# Green Bottle Blue



## patsyking (Dec 28, 2007)

I've been told I should put a stick in for my spider to climb up ( although its doing a good job of climbing the sides of the tank without one) but I was wondering if a thick piece of privet hedge minus the leaves would be ok and would I have to sterilize it before I use it and if so what do I use to do that with?


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

If you want to sterilise items, all you have to do is moisten them and either bake them in the oven at around 160C for a short while, or microwave them. I leave them in until they basically dry out.

I have never kept GBBs, but I dont think such decor would hurt as long as it has no sharp hooks or such to snag a spider.


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## patsyking (Dec 28, 2007)

Thanks


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Why would a GBB need something to climb on?


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## spider_mad (Mar 8, 2007)

GBB's are arboreal as well as terrestrial more so arboreal and spin huge strong webs and most green bottles spend most of the time above the ground.


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

spider_mad said:


> GBB's are arboreal as well as terrestrial more so arboreal and spin huge strong webs and most green bottles spend most of the time above the ground.


GBB's are a terrestrial sp.

Greenbottle Blue Tarantula Care Sheet


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

I think some tarantulas appreciate some variation in decor.

My curlyhair isnt technically a climber, it doesnt stop her taking up residence in the orchid stems in my tank.


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## dandydi (Sep 11, 2006)

yep deffo terestrial , they are big webbers , but they do it on the ground, well my two do : victory:


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## Incubuss (Dec 19, 2006)

Young_Gun said:


> GBB's are a terrestrial sp.
> 
> Greenbottle Blue Tarantula Care Sheet


No matter what that site says; GBB's are not just terrestrial at all. They are semi-arborial. I have kept about a dozen of these, and still have 4 and they do spend most of their time in their webs ABOVE ground. If goiven the chance they will web from floor to the top of the tank and spend time in all the areas.

Don't believe every caresheet you read.


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## Incubuss (Dec 19, 2006)

Incubuss said:


> No matter what that site says; GBB's are not just terrestrial at all. They are semi-arborial. I have kept about a dozen of these, and still have 4 and they do spend most of their time in their webs ABOVE ground. If goiven the chance they will web from floor to the top of the tank and spend time in all the areas.
> 
> Don't believe every caresheet you read.


Here's another caresheet that states semi-arborial

Phong's Tarantulas! - Speck, the Greenbottle Blue tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens)


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## Young_Gun (Jan 6, 2007)

Incubuss said:


> No matter what that site says; GBB's are not just terrestrial at all. They are semi-arborial. I have kept about a dozen of these, and still have 4 and they do spend most of their time in their webs ABOVE ground.
> 
> Don't believe every caresheet you read.


In my time keeping inverts I have kept about 30 or so adult GBB's and had easily over 100 slings go through my house, they sell really well, always have done always will do.

I stick by the fact that even though they can spend time 'arboreal' they are a mainly terrestrial spider, making thick webbing that covers the floor and half the tank and sitting in the middle which could be halfway up doesn't make them arboreal, at best they can be semi arboreal, I have and always will provide GBB's with terrestrial setups.

I don't know or presume you or your experience with inverts, so don't assume to know mine please


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## dandydi (Sep 11, 2006)

Young_Gun said:


> In my time keeping inverts I have kept about 30 or so adult GBB's and had easily over 100 slings go through my house, they sell really well, always have done always will do.
> 
> I stick by the fact that even though they can spend time 'arboreal' they are a mainly terrestrial spider, making thick webbing that covers the floor and half the tank and sitting in the middle which could be halfway up doesn't make them arboreal, at best they can be semi arboreal, I have and always will provide GBB's with terrestrial setups.
> 
> I don't know or presume you or your experience with inverts, so don't assume to know mine please



I have to agree with young gun sorry.


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## spider_mad (Mar 8, 2007)

Young_Gun said:


> GBB's are a terrestrial sp.
> 
> Greenbottle Blue Tarantula Care Sheet


Yes but tarantulas don't read book about themselves and stick to the descriptions but GBB are both terrestrial and arboreal same as some baboon. I have had a GBB and it never spent much time on the floor spending most time in it's web well above the ground. Online caresheets shouldn't be taken as written in stone. Similar questions on this are on ther tarantula store fourm


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## Incubuss (Dec 19, 2006)

Young_Gun said:


> In my time keeping inverts I have kept about 30 or so adult GBB's and had easily over 100 slings go through my house, they sell really well, always have done always will do.
> 
> I stick by the fact that even though they can spend time 'arboreal' they are a mainly terrestrial spider, making thick webbing that covers the floor and half the tank and sitting in the middle which could be halfway up doesn't make them arboreal, at best they can be semi arboreal, I have and always will provide GBB's with terrestrial setups.
> 
> I don't know or presume you or your experience with inverts, so don't assume to know mine please


I don't judge your experience or expertees, everyone has a right to an opinion.



dandydi said:


> I have to agree with young gun sorry.


Well he even says "at best they can be semi arboreal" - which is what I said they are.


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## spider_mad (Mar 8, 2007)

Incubuss said:


> No matter what that site says; GBB's are not just terrestrial at all. They are semi-arborial. I have kept about a dozen of these, and still have 4 and they do spend most of their time in their webs ABOVE ground. If goiven the chance they will web from floor to the top of the tank and spend time in all the areas.
> 
> Don't believe every caresheet you read.


THANK YOU!


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## matty (Feb 17, 2007)

Can I just say, my g. aureostriata spends most of the night climbing it's walls & roof of it's faunarium..Would you class it as an arboreal species? My point is that not ALL of one species is the same, some will climb & from what I've read, most won't climb as much.


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## Incubuss (Dec 19, 2006)

matty__=) said:


> Can I just say, my g. aureostriata spends most of the night climbing it's walls & roof of it's faunarium..Would you class it as an arboreal species? My point is that not ALL of one species is the same, some will climb & from what I've read, most won't climb as much.


Well that could be due to the soil being wet. I mean a species as a whole. GBB's tend to be above the ground in webs in my experience.


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## matty (Feb 17, 2007)

Incubuss said:


> Well that could be due to the soil being wet. I mean a species as a whole. GBB's tend to be above the ground in webs in my experience.


 
No, I baked it to be sure lol..She's in her hide all day anyway.


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## pumpkinette (Jan 14, 2008)

My GBB is hardly ever on the floor in her tank. She spends nearly all her time on the sides of her tank or in her web. I suppose if you provide a bit of everything in there, it will be happy choosing what it wants to do


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

Well, no offense intended here, but breeders with large quantities of spiders coming and going tend to stay by general rules, and tend not to notice the individual "personalities" as much. Hence why there is a sort of thought process that generalises all T's into creatures that like small confined spaces and specific habitats. It's simply not true that you can generalise behaviour so easily.

Why does everyone obsess about enforcing such strict rules? What about this: Some GBBs are purely terrestrial and others are not? Why is it not a spectrum of lifestyles?

The truth is, in the wild, nothing is so black and white, and to assume so in the hobby is foolish. Organisms alter their behaviour based on numerous stimuli - food sources, season, specific habitat etc etc. How do you generalise a woodland? When you look at specific habitats in such and area, you could re-create thousands of micro habitats. Why should it be different in the hobby?

How about you try both and see which your spider prefers. Surely choice is important - hell, most people still have these vast shoebox collections and assume spiders are all the same. They are not, they differ just as you and I differ in our specific habits. 

Breeders will often tell you one thing, that is based on observations from hundreds of individuals - a valuble asset. However, it is no more or less important than careful observation of your own individual. Some of the most important discoveries in arachnid science have come from observations of individual behaviour that deviates from the textbook general formula.


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

Both my GBB's are not arboreal unless the soil has been sprayed too much. They tend to web the floor of the tank and stay out on display on the floor of the tank.

Both of mine are pets and this is something i have seen in ones i have kept previously over the years


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## spider_mad (Mar 8, 2007)

GRB said:


> Well, no offense intended here, but breeders with large quantities of spiders coming and going tend to stay by general rules, and tend not to notice the individual "personalities" as much. Hence why there is a sort of thought process that generalises all T's into creatures that like small confined spaces and specific habitats. It's simply not true that you can generalise behaviour so easily.
> 
> Why does everyone obsess about enforcing such strict rules? What about this: Some GBBs are purely terrestrial and others are not? Why is it not a spectrum of lifestyles?
> 
> ...


Well this is just it, saying a given species is semi arboreal does not mean they are not terrestrial nor arboreal. They have both tendancies which is what we are trying to say. If given both hides on the ground and decorations to spin huge webs the spider can decide where to go the same as certain baboon spiders if given the option can choose what to do.


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

Yep, I agreed - that was more an answer to Young gun etc who seemed to take a more rigid stance.


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