Pink-Toe Tarantula....

[FourFeathers]

Avicularia avicularia is a New World species. New World species DO have urticating hairs. (Old World species do not.) Some will not hesitate to release them by rubbing their back legs against their opisthosoma (abodomen) filling the air with them. They can get into the skin, eyes, nasal pasages, and will be very irritating. Some species have extremely effective urticating hairs. The Theraphosa blondi has extremely effective hairs. They can cause some seriuos swelling and irritation if they get imbedded into you. The hairs are barbed and some believe the tips contain a protein which may be an ingredient into what causes so much irritation.

A. avicularia aren't too bad for releasing them. One thing you have to be prepared for with this species is if you decide to handle them, they can be pretty flighty, and they seem to be pretty skilled at aiming a stream of projectile poop right on ya. They never miss. This may be a sign of stress if you're holding them and get a shot of it.


Gotta love 'em!

[Danny]

Hey Marcus,
Do you have any experience with Blue Cobalts? They're beautiful but I heard that they have nasty bite and won't hesitate to bite either.

[FourFeathers]

Haplopelma lividum, Cobalt Blue. This is a spectacular Asian burrowing species from Burma and Thailand (Old World species). They are quite defensive and quite beautiful in the right light. But the light has to hit them just right to really give the cobalt blue appearance. Generally, direct sunlight does the trick. Life span is probably 10 to 15 years.

[Mike]

oh geez...those thigs are awesome!!! i just gotta leave a link so everyone can see them. i WILL own one soemday.
http://www.bighairyspiders.com/cobalt.shtml

[CTReptileRescue]

Colbalt blue T's are beautiful, but definately not one to get bitten by! A friend who breeds them got bitten a few years back, not a pleasent experience.
They are beautiful spiders thou, best advice I can give is educate yourself about them and respect them.
thanks
Rusty

[FourFeathers]

Rusty,

Can you remember/share what the effects were to your friend that was bitten by this species?

[CTReptileRescue]

I remember the Oh S*&% and I came in to check,
swelling
and later bruising of the epidermis
surounding the entire hand with the most swelling at the finger tip.
Cleared in about two weeks, he did go on an antibiotic, but we beleive that was because his MD didn't really know of anything else to do.
Hasn't been bitten since. We are unsure if this would be a normal bite or an allergic reaction. But there was definately no anafalactic shock. (luckily)

[CTReptileRescue]

Hey Marcus did you see these two pics?
http://www.ball-pythons.net/index.ph...iewtopic&t=767
any ideas on id?
Thanks
Rusty

[FourFeathers]

Rusty,

The top picture is a Cyclosternum fasciatum, aka "Costa Rican Tiger Rump", a burrowing species from Costa Rica.

Here's a picture of mine.




As for the second species, I really wasn't able to make it out. Can you take a more clear picture of it?

[CTReptileRescue]

Hi Marcus
Thanks
I think we all had the same idea on the Cyclosternum fasciatum, as for the second, my cam sux and I'll try soon to get a better pic.
These were both on an order od spiderlings, and during our move recently we lost some of our records (with our computer crashing, we lost alot more), but the second unidentified was a "freebie" we can't remember thyem even listing it on the invoice, so it's diving us nuts!!
I even called the supplier and they captive breed their own (great place), but I haven't gotten a call back, I'll try them again, I think that's the best bet.
Thanks for the conformation on our baby tiger rump, she has been fascinating me ever since she has shown up!
Thanks again
Rusty