# pink toe tarantula advice



## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

I'm looking for a little advice hopefully without the hostility and slating and general nastiness (although i know that's hard to ask from this forum these days)

I recently had a pink toe tarantula thrust upon me, (neighbor said here you take it if you want it or its going in the bin)

i have no quarrels with keeping the spider as i have kept arachnids in the past I'm used to basic tarantulas only ever having a chili rose, mexican red knee, Costa Rican zebra and a curly hair,

pink toe is a sub adult male, (I'm going on a guess with the size of thorax as i haven't seen him shed only had him few days)

living in a 12"x12" viv good ventilation on a synthetic bark substrate, bark hide, fake plant and a couple of climbing sticks a small bowl for water with cotton in it to soak,
the day i got him i opened his viv and fished out about 15 very large crickets leaving him two that had hidden and i couldn't catch i also cleared out all dead ones,

remember i was given the tarantula a few days ago so i haven't let it get in this state,

i know the guy who gave him to me had him out quite often but i wouldn't stay around it made me cringe you can only see a guy stick a tarantula in his mouth drop it several times than pass it to a small child so many times before you have to walk away hoping he get's bitten 

i have just approached the spider to check it, give it fresh water ect and it raised it thorax up and spat a white creamy substance at me not sure what this is and hoping its just poo, 

but like a said earlier i have never owned one of these before so if anyone can give me some basic tips on it i would be grateful

i'm unwilling to handle him until i know him a little better i know morrison (my chilli) and Vanessa (b smithi) used to be ok when handled and they were hair flickers so i knew if they were warning me 

if anyone knows what the white stuff was, or warning signs of these critters general behaivior patterns or even if someone out there is willing to give him a home 

please let me know


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## Annihilation (Nov 2, 2009)

Yup its poo. 

Also, take the cotton wool out of the water, no need at all D=


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## Mutley.100 (Nov 3, 2008)

You've seen it's poo cannon in action , nothing to worry about . Avic's are renowned for it .


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

thought it was, just wanting to make sure, 

i didn't think there would be any need for the cotton either but like a said this is my first pink toe so i don't actually have a clue,

was thinking of taking it to my local trader if poss and see if they would swap me for a red knee but that makes me feel irresponsible,

gonna take those sticks out also as the only purpose they seem to serve is to make it difficult for him to move around


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## toro9186 (Aug 18, 2009)

Gemificus said:


> thought it was, just wanting to make sure,
> 
> i didn't think there would be any need for the cotton either but like a said this is my first pink toe so i don't actually have a clue,
> 
> ...


 
Do you have pics of the Tank? Pink toes are arboreal spiders and like to climb on sticks and stuff.


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## Tavor21 (May 24, 2010)

Poop cannons are dangerous lol and cause a required washing of face :S


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## Blurboy (Feb 9, 2007)

I thought that when reading the original post, those sticks are in there for it to use as the Pink Toes are Arboreal species - you do know that don't you? Please do a bit of research either on this forum site or by Google and see how they need to be looked after.


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## Annihilation (Nov 2, 2009)

You dont need cotton wool period.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

I guess Im going to repeat things but here goes:
Avics are arboreal so they prefer high enclosures to the traditional terrestrial ones. The substrate is almost superfluous as they'll only use this if they're very hungry, very thirsty or weak. So its mostly to hold a little humidity and the furnishings in place.
Provide it plenty of climbing furniture, a place to retreat and some plastic plants and you'll soon have it webbing tubes around your enclosure. If possible hot glue a water bowl up high, but once its webbed a quick spray on the webbing once or twice a week should suffice.
Definitely remove dead food items as soon as you spot them.
Feeding of 1 or 2 crickets, the size of its abdomen, once a week is fine. If you can catch a moth you'll see how fast Avics can hunt but obviously there's issues with pesticides.
Ventilation is key, make sure you have plenty of it, preferably from the bottom to the top.
Temps of around 75F is fine, no harm in a little lower but if you do decide to use a heatmat place it on the side of the enclosure. If you decide to put it on the bottom make sure there's not too deep a substrate.
There are over 30 different types of Pink Toe, many very similar and some extremely hard to tell the difference. For that reason I wouldnt suggest breeding. You've suggested its a male so obviously its not going to live as long as a female but will become far more active when it matures. Mature males have emboli and almost all of them have tibial hooks.
Avics squirt poo away from their hide but they also use it as a defence. They have urticating hair which they might rub against you but apart from the poo there very unlikely to show much defence. However, they can jump so be careful if you decide to handle, making sure there's a soft landing and not from much height.
If you post a pic of your set-up and the Avic you might get more guidance and a better idea of ID.


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## Gemificus (Jan 26, 2007)

Blurboy said:


> I thought that when reading the original post, those sticks are in there for it to use as the Pink Toes are Arboreal species - you do know that don't you? Please do a bit of research either on this forum site or by Google and see how they need to be looked after.



Here we go again...

I'm sure i stated in the OP that i know NOTHING about this type of spider which may i add is why i came here for help and advice,

its all well and good reading a general care sheet but that doesn't really tell you much about them other then basic info, 

I'd prefer info from people who actually have experience with them and know more than some care sheet could tell me,

as for the sticks they are more twigs than anything i will upgrade it with a better climbing stick once i take a pic, i will take it now and then i will put in the new stick and take one after also, i have to wait till my partner is home and i can use her laptop to get the pics as my pc has no memory card reader,

now i know they like to climb i can update the viv to suit 

Poxicator: don't worry i am not looking to breed as i stated i just took him in to save him from the wheelie bin (and they guy would have done it too, they got emptied today so would have sat in there for a week) 

as for whoever said about washing my face after he pooped i didn't realize i had to wash my face after a spider pooped is that for luck?
I'm kidding he shot it on the floor

as i originally said tho I'm mostly looking for info so i can give this lil guy a good home, and if anyone out there feels they can give him a better one just let me know i have a friend who is a courier so transport isn't an option


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