| Author | Message | |||
     Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 156 Registered: 08-2003 |
I see that many folks have some nice looking pooches, but what about some more unique pets? I myself have a very unique pet, lets just say it has eight legs, and two BIG fangs.
This is my "cobalt blue tarantula." She is a burrowing tarantula from Southeast Asia. She's about 4-5" in dia. (from toe tip to toe tip). I have had several tarantulas in the past that can be handled, but not this one. These tarantulas are one the most vicious tarantulas in the world. She also is EXTREMELY fast, that's one of the reasons why they can't be handled. She would lung forward and strike before you could even react. I know some people will ask, "why have a pet like that?" I think they are amazing creatures that can make great pets if you are able and have the will to keep them. So, what other pets do you folks have that are somewhat unique? | |||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 166 Registered: 05-2003 |
Wow it looks like mine!!  HaHa Jim | |||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 158 Registered: 08-2003 |
You have a blue cobalt too? I can't really tell if you being sarcastic or not, hmmm? Matt | |||
| Jim Reynolds (4x4xfar) Member Username: 4x4xfar Post Number: 167 Registered: 05-2003 |
Yeah I was ... if you look at the picture it is exactly the same as yours. Spiders are a little much for me, especially FAST ones  Take care no harm intended!!! -Jim | |||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 159 Registered: 08-2003 |
Thanks Jim, I wasn't quite sure if you were posting the pic because mine was so small and crapy. I'm not a computer kind of guy! Yeah, she's fast, I have had some close call were she has bolted up the side of the glass when the lid was open. I just have to keep an eye on her when it comes feeding time. 1/2" long fangs would hurt! Thanks, Matt | |||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 905 Registered: 09-2002 |
What do you feed them? | |||
| Steve Andrews (Sillybus) Senior Member Username: Sillybus Post Number: 397 Registered: 08-2002 |
Colors are really vibrant. That's pretty wild looking. | |||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Senior Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 505 Registered: 01-2003 |
Out here in SLC in the foot hills behind my house we have those western tarantulas running around wild. In late summer if you go out hiking in the late afternoon/evening you can see them taking in the sun of the fading day to warm up. Unfortuntly my one pup, she's a wolf/coyote hybrid so she's unique too, finds those spiders to be quite tasty. Since the spiders are cold and move real slow they are easy prey. I usually can stop her by shouting "NO" but she still gets them once and a while. Kind of gross as she will not eat all of it but bring it back to me to share the kill with me and her brother. The eight spider legs hanging out of her mouth is not a pretty site. | |||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 906 Registered: 09-2002 |
I was having lunch when I read your post Andy. I've lost my appetite now. | |||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 160 Registered: 08-2003 |
I feed her large crickets, but others have been known to feed them baby mice, lizards, etc... She's kinda inactive during the day, but at night she strolls around. I put a cricket in there, and in the morning it's gone. Andy, My friend has a coyote mix dog, she's really nice and loves to jump around. He lives behind me closer to the desert. One day he came across her when she was a pup, and took her home. | |||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Senior Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 506 Registered: 01-2003 |
My pups don't really have a hunting need or desire. They like to chase deer because they think the running a deer is playing with them. But they do have a gathering instinct that can be pretty strong. Here in winter the mountains get so much snow it forces most animals down to lower elevation. As they do and winter progresses, the weak ones die pretty close to the city. As I take my pups out snow shoeing, nordic or back country skiing, they will bring me back "treats" from the woods. Bunny, Elk, Deer, Moose carcass or poop. My pups have this look of pride and "hey look what I got for you" expressions. Usually I'm quite grossed out. The best is afterwards when they want to lick your hands or face, I swear never let a hiking dog lick you. Also I really love my water proof washable seat covers and leather seats in my d1, all are easy clean up. | |||
| Blue (Blue) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Blue Post Number: 873 Registered: 04-2003 |
that tarantula is COOL whenever a fatty tarantula is crossing a desert road out here, traffic goes to hell, as if the thing will swallow your car. I hate to see them splatted on the road, but it happens pretty often. LOL - I don't think I could ever handle a tarantula. At the outdoor shooting range in northern AZ a couple years ago there was one lounging atop a wood post supporting the shade canopy...there were 4 lanes left wide open because no one could lay under that fat spider and concentrate on shooting straight. | |||
| Andy Thoma (Andythoma) Senior Member Username: Andythoma Post Number: 507 Registered: 01-2003 |
lol Blue. I saw one when I first moved out here and thought it was the best thing I ever had seen wild in nature while hiking or biking. I told my wife and she didn't believe me they where out here. About two months later she and I where biking and we saw one. She froze in fear and would not move at all. I had to push her by it. Later in a bar with some of her girl friends, from her story and their reactions to it, you would have thought the spider was the size of a disco. I just laughed and drank my beer. | |||
| Kennith P. Whichard III (Kennith) Senior Member Username: Kennith Post Number: 406 Registered: 05-2002 |
I have a large lizard living in my house that I named "Big Daddy". He is fairly mean and has bitten me and one of my guests in the past. I don't have any bug problems though, or spiders for that matter. Another, smaller, lizard aptly named "little dude" wandered in a few weeks ago and seems to be hibernating or something on my guitar. They wander around freely, and I suppose eventually they will grow tired of my company and leave. Cheers, Kennith | |||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 162 Registered: 08-2003 |
I see some tarantulas here in Nevada, but not that often. The climate here is a lot different compared to where she's from. Tropical rainforest vs dry aired desert. I normally keep her aquarium around 85 deg., with high humidity. I went to top off her water dish after school, and she srung up on her hind legs and showed me those NASTY fangs! Thats a good example why this species can't be handled (or shouldn't be). If anyone is interested, lots of "T's" can be bought for $15-20. The foreign ones like mine are more expensive and harder to take care of. Or if you are like Blue or Andy, you can just catch one if they are in your backyard! Desert species are easier to take car of because they don't need the humidity and things like that. They make fantastic pets with little effort. Thanks, Matt | |||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 909 Registered: 09-2002 |
Matt, Just curious but are there any agriculture type issues purchasing something like your spider from another country? I'm referring mostly to the gov't allowing things like that into the country. I assume you shipped it in?? | |||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 163 Registered: 08-2003 |
I'm not sure how concerned the gov't is, they don't multiply and eat plants like locus would for example. Tarantulas don't go on eating rampages like some insects do, destroying crops and such. If she was to get outside, I know she couldn't survive, the environment is just too different. I bought her at a specialty pet shop, but they are shipped in. I think they will catch a certain species, then ship them in every so often. The amount and how often they are shipped to the US probably depends on how rare the species is, and what the demand is like. The rarer the species, the harder it is to find and purchase. There's an unbelievable amount of different species in the world, so I bet the regulations on that kind of stuff are pretty strict. Of course there are countless numbers of different insect shipped to the US for pets. If you search on the net, you can find hundereds of insect species for sale. Matt | |||
| Erik Olson (Jon) Senior Member Username: Jon Post Number: 501 Registered: 02-2002 |
When I was in Jr. High I used to keep a Mexican red knee - female I think. Never bit me, but I had my share of little hairs embedded in my arm when I irritated her. Kinda like rolling your forearm in fiberglas - NICE!!! That is a gorgeous arachnid there. e | |||
| Edward Bibb (Heirless) Member Username: Heirless Post Number: 62 Registered: 04-2003 |
SPIDERS SMIDERS..... the obscure pet to have is the "Mexican Staring Frog of Sri Lanka.." ed | |||
| Matthew A. Barnes (Discoveryxd) Member Username: Discoveryxd Post Number: 164 Registered: 08-2003 |
Ed, What does it look like? Posionous? Big /small? What makes it unique? Matt | |||
| Alan Yim (Alan) Senior Member Username: Alan Post Number: 911 Registered: 09-2002 |
LOL...looks like Matt has certain "extreme" criteria for his pets. | |||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 611 Registered: 03-2002 |
the most receint sighting of a mexican staring frog was in south park, colorado. you should see if cartman is still posting on this board and check with him. ;) sweeeeeeeet! |
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