Hello All from the Newbie!

[ArachnoLady]

Hello everyone,

I just got my first ball python, "Mercielago" and I am completely hooked. The Pomona reptile show is next weekend so I know I am going to end up with another BP! I have had other snakes in the past but the ball is definitely my favorite. I have been browsing all the care sheets listed in this forum and I find them very helpful and intriquing.

My number one passion is owning and breeding tarantulas. I currently have around 160 tarantulas and I love them all. I also have pet roaches, feeder roaches, millipedes, Scorpions and a couple of S. Carolina wolf spiders.

I am very passionate about my snake and arachnids. I find it appalling about how people treat them. Everytime I see abuse, it does shock me-its something I will never get use to. The BP that I just go was nursed back to health because he/she was being starved and consequently, it rubbed its nose on the screen of its enclosure (looking for food I presume) which has left a permenant scar. Everything is ok now. .
I also do not support any organizations that find it fit to serve fried tarantulas to the general public. I do not feel is serves a purpose when I am trying to educate the public that Tarantulas do make wonderful pets. Despite what people think, Tarantulas are smarter than we give them credit for-However, there are scientist that still argue about their intelligence. As you can tell, I have a deep love for them.

I look forward to conversing with everyone and learning more about these beautiful pythons.

[Purrrfect9]

Welcome to BP.net!
I must say I'm slowly overcoming my fear of spiders, and I've come a long way! lol. I used to be the kind of person that if they saw a spider I'd stand on top of a chair and scream at my brother to go put it outside, but never really killed any. At the place where I work we have two rose haired T's, and I've held it a few times, and last week I picked Legs (our RHT) out of his cage on my own, lol. Now for bigger T's I wont hold them, but I have no problems looking at them! lol.

[ArachnoLady]

Welcome to BP.net!
I must say I'm slowly overcoming my fear of spiders, and I've come a long way! lol. I used to be the kind of person that if they saw a spider I'd stand on top of a chair and scream at my brother to go put it outside, but never really killed any. At the place where I work we have two rose haired T's, and I've held it a few times, and last week I picked Legs (our RHT) out of his cage on my own, lol. Now for bigger T's I wont hold them, but I have no problems looking at them! lol.

Thats wonderful! Yes, there are some T's you just do not want to handle. I do have a few T's in my collection that I handle but I have several that love finger snacks so handling is off limits.

Believe it or not, I use to be afraid as well. I ended up buying a rosehair like most hobbyist and I just fell in love. Pretty much, I just started getting as many spiders as I could and to this day, I still do!

I generally do not recommend rosehairs because they can be tempermental and they can fast for long periods of time-this usually freaks beginners out. I recommend a Curlyhair or a Pink Zebra beauty if you want a good handling tarantula.

Nice to meet you!

[Purrrfect9]

I guess we got lucky with our rose hair then! Lol. Where I work we do educational events, birthdays, church and coorporate events (mostly stuff with kids) and we have a love of hands on interaction with our animals, including the rose hair. He's never bitten anyone that I've known of, and he's a pretty good eater too.

[snakecharmer3638]

Welcome to the addiction.

[ArachnoLady]

I guess we got lucky with our rose hair then! Lol. Where I work we do educational events, birthdays, church and coorporate events (mostly stuff with kids) and we have a love of hands on interaction with our animals, including the rose hair. He's never bitten anyone that I've known of, and he's a pretty good eater too.

Thats good you have a nice one and they do get use to being handled. I have a few rosehairs-2 are RCF (red color fase). I can handle the female but the male is hands off. The normal rosehair is a touch and go and she has only eaten once since July-This is very typical of a rosehair. The Red fase T's eat very well. The RCF is gravid so I hope to have babies in the spring!