GRB are these things like pedes all agressive and fast and a question u most probably new was comming how much exp do u need

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I AM NOT THE PROUD OWNER OF THIS CHEST



MY INVERTS0.0.1 L.parahybana0.0.3 T.apophysis

Simply because there isnt much known about them, I wouldnt suggest getting one to begin with. They are on par with a pede I reckon. I think a solifuge would just frustrate you - they live short periods, you cant handle them, (you cant even put your hand in the tank without risk) and they are prone to stress. Its a steep learning curve, and it could be a fast way to spend £20 on something that lasts a couple of weeks.

I've had to trawl tons of literature articles, book and websites to try to piece together what works...and its still lacking.

The are aggressive - and I mean it. i've never seen something that will attack tweasers like them, and I think they have pretty good eyesight - you even hover your hand near the tank and it does a threat display.

Just as an aside, I read some studies on sprint speeds in arachnids.

Theraphosids can sprint at 30cm/sec (mean).

Hunting spiders (lycosa? Cant remember) : 45cm/sec.

Solifuge (Galeodes sp., approx 5" size) 53-55cm/sec. Prolonged...

Thats fast...and because they have tracheal systems rather than book lungs, they can prolong such speeds way longer than other arachnids like hunting spiders and tarantulas. I've not found anything on pede's yet, i'd like to see how they compare.

In response to your question, I dont think its a good buy. For £20 you could get a nice docile T that could live for 20yrs+.

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Brachypelma albopilosum (Charlotte)
B. Schroederi (slings)
Grammostola sp. "North" Northern gold
G. aurerostriata (slings)
Cyclosternum fasciatum (slings)

Member of the BAS and AAS.

ok so it would be good to get one before a pede 20 quid is a small fortune to pay for the exp, so once im on a high level with T's then i may get one

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I AM NOT THE PROUD OWNER OF THIS CHEST



MY INVERTS0.0.1 L.parahybana0.0.3 T.apophysis

I don't know really. Its hard for me to judge as I have no idea how competant you are looking after inverts.

I have owned/studied inverts since a small child, and only recently (eg, 14-16 onwards) would I consider myself to have any real experience and knowldge.

I myself started by feeding house spiders. Then I kept spiders naturally in my greenhouse (I wouldnt let people remove them, but they were essentially wild). Then I got some stick insects, kept them for about 6-8 months before allowing the colony to die off (removing the eggs).

Then I got a tarantula for free, kick started the serious side. A year later, I also have 2 vinegaroons and a solifuge.

It's kinda hard to say "get this, then you're ok for a solifuge/pede".

If i were you, i'd get a simple beginner's T first, then decide if you actually like owning inverts. The fact is, once you get over how cool they, some people lose interest because they dont actually do much when they are happy. Its only when they are stressed that they seem the most active.

You seem young, and who knows where you might be in 2 years - you could move, be at uni whatever. Perhaps getting something a bit easier will not hinder you movements/partying etc. Some pets can be quite tying.

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Brachypelma albopilosum (Charlotte)
B. Schroederi (slings)
Grammostola sp. "North" Northern gold
G. aurerostriata (slings)
Cyclosternum fasciatum (slings)

Member of the BAS and AAS.

uni lmao im no were near brainy anoth, im one of thoose people hew hates school thats why i go to school on a computer , anyway back to the subject, i have decided on a b.smithi after that im not too sure

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I AM NOT THE PROUD OWNER OF THIS CHEST



MY INVERTS0.0.1 L.parahybana0.0.3 T.apophysis

Well, in that case, I would stick with the B.smithi for a while.

Get to learn the lingo, identify the parts of the spider, understand the naming of them, get to grips with their taxonomy. Just now, how much do you feel you know - could you cope with an injury? If it stops feeding what do you do? Moulting issues?

These all happen, and its worth it getting to grips with these potential problems in a species that is reasonably docile and well studied. It's pretty impossible to jump straight in and know exactly what to do if a pede has a bad moult - I'm not sure I know what to do....

Then, once you are pretty confident in your B.smithi's wellbeing, go for something else. Maybe something a step up, but not too extreme. I think going from a B.smithi to a solifuge might be a bit of a shock, but a smithi to a pokie might be worth a try.

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Brachypelma albopilosum (Charlotte)
B. Schroederi (slings)
Grammostola sp. "North" Northern gold
G. aurerostriata (slings)
Cyclosternum fasciatum (slings)

Member of the BAS and AAS.

axonomy, u and ur big words what does it mean

if my smithi had a bad shed id try help him get it of by holding it or try warm water if that dont work id ask in here, but if he had a leg stuck u can pull it of and hell re grow it net shed but thats last resort

would it be me or the T with the injury

and if it stops feeding, it could be because its due for a shed and if thats not right try a different food if that doesent work id ask on here

any of that correct

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I AM NOT THE PROUD OWNER OF THIS CHEST



MY INVERTS0.0.1 L.parahybana0.0.3 T.apophysis

interesting,i know most centipedes have a tracheal method of breathing, such as Scolopendra sp.
i am wondering which would be faster and efficient over distances.

Solifuge has longer legs, smaller bodies, weighs less but only has one(?) system.

Pedes have shorter legs but one pair per segment, bigger bodies, weighs more but has spriacles located one each side of the body, usually every few segments, the air enters a network of tubes that branch so every part of the body is connected

the pedes efficiency when movigns amazing, ask clockworkorange to send you a link on pede movement, its fascinating..all my bookmarks disappeared last week for no apparent reason i wudda sent ya the link

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Yeah, its weird - the solifugids are the only arachnids to have really capitalised on this system of breathing. In ecology, many authors feel that you have to treat them as roving beetles because they are so different from other arachnids.

The thing with centipedes is that they have 2 legs per segment (yeah?), so each individual field of leg movement is likely ot be limited, otherwise legs might overlaps and risk stepping on each other.

In solifuges, this has been reduced - again with evolution of a novel leg structure unique to them (compared to other arachnids). Because they use three walking pairs, they have evolved an extra joint at the coxa, that allows them to pivot there entire leg from side to side, unlike other arachnids. This allows a greater freedom of movement without leg overlap, resulting in such fast speeds. I have no idea how long they can keep this up, as even tracheal systems have limits.

As for the system, I dont understand - centipedes have trachea as well yes? Solifuge have spiracles on both sides of the body - I forget exactly where, but there is more than one opening. They share an O and C cycle common with insects - where O= open phase (gas enters) and C = closed phases (spiracles closed, air + CO2 retained). In that respect I would imagine centipedes and solifuges are the same?

Snap: Taxonomy is the way scientists name and classify animals. eg.

Genus: Brachypelma
Species: Albioposum

The colloqiual name for this is a "Honduran curlyhair".

That is a taxonomical naming of that species. It gives the species name and its position in the phyla arachnida (there are other levels, but i'll leave it as that). Phylum are the huge divisions that split animals - for example, arachnids from insects.

Those questions, well, I meant them to be rhetorical as such. You would find all the answers in a decent beginners book. I recommend this one:

Amazon.co.uk: Tarantulas and Other Arachnids (Complete Pet Owner's Manual): Samuel D. Marshall: Books

I managed to find this for 48p once, so its hardly an expensive buy and covers all the beginners questions as such.

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Brachypelma albopilosum (Charlotte)
B. Schroederi (slings)
Grammostola sp. "North" Northern gold
G. aurerostriata (slings)
Cyclosternum fasciatum (slings)

Member of the BAS and AAS.

Grant, I like reading those posts, very informative.

One thing that strikes me.

Why would a creature evolve in a sunny environment, when it appears to prefer spending most of it's time hiding from the sun?

That doesn't really make sense, least not to me..?