I'm a tarantula AMA (selfie included)

[charabanctrip]

My name is Albie, feel free to ask me any questions

Hi Albie,

I'm not a fan of your little cousins but you're wonderful! Thank you for this thread - it's fascinating. The no blood thing is freaky but also kind of cool. What do your webs look like? Do you make webs even?

That really big spider is a bird eater. I'm classed as a medium sized spider. The bird eaters are crazy big.

I eat kiwi fruit with the skin on. Now, after years of conditioning, every time I see the fat abdomen of a tarantula I automatically think:
"Mmmmmmm, forbidden kiwi..." and have an overwhelming desire to eat it.

Hi Albie! I'm terrified of spiders but finding this AMA fascinating so thank you - especially as you'd run and hide if we found you lurking.

My questions:

• is it true that spiders will run away from a light source like a torch?

• do you know any ways to be less scared? I had the chance to meet one of your fluffy cousins once, but didn't dare try to hold him because I was so worried my stupid fear instinct would take over and I'd panic and drop him and trample him in my fear which would be awful. I'd love to be less frightened but nothings worked so far!

I lay a floor web. It's like a carpet and then I can tell when something edible is walking across it. I can't make pretty webs like my tiny cousins.

And it took me a few attempts to look at your photos but you are strangely beautiful!

I grew up in Australia - we had wild (not necessarily cross) tarantulas & often found them sitting watching you in the bathroom. They were just very big - are you bigger or smaller than them?

Most spiders will run away from light, yes. We feel safer when it's dark and we're tucked away. We do go out for walks though.

To handle a tarantula is easy. Put both your hands in a cup shape and make sure they're over a table or countertop. Let someone gently place the tarantula onto your cupped hands and rest them on the table so it can't be dropped. If you feel scared then get your helper to remove the spider. Just take deep breaths, remember it can't hurt you and think of it as a fuzzy friend which is gentle and fragile.

@charabanctrip

Flies are too small for me so I eat crickets. They're crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. They taste a bit like prawns. It takes me a long time to eat a cricket because I don't have any teeth.

Armadillo!! (Sorry couldn't help it)

I think I'll be about the same size as the largest Australian tarantula. I can easily fill my mum's palm.

This might be my favourite thread ever on here!

This might be my favourite thread ever on here!

😃😃😃

The ones we came across liked to hide in the wash basket & give anyone a shock when sorting out washing, or hanging out in the veranda

I am not scared of spiders unless they are venomous - & Australia has a few varieties of those - so I can admire your looks

thank you for this thread :) I am terrified of spiders, brought about because we had to watch out for them when I was a kid in the ME. We had to look out for the baboon spiders, camel spiders (ok not a true spider but still!), black widows and brown spiders. I know that spiders are fab creatures who don't tend to go around hurting humans for kicks but when you are brought up to check shoes, around toilet seats etc then you do get the newbie-jeebies. Thank you for posting this!!

PS weirdly enough, I don't have a problem with scorpions or snakes (both of which are pretty prevalent where I grew up!!!). Go figure!!

*heebie-jeebies....not newbie-jeebies!!

Hiya Albie, this is one of my spidey house mates. Just wondering what the spiky things on his back end are. Are they spinaret thingymibobs?

Those are spinnerets and your spider is a girl.

I'm scared of the camel spiders 😱

What's on your bucket list?

I love this thread! Welcome to Mumsnet Albie

I've always wanted a tarantula, but worry they'd be tricky to care for.. Albie, are you an easy going house guest? How often does your enclosure need cleaning? Does it need to be kept to a certain temp?

Love the thread. I’ve been looking you up on Wikipedia Shame you are so rare in the wild now.
I’m cheeky and have a few questions. Does your mum ever get you any super worms or cockroaches to snack on? Do you make webs often and do you climb the walls where you live.
You are beautiful from this far away.

Are you from Mars originally?

My bucket list:

Make the cats jump

Walk all the way up the wall to the ceiling

Read Crime & Punishment

I'm really easy to look after. I get cleaned out about every six months because my poops are dry and don't smell. My tank is resting on a small heat mat to keep me cosy and warm and I'm in the warmest room in the house. I get fed a couple of crickets every 8-10 days. If I eat too much I can get an obstruction. Sometimes mum gets me a big fat beetle larvae, but too many of these aren't good for me so I get them as a treat only.

I'm not from Mars. I don't think I am anyway. I thought you guys were from Mars 🤔

I don't get any cockroaches. I think the superworms are the beetle larvae. Sometimes they pupate into beetles then mum has to keep them as pets.

I don’t really climb up the sides of the tank (Smiffy does though).

You’re pretty, do you feel pretty I hope so