly tolerate handling, the species on a whole is not a good one to hold. If he's kicking hairs and seems stressed, I would advise against trying to handle him.
@@TomsBigSpiders arrrr that's not good news, i wish i knew this info before getting him lol but alot of the forum etc are hit and miss on what info to take but hey ho you live and learn. back to the drawing board i suppose. cheers for getting back to me bud its highly appreciated
@@BoyBettaKnow2010 No worries, and sorry for the bad news! One of the main reasons that I started my website years ago (and later, this UA-cam channel), was to try to get accurate info to people. You look online, and there are just so many folks talking about them that have never even kept the species they are talking about. I only talk about species I keep, and I'm constantly checking with others to compare notes. If you ever have a question, please feel free to ask! - Tom
Every spider has a different personality, if it’s kicking hairs panicking and running off when disturbed I wouldn’t not handle it , it will just behave the same on your hand or even worse. Also the soft tip brush... when you open your enclosure gently tap the back of the abdomen and you can probably tell the mood based on how they react.
Do you know what kind of temperature or humidity i should keep it at because I've been looking into GBB's for a bit of time and havent come across and info, thanks :)
Room temperature is fine (high 60s - 80s). This is an arid species, so they should be kept dry with a dish. They do not require moisture (humidity). Hope that helps!
yes ,thank you!
Really helpful. Picking up my first tarantula off of Fear Not. Excited for my GBB
Thanks so much, Josh! And that's a great species to start with (and Fear Not rocks!). Congrats!
Love the species! Can’t wait to watch!
Love the t shirt, also.
Hope you enjoy it, Ben! And thanks! :)
I own a GBB sling! Great video. Very informative! Thank you!!
Hi, Jason...thanks! :)
I got mine April 2017 as a sling, she is doing great. Such a fun tarantula.
They really are awesome spiders!
Great video and yes they are beautiful as slings!! Thanks for the information!
Thanks, BC! They are just so cool looking as slings! :)
You talked me into it Moran, my GBB sling arrives Friday! :D
Bahahaha There I go costing people money again. haha Congrats, David!
Hi Tom! Thanks for the videos about GBBs...I had one since three weeks a sub-adult of about 3 inches legspan...just amazing to watch web all around the little shelter she had in her enclosure...but after two weeks she hides herself almost all of the time in it: she's very very calm... except for eating of course!! I'd like to know if maybe a too low temperature may be the cause of this very calm behaviour, is it from a stress or she feels comfortable in her shelter?! Once again I really appreciate your video of husbandry: effective and great! Take care!
Hello! She could just be very calm in her shelter. At that size, mine were rather laid back. They didn't become more skittish until they hit about 4-5" or so. At that point, they became a bit more spastic. They've since settled down though. What are the temps there? :)
Tom Moran Hi Tom! Thx for your quick answer...in fact few minutes after my comments I went on your(very nice and complete) site...and my conclusion is: she must be in pre-molt! Last Sunday was her last feed...and she just killed the cricket without eating it...and has I was thinking that she was building a new part of her den she was in fact closing it...I've noticed some kind of strange moves like convulsions or something more epileptic...I've read that's it's sometimes a sign of pre-molt. The temperature here is about 68° at night and 80° max during the day...very nice for humans and T's!
Once again thx for every infos, on your site: clear, serious, straight to the point! This GBB is my first Tarantula so your experience were very good and speaking to me !
Hi Tom! I live in Louisville and the ambient humidity is pretty high (even now in the fall it's hovering around 70%). I know you say not to sweat humidity too much generally, but do you think this could be a problem for my GBB sling? I love your content and podcasts BTW, some of the most useful out there. I think the community is lucky to have you.
Hi, Philip! If you keep the substrate inside the enclosure dry, it won't be a problem. It's more an issue when folks are giving them moist substrate. The summers here get quite humid, with 90 % being normal, and mine do fine. Thanks you so much!
Great information to know....Can you do a video on the Poecilorheria species. I got a Ghost Ornimental and would love to know more on them...Thank You
ua-cam.com/video/qYRRqkAXfjk/v-deo.html
There you go! :)
I absolutely loved my gbb.. God rest her. I kept mine at about room temperature and she did just fine.. Regular molts almost.. They are feisty and great Web builders. Cool video
She sounds awesome! There is just so much to love about this species, in my opinion! :)
Tom Moran oh definitely, I think they are so common now that they are somewhat unappreciated in the hobby if you know what I mean. fantastic t's and should be appreciated more.. Great starter t's if u want something different but not too unsettling, I wouldn't ever handle mine though as they are quite flighty. Also great to watch feeding and super quick.
Getting a GBB sling this weekend from Anastasia for my birthday from my husband. Not sure if he is too happy about this. I am so excited!! Your videos are always great. Thinking about trying to do a more natural set up. How would I go about sanitizing elements from the woods? Have you done any set ups like that?
"Not sure if he is too happy with this." hahaha I'm sure he'll grow to appreciate it. :) And that is an absolutely awesome birthday gift. :) I have. You will have to either microwave or bake whatever you're using to get rid of any mold or parasites.
One more question, make it 2. How long in microwave, or in oven and temp?
Happy New Year to you and your family!!!
Hey! Happy New Year to you and yours as well!!!
great video, I was a bit unsure about the humidity for my GBB but I guess I made the right call keeping her dry, her webben though hasn't been what I expacted though, she took al the decoration I had in there, piled it all up and webbed some over that... hopefully she'll do more webbing when she has grown and gets to be rehoused
Hey, Andrew...yeah there was a lot of bad info out there early one. A water dish works, and you can sprinkle water on the webbing. They can drink from that. From what I've seen, they do NOT like the moist sub. Fingers crossed that yours webs for you!
@tom moran
I got mine (a 1" specimen) and put it in the beginner kit enclosure from FNT. All it did was immediately web up the fake leaf and sit there, not really moving a lot. Maybe changing orientation. Refuses food. I'm concerned, should I do something, and if so what? Its in the 3" cube enclosure. I do have larger enclosure from Jamies but that seems too big.
Hello! How much substrate does it have? Is it moist? Does it have a starter burrow? Let me know, and we can take it from there. They are quite shy, so it could just be settling in.
@@TomsBigSpiders Inch and a quarter cocoa fibre, water dish. Started off damp but I've not wetted the substrate since I got it 2 weeks ago. Probably mostly dry by now. Has still webbed up the leaf. Has starter burrow in corner, and under the cork bark. Also put in another piece of cork bark leaned up against an opposite corner, but ignored it. It eats as long as I drop the roaches directly on the webbing it made on the leaf, otherwise it ignores it. I dropped two tiny nymphs on the web yesterday and it ate both. So it'll eat, but it won't explore or hunt.
just ordered my first GBB your info was great. now know how to set up for my T thanks
Congrats! I'm so glad that this was helpful, Andrew!
O, beautiful, I am saving up for my first T, and I'm having a hard time picking one, this one has caught my eye.
That's awesome, Melody! This can be a great first tarantula as long as you're aware that they can be pretty fast.
Im going to be picking up a gbb sling very soon can't wait to see grow to adulthood this will be my first sling most of my T i got them at juvenile size to adult so this species is a pretty simple sling to take care of can you give me tips on like ive seen some videos where it said to give slings pre killed crickets or roaches
Congratulations, Joseph! They are very simple to take care of. I have never had to feed mine prekilled; they were both excellent and voracious hunters from early on. You should be fine if you can find small prey items.
What's the scabby part on the abdomon, when into my gbb has a small scabby patch at its geting bigger
That would be the mirror patch or the patch of urticating hairs it can kick in defense.
I have ordered my first GBB from Fear Not Tarantulas. Can’t wait for the weather to calm so I can get the little guy/gal!!! Beautiful T! I love the threat pose! For me it’s not as intimidating as the H. Lividum lol but still wouldn’t want a tag from either one lol
Whoohooo. That's awesome! Hopefully, it warms up a bit so you can get her shipped. :) Yeah, no thank you on a bite from either. :)
Tom Moran They aren’t going to ship till at least Jan 9th so hopefully by then it will be warmer. If not I don’t mind the wait🙂
FearNotTarantulas is an awesome place to order from! Tanya is awesome. That's were I purchased my GBB from, along with other species, amd I couldn't have been happier.
I always err on the side of caution and have things held until I'm getting a few days of milder weather. You only have to receive one box of dead spiders to realize that a little patience can go a long way. :) And Tanya is amazing! We actually got to hang out with Tanya, her son, and her two nephews just after Thanksgiving. Fantastically nice people who really know their arachnids! :)
Thank you Tom. I have just ordered an adult GBB. Hope it will behave. Best wishes from Bo.
Congrats, Bo...that's awesome! Let me know how it behaves. :)
Another great video tom, keep them coming👍🏽
Thanks so much, Lee! :)
Just got my first tarantula and its a gbb sling cant wait to see it grow!
Congrats! That's an awesome species to grow up!
Will it be fine to keep a sling to adult GBB enclosure completely dry with a water dish? And should there be more ventilation? Thanks!
Hello! I would say yes. I've kept mine like that from slings to adulthood. And ventilation is important as well!
i had mine since a 1cm sling its about 3" now and everything you said hit the nail on the head :) great T!, could you do a updated video on the H-maculata (togo starburst) as i have seen a lot of mixed notes about them, some say arboreal some say semi arboreal, mines in a heightened terrestrial setup with a log to climb, it hides under it on the ground more than it climbs up high, i feel like i dont know enough about it, i did watch your video from 2011 on it but any extra info would be cool
I'm trying to get more footage of mine so that I can do another video. Both have become quite shy. I give them some room to get off the ground, but they mostly stay hidden behind their hides. My two dug a bit until they put on some size 3" or so), but they now stay off the ground. What size is yours?
Getting mine in a few day. Can’t wait
Congrats, Jamal! Hopefully, it arrived safely. So sorry for the late reply!
Do you think I could house an adult GBB in a 18x18x24 Exo Terra? I'm thinking about using terra aranea, filling up the tank as much as possible and using cork and grape wood. I am also thinking about using tall succulents instead of tropical plants.
I want to add arid springtails and dwarf isopods but I don't know if they will bother the tarantula.
Hey, Hector! I would be a worried about the height of it. As long as you can raise that substrate level up high enough, though, you should be fine. I would be curious to see the setup when it's done.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks for the reply! It will probably never happen because my parents despise tarantulas, but it's nice to think about.
Have you used the Biodude's terra aranea? If so, how is it? Does it stay dry at the top and moist at the bottom? I might forgo plants entirely and just have some springtails and dwarf isopods.
Awesome video . Great information . Thanks .
Thanks so much, AZ!
Hey Tom the longer the husbandry videos the better and please keep em coming
Brighter the blue, the better. 💙🕷💙
Darn right! :)
Seriously AWESOME vid. I’m going to get soon hopefully. Do you think the exo-terra 12x12x12 would work as an adult enclosure? And what size Jamie’s Enclousure is that 7x7x11 or the 8x8x14? Thanks Tom, your husbandry videos are the best.
That's exactly what one of mine is in now. :) It's working out great. :) Thanks so much!
I enjoy the extra information in the longer videos!
Thanks so much! I've been trying to do longer ones. :)
I have a GBB and she is still in the sling category I believe. Is there a reference or guide for feeding and knowing how the abdomen should look. I don’t want to over feed. She recently ate a small meal worm, but your video says to feed about 2 to 3 times a week.
It all depends on the size of the prey item. If the meal worm was large compared to her body, then she may fill up or only eat one more time. You can easily give them bigger meals once a week without issue. When GBBs are getting ready to molt, they will usually stop eating and often web themselves up. They will also be rather lethargic overall. Unlike other terrestrials, their abdomens don't get very fat. Hope that helps!
@@TomsBigSpiders thank you! That is very helpful!! I appreciate it 😊
I’m thinking of getting a GBB from Arachnophiliacs if I have that right there in Surrey Canada. With critter keepers do you add holes on the 2 sides of the critter keeper? I bought the tarantula keepers guide to get to know tarantulas more
I HAVE added holes to the sides before, but with that species, the ventilation in the top should be perfectly fine. If you put one in a critter keeper, must make sure you start with one 2" or so. Any smaller than that and they can possibly squeeze out of the vent holes.
Tom Moran I just got it yesterday in the mail I ended up using a eco terra enclosure 12x12x18 hopefully not to big with a hide that looks like 2 logs together and a fake cactus and a fake plant for aquarium
Just FYI, I'm totally cool with long vids
Thanks so much, Mike! Don't worry...I'm working on a long video now. :)
@@TomsBigSpiders can it live slightly in the tropical humidity range?I removed moss and some plants after learning they live in arid climates it's my first turantula and it's not moving much at 73% humidity can someone help me out
@@obesestain5268 you could always make another set up or take everything out and redo it
Tort o dr vvbj
@@obesestain5268I wouldn't stress too much on humidity, room temp and humidity with a water dish should be perfectly fine 😊
Im considering getting this species as my first tarantula. I was wondering how far can they throw their hairs? Obviosly i wont stick my face right infront them but i was just wondering what to expect as far as a safe distance.
Hi, Anthony. They can go up in a pretty good-sized cloud, but most don't kick larger than a foot radius or so. Many times, they give you kind of a half-hearted kick, and they don't go far at all.
What a beautiful spidey! I love the webbing too. Thank you for sharing the knowledge :~)
Hey! Happy New Year! The webbing is awesome. :) Thanks!
Great video!
I have 2 Questions: I have raised an Aphonopelma Seemanni and a Grammostola Rosea in the past, both male's died of old age after several years in my care. I have not owned a T since, about 10 years, I am wanting to start my collection again. I was going to start with 4 slings 2 Caribena Versicolor and 2 Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens. I have watched your care videos for both species and believe I can successfully raise them.
All that to say my questions:
Where do you recommend buying slings?
For food I would like to raise a colony of Turkestan Roaches, do you have a place you would recommend getting a starter colony from?
Thank you for your help!
Please disregard, I found your sling care video with your recommendations. Thank you!
No worries! I'm glad that you found it.
@@TomsBigSpiders FYI the GBB has since dropped in price for slings I just ordered 2 from Fearnottarantulas for $39 each. Arrived in excellent health and hungry. Thanks for your help in starting my collection!
Oh, man...that's awesome! Thanks for the heads up! I'm glad that they have dropped, as everyone should have one. :)
Tom my man been a while sweet vid happy New year
Hey, Luke! Happy New Year, bud! :)
I'm trying to get ideas on a perfect setup for a GBB as it's going to my first T, I've done plenty of research and landed on it cause I was looking for something that webs a lot and is fairly docile. My idea was a fairly large enclosure as they are both semi Aboreral and opportunistic burrowers. A couple of long cork bark burying all but the entrance and connecting so it can make two entryways along with some drift wood for anchor points and fake ivy over the entrances. Any feedback or would be appreciated, thank you.
Hello, Josh! They are amazing spiders if you like color and LOTS of webbing. :) I think that the semi arboreal setups are the way to go with these guys. It will encourage the webbing, and it will leave plenty of room between the keeper and the spider. This tends to lead to calmer specimens. I think that you'll find if you give them plenty of things to anchor webbing to above the surface, you'll find that yours sets up shop right in the open.
Bought one couple months ago an love it beautiful an growing rapidly:) just placed another order of regalis which Im a bit scared or nervous about but ik their worth it there quite gorgeous!
So sorry for the delay in replying...I missed a bunch of comments! I LOVE my P. regalis, and she has been very well behaved. Just give them room, and you'll do fine. :)
Tom Moran yeah just waiting till she/he gets older so I can start charging them rent money n for food ▼・ᴥ・▼
What are they like for bolting the enclosure if its kept open for to long when changing water or feeding. This is an update just to say that when it comes to feeding or changing water mine has a tendency to run circles on the side of the enclosure drumming frantically when I try to get the water dish out it has a tendency to strike at me.
Ummm...mine always stayed in the enclosure and didn't bolt out. However, rule of thumb, don't leave any enclosures open for longer than you have to for skittish spiders.
Just got a .5" sling from Spidersworld. Pumped! Pricing is lower than expected too.
Congrats...that's awesome!
hi tom, got your channel due to the seller of my very first T a GBB they told me if i needed to know anytthing this is the place:D, so ive come for your wisdom. just rehoused her into a nice terarrium they told me shes about 2-3 years old, i guess shes about 2-2.5 inches from head to boootaahhh and i was wondering how important that dry-bone coconutfibre is cause my enclosure is showing some signs of damp bottom (hoping it wont affect her) cause for total block of fibre was needed 3liters and i just used 0.5liter. i plan on feeding her the day after rehousing, been like 5 days since last feeding so 6-7 days inbetween.
fyi, mine is way more colourfull compared to your juvi slings. so maybe its a male -_-??? they told me its a female i dunno. but its really chill thought men are more fiesty
Hello, Thom! So sorry for the delay! Congrats on your GBB. I love that species. For this species, a bit of damp substrate won't harm them; I just wouldn't put them on all damp substrate. I would definitely allow it to completely dry out, though, and just supply water through a water dish or by sprinkling water on the webbing.
@@TomsBigSpiders thanks for getting back to me :) substrate has already dried for 80%. She just closed her 'lair' off and rejected food so i guess she is gonna molt '*#exciting*' !! Gonna refill her water dish and spray a little on her web to help her molt, right?
Hey tom,
decided to get a GBB as my second T (going to get it by the end of this month). Got a quick question regarding the enclosure for her: Found an incredibly good deal on a 16x10x10 glass enclosure and I was wondering if it would be an option to use this for my GBB as her permanent home already. The specimen im getting has diagonal legspan of about 3" and I´m not sure if this tank is too big for a GBB of that size or if it will grow into it without risking any problems, caused by the size of the enclosure. Cheers and keep up your awesome work! Can´t wait to see updates on your recent breedings btw :)
Hello! I would say for at 3" specimen, it might be a bit big at first, but it will grow into it. I would just make sure to load it up with a bit of sub and maybe some plants and decorations for it. Is it 16" high? If so, that might be a bit too tall.
Tom Moran thx for the answer Tom! Sorry, should have specified length, depth and height. 16" lenght, 10" are depth and height. Good to know she will grow into it! Gonna keep my eyes open if I maybe find something a bit smaller for her. Probably going to get the 16x10x10 enclosure as well (perfect excuse to get another T in the future haha) Btw: love your podcast! Really great for those trainrides to university. :D Looking forward to the upcoming episodes. Hopefully a lot of people will check it out. Cheers!
i have my gbb now for about a year and i only misted her enclosure on her first molt with me ( she was 3 y/o ) since then never misted her again and she molted again without issue's. she has a waterbowl wich i see her use pretty often its awesome!
Hey, Thom! Yeah, these guys do great with dry conditions and a water dish. They are very hardy spiders. :)
Im thinking of getting a GBB sling, thank you so much for your awesome video!btw who cares about the time, as long as the video is well explained
It's a wonderful species! And thank you so much! :)
Im quiet concern right now, because i rehouse my newly molted sling, like 2 days ago to its new enclosure and the sub is quiet moist because it is wet when it arrived to me.. im planning to dry it out even the sling is already there..is it fine?
If you have a big foil turkey pan, you can bake it on low heat in the oven to dry it out more quickly.
How wet is it?
What size enclosure would you recommend for a 3/4-1" sling?
For a sling that size, something around 16-32 oz would work fine.