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callen727

New Member
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1
Location
Indianapolis
hello.
I am brand new to tarantulas, in fact I haven’t even obtained one as of yet, still in the research phase. I am leaning towards a Gooty Ornimental (sorry, I haven’t learned the technical names yet, but I plan to) I know this is a fast T with a nasty bite, but I don’t plan to handle.
I’m interested in building an enclosure myself.
While I’m new to tarantulas, I do currently have Hissing ****roaches, geckos, a beardie, and 4 snakes including a Reticulated Python. So I’m no stranger to animals that deserve and require respect. Also I’m used to animals that require specific housing with specific temp/humidity needs.
So, I plan on spending a lot of time on this forum. Forums such as this has always been my starting point when learning about new animals.
Any and all input, guidance, suggestions, warnings, etc. will be greatly appreciated! I look forward to getting to know you all better and I’m excited to be a contributing part of this community soon!

-C.
 

Enn49

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Hi Callen and welcome.
Poecilotheria metallica (Gooty) is probable one of the calmest Pokies and a beautiful T. The respect you've learned keeping snakes will set you in good stead for keeping a T.
 

Phil

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hello and welcome to the forum. there is a poechletheria thread on the forum so this will be much more informative than so called "care sheets". The best advice comes from those who look after them directly and you will find lots of us on this site that will be happy to share our experience.
I have a small colony of Poechletheria Metallica (Gooty ornamental).
Here is a pic of them as baby slings hanging around at the top of the cork hide. They come out at night hunting like a pack of wolves. it's so cute (unless you are a cricket that is)...LOL.
20180722_114406.jpg
 

Whitelightning777

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Baltimore MD
Pokies can be extremely fast and have medically significant bites. Have a plan for containment when you rehouse or maintain the cage.

They are usually considered intermediate or advanced. Tarantulas move and act unlike any other critter that I've had.

I literally build a mote, with the enclosure surrounded by cold or cool water sitting on styrofoam when unpacking or maintaining their cages.

Still, they aren't a mean spider. I'd suggest using a larger then normal sized enclosure so each of you can stay out of each other's way.

All pokies are sexually dimorphic, strongly. Females for P Metallica can be pricey. So can slings. You basically have to get 2 or 3 to be guaranteed that one will be female.

The safest thing to do is to house each in it's own cage, not do a communal.

I'm not a believer in the so called ladder system where you start with beginner species etc, but you do have to be very mindful, informed and calm.

Pokies move in a spiral type of pattern. Therefore, never use a cage that opens from the side. Open from the top only.

I'd suggest a Terra Blue professional enclosure, 2 gallon vertical style. I put my first 1" P striata sling in it and it had no problem despite being very small.

Pokies, in my opinion, have better visual acuity then most other tarantulas.

Here's how I did my pokie cages. They will have to be rehoused because they will outgrow it, but that'll just be one rehousing directly into their forever home.

These are for my two P vittata slings.

P vittata new cages.jpg


They grow fast so you won't have much time to grow with your spider. Mine strongly prefer crickets or small hissing roaches. They don't go for mealworms because those burrow to quickly. They'll also get Dubai roaches, especially if you drop them (not place them by hand--ever) into the web or burrow.

Of course, always keep the waterdish full and check it daily. Invest in long tongs & stab proof police type gloves. Wear a ski mask so you don't accidently breathe on them, which can spook them badly.

Good luck.
 
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Whitelightning777

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There is an interesting alternative arboreal you might be interested in & it's not as much of a handful, C versicolor to be exact.

Compared to P metallica, the female metallica wine the beauty contest but not by much. Male to male, the versicolor takes it. Best in mind that all of these are drop dead gorgeous.

Here's my suspect male versicolor, Charles.

C versicolor Charles wineglass dish 1.jpg
C versicolor Charles on decor 2.jpg
C Versicolor Charles looking handsome 3.jpg
Versicolor 2molt6.jpg


They are blue when younger and go through about a dozen color changes as they grow, each more awesome then the last!!

Make sure the waterdish is elevated from the ground or they may not use it and dehydrate. This was my very first tarantula ever.

If they keep escaping, use a larger enclosure. No matter how big the enclosure is, just drop feeders into the web and place the water dish next to stuff they'll climb on.

Do NOT add humidity!! The earlier caresheets are WRONG!! This is fatal. They only need a waterdish that is full at all times and that's it.
 
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