Pet Spiders?

[bk201]

This was a wild caught specimen from a few years back
One guy had a sack of blacks and sold the slings for $15 ea a few years ago also, so they are out there and should come available eventually.
Except the majority of wild caught breeding t's last few years have been split up as "pets" before breeding programmes were established so many species are now lost from being available in captivity to make a quick buck then people exited the hobby with full pockets.

 

[Bananapeel]

Any pics of your guys enclosures?

 

[Xeaal]

Lol - they terrify me! But I do agree some come in beautiful colours. You will never convince me that they are more beautiful than a snake though

 

[Albino93]

Anyone know anything about gold bird eating spiders (Selenotypus genus)?
Ive tried finding info on them but i couldnt find much, are they allowed to be kept in NSW. Steering more towards, S. gold and S. gemfeilds?

 

[sharky]

Lol - they terrify me! But I do agree some come in beautiful colours. You will never convince me that they are more beautiful than a snake though

Even I'm not that convinced! I still love my aussie pythons the most

 

[Bananapeel]

Do you guys ever handle your tarantulas? or not gonna risk receiving a bite?
and do you keep other spiders like golden orbs or others like that that make webs?
I'm soo jealous!

 

[sharky]

Do you guys ever handle your tarantulas? or not gonna risk receiving a bite?
and do you keep other spiders like golden orbs or others like that that make webs?
I'm soo jealous!

Golden orbs, my dad kept a few o those a couple years back. They are beautiful and spin the most amazing webs! He has about 3 in a fish tank and the spun very nice webs
If I had a tarantula you wouldn't be able to keep me away from it! They are't venomous...well at least I don't think. The bite wouldn't be that bad. It's only the venomous ones you should avoid handling. Pretty to look at, not to touch

 

[bk201]

Do not handle a tarantula
no point in handling one
they are not a pet to be "played with"


The sp. golds are an arid/grassland tarantula
slow growing, keep them on a mix of sand/peat substrate 1:1 mix, keep them in a sealed container with a few air holes and keep the substrate slightly damp and have the substrate deep 10-15cm then feed every few days very easy to keep.

 

[Bananapeel]

Mmm you're right there is no point. But gorgeous to look at!

Yeah they are fairly simple to keep.
How are huntsmans in terms of keeping?

 

[richoman_3]

T's are cool


IMG_2716 by richoman_3, on Flickr


so are trappys


IMG_3674 by richoman_3, on Flickr

IMG_4101 by richoman_3, on Flickr

 

[Bananapeel]

Wow they're stunning richoman! what's T is that first one? it sure is looker!
Very nice shots by the way!

 

[jairusthevirus21]

Anyone know anything about gold bird eating spiders (Selenotypus genus)?
Ive tried finding info on them but i couldnt find much, are they allowed to be kept in NSW. Steering more towards, S. gold and S. gemfeilds?

Im pretty sure you can keep any Selenotypus genus in NSW. But i think they are relatively new the arachnid hobby. But if you keep looking im sure you will find something.

- - - Updated - - -

Golden orbs, my dad kept a few o those a couple years back. They are beautiful and spin the most amazing webs! He has about 3 in a fish tank and the spun very nice webs
If I had a tarantula you wouldn't be able to keep me away from it! They are't venomous...well at least I don't think. The bite wouldn't be that bad. It's only the venomous ones you should avoid handling. Pretty to look at, not to touch

All Tarantulas and therefore spiders are venomous... they still have fangs to stab into their prey items and inject venom... turning the insides to soup. Tarantula venom wont kill you but can leave you feeling ill for up to 8 hours along with vomiting and nausea as a worst case scenario. Not only that, but have you seen the fangs on these things???? Honestly i rather be bitten by my Scrubby...

 

[ronhalling]

Spiders are not Pets. They're Pests.

i do not think that is a very fair determination, i/we keep a snake/snakes but a lot of the people i know say "the only good snake is a dead snake" how do you feel about that

 

[Bananapeel]

i do not think that is a very fair determination, i/we keep a snake/snakes but a lot of the people i know say "the only good snake is a dead snake" how do you feel about that

Agreed.
Spiders very very rarely do us harm (and if so it is usually our own fault) and keep the annoying insects, flies etc population down. Snakes do similar. They also very rarely harm us and again it's usually our fault if they do and the keep rodent populations down.

 

[sharky]

with out snakes Australia would have a rodent plague Farmers would be begging for the snakes and so would everyone else!!!

 

[Bananapeel]

I am going to have to go arachning (spider version of herping?) soon, as soon as I have an enclosure ready for a little fella.
Are there any caresheets on huntsmen? or other spiders? - excluding tarantulas because I know there are a lot on them.

 

[sharky]

Just type in the species your after in to Google Search! Should tell you what t do
Generally, I put my spiders (depending on size) in a LARGE jar for smaller species and small aquariums, huntsmens I'd put in a medium size aquariam type thing. I just like giving all my animals heaps of room to move around Furnish it with bark, leaves, twigs and branches. Throw in a cricket every day or so, a few crickets for a huntsmen daily...I think. That's just what I'd do. The catch the cricket in their web and wrap it up and eat it. LOOKS SO COOL!!!!!

 

[Bananapeel]

Yeah I love watching them feed. It's super cool! what substrate would you keep a huntsman on? You seem to know your stuff about spiders. Such a cool hobby!
Oh and where do I find huntsmen - make that any cool spider - in melbourne? I never see 'em. only daddy longlegs
And I'm guessing ones I find here in Vic wont need any heating.

 

[sharky]

Well I'd keep a huntsman on either barkchips, soil (no fertaliser), newspaper, paper towel, aspen shavings or dirt covered with some dead leaves(dried out leaves). If you want to be able to view him, I wouldn't reccomend the leaves because most likely he'll be hiding under them all day!

 

[Bananapeel]

Just type in the species your after in to Google Search! Should tell you what t do
Generally, I put my spiders (depending on size) in a LARGE jar for smaller species and small aquariums, huntsmens I'd put in a medium size aquariam type thing. I just like giving all my animals heaps of room to move around Furnish it with bark, leaves, twigs and branches. Throw in a cricket every day or so, a few crickets for a huntsmen daily...I think. That's just what I'd do. The catch the cricket in their web and wrap it up and eat it. LOOKS SO COOL!!!!!

And out of interest, what do/did you keep redbacks in? as Im guessing you wouldnt want to get to close to one of them.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks so much sharkyy! appreciate all the help!