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1. Hadge - Member

   I thought I'd show a few of my spiders as they've grown a bit since last shown and they're starting to colour up quite nicely too. All of these are Arboreal in that they live in trees and climb so have to be kept in tall enclosures. They are all very very poisonous too and will give you one hell of a bad day-week or even months of bad health if you get tagged by one. Sort of makes it a bit more fun keeping them
   The first is a P rufilata and he's a mature male with a span of about 6" but he will get bigger
   

   This is my female P pederseni who like to hide in her bark tube. She has amazing colours and patterns and again she is about 6 inch span

   

   This is my H maculata that was given to me by Mr Roper - cheers Pete and is growing really really well now. Not sure of the sex of it but hopefully when it sheds next time I'll be able to tell. One very very fast and highly venomous spider that if you get bitten can give you long lasting side effects that are very very nasty

   

   And finally my absolute favourite because of the stunning colours and the fact it's a female and worth nearly £300 because of everyone wanting one in the hobby. It's my P metallica called Sonic

   

   Posted 4 months ago #
2. deadlydarcy - Member

   \o/

   Posted 4 months ago #
3. jonah tonto - Member

   like all spiders, they are beautiful and completely terrifying (to me anyway) at the same time and in equal measure

   Posted 4 months ago #
4. deadlydarcy - Member

   One very very fast and highly venomous spider

   
   

   Posted 4 months ago #
5. trailbreak-martin - Member

   Have you been at that last one with a marker pen?!

   Posted 4 months ago #
6. chakaping - Member

   Spiders are awesome.

   You don't think Mr Roper's got it in for you though, do you?

   Posted 4 months ago #
7. Hadge - Member

   Nah Mr Roper knows I've got enough experience and knowledge to handle the "little" terror. It did try do a runner when I first got it and was trying out it into it's new home and climbed up the bathroom wall - that was funny!

   Posted 4 months ago #
8. Jamie - Member

   *swoon*

   Posted 4 months ago #
9. brakes - Member

   the blue one looks like it's been kitted out at Halfords

   Posted 4 months ago #
10. roper - Member

    ooooh lovely looks spids Hadge.
    The rufilata is looking good, great colour and looks healthy too.
    It's good to see the maculata too. Certainly has grown. I can't remember how old it is but I would guess you have a juvenile female there. I think maculata are quite dimorphic and only the female will have shades of grey, white arround the opisthosoma and cephalothorax. the males tend to keep the green shades. It's hard to tell from that photo but it doesn't look too leggy either. My fingers are crossed for the next moult.

    sonic looks Amazing too. Do you get to see her much? I know they are one of the more shy pokies but she seems comfortable there. very nice

    I'll add one photo too
    This [i]H.gigas has recently got its adult "colours" too. They are quite a beefy T but they can hunt in water as well as land.

    

    Posted 4 months ago #
11. Hadge - Member

    Love the gigas Pete - has it just shed as it looks like an old skin by the side of it. Sonic is out loads as where her viv is it's quite shaded. Even during the day she comes out for a wander but she spooks easy so all pictures have to be taken through the enclosure.
    I was fingers crossed looking at the colour of the H mac and I was thinking "please be female" as the adult females have the stunning black and grey colours and patterns and it would be great if it was a "she"

    Posted 4 months ago #
12. roper - Member

    That was about a day after moulting. They can be quite grey after a while though. I have another black T, Selencosmia sp "negero"
    they are quite shy but you can see a rare photo here.
    
    They are typical selencosmia and are quite defensive. The gigas is very confident, always out and about and quite a robust spider.

    Do you think you will try and breed any?

    Posted 4 months ago #
13. Hadge - Member

    Yeah I'm going try breed the pokies as I've got 4 females and so I'll be looking for some mature males later this year. I'm hoping the H maculata is a female too as I'll try them as well. How's your M balfouri - I never ever see mine at all and I was really worried so I had a little dig round and found it very much alive lol.

    Posted 4 months ago #
14. Naranjada - Member

    Beautiful spiders.

    I've always wanted to hold a large fluffy one like those above, assuming that those above are large and not just big photos

    Quite scared though, which I know is a shame and is just what we're conditioned to think.

    I love the way spiders move.

    Posted 4 months ago #
15. roper - Member

    My M balfouri died at sling stage. It had a bad moult but didn't last much beyond that. I think I had the temps and humidity right so just have to put it down to one of those things.I havd had a couple of breeding successes and I'm hoping my Androctonus bicolor scorp pair will mate later this year, though I will have to be careful with where they go.
    I've also got a pair of A.moderatum I'm waiting to fully mature. it would be great to get some slings from them.

    Naranjada, you wouldn't really want to hold any of the spiders above.
    There are some which are more docile or which have less nasty venom so could be handled, but they are not that cuddly. The hairs are urticating hairs so act a bit like fibre glass. Some flick the hairs as a form of self defence

    Posted 4 months ago #
16. Hadge - Member

    Pete, that's a shame about the balfouri. I was so worried about mine considering what I'd paid for it and even though I knew they're quite secretive, there's secretive and down right hidden! Food disappears and it's made some nice webs but it still makes me worried not ever seeing it. I've only ever took one picture of wit when it arrived and it is a female too. Oh well we will see.
    I take it the Androctonus bicolor are a DWA species here in the UK? A change in my life plans will mean I can dedicate a bit more time to the spiders and get some breeding projects on the way this year so if I get an success s I'll be in touch okay
    Oh I'll try get some pictures of my P formosa - she's huge! Stunning colours and patterns too

    Posted 4 months ago #
17. roper - Member

    It sounds to me like you have a happy balfouri She might come out more when she matures but I think they are quite shy. I have never seem my king baboon on the surface.I did find an old moult and think it could be a male. So at least it might be out and about at some point.
    The A.bicolor are DWA, they are from the Buthidae family, all of which are DWA in the UK I think. These though do have a strong and complex venom so should be treated with extreme caution. They are rather nice though too

    Please post photos of your P formosa ( or any others ;)) they are a great T and stunning in the right light.
    Speaking of big spids, this is my Theraphosa apophysis, it is only a baby but has a leg span of 12cm or so. I suspect it might live up to the reputation Theraphosa have of being the biggest.
    

    Posted 4 months ago #
18. Hadge - Member

    Grrr - I keep mulling over getting a Theraphosa apophysis as I fancy a BIG spider and I've got a couple of spare enclosures going - me thinks I'll have to satisfy my want soon hehe.
    Here's the big girl but this picture was taken a while ago and she's grown quite a bit since this was taken. She never drinks from any water that's in her bowl but loves when I spray the enclosure so it's one way f getting her to come out for a while

    

    Posted 4 months ago #
19. roper - Member

    Great looking spider. I certainly hope you get a chance to breed her. Nice that she is not too nutty too

    Posted 4 months ago #
20. geetee1972 - Member

    Not for all the **** tea in china......

    I genuinely have a morbid phobia of spiders ever since I got bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider while in bed in California:

    

    It was before I had turned out the light and I felt a faint brushing then a sharp, ahem, prick in my leg. I jumped out and threw the covers back to find this rougue in bed with me

    Since then, whilst still fascinated, the thought of them turns my nipples inside out.

    Posted 4 months ago #
21. roper - Member

    Wow geetee!!!!!
    Was it a dry bite or did you suffer any effects from the venom? I hope it was not necratic

    Posted 4 months ago #
22. geetee1972 - Member

    My thigh was so swollen it would have shamed Mark Cavendish and I was bed ridden for three days. It was like the worst case of flu I've ever had; I could barely stand up.

    Not sure what the term 'dry bite' means, perhaps no venom? Well I guess that wasn't the case or maybe I just got a light dose?

    My uncle came into the room (the screaming sort of got his attention!) and diagnosed the spider saying that they are (despite the name) relatively common?

    Posted 4 months ago #
23. geetee1972 - Member

    Also I went to Australia a few years back and spent some time in the rain forrests near Brisbane sharing a bedroom with a Hadronyche formidabilis looking for a mate!

    Posted 4 months ago #
24. roper - Member

    Yes dry bite means no venom. I have heard they can adjust the amount of venom they inject and the symptoms can vary to each person. Recluse spiders can be pretty bad though, as you know They are not the most agressive but will bite if knocked. Unfortunately they also have a habbit of getting in they way. I'm pleased you made a full recovery.

    Posted 4 months ago #
25. iridebikes - Member

    uh, i dont mind english spiders, but those ones are far too big. HTey give me the heebie geebies

    Posted 4 months ago #
26. geetee1972 - Member

    Unfortunately they also have a habbit of getting in they way. I'm pleased you made a full recovery.

    Thanks mate It was worse because it was in bed, that place where you're most vulnerable and supposed to be safe!

    I'm fascinated by them though as a result. Love your family especially the electric blue one!

    Posted 4 months ago #
27. Taff - Member

    Am I the only one who is proper creeped out by this topic. I'm properly goosey

    Posted 4 months ago #
28. Hadge - Member

    No, your probably not so Mr Roper and I will keep them coming in the future

    Posted 4 months ago #
29. TandemJeremy - Member

    I like spiders but rather more circumspect about since I got bitten by one - nice big necrotic area on my arm, ill for weeks, permanent scar

    Posted 4 months ago #
30. Alpha1653 - Member

    Man alive... *Compose yourself. Calm down. Breath*

    Do you have any info on what spiders can be found in Nepal by any chance? I was in the east of the country earlier this year and a HUGE spider (I kid you not, it was saucer size, black and red with spindly legs from what I remember) fell from the ceiling above my bed, hit the floor with an almighty thump which got my attention and then proceeded to chase me around the room with its front legs in the air. I figured it was a pretty nasty spider but when one of the locals came in to see what the noise was and started to go mental, I gathered I was correct.

    I've not been able to find any pictures of it or get any idea of what it was but I'm intrigued to find out. Any ideas?

    Posted 4 months ago #
31. Hadge - Member

    Alpha1653 I've no idea I'm afraid. Maybe the best thing you can do is a Google search for images and then copy the picture to here. I'm not very well up on what are called "true spiders" compared to the tarantula's that I keep.

    Posted 4 months ago #
32. geetee1972 - Member

    That whole 'front legs in the air' and people going mental sounds like a Sydney Funnel web, which are no laughing matter (except I think the name rules it out in Nepal).

    The Sydney Funnel web is notorious for being hugely aggressive. It will raise itself up on its back legs, front legs in the air, so that it can get more force on the fangs as it stamps down on its prey (or anyone in the vicinity that happens to have p***ed it of!) The force is more than enough to pierce a big toe nail apparently or a shoe for that matter.

    They are also black bodied

    

    Posted 4 months ago #
33. Alpha1653 - Member

    Right. I hope you're happy. In an attempt to track down what this spider was I've had to trawl through a stack of images of spiders. It was traumatic. Anyway, this is the closest I could find and the person says she found it in Phakdina, Nepal. The size of the spider approx 12cm which would match with the one I encountered.

    http://www.spiderzrule.com/1811/CP1000147.JPG

    What the hell is it?!

    Posted 4 months ago #
34. Alpha1653 - Member

    Firstly, it definitely wasn't one of them.

    Secondly, I yelped and let out a little bit of wee when I saw that photo. IS THAT FOR REAL?!

    Posted 4 months ago #
35. geetee1972 - Member

    IS THAT FOR REAL?!

    What the Sydney Funnel Web? Yes it's for real. No one has died since they deveoped the antidote to the bite though so you sould rest easy.

    Sydney Funnel Web

    Posted 4 months ago #

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