Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens

The Greenbottle Blue Spider.

A friend of a friend is going over seas with the military, and has a female of this beautiful species. However, he cannot take her with him. I have been reluctant to get a spider, but this one is just gorgeous!

This would be my first tarantula. However, I do have two Pandinus Imperator scorpions. I'm sure he will be supplying everything I need to take care of her, but I wanted to get some information from the pros of this forum too. Anything specific I need to know? If I were to be bitten would there be any complications? I am severely aracnaphobic so the odds of my handling her are slim, but is she docile enough to be handled? The main reason I started into the aracnohobby was to get over my aracnophobia. Started with scorpions and I always planned to move up to a tarantula eventually. Why not now?

Enclosure sizes? Lid? Temp? Humidity? Substrate? Moist? Depth? Burrower? I read online they are Semi-arboreal, but mostly terrestrial. Quite the contradiction.

She is 2yrs old at the moment. Is that old for a tarantula, or does she still have a few years in her?

from a sheet i found:

Medium growth speed
70-85*F 65%-75% humidity+water dish for drinkies.
semi-docile, nervous at times. she said he has handled her before so maybe more on the docile side?
desert, and scrubland habitat
terrestrial
max size of 4-4.5 inches
5-10 gallon tank with top
logs, driftwood, etc for decos to help with webbing
eats 1-2 crickets once a week

so i did read a care sheet. however, i dont really trust too much unless i've read it off this forum, or another. if this was a scorpion id be expecting a post from GS. He knows oh so much! D:

but yes any and all information any of you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated!
the care sheet also said it is an easy-to-keep species so i figured she would be a good starter
normally i love to watch things grow, so it would be nice to get a Spling, but oh well. i take what i can get

thanks in advance lovelies! <3

Desert yes, 75% humidity, hell no. Keep it on completely dry substrate. Maybe spray some water on it a couple times a month. Give it a water dish. You dont need to fill the waterdish often tho, as it gets mostly all the moist it needs from prey.

I keep mine on dry hummus and fill water in the dish like 1-3 times a month.

They grow crazy fast! Mine has molted 4 times this year and has grown to almost double the size it was in december!

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if this was a scorpion id be expecting a post from GS. He knows oh so much! D:

You are very kind with your words.

Scorpions are my main interest and i can never say no to them, that's probably the reason i tend to have slightly more experience on certain species.. not all. Experience can be by other means as well and not solely based on collection, for any keeper who did their homework.. by reading up the research of others.. or by reaching on the internet e.g. being a Google master.. reading up scientific papers.. and after observing some "basic rules" and husbandry for different categories of scorpions.. anyone can offer some good advice as well

I happen to keep Chromatopelma Cyaneopubescens as well and i would gladly share my 2cents advice for you.

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If I were to be bitten would there be any complications?

It is not medically significant for most people unless he/she has a known allergic reaction to their venom.
Without handling them, and securing them well during captive care, chances of you finding out the hard way may equates to zero.

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I am severely aracnaphobic so the odds of my handling her are slim, but is she docile enough to be handled?

Definitely not for beginners to try and handle them as they may be skittish and strike defensively. Most importantly, do not underestimate their speed at all.

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the care sheet also said it is an easy-to-keep species so i figured she would be a good starter
normally i love to watch things grow, so it would be nice to get a Spling, but oh well. i take what i can get

Easy-to-keep, yes i agree. Starter.. not so much.. slightly more advance. I would say most Brachypelma spp are commonly known as starter Ts.

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Enclosure sizes? Lid? Temp? Humidity? Substrate? Moist? Depth? Burrower? I read online they are Semi-arboreal, but mostly terrestrial. Quite the contradiction.

from a sheet i found:

Medium growth speed
70-85*F 65%-75% humidity+water dish for drinkies.
semi-docile, nervous at times. she said he has handled her before so maybe more on the docile side?
desert, and scrubland habitat
terrestrial
max size of 4-4.5 inches
5-10 gallon tank with top
logs, driftwood, etc for decos to help with webbing
eats 1-2 crickets once a week

The caresheet is about right. Basically, floor space is more important than height. Some branches/ barks would be good help them to start off their webbing. It's hard to say they are semi-arboreal or terrestrial as they really do both sometimes.

Basically, they will just web up EVERYTHING within the tank.. water dish inclusive.. thats why i do not bother about water dish for them. For every 2 weeks, a short jet of water that forms a small water puddle on their web will do the trick.

As for feeding your 2 year old specimen, once adult cricket every 7-14 days.

And the really cool thing about them is they are known to be good display pet.. e.g. hanging out in the open on their web and not hiding away at all times..

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She is 2yrs old at the moment. Is that old for a tarantula, or does she still have a few years in her?

2 years is not old at all, since you are talking about a she, keep her right and there are definitely many years more to come

SEE I TOLD YOU GS WAS GUNNA SAY SOMETHING!

Thank you GS , and Scorpeace for your posts! Very much appreciated.

I have a now empty 20 gallon aquarium. If i made a full screen top for it would that be a fine enough enclosure? this is going on whether or not the guy sends me an enclosure with her

as far as substrate could i just do a block of dry ExoTerra Plantation soil? toss driftwood or a stick or something from outside that was boiled/baked?

as far as feeding: if she's going to web up EVERYTHING--which i find is kewl as heck--would i just drop the cricket onto the web and watch?

as far as being allergic to their venom. is there any way to find out if im allergic without being bitten? same with anaphylaxis? i've never been stung by a bee, so i have no idea if im allergic. I know P. Imperator have a mild sting unless you're allergic to bee stings.

being a good display pet is definitely a bonus. when my friend was talking about it she said she was blue. i googled "Blue Tarantula" and came up with Haplopelma lividum. I guess that's an arboreal T. . Which would not have made that great of a pet. I've already got two pet holes I don't really want another one haha!

as far as many years to come do you think she's going to moult again? I think my friend said shes probably about 4"

i saw a video of someone with a T. Blondi. The way she was handling it was just letting it walk onto her hand and off it as she explored a room haha

i unno i just dont want to be afraid of spiders anymore. i can handle my P. Imperators now fine. They don't bother me at all :3 not that i do it often haha

yeah i read that they can be skittish, and nervous. I don't want to bug her :3

trying to get the friend of my friend to get some pictures of her. once i get some ill post them :3

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SEE I TOLD YOU GS WAS GUNNA SAY SOMETHING!

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I have a now empty 20 gallon aquarium. If i made a full screen top for it would that be a fine enough enclosure? this is going on whether or not the guy sends me an enclosure with her

20 gallon might be a little too large imo, around 5 gallon would be fine for an adult. For breeding purposes, may use a 10 gallon for the adult female.

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as far as substrate could i just do a block of dry ExoTerra Plantation soil? toss driftwood or a stick or something from outside that was boiled/baked?

How much to use depends on your final decision on how tank to get. Substrate need not to be deep, around 2-3 inch would suffice.

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as far as feeding: if she's going to web up EVERYTHING--which i find is kewl as heck--would i just drop the cricket onto the web and watch?

Most of the time yes, i'll just drop in one cricket and enjoy the show. By the 2-4 weeks after she has settled in her new tank, she would have "painted her house white" with all the webbing. Any vibration triggered by her prey will be detected almost immediately. If she doesn't take them, she might be due for a molt or she's simply not hungry.

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as far as being allergic to their venom. is there any way to find out if im allergic without being bitten? same with anaphylaxis? i've never been stung by a bee, so i have no idea if im allergic. I know P. Imperator have a mild sting unless you're allergic to bee stings.

There might be ways to test.. clinically perhaps.. but whether it's worth the effort or not.. it depends on individual.

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as far as many years to come do you think she's going to moult again? I think my friend said shes probably about 4"

Yes, definitely. My two of my females are at about 5 inch DLS and still growing.. i got them 15 months ago while they are measuring 2cm.

Really great spiders, I love mine. She will never hide, always sitting out on the mass of webbing and they can seriously web. Really easy to keep. Mine has taken an age to grow from a sling though. I wouldn't recommend handling, mine is really skittish and pretty fast, don't think it would bite though, just leg it

Ramenuzumaki wrote:

as far as being allergic to their venom. is there any way to find out if im allergic without being bitten? same with anaphylaxis? i've never been stung by a bee, so i have no idea if im allergic. I know P. Imperator have a mild sting unless you're allergic to bee stings.

The problem with allergies like bee stings is that you can be allergic if you've never been stung, or they can develop after one sting. I've also met people who have been stung several times throughout their life with nothing more than a normal reaction, and then suddenly had their throat close on them at sting number 9. It's something that can be tested for now, but any exposure could be enough to make the next one deadly. Testing is easy though - a basic skin pin-prick test or a blood draw to look for IgE antibodies.

JamieLawrence wrote:

Really great spiders, I love mine. She will never hide, always sitting out on the mass of webbing and they can seriously web. Really easy to keep. Mine has taken an age to grow from a sling though. I wouldn't recommend handling, mine is really skittish and pretty fast, don't think it would bite though, just leg it

+1

wodesorel wrote:

The problem with allergies like bee stings is that you can be allergic if you've never been stung, or they can develop after one sting. I've also met people who have been stung several times throughout their life with nothing more than a normal reaction, and then suddenly had their throat close on them at sting number 9. It's something that can be tested for now, but any exposure could be enough to make the next one deadly. Testing is easy though - a basic skin pin-prick test or a blood draw to look for IgE antibodies.

Great post!

So i talked to my friend, and she said her friend isnt leaving for 3 months D:
i got all excited for the T, and now i want it now haha

as far as an allergy test ill talk to my step-mom. she works in a doctor's office, and we're canadian so maybe she'll know if itll be covered by OHIP.

gr i dont wanna wait 3 months

I seriously doubt you have any allergies from the hairs.. No one I know had allergies to begin with but maybe developed later after much MUCH hair throwing from their t's.

I have theraposa blondi's who kick hairs all the time. These are known for their very strong hairs, but I just get a little itchy for a couple of hours and then its over.

that's why their abdomen is always naked lookin

Probably lesser hair for slings... but generally quite hairy from sub-adult onwards

Even slings are quite hairy. But obviously the hairs are quite short

Will try to get a pic of mine after it molts.

Lolz.. yes DolbyR is correct.

It's not actually lesser hair for slings.. "less obvious" should be the better term to use

no i meant Ts that shot their hair in general
i noticed in videos, and on Animal Planet and stuff their abdomens seem to have a bald spot
i always assumed it was from over hairing stuff haha

they are SO pretty though D:
i want a spling so badly

THATS RIGHT SPLING! LMAO
when i see Sling i think scorpling XD