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An Amazing True Story about my Tarantula (Need Answers PLZ)

205 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Mygala
This is about a spider I bought a couple months ago and the really strange events that followed him.

Almost three months ago I went into the pet shop in town, I was going to buy a fish but instead I left with a Western Desert Tarantula. For weeks I found him quite boring, not once did I see him feast on his prey (crickets). Most of the time he was a hermit hiding in the back of his log. Every once in a while late at night I would find him sitting outside his home on the sand watching as crickets played. One morning in May I noticed I haven't seen Aerogod for days so I grabbed a flashlight pointing it into his Domain I didn't see anything out of place. He looked quite comfortable in the back of his lair. After a few more days, I really started to think it was odd not seeing him out so then I grabbed flashlight again and a wire poking it into the hole to my surprise there was a lot of webbing in there Still he decided not come out. Then i started to worry he wasn't even in there, lol. So i decided to grab some tongs in attempt to pull him out. On my first try i pulled out what seemed to be spidey legs, now i was worried he was dead. I tried once more and suddenly a Tarantula jolted out. He didn't look like Aerogod he had a bright red coloring to him. I noticed over a few hours he seemed quite different, crawling on top of his cage, jumping around. Then I noticed he had black socks on all eight of his feet. I began getting curious if this was really my Tarantula so i went and got the tongs again. This time i pulled out dried skin, as i examined it I quickly noticed that the color matched Aerogods. Now I wonder how could this be?
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I know nothing about pet tarantulas but it sounds like he just shed his exoskeleton (the "skin" you found) which also resulted in the color change (after shedding the new exoskeleton is generally brighter).

I wouldn't mess with him again, though, that was probably stressful, especially during molting.
wow I never thought of that, thanks. I know nothing of Tarantulas. At the time I just thought it would be an interesting pet to have.
Tarantulas typically get a bit shy and retiring just before molting. What you've described is pretty typical. I would have recommended that you up the humidity in your enclosure prior to the molt, just to help things out.

If you could post a picture, that would help with the ID.

Another place you could go would be the forums of the American Tarantula Society (http://www.atshq.org/boards/). Look around the site, there are some good downloads and great information.

It's a very friendly, knowledgeable group of folks. You just missed their annual conference which was this past weekend. I was there, and had a great time.

Bob
I actually gave Aerogod back to the pet shop. I did't know to much of Tarantulas and thats the reason I returned him, plus alot of my friends kinda b*tc*ed about having him. lol my Bro wouldn't even stay over cause he had this thought that somehow he was going to get out of his Cage. I do have some pics on my phone before he was doing this mulching once I get the right cord I'll post them Ill try and do that asap. I also would like to post some photos of a Wild Bat laying on the side of the road (Not Road Kill). I have no Idea why it was thier in the middle of the day prob just sick.
I wouldn't really recommend getting a Tarantula because I think thier just best in the wild lol now the the local petshop is trying to sell Emperor Scorpions, I think Ill have to take a pass on purchasing them. (LOL)
I also would like to post some photos of a Wild Bat laying on the side of the road (Not Road Kill). I have no Idea why it was thier in the middle of the day prob just sick.
Pretty much guaranteed sick...that is far from normal bat bbehaviour

I wouldn't really recommend getting a Tarantula because I think thier just best in the wild lol
I would beg to differ...although just about every animal is best in 'the wild', tarantulas do exceptionally well in captivity....my 24 are excellent examples.
Tarantulas are like any animal, they have to fit with the owner on some level. Many people think they make great animals in the right home.

Some people can't get past a primitive response to the multi-legged, or the hairy.

To each their own.

I think tarantulas and scorpions are nice because once you have the environment right, they are amazingly low maintenance. I only feed my adult spiders once or twice/month. Fresh water and a weekly misting is about as demanding as they get.

Small price to pay for their sheer beauty, as well as the "cool factor" of watching a spider or a scorpion take prey. JMO

Bob
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