The Spinnerette, Issue 3: Pterinochilus murinus

THE SPINNERETTE

ISSUE 3

FEATURED: PTERINOCHILUS MURINUS

IS THE P. MURINUS EVIL?

TARANTULA ENCLOSURES: INSPIRATION

P. MURINUS CARE, TIPS + EXPERT ADVICE

+ MUCH MORE INFO ON THE P. MURINUS TARANTULA!

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hey there, fang gang!

I've got to say that I truly appreciate all the support this project has gotten over the last few months and want to thank you for your feedback, interest, and

contributions! This is the THIRD issue of The Spinnerette, and I can't wait to see how this project will continue to develop.

This issue is exciting not only because it focuses on the infamous Pterinochilus

murinus tarantula aka the notorious OBT, but because its sponsor, The Tarantula Collective, was a big part of putting it together. We've got a great interview with

The Tarantula Collective's founder, Richard Stewart, and an amazing piece that

features dozens of enclosures by members of The Tarantula Collective Facebook group - some of them blew me away, and I hope they'll inspire you, too!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for lifting this project up. Big thanks to TarantulaTV.com, The Tarantula Collective, my Patrons, all the amazing

contributors, and of course YOU! I hope you enjoy the P. murinus issue! If you

are interested in submitting feedback, being a part of future issues, or contacting me for advertising, you can do so at theavenmag@gmail.com!

Spider hugs,

Patricia, Spidey + Blinky (my tarantula babies)

Tarantulaheaven.com / Tarantula Tuesday Newsletter FOLLOW MY TARANTULA STUFF!

Questions / Comments?

Feel free to email me at theavenmag@gmail.com

The cover image is from Wikimedia Commons Copyright Š 2019 Patricia Colli

This issue is sponsored by...

get caught in the web The Tarantula Collective is a friendly group of tarantula and invert owners. We have frequent free giveaways and contests for our members!

Subscribe to our YouTube, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, and join our Facebook group!

Subscribe to the YouTube channel now!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

TABLE OF CONTENTS

06 22 28 32 34 40 44 50 56 74 76

One Tarantula Keeper's Journey: The Making Of The Tarantula Collective

An interview with The Tarantula Collective founder Richard Stewart

Pterinochilus Murinus: The Usambra Starbust Baboon Tarantula

By Michael Fantus

Taking Care Of The P. Murinus

By David Andrzejewski, Eerie Arachnids

P. Murinus Care Tips

Care tips for the "Pterror"

The P. Murinus: Devil Or Angel?

By Billiejo Champagne

Preparation + Setup For The OBT

An interview with tarantula owner and YouTuber Ian Tarrant

Princess Sophie Pink + Her Spiders

An interview with tarantula owner and YouTuber Hollie (Princess Sophie Pink)

A Look At The OBT

An interview with tarantula owner and YouTuber Tobias Yarwood

Community (featuring The Tarantula Collective)

An amazing collection of tarantula enclosures + designs from TTC members

Upcoming Events

Upcoming tarantula conventions and expos around the world

Sources + References

A list of sources and references from articles in this issue

ONE TARANTULA KEEPER'S JOURNEY: THE MAKING OF THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE An interview with The Tarantula Collective's Richard Stewart

Richard Stewart is a tarantula keeper whose passion for Ts led to the creation of a successful YouTube channel and other social media accounts - most notably The Tarantula Collective Facebook group, named after his brand. His journey into the hobby is an amazing one - and one I'm inspired to share!

Tell us about yourself!

I am 37 years old and was born in West Virginia. I have lived everywhere from Alaska to Oklahoma, South Dakota to Florida.

My parents were very interesting people (though I didn't appreciate it at the time) and they let my sister and I have a large assortment of pets growing up. We had cats and dogs, half of dozen different types of birds, salamanders, turtles, frogs, fish, hermit crabs and hamsters.

Pretty much any animal we found or adopted my parents were cool with‌ with a few exceptions... and those were spiders and snakes. My mother would not allow those in the house. My dad was notorious for coming home with a new animal out of nowhere or picking a new pet while we are at the store getting food for the pets we already had. A habit that I have apparently taken on in his memory.

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Photo credit: Richard Stewart

Photo credit: Richard Stewart

Growing up I was pretty much immersed in music. I went to college in South Dakota on a music scholarship and spent most of my teenage years through my 20s playing in rock, blues, and folk bands. I got out of the music and bar scene in my early 30s because I found it wasn't really the path in life I was looking for and I was feeling rather stagnant.

I made some major life changes around this time and got a new group of friends, moved to a new city, met a beautiful woman that I am now proud to call my wife and now have a family.

My step-daughter just had her first baby, so I am officially a grandfather... which has been exciting. I still play music but it is mostly to an audience of tarantulas, snakes, and scorpions in my basement.

How did you get into the tarantula hobby?

This is a two part answer I suppose. Initially I got my first tarantula in 2000 as a freshman in college. Over some drinks a few friends and I were discussing psychology and fears and trying to sound much wiser and more intelligent than we actually were and the conversation focused on my irrational fear of spiders.

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Photo credit: Richard Stewart

Bear in mind I was an intimidating punk rock, misfits shirt wearing 18 year old kid that worked part time at Hot Topic while attending a private liberal arts college filled with very preppy and polite liberal art kids. So it blew their mind that I was afraid of spiders.

We discovered that the rules for keeping pets in the dorms restricted any mammals like cats and dogs, any fish or animals that must be kept in water with a filtration system and heater, or any type of enclosure that required any sort of heat source or lighting. Essentially they were saying you can't have anything 8

in your dorm but maybe a little beta fish in a fishbowl. But we realized that I could face my fear and keep a tarantula in my room without violating any of the rules and with a little encouragement I was escorted to the local pet shop where I purchased my first tarantula, an adult female Grammostola rosea named Turanga.

She survived living with me for nearly a decade of moving around the country and all the crazy things you do in your 20s til she died of old age. The internet wasn't nearly what it was today and I was not someone that enjoyed getting

online other than to play Starcraft or illegally download music. So I kept that poor girl in an enclosure with not enough substrate and a sponge in her water dish for nearly 5 years until I finally started to do a little research online about her when I came home one day and saw that she had molted.

After she passed I picked up another G. rosea from a different pet store but he turned out to be a mature male and didn't last more than a few years. After he died, my life was so chaotic I didn't even bother trying to get another T.

One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE: TOP TEN NEW WORLD TARANTULAS - TARANTULA TUESDAY

After I met my wife and we were engaged and living together I had mentioned a few times how much I missed owning a tarantula and how fascinating they are. Then we got news that my father had terminal cancer and only a few months to live. While we were at a local pet store, I saw they had some Brachypelma hamorii spiderlings for sale and my wife thought it would be comforting for me to buy one and keep during this stressful period.

Thus begun the latest voyage into the hobby.

Because, while researching how to care for a spiderling online, I discovered that there were websites that sold and shipped dozens upon dozens of different species of tarantulas, most of which I had never heard of before.

How long have you been keeping Ts? I guess it has been nearly 20 years since I got my first T (man that makes me sound old), but

having more than a couple Ts at once has only taken place in the past 6 years or so.

What does your collection look like now?

It looks like a display at the zoo.

One way I get away with having so many tarantulas and not catching too much grief from my wife is that I make sure they are displayed beautifully and neatly.

I currently have 227 tarantulas (not including true spiders, scorpions, snakes, frogs, geckos and beetles).

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One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

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What is your favorite part about keeping tarantulas?

The biggest rush is opening that package and unboxing and rehousing new tarantulas, but my favorite part is the relaxing aspect of the hobby.

Doing things like making new enclosures, feeding, watering, reorganizing the shelves... those are the most relaxing times of my day.

Photo credit: Richard Stewart

To do these things, to do them right at least, requires a lot of mindfulness. Feeding and watering the tarantulas require me to be fully present in the moment and paying close attention to what I am doing, where are my hands, where is the spider, what is happening right now.

There is no room for thinking about what I am going to do tomorrow or what happened yesterday. In those moments I am completely present and focused on the task at hand so that I don't do something careless and harm the tarantula, drop the feeders, or get haired or bitten.

It is its own form of walking meditation that I find brings a lot of stress relief and other beneficial aspects. I once read that spirituality or meditation isn't thinking about god or the universe while washing dishes, it is about thinking about washing

dishes while you are washing dishes. I think that applies to keeping tarantulas as well.

Do you have a favorite spider or ultimate goal for your collection?

My favorite spider changes with my mood. I think I am lucky enough to say that I own all my favorite spiders, though some of them are still slings and it will be years before they start showing their adult colors and patterns.

Occasionally I will see pictures of a T that I don't own and have the impulse to add one to my collection, but when I sit down and really consider it, all my must-have tarantulas or favorite species are in the collection already. Though I reserve the right to retract that statement next time I come across a Phormictopus sp. Green.

Photo credit: Richard Stewart

What’s the biggest lesson you learned in keeping Ts? More than anything, keeping tarantulas has taught me patience‌ over and over again. But I did have a revelation about life once when rehousing my OBT. I had taken off the lid to her enclosure and she quickly darted into the safety of her burrow. I had her new enclosure decked out and was very proud with how cool and functional it was going to be and was very excited to move her into it. She had retreated pretty deep into her hide, so I had to start moving things around and pulling out decorations and her water dish.

Finally I was able to get to her and she was obviously upset and stressed out. She was giving me a threat pose and generally being very difficult to rehouse. I hear myself saying to her

One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

or maybe just thinking: “I am just trying to help you out and move you to a better place." But I knew there was no way for me to make her understand that. From her point of view, I am just a large hand reaching into her home and moving things around, taking things away, and generally destroying everything she had worked so hard to build.

And I realized that if some huge hand just reached into my home and started moving around my furniture and taking things away I would be pretty upset as well. Then it dawned on me, the universe HAS done that to me more than once. I have had close friends and family members die, lost jobs, homes, friends, squandered opportunities and made bad decisions and had seemingly terrible things happen, but that was just from my limited, short sighted view.

Ultimately all those experiences got me to where I am today, they all played a part in making me who I am today, and maybe the universe was just trying to move me into my awesome new “enclosure” and I was too small to be able to fully grasp its intentions. I got mad and scared and lashed out too, but ultimately it was all for the better.

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Do you have a favorite DIY hack that you’ve learned over time?

Invest in a dremel! From making your own enclosures, drilling air holes in containers you can modify to be enclosures, sanding out cork bark to make hides... the list of uses goes on and on. It is probably the most used tool on my rack of tools when it comes to the tarantula hobby.

What’s the biggest piece of advice you’d like to give to a complete beginner?

Do your research before purchasing a species... learning by trial and error is not the way to go. And don't just rely on one source.

There are a lot of websites and books out there with care sheets and tips and some of them have not been updated in years. So look at multiple sources and take into consideration when the info was published.

This is an emerging hobby with a lot of species new to being kept in captivity and the care information is always evolving. Don't get stuck in your ways and be willing to adapt your husbandry to the best practices at any given time.

If you could see how I kept my first T 1520 years ago... people would lose their minds today, but back then that was the recommended set up. When you learn better, you do better. I may be biased, but I would suggest joining the Tarantula Collective FB group and asking any questions you may have, we really enjoy helping out people new to the hobby. Also, subscribe to Tom's Big Spiders on YouTube and listen to his podcasts. That is usually the first place I start my research whenever I am getting a new species I am unfamiliar with.

When did you decide you were ready for a P. murinus tarantula?

I was hesitant for many years. Being a ginger myself, I felt it only appropriate that I have a ginger tarantula. Though all the stories about its defensive nature, speed, and potency of the venom really had me holding off.

My biggest fear was that it would escape into the house and put my other pets or wife and kid in danger. I started with a few other baboon species that were fossorial and not nearly as flighty like the Pelinobius muticus, and the Ceratogyrus darlingi. I built up my confidence after caring for them for months and having

a few successful rehousings. Nothing builds up confidence and lets you know what you are actually prepared to keep than a rehouse.

After dozens of rehousings with New World Ts that were fast and defensive and having successfully completed the job without hurting them or letting them escape and not even getting close to being bitten, I began to really feel like I was ready to get a T like the P. murinus.

And once I had one in my collection and unboxed it with no issues, rehoused it with no issues... then I really felt confident as a keeper.

Photo credit: Richard Stewart 13

One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE: PTERINOCHILUS MURINUS (ORANGE BABOON TARANTULA OBT) CARE & HUSBANDRY

What has been your experience in keeping this tarantula?

As I talked about in my YouTube video, my experience with the P. murinus hasn't been what I would suspect as typical when I look at the videos and photos and listen to the stories of other keepers.

As a sling, mine was timid and would quickly dart into the safety of its hide whenever I disturbed its enclosure.

The first couple of rehousings my heart was pounding and it ran circles around its enclosure a few times, but once in the catch cup and transferred, I had no real issues.

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I can only think of a few instances where it has ever thrown up a threat posture and that was while I was trying to move it into another enclosure.

I try to provide this T, well all my Ts, with the most optimal environment in their enclosure as possible.

Sometimes this means that the setup I provide them doesn't always give me the best chance of always seeing them out on display or moving around, but it does seem to keep them more calm and less defensive.

Overall, my OBT is fairly docile, quick yeah, but not overly defensive. I respect her and give her space and NEVER try to

handle her or provoke her and we have had no issues. She has plenty of places to hide and has webbed up a lot of her enclosure, but once she was comfortable in her new home she began sitting out of the mouth of her burrow or peeking out of web tunnels and walking around exploring the enclosure… as long as I didn't get too close with a camera.

How does it differ from the care of other Old World tarantulas?

There isn’t a lot of differences in care compared to other OW, in my opinion. I keep mine in a semi arboreal setup and make sure that it is in an enclosure I am sure is escape proof. Like with all my OW Ts, I usually tap on the enclosure

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and give them a chance to retreat into a hide before I open it up and change the water or drop in feeders.

I keep the substrate dry, provide a water dish and spot clean the enclosure to make sure there are no leftover feeders laying around that might mold or attract mites. I also make sure to replace any screens with a sheet of acrylic with holes drilled in it to provide ventilation, just in case it decides to try to gnaw through the screen to escape.

What’s the most important thing for someone to know if they want to get an OBT?

Stay calm, no matter what. If you are terrified of interacting with an OBT, you may have already lost the battle. I think we are more apt to make mistakes and react poorly when we are in a state of fear.

Respect the P. murinus, but don't let fear control you when you are rehousing or feeding.

Be mindful, deliberate, and aware anytime the door is opened and always be sure it's securely closed when you are done. If you don't feel like you are ready to add one to your collection yet, don’t feel pressured or obligated.

Confidence comes with experience and sooner or later you will feel ready. Don't put yourself in an uncomfortable situation just to be able to say you have a species in your collection.

For me, this hobby is a source of fun and relaxation, and if a species wasn't fun and relaxing to have, I wouldn't want it in my collection. All that being said... my experience with these Ts doesn't live up to the hype... mine aren't nearly as scary as people make them out to be, but every T is different and maybe I just lucked out with OBT temperament.

Have you ever had an escaped T or been bitten by any of your Ts? I have never been bitten by a T... haven't even had a close call. I have had a few escape though (don't tell my wife). I had an adult female push up the lid on her enclosure and crawl out, though I found her sitting right next to it and encouraged her to go back to her enclosure and quickly put lid locks on the enclosure.

Other than that, I made the mistake once of putting a sling in an enclosure with air holes that were a little too large and I suspect it squeezed out. So somewhere in my house, it is possible a Crypsidromus sp. Costa Rica (Panama Black Emilia) is lurking around. More than likely it didn't survive, being such a small spiderling, but even so... I am always sure to catch and double check any spider I find free range in the house.

We all make mistakes, what is important is that we learn from them and don't repeat them. I am okay with making new mistakes, it is when I am making the same mistakes over and over that I get worried.

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Photo credit: Richard Stewart

What inspired you to start The Tarantula Collective?

Initially, it was all about convenience. My wife convinced me to start an Instagram just for my pictures of Ts. I think it was freaking out some of her family members or something because I was posting more pics of Ts than of other people or pets. I tried probably a dozen different names at first and found that all the obvious names for a tarantula account had been taken long ago.

Since my explosion of keeping different species had started around the time of my father dying, I thought it would be fitting to have the name be a homage of sorts to him. My father and I didn't get along very well for many years and had very different views on many different subjects, but one thing he instilled in me was a deep love and appreciation for Star Trek and sci-fi in general. If there was one place we bonded it was watching and discussing Star Trek. First I was thinking 16

“The Tarantula Federation�, but it sounded a little too political or authoritarian. Then I remembered our favorite villain in the series, the Borg Collective, and the Tarantula Collective had a nice ring to it and also had meaning beyond just a reference to a TV show.

Within a few months I had over 1000 followers and it was growing faster every day. I love Instagram as an app to share photos, but I really dislike the messaging aspect of it... it isn't very convenient or user friendly in my opinion.

I was getting a lot of messages and comments on pictures from people asking questions and advice and I was really just getting frustrated with trying to communicate on that forum and decided it would be easier to move the conversation over to a Facebook group.

One of my goals with starting the group was to create a space where I could more easily

One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

communicate with people, but also the people following the Instagram account could more easily communicate with each other. I wanted to create a group where we could share ideas, pictures, experiences, and knowledge and help each other out without getting involved in the politics, elitism, trolling, and arguing that is so prevalent in Facebook groups of all kinds.

I also thought it was important to have a community where people’s children and younger hobbyists could be a member that was a little more family friendly. Which is kinda funny being that I have a pretty dark sense of humour myself and the only other group I admin on Facebook is a small private group that shares memes with each other we wouldn't want to post publicly on our own page. I have nothing against profanity or dark humour... I just think there is a time and place for everything and there are plenty of groups where that is allowed... so the demand in the space was for a place that wasn't involved in that type

of behaviour. After the overwhelming positive responses to the group, it really took on a life of its own. It seemed the next logical space was to expand on to Youtube, so instead of typing out the same husbandry tips or DIY instructions every time a question was asked, I could just link to a video that covered the topic. Before long we were on Twitter and Reddit and many other platforms creating a community that reached well beyond just Instagram and Facebook.

You make awesome educational videos on YouTube for your Tarantula Tuesday series!

What was the inspiration behind that?

Thank you, it means a lot to hear that. A poet named Rabindranath Tagore once wrote: I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted, and behold, service was joy. That is something I can really relate to.

I spent most of my 20s chasing joy and being very selfish, always wanting to feel good. It took me a

THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE: TARANTULA TUESDAY - TINLEY PARK NARBC SHOW AND TELL

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One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

long time to figure out that the things I was doing to relax and relieve stress were actually the root cause of a lot of my stress. I had mistaken the cause as the cure.

I learned that I am happiest and most fulfilled when I am helping other people. This is really something that applies to other areas of my life, but that mentality has spilled over into my tarantula hobby as well. I like helping people when I can, and making YouTube videos is a much more efficient way of getting info out there and helping people than answering the same question over and over in messages. I also enjoy creating, whether it's building something with my hands or writing and playing music, making videos is also a creative outlet. It is very cool to take something I love, keeping tarantulas, and having a way to create something that is informative and entertaining.

I have always enjoyed photography, but never really went all in and learned how to use a dslr.

Taking pictures with my phone or a point and shoot camera is one thing, but learning to use aperture, shutter speed, and the ISO setting on a 18

professional camera... learning the differences between 120 frames per second and 24 frames per second when recording video. Learning about lighting and framing and staging. That is a whole other ballgame and one I found very overwhelming until I really got into it and just started to learn.

I've been a fan of watching YouTube videos for years, but felt intimidated and too inexperienced to ever try to make my own videos. Then I heard one of my favorite Youtubers say you just have to start creating, that if you wait till you think you have enough experience or you're good enough, you will never start. And that was some solid insight, because with each new video I learn a new skill in editing and learn how to use my camera a little better.

You can read every book about swimming that's ever been printed, think about swimming, imagine and philosophize about swimming, but you will never actually learn how to swim till you get into the water. And it has been really exciting and fun making videos and I am still amazed at how quickly the channel has grown.

Thanks in large part to the Tarantula Collective members in the Facebook group and followers on Instagram showing me a lot of support.

I intended the Tarantula Tuesday videos to be educational and cover a specific species or genus of tarantula, and I have committed to uploading a new episode every Tuesday.

But in between those uploads I will be putting out unboxing, feeding, and other types of videos that are tarantula related, but not really species specific. And I have some awesome collaborations in the works with some other tarantula YouTube channels that are members of The Tarantula Collective.

What do you think makes TTC different from other tarantula Facebook groups or forums like Arachnoboards?

Arachnoboards is great, a really amazing place to find information and has some very experienced and intelligent contributors. I am on there all the time reading threads and learning about husbandry and new species and things of that nature. And I am a member of over a dozen tarantula Facebook groups, there is really no shortage of forums people can find to discuss tarantulas.

I think what makes us different is that we have a very dedicated team of moderators that work very hard to uphold our code of conduct. I think most groups aim to be drama free, but it takes a lot of work and a team of dedicated individuals that really believe in the group and what we try to accomplish to make it work.

A 100% drama free group on social media is not realistic, there will always be disagreements, trolls, and misunderstandings. But our moderators are some of the most dedicated and hard working people I have met online and they do it all without any pay, which is really amazing. Rachael Pann, Gaia Faust, Cory Houghton, and Jill Fedullo Gigliotti have been with me since the beginning and have been an invaluable source of support.

Anytime I got overwhelmed and felt like maybe trying to build this group wasn't worth all the hassle and work, they were always quick with words of encouragement and have done more work keeping this group together at this point than I have done.

Then we were lucky enough to bring Tanya Higgins on, who has a wealth of knowledge to share and an amazing attitude to top it off, she has really become an invaluable member of our team. And most recently Josh Venett and Debbie Nash have joined on as moderators and their energy, passion and

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One Tarantula Keeper's Journey, cont’d

positivity is second to none and they have really become indispensable team members. We don't make money hosting a Facebook group, in fact it usually ends up costing money, so I can not sing the moderators praises high enough, I couldn't do it without them and the group would not be what it is without them.

Not everyone agrees with how we run our group and I understand that our group may not be for everyone. We just want to offer a space where new people can ask questions without fear of ridicule, where there can be discussions without constantly being trolled, and where the news feed isn't bogged down with misinformation, gaslighting, and political drama.

From the beginning we have been focused on quality over quantity, so we don't determine our success as a group based on the number of members we have, we base it on the percentage of our members that are active in the group and the content of their posts. Our members really take care of each other and help each other out and there has been a comradery that has developed amongst many of us. Everyone pitches in to help out and keep the group running smooth, both the mods and the members, it has been really cool to be able to take a step back and watch this happen.

Our group doesn't just focus on what's happening now, but we are also looking to the future of hobby, and I think it is important to have at least one space that is family friendly so our youngest keepers have a source of info and experience that they can turn to that is free from unneeded negativity and hostility. I wanted to make a group that my 10 year old could be a part of (once he is old enough to be on social media that is) and a group that teachers or parents could use as a source of info without being turned off by the

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drama and politics or chastised for not knowing the basics.

What are your future plans for The Tarantula Collective? What are you planning on doing with the Patreon as it grows?

The future is an exciting thing. There are a lot of things planned, both short term and long term. Some of the things planned I am keeping a secret just because so much time and money has already been invested in it, I don't want to reveal it until it is ready to launch, but if you have been in the Facebook group for a while, you may have seen some hints as to what it is.

But broadly, I am developing something with a friend of mine that will be very exciting for our members on all social media platforms and hopefully something they will find very useful.

And it will be made available for our members at no cost. That has taken up a lot of my time and energy, along with making YouTube videos, which is why I haven't been as hands on in the group as I was when I first created it.

As the Patreon grows, I hope to use the money that is donated to further this project and help it continue to scale. I also plan to use the donations to help fund the giveaways we regularly have in our group, because anything that hasn't been generously donated has just been a straight out of pocket expense.

I started the Patreon group because multiple people had suggested I should set one up, they wanted to be able to show their support and help us out with what we were doing. It has been exciting and inspiring to see so many people come on board with pledges in the short time it has been up.

Our long term goal is for The Tarantula

Collective to be more than just a Facebook group or YouTube channel, but a community of hobbyists, breeders, and retailers that is much larger than any one social media group.

We hope to have real life meetups, help fund research and conservation by supporting well established organizations, maybe even one day have our own small convention. We want to reach out and develop relationships with scientific and conservation organizations that have a lot of experience in the field and find ways we can contribute and be of service.

One of our goals is to try and connect all aspects of the hobby in one place, from scientists to dealers, artisans to creators, conservationists to keepers. Work on taking all the fractured and disconnected aspects of the

tarantula society and make some common ground and then even try to integrate that community with other exotic pet communities so we can all work together for the betterment of all exotic pets and the people that keep them.

Really I am just staying focused on one task at a time though, each building on the success of the last one. So far we seem to have a pretty solid foundation and some awesome supporters, so I am very excited about the future.

ABOUT RICHARD If you'd like to be a part of The Tarantula Collective or follow Richard's work, you can join the Facebook group here! You can also follow The Tarantula Collective's YouTube channel, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook page or support The Tarantula Collective by subscribing to the Patreon!

THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE: 1000 SUBSCRIBER GIVEAWAY TAKE 2!

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PTERINOCHILUS MURINUS: THE USAMBRA STARBURST BABOON TARANTULA

By Michael Fantus

Anyone who has ever raised an Usambra Baboon has had no choice but to fall in love with what is probably the meanest and ugliest creature - not to mention one of the most deadly - on earth.

From birth, the little things will pursue you and try to outright murder you just for the crime of breathing in the same room with it.

I had one P. murinus that was almost impossible to feed, she wanted to follow me around the room and prevent me from getting into her habitat to drop her food in.

No one likes a nice boy, no one likes a shy tarantula, so if you are interested in getting into the tarantula hobby or adding one to your collection, I strongly recommend Pterinochilus murinus for the high level of interaction that is possible in spite of the risk.

Taxonomy I have tried to find a user friendly way to explain what taxonomy is and how it works, in particular with tarantulas, which are, for the most part, all known by hobbyists by their true Latin names without much trouble.

Most hobbyists collect based on color and behavior, rather than zoological purposes for 22

Photo credit: Matt Reinbold / Flickr

Photo credit: Matt Reinbold / Flickr 23

Pterinochilus murinus, cont’d research or study where precise analysis of the anatomical features of the specimen are critical for understanding species diversity, density, and the role they (along with all natural life) play in the complexities associated with the long-term survival of life on earth.

One more spine per cubic millimeter on the thorax of a tarantula can indicate a new species, for example. Meticulous measurements such as this across the body of the specimen are indicators that the species is discrete on a genetic level.

Our need to understand this is beyond the kind of a tarantula nerd’s interest.

As species diversity and variety continues to rapidly contract, we must intensify our studies

24 Photo credit:Wikimedia Commons

of what evolutionary pressures and factors influence the plants and animals that are left, and what their shapes, sizes, and features can tell us about a planet that was once rife with life (Sloat, 2013).

You may recall from middle school biology that all organisms are classified along 7-12 axes.

Here is how Pterinochilus murinus, commonly called the Mombasa Golden Starburst Tarantula is described (Itis.gov): Kingdom: Animalia - Animal, animaux, animals Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Protostomia Superphylum: Ecdysozoa Phylum: Arthropoda - arthropods Subphylum: Chelicerata - cheliceriforms Class: Arachnida - arachnids Order: Araneae - spiders Family: Theraphosidae Thorell, 1869 tarantulas Genus: Pterinochilus Pocock, 1897 Species: Pterinochilus murinus Pocock, 1897 Mombasa golden starburst tarantula

Photo credit: Matt Reinbold / Flickr 25

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Pterinochilus murinus, cont'd

The alternative name “Usambara” comes from the Usambara mountain range in Tanzania where many of the original specimens were caught over the years.”

Current Status P. murinus is presently not listed by IUCN as an endangered or threatened species (Animal World, n.d.). Specimens are apparently still quite numerous.

Notes on Venom, Handling, and Recommendations for Hobbyists The venom of the OBT is considered hazardous to humans, and has been known to cause hospitalizations and deaths, particularly for those who are allergic or in youths.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

For the uninitiated, this means tarantulas are classified as animals and creatures with jointed limbs, who feed using chelicerae or fangs filled with venom, spin webs, have two toes on each limb, and this one has been identified as a species that likes to hide either in burrows it builds or finds, such as hollows of rocks or trees (Adams, 2018).

Geography and Distribution The OBT, Orange Baboon Tarantula as it is also called an Orange Bitey Thing (more on this in a moment) is found, Adams says, “in much of Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, including Zaire, Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Tanzania.

It is therefore not recommended for handling, though I would say it is ideal even for beginning hobbyists as it is perennially ready to eat, and its aggression makes it a rather entertaining pet.

Spiderlings are readily available at low cost and will chase prey around their habitats within an hour of exploring their new homes. Provided discretion is advised and heeded, even young tarantula enthusiasts should be allowed to keep this species.

ABOUT MICHAEL Michael Fantus’ day job is marketing in a Washington DC Association. His hobbies include fiction writing, music composition, french horn playing, redwood bonsai, and tarantulizing. He is the author of a novel, the Rage of Ganymede and the Lightning Manifesto.

(Never ask a girl her age, and I have a partner named Stefen Styrsky who works in legal services, is a published fiction and technical writer, as well as a film critic. He avoids the tarantulas).

Flip to the back to see references for this article!

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TAKING CARE OF THE P. MURINUS

By David Andrzejewski

The “Pterror” of Africa. The Orange Bitey Thing.

The Usambara Starburst Baboon. One of the most respected, most feared and most desired tarantulas in the hobby.

How many times have you heard “I want an OBT bad, but I’m not sure I am ready for one?” Let’s set the record straight on this wonderful species to keep.

What draws us to this particular species?

The attitude is generally what people say makes them so desired. The webbing ability of this species is also a big factor in why keepers want them so badly. An almost bulletproof tarantula to keep with endless ways to set up their enclosures.

OBT Housing I have found the best way to set them up is with deep dry substrate. Give them depth to dig and you’ll have a happy OBT. This species is an obligate burrower.

They build “L” shaped burrows found under rocks, logs, at the base of shrubs and many man made objects. They can also be found above ground in dead hollowed trees, webbed up in low shrubbery and sometimes a little higher up in crevices of trees. This gives keepers options such as a simple deep tub with dirt and 28

a premade burrow to a more arboreal type of setup with cork bark tube for them to climb.

Some keepers like to have less substrate and ground decor for them to lay copious amounts of webbing.

Climate This species does best with temperatures between 68 degrees Fahrenheit in the evenings to 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. In situ their temps will be much harsher which is one of the main reasons they burrow. A range of 40% humidity is a good comfortable level.

During October, November and December that level can be raised to 70% to 80%.

Breeding The P. murinus is one of the easier tarantulas to breed in the hobby. Females are generally very tolerant of males. If successful you can expect 75 to 100 slings within 30 days of the female dropping the sac. Slings will start off slow through the first few molts. After the 1” size,

Photo credit: David Andrzejewski

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Taking Care of The P. Murinus, cont’d

OBT Color Forms There are different color forms of P. murinus: • • • •

Bcf or brown color form Dcf or dark color form Rcf or red color form Tcf or true color form

]

These color forms can vary over geographical locations. It is best to label your tarantulas based on their locale and not the color form.

Locales range from central to eastern Africa in The Congo, Mozambique, Kenya, Usambara, Zimbabwe and Botswana. As of this printing the locales in the hobby include Kigoma, Zimbabwe, Tete, Mozambique, Mikumi and Usambara.

]

they will usually grow at a rapid pace, so be prepared for quick rehousings. Slings start off a darker color with a slight orange on the abdomen. They generally get their orange, or other color depending on locale, around the 1.25” to 1.5” mark.

Final Words On The OBT

A tarantula that has a demonized reputation I feel they do not deserve. A wonderful species to keep and I recommend every keeper give them a try. Trust me you won’t be disappointed keeping this tarantula.

You can learn many things keeping this species, but I will leave that up to you to figure out. Enjoy your experience with this species.

Maybe more keepers will find these aren’t the “Pterror” they are made out to be.

ABOUT DAVID David Andrzejewski is an experienced tarantula keeper and an administrator of the tarantula Facebook group The Tarantula Community. He also has a Facebook page and YouTube channel Eerie Arachnids, where he shares his expertise and journey in tarantula keeping.

Spermathacae of an adult female P. murinus 30 Photo credit: David Andrzejewski

Photo credit: Selena Spender / Flickr

Photo credit: Selena Spender / Flickr

Photo credit: Selena Spender / Flickr

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p.CARE murinus TIPS BASIC INFO Common name: Orange Baboon Tarantula aka Orange Bitey Thing (OBT), Mombasa Golden Starburst Tarantula, Usambara Baboon Type: Old World, terrestrial bird spider (sometimes acts arboreal) Growth rate: Fast

Scientific name: Pterinochilus murinus

Origin: Africa - Angola, Burundi, Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Usambara Size: Body length: ≤ 4-6cm Span width: ≤ 12-15cm

Experience level: Not recommended for new tarantula owners due to temperament, speed, and venom potency Life span: Females can live up to 12-15 years old. Males are given a shorter lifetime of 3-4 years.

APPEARANCE This tarantula is bright orange in color, which is not seen in many other species. The underside of the P. murinus (likely seen when threat posturing) will display the tarantula's green and blue iridescent coloring on the underside of their feet.

BEHAVIOR Attitude: The Pterinochilus murinus is known for their defensive nature and are not recommended for handling or new tarantula owners. They will usually go into a threat posture if approached.

Bite danger: As with any Old World tarantula, a bite from the P. murinus could be very significant and has been said to be one of the worst tarantula bites. It has been reported that a bite from this tarantula can cause localized swelling, muscle cramping and pain.

Defensive behavior: The P. murinus does not have urticating hairs but does have very potent venom. This tarantula will commonly go into a threat posture as a warning and has been said to be temperamental and exhibit more defensive behavior than other species. They are extremely fast.

Handling: It is not recommended that you hold P. murinus tarantulas due to their lightning speed and Old World temperament and venom.

DIET + NUTRITION The P. murinus tarantula is a good eater and can be fed a steady diet of large crickets, locusts, and dubia cockroaches. They are one of the faster-growing species and can eat quite a bit.

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Photo credit: Selen Spender / Flickr

HOUSING Substrate: Terrestrial setup with the opportunity to burrow. Dry substrate (can use peat moss, vermiculite, coconut fiber).

Decor: A piece of bark for a starter burrow hide. This tarantula is a prolific webber so some fake plants are also nice!

Ventilation: This species needs a tank with adequate ventilation on the top of the tank via small holes or slots.

Enclosure: Three inches of substrate in vial, deli cup for spiderlings, and at least four inches (4") in a terrarium for sub-adult to adult.

Humidity: Appropriate humidity can be kept by providing a water dish at all times. Misting and wetting the substrate is not necessary and may startle this tarantula.

Water: A shallow water dish must always be present, even if you do not ever see this species drink.

Spraying is not advised.

Temperature: P. murinus do well at room temperature or warmer, usually between mid-70s to mid80s Fahrenheit.

Collection notes: This species is lightning fast and many mishaps are known to occur during rehouses and tank cleanings.

FUN FACTS “Murinus” in Pterinochilus murinus actually stands for “mouse”! This species is so fast that many owners joke that it can teleport. Although this species is commonly known as an "Orange Bitey Thing", it is also commonly referred to as “Pterror” because of its attitude!

33

THE P. MURINUS: DEVIL OR ANGEL?

By Billiejo Champagne

Any good tarantula owner knows to research the species they desire before taking on the challenge of ownership. Whether it be care sheets, blogs, YouTube videos, or recommendations from other owners, each individual tarantula has their own behavior and temperament.

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The African species of tarantula, Pterinochilus murinus, or the Orange Baboon Tarantula is commonly known as the Orange Bitey Thing.

This Old World tarantula has a legendary bad attitude with aggressive tendencies. Called “a little angry orange ball of fangs and legs,� this species is known to be extremely fast, both defensive and offensive, and can use a threatening pose that includes striking the ground and hissing. The OBT carries a venom known to cause muscle cramps, extreme pain, and heavy swelling, which is why experienced owners do not recommend handling this tarantula.

is still highly discouraged for beginners.

When researching this tarantula’s behavior and temperament, I thought it would be interesting to go right to the source and inquire what current or past owners have experienced.

I would not say that individuals had the stereotypical experience, as many people spoke positively about their tarantulas. But this species

Another OBT owner, Ian Sleight, stated that every time he opened the enclosure, whether for maintenance purposes or such, his OBT would run around the whole enclosure with speed making his experience very interesting.

He did give his OBT to someone for breeding purposes and is not sure he will own another one.

Sylwia Dziadkowiec owns 4 OBTs, ranging from under one inch (2 centimeters) leg span, to approximately 3 inches (8 centimeters).

Sylwia stated that currently the smallest seems quite fine with behavior and temperament, but she tries not to interrupt it. The other three OBTs she owns, she considers quite feisty.

They try to attack when she attempts to do anything within their enclosures. But, on a normal basis they basically stay hidden and show attitude when she moves around their enclosures.

Photo credit: Mandy Hamilton

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She has not experienced threat poses from her tarantula, but it is a bit skittish. Mandy did share with me that she does not handle her tarantulas, and only feeds and changes their water.

Photo credit: Sylwia Dziadkowiec

When sharing her experience Rai Fuge prepared for the worst when she got her Orange Baboon Tarantula. She stated that she figured owning an OBT would test her nerve and be a bit of an adventure, as well as owning one of the most beautiful species available.

Rai has only had her OBT for a few weeks, and this is her first experience with Old World species. Doing research, she had seen lots of videos and owner posts about the “Orange Bitey Thing,” stereotype, but after some time and a few drinks, she stated she ordered her Pterinochilus murinus. So far, she has not experienced the stories she heard about, such as tarantulas running out of their enclosures, attacking feeding tongs, or threat posing. Even though she has yet to experience this behavior, she is cautious, and stated there might be a chance her OBT may turn evil in the future.

She believes that the OBT may get a bad name and that people exaggerate how bad they really are, because it’s “popular” to state this to others. Mandy went on to say, what fun is it to say that your Orange Bitey Thing is calm? Mandy did end with saying how the OBT is known for having a bad bite, so perhaps it is a good thing people fear them, this keeps them safe.

A member of the Facebook group, Strictly Arachnids, Mandy Hamilton, shared that her Orange Bitey Thing has a pretty chill attitude.

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Photo credit: Fran Robinson

The P. Murinus: Devil Or Angel?, cont’d Brock Taylor from The Tarantula Collective Facebook group shared his experience with me.

He currently owns a sling that is super skittish and hides all the time. Brock did notice that it is becoming more active, but it is a bit camera shy, running back to its burrow anytime he tries to get a picture of it.

Another member of the Tarantula Collective, Damon J. Young, posted how his OBT was a “pet hole,” until it matured. Damon stated how it seems like his OBT is a rock band drummer, who only plays at night when Damon is trying to sleep.

Minty from Arachnoboards has only kept one

Pterinochilus murinus. The tarantula fit the stereotype, displaying threat postures at any disturbance in her enclosure. Minty believes the OBT is the most defensive tarantula they owned.

Fran Robinson has owned her two Pterinochilus murinus tarantulas for about eight months. She has only experienced the larger of the two displaying a threat pose and whizzing around the enclosure. This mainly occurred shortly after she received the Orange Baboon tarantulas. The other OBT has not shown any threatening behavior but is very fast! Fran jokingly stated, “I think my two are broken, as mine are pretty calm.”

Photo credit: Fran Robinson

The P. Murinus: Devil Or Angel?, cont’d

A member of Arachnoboards, Liquifin, shared how her three Orange Baboon Tarantulas are different as well from the stereotype of threat postures and aggressive behaviors. She shared that they are basically a normal Old World tarantula that webs a lot. The three OBTs Liquifin owns are not defensive or aggressive, but display skittish behavior, retreating to their webbing. The advice Liquifin gives others interested in the OBT is, “That it’s better to get your own specimens and experience them yourself for a better understanding.”

Ellenantula discussed how the OBT they owned was docile, never escaped, and only displayed a threat posture when rehoused. Ellenantula

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shared how drama about the Orange Baboon Tarantula was in their head, having preconceived beliefs that the OBT would be aggressive and a speedy escape artist, when in fact the specimen they owned was fairly calm and easy going.

I believe after discussing the behavior and temperament of the Pterinochilus Murinus, each individual tarantula displays unique tendencies. Whether as an owner your Orange Bitey Thing displays a threat posture every time you look at it, or is calm and possibly skittish, you still need to be vigilant about understanding the possibilities that may be experienced from your tarantula.

Photo credit: Fran Robinson

]

Photo credit: Cold Blood / Arachnoboards

]

My final thought on this species was summed up by an individual from Arachnoboards, Cold Blood.

Cold Blood stated that they are a great species and loves their versatility. The OBT will take everything you give them from an environment and utilize it to create something unique. They are a fantastic species!

ABOUT BILLIEJO BillieJo Champagne is a mother of two girls, 11 and 13, who can be a handful. She attends UW-Parkside majoring in English with a minor in psychology as well as a creative writing certificate. Her love for what others close to her refer to as "creepy crawlies" began when she was young. Now she owns 5 tarantulas and has begun to pass down her interests to her youngest daughter, who loves helping out in their care, especially feeding. She doesn't have a favorite tarantula, but learning new facts about various species is something that draws her in deeper to the hobby.

39

PREPARATION + SETUP FOR THE OBT

An interview with Ian Tarrant

Ian Tarrant is a tarantula keeper and YouTuber (Ian Tarrantula) based in the South of England who started keeping tarantulas in September 2018. In this interview, he shares his keeping experience with the Pterinochilus murinus!

Tell us about yourself!

Hi my name is Ian Tarrant and I go by the name Ian Tarrantula. I have been keeping exotic pets as far back as the mid 90s when I got a green iguana. I only got into keeping tarantulas in 2018 when I finally got into a position (and an understanding fiancĂŠ) to keep them. I decided to give YouTube a try to kind of log my progress of keeping right from the very start after unpacking my very first delivery.

How long have you been keeping P. murinus tarantulas?

I picked up 8 back in December 2018. Five I kept for myself and 3 I gave away to subscribers and followers as a bit of a thank you for all the kind words and support I received from them following my round 1 battle against The Dark Den in the Fatal Fangs competition. I figured if I got 5 I would stand a good chance of obtaining at least one female (fingers crossed).

Do you plan on breeding your P. murinus when they get older?

I currently do not plan on breeding these. I do not see the need for me to breed just for the

40

sake of breeding. There are plenty of trusted breeders who have been successfully doing it for years and they have a wealth of experience in doing so. I have sent some males off to breed but I don't plan on breeding any of my females currently. Maybe that might change later down the line but it would probably be with certain species. M. balfouri or H. pulchripes are the most likely baboons I would breed in the future.

If things change in the future and there is a gap in the market for OBTs then who knows.

What inspired you to get this tarantula?

Firstly I would probably say because of their reputation. As you well know they are known to be very defensive. Some people call them aggressive but I am not a fan of that word in the hobby.

I have so far been shown very little in the way of defensive threat postures from them. Only once when packing up to send off to a winner of my competition. Secondly that bright orange colouration is just beautiful. They really are such a stunning tarantula.

Photo credit: Ian Tarrant

Are there noticeable differences between these slings and those of other species?

The only thing I have really noticed is how reclusive mine seem to be. I have various other baboon tarantula slings and I have seen them out in the open, but the most I really see of the OBTs are a couple of toes at the entrance of their burrows or hides.

How often are they molting and eating?

So I attempt feeding once a week at this stage. Once they hit that juvenile stage I may go to possibly every 2 weeks. That will just depend on abdomen size and if they actually take a meal. Most have molted twice in my care. I

think a couple are even coming up to their third time now. They are a reasonably fast grower so molting times have been more frequent than that of some of my Brachypelma slings.

substrate. They are also known to be "semi arboreal" as well so I have switched it up a bit in the enclosures to see how they adapt to their surroundings.

The results have been quite What does a good setup for a interesting. For the one that did sling of this tarantula look like? the least digging in the smaller Currently they are in 1.6L tubs. enclosure, I gave a more arboreal They do tend to web up quite a bit type enclosure and a little less so I give them something to anchor substrate. to like some cork bark and some fake plants to web up against. So However since rehousing it has far they have taken advantage of decided to burrow down. One that and produced some amazing that dug down the most in the last web hides. enclosure has not burrowed at all this time around and has webbed They will generally burrow up above the surface. as slings so use plenty of

41

Preparation + Setup For The OBT, cont’d

What’s the most important thing about rehousing this tarantula? How do you prevent accidents?

Taking precautions and keeping calm is definitely the best bit of advice I can give when it comes to rehousing.

Always have a catch cup at the ready. This goes for every species really but especially more so when it involves Old Worlds. Expect the unexpected with these guys because they are very quick and can bolt at anytime without warning.

Photo credit: Ian Tarrant

When I first got them I had the very first one run out of the tub, out of the bigger tub I was using to prevent escaping, and up my arm in seconds. I just kept my cool and gently eased it back into its new enclosure.

What would you like people to know before they get one of these?

They are definitely a must-have in everyone's collection. If you are looking at getting your first Old World tarantula then I would definitely recommend an OBT. Don't let their reputation put you off. But remember they are an Old World tarantula. They have relatively potent venom and they are not afraid to use it if

42

Photo credit: Ian Tarrant

IAN TARRANTULA: REHOUSING MY OBT'S ORANGE BABOON TARANTULA - P. MURINUS

they feel threatened. Embrace their beauty from behind the glass of their enclosure and everything will be fine.

What’s your next goal for your collection and YouTube?

I haven't really set myself any goals for my YouTube channel. I just enjoyed the filming and editing side of it and it has just gone from there really. I never expected to hit even 100 subscribers so to exceed that and continue to grow has been an unbelievable adventure and I have met some amazing people along the way who have supported me and I am eternally grateful to them.

ABOUT IAN If you'd like to see more from Ian, feel free to check out his YouTube channel Ian Tarrantula or follow him on Instagram at @ian_tarrantula!

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

In regards to my collection, again I haven't set any goals. Just adding a few here and there but mainly caring for and raising all I have already. The BTS expo in the UK is just around the corner as I am writing this so I will definitely be picking up a few new species there.

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PRINCESS SOPHIE PINK + HER SPIDERS

An interview with Hollie (Princess Sophie Pink)

Hollie, also known as Princess Sophie Pink on YouTube, is one of the youngest rising stars in the tarantula community and has been internationally recognized for her passion in the hobby! We're proud to share her journey!

Tell us about yourself!

My name is Hollie and I am 7 years old. My YouTube channel is Princess Sophie Pink and I love all animals. My favourite is tarantulas.

How did you get into tarantula keeping?

I have always loved spiders and when I was 4 I got to hold a tarantula and I really wanted one from then. I got one for my 7th birthday.

How many tarantulas do you have?

I have 16 tarantulas: Brachypelma hamorii, emilia, klaasi, albiceps Grammostola, pulchra and pulchripes X 2 Aphonopelma seemanni, Davus pentaloris, GBB, caribena versicolor, Ceratogyrus marshalli and Darlingi, lasiodora parahybana and the OBT. What made you want to get a P. murinus?

Well I wanted more tarantulas and I liked the look of them.

Do you know the age or gender?

We're not sure but it is about 7cm in size.

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Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh

Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh

"ObiwanKenOBT" molt Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh

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Princess Sophie Pink + Her Spiders, cont’d

How is this tarantula different from your others?

Well it's a lot more dangerous and I have to be careful around it. My parents always help with this tarantula with feedings. I just watch.

What’s the coolest thing about this tarantula?

It's orange and it has made loads and loads of cool web.

What’s your favorite thing about the P. murinus?

It makes loads of web and it is funny when it threat poses at its food right before it pounces on it!

What was it like to be interviewed on the radio?

I felt so nervous but it was amazing because it was really cool and I got

to spread the word that tarantulas are amazing and cute.

How do you respond if people tell you they don’t like spiders?

I say they're actually really cute and fascinating and amazing. If you just watch them you learn so much about them and get to see cool things like my caribena versicolor it shoots poo and it's so funny.

What would you tell kids who want to get their first tarantula?

PRINCESS SOPHIE PINK: PTERINOCHILUS MURINUS (OBT) - SETUP AND REHOUSING

46

Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh

Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh 47

Princess Sophie Pink + Her Spiders, cont’d

]

]

Make sure you be very careful because they are delicate and also read lots about them first because I do lots of research for them.

What’s your favorite thing about tarantula keeping?

Each one of them are different from each other so they are amazing to watch and I just love how cute they are.

What are your goals for your collection and YouTube channel?

I want lots and lots of tarantulas and I have a mission to spread the word to everyone that tarantulas and other invertebrates are so amazing and so fascinating and also very cute.

ABOUT HOLLIE To see more from Hollie, you can check out her YouTube channel, Princess Sophie Pink or follow her Facebook page!

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Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh

"ObiwanKenOBT" Photo Credit: Rachel Greenhalgh 49

A LOOK AT THE OBT

An interview with Tobias Yarwood

Tobias Yarwood has a passion for studying animals, which he brings to his tarantula YouTube channel (TobiasYarwood) and research. As a young OBT owner, he represents the many keepers flocking to this hobby early in life!

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Tobias Yarwood.

I'm 15 years old and I'm a tarantula YouTuber. I love to take care of animals in my collection and study animals in the wild.

How long have you been keeping tarantulas?

I have been keeping tarantulas for a total of 3 years now.

What does your tarantula collection look like at the moment?

My collection consists of 8 tarantulas atm and a few scorpions so not something that impressive.

What inspired you to get an OBT? Is she your first?

I got inspired to get a P. murinus because of how stunning it is. I also wanted to get into keeping Old Worlds. I got her as a sub adult.

Do you have any interest in breeding her?

Yes I do intend to breed her in the future.

]

What does her enclosure look like?

Her enclosure is a full glass terrarium with top and side ventilation and her habitat consists of coco fibre, peat moss and a cork bark hide which she webbed up.

50 Photo credit: Tobias Yarwood

]

TOBIAS YARWOOD: CREATUREFEATURE! A LOOK AT THE OBT!

Photo credit: Tobias Yarwood

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A Look At The OBT, cont’d

What’s the most important thing to know when dealing with this tarantula?

The most important thing to note when dealing with this tarantula is the fast and unpredictable movements. As I've kept aggressive spiders in the past, I suggest keeping a catch cup near you at all times when rehousing etc as they tend to bolt.

Another thing to note is the aggressive behaviour, they will not hesitate to bite first before threat posing, making it hard to read their mood.

Photo credit: Tobias Yarwood 52

What do you love most about keeping tarantulas?

What I love most about keeping tarantulas is the fact that they are low maintenance and easy to keep (depending on the species) and I find them so fascinating and entrancing. I often find myself staring at them for hours.

Do you have a goal for your collection?

My goal for my collection is to own every species possible and have a breathtaking collection that I can educate others with.

ABOUT TOBIAS For more from Tobias, you can follow him on YouTube on his channel, Tobias Yarwood! You can also follow him on Instagram at @tobiasyarwood!

Photo credit: Matt Reinbold / Flickr 53

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55

tarantula

COMMU In this section we highlight tarantula owners from around the world and share their experiences. To make a submission, email theavenmag@gmail.com!

56 Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

a

UNITY 57

ENCLOSURE DESIGNS

BY THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE GROUP We asked members of The Tarantula Collective Facebook group to show off the homes they've made for their tarantulas.

Let's just say they didn't disappoint!

Photo credit: Brandi Reddington 58

Photo credit: Brandi Reddington

Photo credit: Brandi Reddington

Photo credit: Amanda Lynn West

Photo credit: Krysta Keller

Photo credit: Brandi Reddington

Photo credit: Dan Occhipinti 59

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Judith Miller

Photo credit: Judith Miller

Photo credit: Lindsey Mullen

Photo credit: Lindsey Mullen

"I work at an Insectarium and this is our enclosure I designed for our Indian Ornamental. We have to design our enclosures so that the animal still has some privacy, but can always be viewed by the public. This girl has a couple of partial hiding spots on either side of the enclosure." - Lindsey Mullen

Photo credit: Jacob Logan

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Jacob Logan

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Ray Regler

Photo credit: Ray Regler

VENTILATION TIP: "Screens on the sides and drilled holes all through out the top."

- Ray Regler, Jeepers Creepers

TUTORIAL BELOW:

JEEPERS CREEPERS TARANTULAS PICTURE FRAME ARBOREAL TARANTULA PROJECT

Photo credit: Ray Regler

Photo credit: Ray Regler

Photo credit: Ray Regler

Photo credit: Ray Regler

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: David Glastetter

Photo credit: Emily Howard Photo credit: Emily Howard

Photo credit: Emily Howard

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo 66

Photo credit: Emily Howard

Photo credit: Chris Saville Photo credit: Chris Saville

Photo credit: Chris Saville

"A. chalcodes, I collect wood branches and slate/rock from outside and use them in my setups. I try to keep it natural but I do use plastic plants. I prefer not to use cups or flower pots or anything like that in my cages."

- Chris Saville

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo 67

Photo credit: Scott Frazer

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo 68

Photo credit: Nicole Haverly

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Jessica Smith

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Jared Botelho

Photo credit: Jack Westhoeve

"I am half way through creating a bioactive enclosure for my MF P. regalis. Cork bark tubes and potting cups were built into the background. One more layer of cocofiber and silicone then I’m almost there! A lengthy but rewarding process." - Jared Botelho

Photo credit: Jack Westhoeve

Photo credit: Randi Bechyne

Photo credit: Jack Westhoeve 69

Photo credit: Jeff Summerhill

Photo credit: Jeff Summerhill

Photo credit: Josh Kern

70 Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Jeff Summerhill

Photo credit: Josh Kern

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Jeff Summerhill

"My son and I use mainly kritter keepers and 5.5 gallon tanks but we have the most fun converting things we find at Goodwill."

- Josh Kern

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Preston Belfield

"Our business is T Time Arachnids, hence the teacup theme! This one houses our female B hamorii."

- Preston Belfield Photo credit: Preston Belfield

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

"I used sculpture decor from a recent trip to Mexico to make my enclosure." - Mark Nelson Photo credit: Mark Nelson

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Photo credit: Matt Wolfenbarger

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Matt Wolfenbarger Photo credit: Mike Brouwer

Photo credit:

72 Stephanie Errickson Lockwood

"I try my best to mimic a natural environment. I've noticed it stimulates natural tarantula behavior and that's what makes me a happy tarantula keeper. It doesn't take an expensive enclosure, as long as it's properly set up. Take this arboreal enclosure for example; $5 tote on its side. It offers plenty of climbing, plenty of hiding spaces, holds a stable humidity level, and the front opening door gives easy access to everything without disturbing the tarantula or its webbing." - Mike Brouwer

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Ricketson

"This is the enclosure I made for my Psalmopoeus irminia (Venezuelan Suntiger). It’s a tall enclosure from Exo-Terra, the bottom of the enclosure has coconut husk finely ground along with eco-earth and neutral colored aquarium pebbles. The water source is an $11 dollar water fountain from Walmart.

New Zealand moss, and 2 Mokora Orchids (that will match her colors when they bloom) and some fake vine plants from my local pet store. I also keep an isopod culture in there for clean up and her to occasionally snack on." - Stephanie Ricketson

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo

Photo credit: Stephanie Rollo 73

UPCOMING EVENTS 2019 EXPOS WITH TARANTULAS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS EUROPE DATE

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EVENT

LOCATION

June 23

IHS Invertebrate and reptile show

Doncaster, England

July 7

Birmingham Entomological Show

Birmingham, UK

July 21

Western Invertebrate Show

Thornbury, England

August 18

Scottish Invertebrate Show

Glasgow, Scotland

September 15

Eastern Invertebrate Show

Bedford, England

September 22

IHS Reptile show

Doncaster, England

November 7

Southern Invertebrate Show

Brighton, England

Poecilotheria regalis Photo credit: Ragnar Tiilikainen

UNITED STATES DATE

EVENT

LOCATION

June 1

Repticon

Deland, FL

June 1-2

Repticon

Raleigh, NC Oklahoma City, OK

June 8-9

Repticon

Greenville, SC San Bernardino, CA Tampa, FL

June 15

Repticon

Port St. Lucia, FL

June 15-16

Repticon

Denver, CO Mobile, AL

June 22-23

Repticon

Kissimmee, FL Memphis, TN Salisbury, MD

June 29

Repticon

Gainesville, FL

June 29-30

Repticon

Ft. Walton Beach, FL Greensboro, NC

July 6-7

Repticon

Baton Rouge, LA Jacksonville, FL Fayetteville, NC

July 13

Repticon

Savannah, GA Ft. Myers, FL

July 13-14

Repticon

Charlotte, NC

July 20-21

Repticon

West Palm Beach, FL Knoxville, TN

July 27-28

Repticon

Atlanta, GA Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ

August 3-4

Repticon

Sarasota, FL

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SOURCES +

Pterinochilus Murinus, the Usambra Starburst Baboon Tarantula

Author: Michael Fantus Adams, R. (2018, April 02). Orange Bitey Thing / OBT / Usambara Baboon Tarantula Care Sheet. Retrieved April 13, 2019, from http://www.keepingexoticpets.com/orange-bitey-thing-obt-tarantula/ Animal-World. (n.d.). Mombasa Baboon Spider. Retrieved April 13, 2019, from http://animal-world.com/encyclo/ reptiles/spiders/MombasaGoldenStarburstBaboonSpider.php ITIS Report, Pterinochlus Murinus. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/ SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=866025#null Sloat, S. (2013, May 31). More Than Just Making Up Names for Animals: Why Taxonomy Matters. Retrieved April 9, 2019, from https://psmag.com/environment/more-than-just-making-up-names-for-animals-whytaxonomy-matters-58879

Lampropelma violaceopes 76 Photo credit: Ragnar Tiilikainen

REFERENCES

Grammostola pulchra Photo credit: Jude Jaay Haych 77

til next time!

Thank you for supporting The Spinnerette and the P. murinus issue, the third digital magazine! Big fuzzy and furry thank you to Tarantulatv.com for their continued support, The Tarantula Collective for sponsoring this issue, and all who support the magazine's Patreon page (or bought an issue)! Without you all, it would not be possible.

If you have any feedback about how this magazine could be improved or things you’d like to see this magazine cover, please feel free to email me at theavenmag@gmail.com. You can also email me if you’d like to submit something to the magazine or pitch an idea for a future issue!

As always, you can find me on Facebook in my tarantula group, or subscribe to my Patreon to see more behind the scenes content about this magazine and my life with my tarantulas.

Until next time, spiderlings! I hope your spiders (and you of course) are cozy, hydrated and well fed!

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