a few spider q's

[FusionMorelia]

hey all, just a few quick questions about spiders
myself im petrified from the look of them but a very close family friend,
loves them, hes just moved out of home and can get one,
like all 19/20 yr olds hes got jack squat. and no net so here
i am asking on his behalf, i am and hes looking to find some info,
1 any lic required for spider keeping in nsw,
2 who would i speak to to buy a big,BIG, spider from in nsw and
3 how long do they live?
he has an awesome 5 foot wood/glass dalarb tank heatmats and all that
so whats needed in spider keeping as basics and who the hell would i look for
when buying one?

thanks guys

Nato

 

[snakeluvver]

No license required. 5ft is HUGE for any spider. I suggest he gets a baby tarantula off The Green Scorpion website, theyre the biggest breeder of inverts in Australia. You can buy adult tarantulas but they cost over $100, babies will cost $15. I suggest he gets a Phlogius species as they grow fastest.

Inverts for sale, look in the Tarantula sections
The Green Scorpion

Great caresheet
The Green Scorpion

 

[dihsmaj]

Alex basically covered it...

 

[timantula]

unfortunatly greg hasnt got many Ts at the moment... you could also try
Jazinvertebrates!, Australian Spiders And Scorpions

 

[Tildy]

Just like hatchies though it's not good to keep spiderlings in a huge space so make sure he has a click clack for it too. They can dehydrate in a space that is too large. Here is a forum specially for inverts: Australian Invertebrate Forum - Forum
I just got a QLD bird eating spider which are fairly common, you can even buy them in some pet shops. Just beware, spiderlings are really really fast and waay better at escaping than hatchie snakes to give you some idea, make sure his enclosure it 100% secure. I almost lost mine in my bed the night I got it because I was transferring it from it's chinese food container to the slightly bigger enclosure I set up for it.

 

[timantula]

all my slings stayed in the peepee containers that they came in. for the first 4-6 months after i got them i just filled them 3/4 with coco..

 

[Klaery]

Both the sites mentioned above by Alex are ok. Tildy good luck with your new spiderling Bird eating spider is just an overall common name and can describe any Australian species, this is one of the reasons I would advise not to buy from pet shops if you want to know what species you actually have and want captive bred (this is slowly starting to change though). If the sites mentioned above can't help you there are a few breeders on the Australian invertebrate forum mentioned above and on here that may have some available. I have a few Phlogius sp. 'black' still available from last season.

 

[Tildy]

I got mine from my nephew who got them from the breeder direct. He is getting into breeding them himself now. I have discovered that just like snakes the different spiders do have very different requirements so yeah, I second your advice, it's important to know what you are buying and pet shops are not good for that usually. Phlogius crassipes is the scientific name for mine I'm pretty sure (I dont always trust my memory but I wrote it down somewhere). I'm learning fast through that invert forum.

 

[Klaery]

Ah yep. That is what we are calling a Phlogius species. Selenocosmia is what they are currently classified as taxonomy wise but is regarded as outdated information and that name (Selenocosmia crassipes) covers what are now regarded as a few species within what will most likely be called the Phlogius genus. Your spider is most likely Phlogius crassipes but the invert forum will be a major help in sorting it out Congrats again on the new spider. Let us know how she/he grows.

 

[Tildy]

Yeah, I keep getting mixed up between the old classification and the new one. I changed it when I found the bit of paper with the correct name on it. (I knew I had it somewhere). I'll make up a album on him when I can actually get some decent pics. He is too good at hiding to photograph properly.

Nato, your friend should know that never seeing your spiderling is actually a good thing so he shouldn't be worried when he looks in the enclosure and can't see it immediately. I have gone looking for Anansai a couple of times worried he had gotten out but he was just hiding in very clever places.

 

[FusionMorelia]

ok thanks people, i just have a few more Questions would several glass dividers be ok to seperate the tank into about 5 or 6 compartments, or can you group house them?(i assume not on that one but better to ask eh)
and last but not least are their any books or use full info on websites i should get Ads to get or check out?


Thanks
Nato