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New Brazilian Black and White - Advice Welcome

5.1K views 40 replies 12 participants last post by  pcharlton  
#1 ·
Well I got my first invert today, a Brazilian black and white tarantula. Just want to make sure I'm doing everything right and also want some help IDing it. There appears to be at least three different species with a common name of 'Brazilian black and white' so I'm quite confused. The shop I got him from says it's of the Nhandu genus but any help is appreciated.

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I have him in a faunarium type thing with about 2 square feet of floor space. I'm using orchid bark at the moment about 2/3 inches deep but plan to move him onto vermiculite in a few weeks. I'm using a network of heat cable for heating at the moment with a thermal gradient of 24 to 30 degrees C (they're the extremes and it averages about 26). He has a small water dish packed with wet paper towels, a hide in the warm end and I'll probably throw one in the cool end too. Not 100% sure on feeding but I'm gonna aim for a standard brown every 2 days, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Am I doing everything right? If not what needs to change? Any other advice is welcome too.

Finally, how potent is the venom? If I get bitten what are the effects likely to be (I'm 6'6")? I understand they're quite eager hair flickers which I'm prepared for but I know very little about the threat of a bite. Thanks for the help.
 
#2 ·
Well I got my first invert today, a Brazilian black and white tarantula. Just want to make sure I'm doing everything right and also want some help IDing it. There appears to be at least three different species with a common name of 'Brazilian black and white' so I'm quite confused. The shop I got him from says it's of the Nhandu genus but any help is appreciated.

image

image

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I have him in a faunarium type thing with about 2 square feet of floor space. I'm using orchid bark at the moment about 2/3 inches deep but plan to move him onto vermiculite in a few weeks. I'm using a network of heat cable for heating at the moment with a thermal gradient of 24 to 30 degrees C (they're the extremes and it averages about 26). He has a small water dish packed with wet paper towels, a hide in the warm end and I'll probably throw one in the cool end too. Not 100% sure on feeding but I'm gonna aim for a standard brown every 2 days, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Am I doing everything right? If not what needs to change? Any other advice is welcome too.

Finally, how potent is the venom? If I get bitten what are the effects likely to be (I'm 6'6")? I understand they're quite eager hair flickers which I'm prepared for but I know very little about the threat of a bite. Thanks for the help.
Looks too wet in the enclosure and I would change from the orchid bark to eco earth as soon as you can. I personally use tortoise substrate - a mixture of sterilised top soil, sand and lime grit, it is good for T's that like it dry and also good for ones that like it a little more humid, it holds moisture and shape if they decide to dig down.

If the room is warm then you don't need any additional heating, the room I keep my T's & snakes I keep the ambient room temp between 22-28*C and I don't use additional heat sources - heat mats, cable etc etc however, if the room is cold then additional heating would be needed.

You don't need the kitchen roll in the water dish & feeding wise either crickets, locust or roaches - I used to feed my sub adults/juvies dubia roaches and I fed them every 2/3 weeks, locust/crickets only need fed once a week or so, every 2 days would be over feeding.

I can't help with the species or venom, sorry.
 
#3 ·
The substrate is really wet in that picture because I'd just set up the enclosure so sprayed it quite a lot, it's dried out a fair bit now. I like the idea of the soil and sand mix, I think I'll try that. The bark is only a temporary measure because I forgot to get some vermiculite in the shop, and the bark was all I had in the house.

Additional heating is essential; I live in an old farm house so my room is getting as low 14 degrees at night even now. Is it better to feed larger prey less often, rather than frequent small prey?

I don't want to come across as rude but if you don't know the species how do you know you advice is accurate?
 
#4 ·
The enclosure is a little on the damp side for the species and a water bowl with just water in it rather than tissue is fine.

Its a Nhandu chromatus which get to quite a good size. It will hurt if it bites you but with very few side effects other than localized swelling and pain. Its more the hairs you have to worry about and iv known people to have really bad reactions to them. My other half came out in blisters when coming into Nhandu hair.

You will also find that they are quite skittish and fiesty and never seem to stop eating. Do not be tempted to feed more than once a week because with any animal obesity does cause problems.

If you need to know anything else feel free to shoot me a pm
 
#9 ·
Nhandu hairs are vile, with me the effect isn't instant, it's usually hours later and I've been to the point I wanted to peel my own skin off. Lovely fat puffy hands and red raw because no matter how much you try not too, the itching is so intense you have too! But they're lovely looking spiders all the same, not a species I'd want to handle though, apart from the itchies both my N chromatus and N coloratovillosus are stroppy things.
 
#11 ·
Nhandu hairs are vile, with me the effect isn't instant, it's usually hours later and I've been to the point I wanted to peel my own skin off. Lovely fat puffy hands and red raw because no matter how much you try not too, the itching is so intense you have too! But they're lovely looking spiders all the same, not a species I'd want to handle though, apart from the itchies both my N chromatus and N coloratovillosus are stroppy things.
Exactly how I was. Even the thought of it makes me itch. Shame because they are such beauties too. Mine were definitely a look but don't touch spider. Plus one of mine was a grumpy bugger.

Also to the OP. If you are handling the substrate or anything from the tub, you might want to wear gloves. I didn't and made my problems twice as bad because the hairs are in the enclosure too.
 
#10 ·
Well I got my first invert today, a Brazilian black and white tarantula. Just want to make sure I'm doing everything right and also want some help IDing it. There appears to be at least three different species with a common name of 'Brazilian black and white' so I'm quite confused. The shop I got him from says it's of the Nhandu genus but any help is appreciated.

image

image

image

I have him in a faunarium type thing with about 2 square feet of floor space. I'm using orchid bark at the moment about 2/3 inches deep but plan to move him onto vermiculite in a few weeks. I'm using a network of heat cable for heating at the moment with a thermal gradient of 24 to 30 degrees C (they're the extremes and it averages about 26). He has a small water dish packed with wet paper towels, a hide in the warm end and I'll probably throw one in the cool end too. Not 100% sure on feeding but I'm gonna aim for a standard brown every 2 days, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Am I doing everything right? If not what needs to change? Any other advice is welcome too.

Finally, how potent is the venom? If I get bitten what are the effects likely to be (I'm 6'6")? I understand they're quite eager hair flickers which I'm prepared for but I know very little about the threat of a bite. Thanks for the help.


That's a very nice T indeed & a good size too :2thumb:. Personally i would take all the advice Selina offers, she knows how to look after many different species of tarantula (aswell as identifying them too) & has a rather nice collection of T's :2thumb:.
 
#13 ·
Thanks for the advice guys.

Selina: are you sure it's chromatus and not coloratovillosus? I'm not saying you're wrong 'cause I know naff all about inverts but chromatus seem to have kind of... striped stripes, if that makes any sense? Where as coloratovillosus look to have the more solid white joints.

Everyone: Thanks for warning me about the hairs. I know they can be uncomfortable but I've only every heard chile rose stories, I assume Nhandu are a lot worse than that? Do the hairs have a toxin in/on them or are they just a dermal irritant?

Louise: We have a cupboard full of latex gloves. Will they be enough to protect from loose hairs in the enclosure or will I need something thicker like gardening gloves?

Again, that for everyone's help.

P.S. Alisa, I wasn't having a go, just thought I'd mention it lol.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Thanks for the advice guys.

Selina: are you sure it's chromatus and not coloratovillosus? I'm not saying you're wrong 'cause I know naff all about inverts but chromatus seem to have kind of... striped stripes, if that makes any sense? Where as coloratovillosus look to have the more solid white joints.

Everyone: Thanks for warning me about the hairs. I know they can be uncomfortable but I've only every heard chile rose stories, I assume Nhandu are a lot worse than that? Do the hairs have a toxin in/on them or are they just a dermal irritant?

Louise: We have a cupboard full of latex gloves. Will they be enough to protect from loose hairs in the enclosure or will I need something thicker like gardening gloves?

Again, that for everyone's help.

P.S. Alisa, I wasn't having a go, just thought I'd mention it lol.
Scrap that it could be a N.colloratovillosus i put the leg markings down to the photos because they arent clear lol
 
#18 ·
Can we please stop picking up on people that are trying to help.
This isnt the snake area
opinions will vary, even by the experts
 
#28 ·
I think Mods should be given those child leashes so they can keep an eye on the childish people at all times :roll:

As for an Id I'm going to have to side with Nhandu coloratovillosus!!!

and as for a name, Dave!
 
#29 ·
There are a few species that look similar to this, the most common of which are Nhandu chromatus and Acanthoscuria geniculata both of which are known as the Brazilian White Knee but the Nhandu gets the extra tag of Red and White Knee referring to the bright red setae on the abdomen. You might also consider A. brocklehursti and N. coloratovillosus when identifying these.

The carapace is the clue to species with N. chromatus showing a much lighter carapace than A. geniculata and A. brocklehursti. Both the Nhandu's have much redder setae but the N. coloratovillosus is far more hairy.

Photographs can easily bleach out the colours so I strongly suggest getting a pic outside in natural light.

All these will enjoy the same conditions within the enclosure. A good few inches of substrate which shouldnt be solely vermiculite or bark but can contains some of that. You can provide a hide if you wish, an easy one would be half a flower pot but these are all likely to be great display species. They're also quite ravenous eaters so 2 large crickets per week will easily be taken. Feeding more is not an issue but you definitely shouldn't do so every week. Infact you can easily go a week or 2 without feeding.
As these all live in the Brazilian rainforest a substrate that is off-dry suits best, plus a wide bowl for water eg. a plant saucer.
Once it moults you should check for the spermatheca as this will give you a proper ID on species and sex. I'd suggest its definitely not N. coloratovillosus or A. brocklehursti but probably N. chromatus.
They will all end up with fangs of about 1" so the danger is in the mechanical bite and possible secondary infection. They're not known to be very passive and they do have rather irritating urticating hairs.
 
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#30 ·
I went on N.chromatus from the overall appearance but due to the photo quality the leg markings confused me. It does look quite odd to be an N.colloratovillosus due to how "bright" the setae appear. Tbh i freely admit eventhough i have kept both species i have only kept N.chromatus at juvenile size so only saw that in person. Im wondering whether the photo has blurred the white markings on the knees somewhat hence why it looks to have "solid" knees rather than the typical chromatus markings.