The Spinnerette, Issue 1: Poecilotheria Metallica

THE SPINNERETTE

ISSUE 1

FEATURED: POECILOTHERIA METALLICA

PETKO: THE DARK DEN INTERVIEW

TOM MORAN’S P. METALLICA COMMUNE

BEHIND THE P. METALLICA’S BLUE HUE

+ MORE P. METALLICA OWNER INTERVIEWS, SPECIES INFO / CARE TIPS + MUCH MORE!

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welcome, fang gang!

Welcome to the first issue of The Spinnerette, whose name was first suggested by fellow tarantula enthusiast Randy Renninger and then voted upon by all of

you! I’d like to thank everyone for all your excitement and support as we begin this journey, and for your patience as this endeavor grows and takes form.

This magazine was made possible by so many people, like the generous

tarantula lovers who offered to write articles or allowed me to interview them, and the many who submitted photos of their tarantulas and shared their stories and

tips. And of course, the enormous amount of feedback and encouragement that I gathered along the way that helped keep the inspiration alive.

I would love for this magazine to be a place where members of the tarantula community can connect with each other and share up-to-date tips and their

enthusiasm for the hobby. I intend to release this magazine every two months,

so I would love to hear from you in the future! 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 WORK BELOW!

Questions / Comments?

Feel free to email me at theavenmag@gmail.com

The cover image is from Wikimedia Commons

the first issue This is the first issue of what I hope will be many more tarantula magazines. The goal for this magazine is to provide a fun, interactive, and educational publication where experienced tarantula owners and those new to the hobby can come together and learn from each other.

My hope is that as this magazine develops and I get more feedback from the community, the magazine will improve with every issue. So PLEASE don’t hesitate to provide feedback or make suggestions about things you would like to see in the future :) I believe that the openness and honesty in the tarantula community is part of what makes this hobby so great and I want to do the community and these beautiful animals justice! To provide feedback, I can always be reached at theavenmag@gmail.com (or Patreon / Facebook of course).

P.S. The next issue will focus on the Monocentropus balfouri tarantula, so if you’d like to be involved please reach out to me at theavenmag@gmail.com!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

06 16 20 24 32 40 45 48 54 60 88 90 92

PETKO: Inside The Dark Den

An interview with tarantula keeper and YouTuber The Dark Den

Poecilotheria Metallica: The Peacock Tarantula By tarantula keeper and writer Michael Fantus

Poecilotheria Metallica Care Tips The P. metallica tarantula, at a glance

Poecilotheria Metallica Interview

An interview with tarantula keeper Korey Fuller

Observations Of A Poecilotheria Metallica Commune

By Tom Moran of Tom’s Big Spiders - educator, YouTuber, and podcaster

Poecilotheria Metallica Sling Interview

An interview with tarantula keeper and YouTuber Francis Psydex Tustin

Poecilotheria Metallica Sling Interview

An interview with tarantula keeper and YouTuber Daniel Cousin

Featured Artist: Gray Ghost Creations

An interview with tarantula owner and artist Laura Airey Le

Blue Tarantulas: More Than Meets The Eye By tarantula keeper, writer, and YouTuber S. Perez

Tarantula Community + Submissions

A collection of photos, submissions, and stories from tarantula owners

Revisions: Recent Changes In The Hobby The latest in name changes and species discoveries

Upcoming Events

Upcoming tarantula conventions and expos around the world

Sources + References

A list of sources and references from articles in this issue

PETKO INSIDE THE DARK DEN Tell us about yourself!

I’m Marko, but more known as Petko. I’m from a small town called Koprivnica in a small country called Croatia. Before I became a full time content creator on YouTube, I worked in a surveying office. I have too many hobbies to be active in all of them so I’m mostly focused on my passion for animals.

How long have you been a tarantula keeper and how did you get into the hobby? What was your first tarantula?

For a little bit over 4 years. I started with a tiny, now adult male G. rosea named Saša.

THE DARK DEN: MY MOST METAL TARANTULA 6

How many Ts do you have right now? What other pets do you have?

Don’t know the exact number as it is changing all the time, but it is around 150 tarantulas of all sizes. Besides them, I keep bearded dragon, panther chameleon, tortoise, hamster, geckos, centipedes, scorpions and similar creepy crawlers.

Have you ever bred or sold tarantulas?

I did pair a few tarantulas, first was Anny, B. albopilosum. She unfortunately made a bad egg sac so eggs were mostly dried when I pulled them.

Photo credit: The Dark Den

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PETKO, cont’d

Photo credit: The Dark Den

Still waiting for some other female to drop a successful egg sac.

What do you like to feed your tarantulas?

Do you have any P. metallicas at the moment?

All hail to Lateralis roaches.

Yes, one adult female named Kat. Oh yes, she also made an egg sac but she ate it a few days before I planned to pull it.

Describe your ideal enclosure.

What are some of your favorite DIY enclosure tricks?

There is no ideal enclosure.

I’m usually hyped with the most recent project I did. Styrofoam background and cork bark tube would definitely be my favorite “trick.”

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What methods do you use for rehousing?

All kinds, but my rehouses are all in the videos so I don’t always choose the easiest or safest way since those videos aren’t as fun to watch.

Have you ever ventured into communal species?

Yes, a long time ago I had a failed Heterothele villosella communal.

But now I have an M. balfouri communal with 8 of them and it is

going flawlessly.

Do you have a favorite tarantula of yours at the moment? If not, what is your “goal” tarantula?

Currently it’s a Chilobrachys sp. electric blue, can’t wait for my sling to grow up!

Have you ever been bitten by any of your Ts? Nope, and didn’t have any close calls!

What advice would you give a newbie about getting into tarantulas?

Watch my videos, especially the

THE DARK DEN: How to TARANTULA? Complete beginner guide 101

complete beginner guide I recently recorded.

It will get anyone on the right track.

Out of all the videos you’ve made, what is your favorite?

What inspired you to document your tarantulas on YouTube? What has your journey been like as a top video resource for tarantula information?

Huh, there are too many to choose from, but I really enjoyed most of my nature adventure videos, those are the ones that I actually re-watch on occasion.

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Lack of a proper tarantula related channel. At that time there weren’t any channels that had any real editing or some sort of “concept”. And also I wanted to document my progress through the hobby since I was a complete beginner and therefore knew the struggles that beginners go through.

What’s the hardest part of being YouTube famous and well known?

Having everything out in the open and having every tiny mistake picked upon and blown out of proportion. For some reason there are people that feed off spreading negativity and the more known you are, the more those people are attracted. It takes a strong will to not be affected by that.

How have you adjusted to the success and attention you have gotten?

I don’t really feel it since I’m not known in my town, so my day to day life is completely the same. I don’t like the fact that you can’t respond

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Photo credit: The Dark Den

PETKO, cont’d to messages anymore because there are just too many of them so I feel like a douchebag knowing that there are countless people sending me messages that I never responded to.

What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made as a T owner and what did you learn from it?

It is related to that failed communal. I underestimated the tarantulas’ ability to squeeze through small holes. I learned to make even smaller holes.

What is your setup like in your home for your tarantulas?

I have them all in my separate space that is my animal room and YouTube studio.

How do you think the T hobby differs in the UK from other countries?

There are way more expos and I feel like there are more people involved.

What is your stance on handling tarantulas?

I’m not completely against it but it is something that shouldn’t be done on a regular basis or with every tarantula species.

Have you ever lost any tarantulas?

Yeah, in the beginning I did lose a few slings due to not maintaining proper humidity. And I believe I did lose two adult tarantulas out of unknown reasons and a few random slings. As with every animal, it sucks, especially when you don’t know why it happened.

What do you love most about Ts? What is the most enjoyable part about tarantula keeping for you?

Tarantulas are something that amazed me as a

THE DARK DEN: Poecilotheria metallica transfer - BEST ARBOREAL ENCLOSURE design

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PETKO, cont’d kid as it was something “mystical” and I’m still driven with those emotions.

for some basic mistake or basic question as if they were never beginners themselves.

Have you ever had to do surgery or save your Ts?

Are you going to any future tarantula conventions?

Nope, I never had a bad molt, but I had some slings die a few days after the molt.

Of course, I’m going to have a meet and greet in St. Louis in April and will probably go to British Tarantula Society.

What do you love about the T community?

What do you think could be improved or what is missing?

As with every community, I would like to silence “elitists” that have the need to ridicule a beginner

Do you have any big plans for The Dark Den in the near future?

Season 3!

THE DARK DEN: 10 POECIS 1 ENCLOSURE - Communal rehouse

“My name is Marko but I more often go by the nickname Petko. Born and raised in Koprivnica, small town in Croatia. Ever since a child I was amazed with nature and wildlife. I spent countless hours watching documentaries, reading encyclopedias and playing with local bugs and spiders that I could find around my apartment. As I grew up I kinda moved away from it since our society looks at you weird if you like spiders and other creepy crawlers but somehow they found a way back into my life when I decided to get a pet tarantula. In the same time I decided to make a YouTube channel that will track my progress in the hobby and help out other beginners like myself, but after a few years something that was just a hobby and passion became my full time. You can follow me on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can also support me on Patreon!” - Petko, The Dark Den

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Photo credit: The Dark Den

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FATAL FANGS TARANTULA FEEDING TOURNAMENT

BUG REALMS: FATAL FANGS ROUND 1 - First quarter!

BUG REALMS: FATAL FANGS - Round one Week 4! (Final Quarter) 14

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POECILOTHERIA METALLICA THE PEACOCK TARANTULA

By Michael Fantus

Poecilotheria Metallica, Pocock, 1899, is also called the Gooty Sapphire Tarantula and Peacock Tarantula. It is one of 14 recognized species native to Sri Lanka and India known as “Ornamental Tarantulas”.

The genus are almost exclusively arboreal species, meaning they live in trees or shrubs. The P. metallica is the only blue species in the genus. All Poecilotheria species, “Pokeys” are critically endangered. Their place in the tarantula hobby is firmly cemented and captive husbandry is required for its longevity.

The Peacock Tarantula is a member of a genus of tarantulas called Poecilotheria or “poikilo” spotted and “theria”, or beast (Random Science, 2011).

The P. metallica was discovered in 1899 near Kerala, India, and described by Reginald Pocock (Pocock, 1899). It was thought to be a grounddwelling or burrowing species from a place called Gooty, and might have been but we lost track of the species for over a century (Vierberghe, 2017).

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In 2001, an iridescent blue specimen was found in a disturbed forest, and others like her were collected and it has since become a mainstay in the tarantula hobby.

All members of the genus are venomous, meaning they use enzymes injected through their fangs to digest their food. Depending on the species, the bite can be painful to deadly for humans, especially if there is an allergy to stinging insects. Handling of Peacock Tarantulas is therefore not recommended.

Appearance Scientists do not know why the Peacock and other sapphire tarantulas are blue (Drake, 2015).

The appearance of iridescent or electric blue in animals and plants is caused by varying

Photo credit: Korey Fuller

degrees of concentration and arrangements of nanocrystals and play a role in defense and mating in most creatures.

Tarantulas are blind to color.

Their eyes can see big and small, near and far but not much else.

Tarantulas see in two dimensions, straight lines depending on the orientation of the tarantula to its surface. Forward only. Their eyes are useless for finding a mate, so the presence of elaborate coloration, the color blue in

particular, evades explanation.

The Peacock is the most colorful of the genus and shows yellow, white, and gray patterns on the top, femurs, and underside. There are a few others with blue spots, some are rusty, dusky or tawny in color and are attractive, but the P. metallica is clearly the showboat.

Sexing is difficult until the specimen is about three years old. Pocock says “adult females

are much darker and lack vibrant colouration as sub-adults.”

Mature spiders exhibit some sexual dimorphism with mature males, having a more drab coloration and being significantly smaller than the adult females.

The literature refers to a “ventral sexing method.” “Ventral coloration of either sex is typically more of the same with the exception of the first pair of legs, which often bear 17

POECILOTHERIA METALLICA: THE PEACOCK TARANTULA, cont’d bright yellow to orange aposematic (warning) markings that are visible when the spider presents a defensive display” (Federal Register, 2016).

the rest but for this reason: to help us close the distance between ourselves and the genius of our Creator. Somehow, we belong here together.

Conservation

We need each other to survive, we thrive on the appreciation we have for one another.

At this point in the history of the planet earth, this quite possibly could be the most important aspect of life on earth that there is.

The P. metallica is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List due to its occurrence in a single small area where its habitat is rapidly degrading. The primary threats to the species’ survival are habitat degradation and loss to logging and firewood harvesting.

Another threat identified by IUCN assessors is specimen collection for the pet trade. Population size is unknown, but the combination of its small natural range and the threats in that area indicates a declining population trend.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 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!

Peacock Tarantulas in the hobby To me, the purpose of having a tarantula in my home exceeds the pleasure of its company. A tarantula is a bizarrely beautiful and vulnerable creature. They make no demands, and require very little care to be happy. Tarantulas thrive right under your nose and provide great delight and great insight into the mysterious variety of life and the intricate relationships that pervade and sustain it.

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The sublimity and creativity of the Maker of All Things occurs to me every time I look at the weird things. We keep tarantulas, the ugly and the splendrous (like the Peacock) not because we ourselves walk to a different cadence than

Photo credit: ENN49 / Tarantulaforum.com

T-tip:

Photo credit: Ian Tarrantula

“Be prepared would be my first tip. They can be very unpredictable and are fast as lightning. I find mine is very skittish so if I am going to open its enclosure I just gently tap the side and it runs into its hide. I haven’t had much in the way of defense from mine but I have seen that they can be quite defensive. Also being a Poecilotheria they have a very strong venom so I would personally avoid attempting 19 to handle them.� - Tarantula Youtuber Ian Tarrantula

p.CARE metallica TIPS BASIC INFO Common name: Gooty Sapphire Ornamental, Metallic blue ornamental, Peacock tarantula

Scientific name: Poecilotheria metallica

Experience level: Advanced, not recommended for beginners

Type: Old World, Arboreal

Origin: South Eastern India

Growth rate: Known to grow slower than the others in the Poecilotheria genus.

Size: 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) is the fully grown leg span.

Life span: Females can live up to 12 years. Males typically live 3-4 years.

APPEARANCE Poecilotheria metallica tarantulas have a beautiful geometric body coloration, and are the only Poecilotheria (or Pokie) species that has blue hair. Interestingly enough, this blue hue comes through much more when a Poecilotheria metallica matures, as these tarantulas are much less chromatic when they are young (the blue usually starts showing around the size of 2 inches). Male Gooty Sapphire Ornamental tarantulas also tend to be more vibrant in color.

BEHAVIOR Attitude: Gooty Sapphire Ornamental tarantulas are fast-moving, skittish, and photosensitive (they will run if light is shined upon them). They are generally reclusive and like to be left alone.

Bite danger: The bite of a Poecilotheria metallica tarantula is said to be “medically significant” and quite painful. A bite can cause excruciating pain, nausea, and cramping. These symptoms can last for several weeks. While most bites from this species are “dry bites” (no venom), an adult tarantula of this species may have fangs 3/4″ in length and could cause significant damage. There has never been a recorded human death from its bite.

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Defensive behavior: Poecilotheria metallica tarantulas are more likely to retreat to their den or flee than show a threat posture, however they can be quite fast and defensive. They have been known to bite if they feel threatened.

Handling: It is not recommended that you hold a Gooty Sapphire Ornamental tarantula, especially not without knowing the risks and being familiar with fast-moving species. This is not a tarantula that is recommended for beginners.

Photo credit: Phil / Tarantulaforum.com

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CARE TIPS, cont’d

DIET + NUTRITION

Poecilotheria metallica tarantulas can eat appropriately sized insects such a crickets and roaches. A small sling might eat half of a cricket and an adult might eat several large 1” crickets.

HOUSING Substrate: Several inches of coconut fiber, sphagnum moss, or other soil, kept damp.

Decor: A piece of cork bark, a branch, and several live or plastic plants within the enclosure can be helpful – this species likes to climb.

Humidity: Appropriate humidity can be kept by providing a water dish at all times and keeping part of the substrate damp. Mites and mold must be monitored carefully in any humid environment.

Enclosure: An adult Poecilotheria metallica should be kept in a large, vertically oriented enclosure. Slings can be kept in 32 oz deli cups.

Ventilation: This species needs a tank with cross ventilation to ensure that the high humidity and light spraying doesn’t create a bacterial environment. You can punch several small holes around the upper sides of the enclosure, with a few on the top/lid of the enclosure.

ADDITIONAL FACTS

Water: A small, shallow water dish should always be present. You can also mist the sides of the tank occasionally to provide another water source, but be careful as this may spook the tarantula.

Temperature: The ideal temperature for Poecilotheria metallica tarantulas is high 70s to low 80s Fahrenheit.

Collection notes: This species can be kept communal with other P. metallica when done in a responsible way, taking care to reduce cannibalism.

P. metallica is classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to its occurrence in a single, small area in which habitat is rapidly degrading due to logging and firewood harvesting.

Photo credit: Enn49 / Tarantulaforum.com

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Photo credit: Jonathan Pearson / Tennessee Tarantulas YouTube 23

Poecilotheria

metallica THE INTERVIEWS TARANTULA OWNER // KOREY FULLER I’m 30 and I live in west Tennessee in the U.S.A. I have been into insects for as long as I can remember and even as a child would catch and keep them. All kinds, from ants and mantids to all kinds of spiders and everything in between.

At the moment I’m a stay at home dad with a 5 year old son, whom loves “bugs” as much as me! Other than my tarantula obsession, I also keep other inverts including mantids, scorpions, ant colonies, etc. I am also very much a plant enthusiast and love bonsai! There is something super relaxing about having my invert hobby inside and my bonsai/plant hobby outside. I get the best of nature in many ways.

How long have you been a tarantula keeper and how did you get into the hobby? What was your first tarantula?

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I got my first tarantula November 21st of 2017.

It was a Pterinochilus murinus aka “OBT”. She is very calm for her species in my opinion. As for what got me into the hobby, back in 2016, a YouTube channel by AntsCanada got me into keeping ants and I even started my own channel, InverteVision.

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Tell us about yourself!

Due to where I live, my ants had to hibernate and I wanted to keep recording, so I started researching good possibilities and boom, I decided on tarantulas. I had no idea how addictive it was going to be though lol.

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Photo credit: Korey Fuller 25

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KOREY FULLER, cont’d How many tarantulas do you have right now? What does your collection look like?

At this moment I have 120 Ts with my max being 124 (I’ve sold a few). I have more slings and juveniles than adults, as I prefer to watch them grow than to purchase sexed adults and such.

Do you have any other pets?

I have 25+ mantids, 2 scorpions, 2 species of isopods, x5 bumblebee millipedes, 10 ant colonies, a few black widows, a tailless whip scorpion, and 1 giant centipede. Oh, and a dog.

I think that’s it.

Have you ever bred or sold tarantulas?

I actually just bred my first tarantulas the last week of Dec 2018. Avicularia avicularia aka “Common Pinktoe”. I have also sold Ts as well.

Did you get your P. metallica as a sling? How old is she and is she your first and only P. metallica?

I got my P. metallica at around 1.75-2” dls (diagonal leg span). She was a small juvi when I got her and I’ve had her over a year now. I had another I got as a sling but ended up selling it to a friend as he didn’t have one.

When did you start noticing her blue color coming through?

Her blue color was pretty much there when I got her. The sling I had also had some blue but not as much nor as vibrant. It seemed more of a dark blue as a sling.

Describe her enclosure. What does her diet normally consist of?

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KOREY FULLER, cont’d She is in premolt at the moment but afterwards she will be going into a custom enclosure made out of glass. Right now she is in a 1 gal clear container with a small amount of substrate and some sphagnum moss with a cork bark hide. I raise my own feeders and her diet consists of dubia, red runners, superworms, and crickets.

28 Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Are there particular keeping challenges related to having a P. metallica?

As far as challenges keeping her, I haven’t had any. She is just fast when she wants to be. She has been great. Her venom is the only thing I worry about but I have other species that pose more problems to be honest.

What methods do you use for rehousing her?

Rehousing her, I always coax her into a separate container, then her new enclosure. She has always been great when rehousing.

How does the P. metallica differ from other pokies in your experience?

Photo credit: Korey Fuller

The only real thing I’ve noticed different from other pokies I have is she doesn’t seem to grow as fast. And her eating habits are also weird at times. Sometimes she will eat good for a few weeks then not for a few weeks.

Do you intend to breed her?

I do plan to breed her. I’m hoping my friend has a male but in the end I do plan to breed her.

What is her usual routine/behavior?

She used to stay out a lot but now she likes to stay hidden most of the time. She comes out late at night around 2-4am.

Have you ever been bitten by any of your Ts? No I have never been bitten.

Have you been to any T conventions? Do you have a favorite?

expos. I knew they are planning one this year in 2019 so I’m hoping I can go to it.

What has been your biggest mistake as a T keeper and what did you learn from it?

My biggest mistake...I would say not keeping track of moisture in the sling enclosures during winter months. When heat is on it dries out everything faster than normal and has caused me to lose 4 slings altogether. Having smaller enclosures, they dry fast anyway...so I’ve learnt to check my slings a lot more often for sure.

I have been to one expo ever lol. I do plan to go to more and wish the states had invert only 29

KOREY FULLER, cont’d Do you have a “goal” tarantula that you’d like to get in the future or an all-time favorite?

irminia give me more problems than any of my pokies!

My goal tarantula...I have 2 at the moment. One being the Theraphosa apophysis aka “Pinkfoot goliath.” I love their color and size. The other and one I want the most is Eucratoscelus pachypus aka “Stout-leg baboon.” They are super rare in the states but maybe one day I’ll have it.

What tips could you give T owners who want to get a P. metallica?

Tips...first do research! Forget care sheets!

Tom Moran has a YouTube channel, podcast, and blog with LOADS of information on slings and species. Tom’s Big Spiders is the blog and podcast. A lot of it though will come hands on.

You can read and watch videos all day long but getting in there, in my opinion, is one of the best tips. Everyone will make mistakes and we learn from those mistakes.

DIY tricks...let’s see, I use recycled bottle caps as water dishes. Recycled containers as enclosures.

What advice would you give a newbie about going into Pokies?

Newbies into pokies, in my experience it’s a matter of having the confidence. I have other species that pose more problems than my pokies. You have to be mindful of all tarantulas’ venom and if you use safe practices, I think anyone can keep pokies. My Psalmopoeus

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I think their speed is overlooked! But again, you can’t fully expect it from any species until you get in there and experience it first hand.

Tapinauchenius sp are faster than pokies in my opinion, but confidence is a big thing as well like I said before.

What’s your favorite thing about the tarantula community? What could be improved?

I think a lot of the drama in the tarantula community can definitely be worked on. Life is way too short to cause or instigate drama/ unnecessary problems.

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Have you learned any DIY tricks?

What’s one thing that is commonly overlooked by beginners with this species?

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We should all help each other and understand the hobby is growing more than ever right now. There is an influx of new people so the “newbie” questions are gonna be asked... instead of being rude, politely answer it or refer said person towards a place with good information.

Research also can go a long way for people just getting into the hobby for sure!

Photo credit: Korey Fuller

“I’m 30, have 2 children and have been into insects as long as I can remember. I live in Tennessee in a small town of just a few thousand (not even a Wal-Mart haha). I’m super fascinated by the world around us and so many people take it for granted. Most don’t even acknowledge how important these creatures are. Being in such a small town, I constantly get asked a million questions and the main ones being “Why? Why do you keep that many? Isn’t ONE bad enough?!” I just laugh and TRY to explain. Hardly ever do people come to accept it.

It’s been a dream of mine to travel and being able to keep all sorts of tarantulas and mantids (and other inverts), are my way of seeing things outside of what I’m used to...my way of traveling! You can follow my tarantula journey on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube at InverteVision!” - Korey Fuller 31

OBSERVATIONS OF A POECILOTHERIA METALLICA COMMUNE

By Tom Moran, Tom’s Big Spiders

What could be better than keeping one of the world’s most beautiful tarantulas? How about keeping 10... together.

Having experienced great success with my Monocentropus balfouri communal setup, I started giving thought to trying a communal with another species. After much research and deliberation, I settled on Poecilotheria metallica.

In my research, I had read several accounts of sacmates being raised together successfully to adulthood, and the photos and videos of these communes were simply stunning. It is speculated by hobbyists that P. metallica communal behavior may be a natural response to massive habitat loss.

The thought is that deforestation has led to loss of their territory, and the spiders have adapted to their shrinking range by crowding together in tree hollows and crooks of branches in order to ensure their survival. After all, cannibalism would only serve to further decimate their numbers, so this type of adaptation would be crucial to their wellbeing as a species. This type of behavior is not unprecedented, as other species of Poecilotheria have been observed in close proximity to each other in their natural habitats.

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I currently have an adult female P. metallica that I raised from a 1” sling. This was one of my shier and slower-growing “pokies”, taking over four years to reach maturity. As a sling, she was a temperamental eater who would often refuse prey that she found to be too large... or sometimes for seemingly no reason at all.

Several times she would stop eating, leading me to believe that she was in premolt, only to take a meal again after several weeks. Twice, her premolt period lasted several months, with her longest being around six. Despite her odd feeding proclivities, she blossomed into a beautiful blue female; it just took her a couple extra years when compared to other Poecilotheria species I keep.

With this communal setup, I really wanted to observe if there would be any behavioral differences between the specimen I kept separately and specimens kept with sac mates. I was particularly interested in the feeding responses and growth rate; would they improve?

Photo credit: Tom Moran

In June of 2018, I received a wonderful box of spiders from Fear Not Tarantulas that contained 10 1” Poecilotheria metallica slings. This batch of spiderlings came from the same sac and had been living in a group, and were even shipped to me together in a 16-oz deli cup. This was ideal, as most successful communals started with slings that had never been separated.

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After much deliberation (and some cold sweats when thinking about the initial housing!) it was finally time to take the plunge and set up this commune of blue beauties.

The Setup For the initial enclosure, I used an 8” tall by 4” diameter clear plastic cylindrical container.

This setup would allow the height needed for this arboreal species while also offering a 360 degree view of the spiders. I packed in about 3” of a moist coco fiber and vermiculite (80/20) mix, and added a piece of cork bark flat, leaned at an angle, for a hide.

Finally, I included some New Zealand sphagnum moss behind and around the base of the cork bark for hiding spots and to be used if the spiders wanted to web up. All of the Poecilotheria slings I’ve raised started off by burrowing a bit and using the moss and

33

their webbing to make “dirt curtains” around their cork bark, so I like to start them with the necessary raw materials they’ll need to decorate.

After a rather long and eventful housing (unpacking and rehousing 10 pokies at the same time is about as fun as it sounds), it was time for the first feeding.

With any communal setup attempt, it is very important to keep the specimens well fed to deter possible cannibalism.

Although I usually wait a few days before trying to feed newly rehoused spiders, I didn’t want to leave these guys with nothing to nosh on should they be hungry.

For the first feeding, I dropped in about a dozen pinhead B. lateralis (red runner) roaches.

Although the slings just scampered away from the food at first, I caught several eating later on that night.

Normally, I don’t leave live food in with tarantulas for any length of time. Prey items that aren’t consumed overnight are plucked out in the morning. However, with the P. metallica communal setup, I keep some living roaches in there at all times.

I’ve found that the red runners tend to hide beneath the moss during daylight hours and venture out only at night. There, they are quickly snatched up by the spiders. Twice, I caught one of the slings digging out a roach from its hiding spot in the moss and dirt.

34 credit: Tom Moran Photo

OBSERVATIONS OF A P. METALLICA COMMUNE, cont’d

Although leaving live prey in with spiders can always pose a potential threat, in this instance, it is necessary as a preventative measure to protect against possible cannibalism. However, the spiders tend to molt up high on a hammock of webbing, and there are always other spiders around, so the risk of a molting T being harmed by a roach is minimal.

The first several months I kept them, I would add about a dozen prey items every three days or so.

Now, I just watch for the number of live roaches to decrease before adding some more. This is usually once a week.

Due to the size differences between the 10 spiders, I drop in a variety of sizes of red runners for them. I’ve yet to see any squabbles over food, and several times I’ve caught three or four eating right next to each other. I have not witnessed any of them sharing a meal.

Differences in Feeding and General Behavior?

One of the big questions I had when starting this project was whether or not the spiders would benefit from the close quarters. With my M. balfouri communal setup, I saw many seemingly positive interactions, and the spiders in this enclosure ate better and grew faster than the three M. balfouri I had raised separately. Would I experience a similar effect with the P. metallica?

The answer is mostly “yes.” Overall, the majority of the P. metallicas in the communal are thriving and growing much faster than the one I had raised by itself. Three of the specimens are already about 3” in leg span and sporting some of those blues the adults are known for.

To put that into perspective, it took the one I raised about a year and a half to reach that

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Photo credit: Tom Moran

same size. A handful more are one molt behind this and are about 2.5” or so. The difference in feeding responses and growth for the majority of the specimens in this enclosure has been quite noticeable. The majority of the spiders have been great eaters, fattening up quickly and molting often.

Now, that’s not to say that they are all benefiting from this type of setup. There are two specimens that are growing much more slowly than the others, which I find intriguing. I’ve seen no food hogging, and there should be enough prey available that none of the spiders should have any 36

problem finding food. For whatever reason, these two are just growing at glacial (or normal?) pace when compared to the others. Although the sight of these tiny 1.25” spiderlings running amongst the much larger juveniles is certainly an odd one, they don’t appear to be in any danger. In fact, I once caught one eating a tiny roach beneath a larger specimen that was munching on a much larger feeder. They show no fear of their larger sacmates and often scramble among them.

This size discrepancy “issue” seems to be quite “normal” for Poecilotheria communities, with several keepers mentioning that

some of the specimens grew quite slowly. In most of the accounts I read about Poecilotheria communals while researching, there was talk of “runts”, or specimens that didn’t seem to grow nearly as quickly as their sacmates. The two smaller spiders are eating; I caught one munching on a small red runner just the other night. They just don’t seem to be as voracious or consistent with their eating habits as the other eight are.

Another subtle behavioral difference I observed was the absence of any type of borrowing.

As mentioned earlier, all of my Poecilotheria species had done

OBSERVATIONS OF A P. METALLICA COMMUNE, cont’d

]

some burrowing as slings, often using moss and dirt to create “dirt curtains” to hide within.

However, although the P. metallica slings cleared out a little area behind the base of the cork bark, they did no digging to speak of and very little webbing. The majority of them would huddle together on the back of the cork bark during the day, with a couple even venturing out to sit on the cork bark face.

Now that they’ve put on some size, the majority are out in the open even more often. Although they tend to scatter and scramble away whenever I disturb their enclosure, they are much more bold overall.

Most of my Poecilotheria specimens, my P. metallica included, didn’t spend much time in the open until they hit the 4” mark or so.

I usually warn folks keeping them for the first time that the arboreal tendencies (namely, hanging out on the cork bark above ground) will develop much later. In the case of this P. metallica communal group, they acted arboreal from the very beginning.

Looking Ahead

]

With most of the spiders either at or approaching the 3” mark, it’ll be time to rehouse these guys very soon. Keeping in mind that I don’t want to give them too much space as to

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Listen to the Tom’s Big Spiders podcast!

Photo 38 credit: Tom Moran

OBSERVATIONS OF A P. METALLICA COMMUNE, cont’d promote territoriality and possible cannibalism, I’m going to have to be extra deliberate in selecting the size and type of the next enclosure. At the moment, I’m considering an Exo Terra Nano tall (8” x 8” x 12” tall) or custom acrylic enclosure for their next home. To encourage the spiders to stay in close proximity, I’ll include a single piece of cork bark, probably a rounded flat, as a hide.

This setup would be comparable to what they have now, and would simulate a situation they might encounter in the wild. I would expect them to continue to huddle on and behind the cork bark like they are doing now.

I have read accounts that say that mature males can upset the balance of a communal setup, causing tension and fighting. As a result, I will likely pull any males as soon as they mature.

I already have an adult female, so I have a date waiting for the first guy to get his “boxing gloves.” Some folks who have tried to keep various species of Poecilotheria in a communal setup have said that everything worked until the specimens hit the 4-5” mark. At that point, they began cannibalizing each other. I’ll be paying

extra close attention to them during the next couple molts, and if there are any signs of trouble, I’ll separate them.

So far, this little non-scientific experiment has been a success, and I’ve enjoyed observing the interactions and differences in behaviors from those of the female I raised alone. That said, tarantula communal setups can be a tricky and unpredictable endeavor, and there are many reports of groups that are doing well...until they suddenly aren’t. As I move ahead with the next phase and rehouse these gorgeous spiders, I’ll do so with equal measures of optimism and caution. To be continued...

Tom Moran has been keeping tarantulas for well over a decade and has become a top resource for tarantula education and care.

To see more from Tom, you can head over to his website, TomsBigSpiders.com, listen to his podcast “Tom’s Big Spiders” or check out his YouTube channel! You can also follow Tom on Facebook, Tumblr or on Instagram!

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THE SLINGS

p. metallica Photo 40 credit: Inferis / Pixabay

Francis Psydex Tustin // YouTube channel Psydex’ Invert Kingdom Tell us about yourself!

Well firstly my name is Francis or some may know me as Psydex of the YouTube channel PsyDex’ Invert Kingdom.

I live in the West Midlands in the UK and recently became a father for the first time to a beautiful little girl who I hope to one day educate to appreciate all animal life and not fear it due to the influence of negative media.

My favourite species of all is the Monocentropus balfouri but the Poecilotheria metallica is one of the first tarantulas that ever made me say, “Wow I need that!!” and for a long time it was my dream species to own. I’m now the proud owner of one and it is one of the gems in my ever growing collection and a species I hope to have breeding success with in the future.

How long have you been a tarantula keeper and how did you get into the hobby? What was your first tarantula?

I have always had a passion for inverts and all things creepy crawly, but growing up it was not a passion my family shared which meant I couldn’t keep them. That all changed just about a year ago when I moved into my own home and got my first tarantula which was a beautiful Lasiadora parahybana that I called Raven. This is when I started my YouTube channel to share my journey into the hobby and shared my collection as it grew. I was inspired to do this by watching TarantulaDan on YouTube,

who has since become a good friend and mentor to me in the hobby.

How many Ts do you have now?

I now have around 50 Ts in my collection and a variety of other inverts such as centipedes, a scorpion, assassin bugs and an Egyptian predatory beetle. My collection consists of mostly Old Worlds such as Chilobrachys, Cyriopagopus, Pterinochilus and Monocentropus. Of course a big part of my collection is my collection of the Poecilotheria genus. I currently have 6 of the species available. Of the genus I currently have Regalis, Striata, Subfusca (Lowland), Ornata, Vittata and of course Metallica.

Have you ever bred or sold tarantulas?

I have on occasion sold doubles that I have received in a mystery box or traded with others but as of yet I have not successfully bred any of my collection. This however is something I am very interested in getting into and I am currently working on a number of breeding projects such as Davus pentaloris and Monocentropus balfouri with more planned for the future.

How old is your P metallica sling?

The Poecilotheria metallica has always been an iconic tarantula and a dream species to own for me. As a child I remember coming across a picture of a stunning, large blue tarantula and instantly falling in love, That of course 41

Photo credit: Francis Psydex Tustin

turned out to be the Poecilotheria metallica.

colours that make it such a special tarantula to own.

I came to own my Poecilotheria metallica as a gift from a really good friend of mine who knew it was a dream species of mine, this made adding it to my collection all the more special. My Poecilotheria metallica is an unsexed juvenile suspected female that I have raised from a sling and is now showing some of the stunning blue

Describe her enclosure/setup.

What do you feed her?

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My P. metallica is currently set up in a tall round plastic sweet jar enclosure with ventilation holes in both the top and around the sides.

The enclosure is set up with a cork bark running from bottom to top, this allows the P. metallica not only

plenty of climbing surface due to it being an arboreal tarantula but also a substantial area to retreat to where it can be hidden away from light. The area behind the cork bark is also covered to provide extra cover for the tarantula.

The Poecilotheria genus are often found in holes in the trees of their natural habitat where they retreat to escape from light and possible predators. I wanted to simulate

FRANCIS PSYDEX TUSTIN, cont’d this with the setup of the enclosure. As my Poecilotheria metallica and others of the genus grows, I will use the same principles in larger cylindrical enclosures. The substrate I use is coco fibre with a layer of sphagnum moss due to both being great for holding humidity.

How does taking care of this spider differ from others?

The Poecilotheria metallica, as is common in the genus, is a very shy tarantula that will quite quickly retreat and hide especially when light is present. It is important that they have an area to retreat to and also an enclosure that holds humidity well.

What tips could you give someone who wants to get one?

As with any tarantula it is very important to do as much research as possible, this is especially important when getting a Poecilotheria.

Although I have stated that they are quite a shy tarantula they are by no means a tarantula to be taken lightly. The Poecilotheria genus is a genus of Ts that possess very strong venom that can cause long lasting symptoms and a lot of pain.

This species is a large arboreal species that can be 20cm plus in leg span and can move very quickly when spooked or scared. The Poecilotheria metallica is a beautiful tarantula but not one that I would consider a beginner species. They are a species and a genus that commands a lot of respect.

What do you think is most important for people to know before getting an OWT? The most important thing to know and understand when getting into Old World Tarantulas is that these types of tarantulas are often fast and defensive and will readily defend themselves if they feel threatened. It is important to both understand and respect this fact and take all the steps possible to prevent stress or injury to yourself or the tarantulas. The best thing I could advise is research and never stop being willing to learn, this way you can prevent accidents from occurring rather than regretting mistakes.

Have you learned any DIY tricks for the P. metallica along the way?

Not really, I just did my research and have spoken to other keepers along the way. I do think it is important to always be interested to learn new methods that may improve captive keeping and breeding.

What advice would you give a newbie about slings in general?

Slings are a great place to start in the hobby if you are wanting to experience the full life cycle of a tarantula. They are also great to ease yourself in if you are not confident with keeping an adult straight away. When it comes to slings people sometimes go crazy buying lots all at once as they are so small, but my advice is to remember that these slings will one day grow into adult Ts and need bigger enclosures so keep that in mind.

Secondly, when rehousing - always be prepared. This applies to all Ts, not just slings, but slings can be very fast and skittish and will naturally want to escape when they feel they

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FRANCIS PSYDEX TUSTIN, cont’d

are in danger, and due to their small size can be hard to find or easily injured if they do escape. To prevent this, my advice would be to always use a large container to rehouse in to create a barrier in the path of any potential escapee. It is also useful to always have a suitably sized catch cup on hand to quickly and easily contain the sling should it make a break for it.

My YouTube channel is PsyDex’ Invert Kingdom, and I also have a podcast called Inverted Reality!

Photo credit: Jonathan Pearson / Tennessee Tarantulas

PSYDEX’ INVERT KINGDOM: A LOOK AT THE APHONOPELMA CHALCODES

Inverted Reality is a new Podcast based in the UK for all us invert lovers!

If you love the creatures most people hate like true spiders, tarantulas, scorpions, centipedes and so on look no further! Each episode will have a theme, a topic or a guest relating to the crazy world of inverts and will be brought to you by ‘Psydex’ of the YouTube channel PsyDex’ Invert Kingdom, Lucy of the YouTube channel ‘Lucyslittlecritters’ and Scarlett aka YouTube’s ‘The Black Widow’. Check us out and stay tuned as we have some awesome guests and topics coming up for you. Available to listen, share and download at Spreaker.com, and we also have a Facebook group!

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DANIEL COUSIN // YouTube channel Kuzzen Feral Ferret Tell us about yourself!

My name is Daniel but I go by Kuzzen, I am Kuzzen Feral Ferret on YouTube, and I’m in my late 20s living in South East London. I have many hobbies including inverts, caps, shoes, video games, sports (Crystal Palace Football Club and Guildford Flames Ice hockey Club season ticket holder) and a few other hobbies. I am a big music fan focusing on metal, hardcore, rap and hip hop. I call myself a Juggalo, being a fan of the Insane Clown Posse, and I love visiting other countries as well.

How long have you been a tarantula keeper and how did you get into the hobby?

I’ve been keeping inverts for nearly five months and tarantulas for nearly four. My first was a K. brunnipes (RIP) and a Green Bottle Blue (still alive).

How many Ts do you have now?

I have 87!

Have you ever bred or sold tarantulas?

No, but may be looking into breeding in the new year.

How old is your P. metallica sling?

My sling is about one inch and has moulted once since I got it. Right now it is way too small to try and sex.

Photo credit: Korey Fuller 45

]

DANIEL COUSIN, cont’d

Describe their enclosure/setup. What do you feed them?

They live in a small jar similar to what you can buy cricket food and water gel in. About an inch or so of substrate with a tall piece of cork bark and I feed her bean weevils.

How does taking care of this spider differ from others?

]

Make sure you are ready for their speed, don’t make the ventilation holes too big. Also, the blues may be what brings you to them but you have to get the lighting just right. As they grow you will need to provide a dark space for them to hide in.

Due to speed I have to be careful, she does decide to run out! I made the ventilation holes slightly too big and the bean weevils sometimes climb out!

What do you think is most important for people to know before getting an Old World Tarantula?

What tips could you give T owners who want to get one?

They are quicker, more defensive and have worse bites but as long as you treat them with

Photo credit: Jonathan Pearson / Tennessee Tarantulas 46

a cautious respect you will be fine (this coming from someone who is scared of all of his Ts)!

keeper and what did you learn from it?

From watching The Dark Den - when she gets bigger, to see her I will use magnets and a black card to darken the corner the cork bark is in so I can check on her easier.

Biggest mistake would be the death of my first T, my K. brunnipes. I was new and I moved it into new home in a very short space of time and it may have been in premolt. I don’t know, but I think I stressed it out and it died. Since then if I rehome I don’t go moving it again and keep it in size appropriate containers (a few of mine may be a tad too big but nothing major).

What advice would you give a newbie about slings in general?

What is your favorite or most-wanted T? Do you have a “goal” for your T collection?

Do your research, they can be easier to miss and sometimes easier to kill with rookie mistakes but can be a good place to start if you are nervous about Ts to begin with.

My favourite T is the Y. diversipes. I have it, I’d love to one day breed it and have loads but I have a few Ts I’d love to own, too. A. mooreae, T. seladonia, a few of the X sp, Baeri. Generally rares, news and blues. I have a couple goals: have at least 1 invert from every country I have ever visited, build my pokie collection, get 2 of every colour form of OBT and one day breed, which would be amazing.

Have you learned any DIY tricks for the P. metallica along the way?

What do you love about the T community?

What do you think needs improving?

The overall community is great but there are some real snobs and elitists which is a pain, we could do with relaxing that side of it.

What has been your biggest mistake as a T

I post every Monday and Friday on my YouTube channel, Kuzzen Feral Ferret !

KUZZEN FERAL FERRET THEMANWITHTHESPIDER-LEGHAIR:

SPECIAL ON THE SPOT PORTSMOUTH TARANTULAS MYSTERY BOX UNBOXING!!!

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Featured artist:

GRAY GHOST CREATIONS Laura Airey Le is an artist from Colorado, USA who is well known in the tarantula community for her amazing artwork. It’s an honor to share her work!

Tell us about yourself!

Hello! My name is Laura Airey Le. I live in Lakewood Colorado, and am a Colorado native.

I currently work for a Dental Laboratory making teeth and dentures. My job is either painting teeth to make them look life-like, building porcelain, or sculpting gum tissue. It’s a very artistic job.

My hobbies include drawing, painting, and crafting.

What interested you about tarantulas? How did you get into the hobby?

Over 12 years ago, I worked for a local reptile company. It introduced me into the world of arachnids and what an interesting world it could be. I only worked there a brief period of time, after that I fell out of the arachnid world for a while.

]

]

In recent years, I have really spent a lot of time learning more about them and drawing them. I feel they are totally unappreciated for how graceful and beautiful they can be.

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Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations

Illustration: Gray Ghost Creation

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GRAY GHOST CREATIONS, cont’d

Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations

How many tarantulas are in your collection? Do you have a favorite?

it Gollum due to it acting so much like a reclusive creature, only coming to the light for a raw meal.

What inspired you to pursue art?

What has your journey as an artist looked like over the years?

I currently own 12 tarantulas, all sling to quarter sized. It would be hard for me to choose a favorite as I love them all. But I do really love my Harpactira pulchripes, or Golden Blue Leg Baboon.

Do you have any other pets?

I was given a Brachypelma vagans or Mexican Red Rump as a free gift with some other tarantulas I purchased, and surprisingly it’s got my favorite personality. I named

I also have several corn snakes, 2 gray banded king snakes, and 2 mandarin rat snakes.

Honestly nature inspires my art.

I have always loved drawing animals. I had 2 childhood heroes that really helped me in my art journey. One was Bob Ross. As a child without cable, he was always there painting some beautiful and relaxing nature scene. My second hero is Steve Irwin. He was my true inspiration into the world of reptiles and arachnids.

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I have two cats, a flame tip Siamese mix named Squidward, and a black and white named Plumpy.

Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations

Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations

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GRAY GHOST CREATIONS, cont’d

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Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations

What is your preferred medium or way to make art?

I prefer to use colored pencils. My favorite brands are Prismacolor and Caran D’Ache.

I also enjoy using pastels and acrylic paints.

Most of my drawings are 90% to 100% colored pencils, but when I need to add in more depth to something I will go back in with pastels or acrylics.

How long does a typical tarantula piece take? Do you work from photos, memory, or the spider itself?

A typical drawing takes anywhere from 4 hours to 30 hours depending on size and detail.

A typical 8x10 full color and full background drawing is usually a 10 to 14 hour drawing. I typically will work from several photos. I have a few spider friends who send me reference photos, or I will work from about 3 to 7 reference photos to make my one image.

Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations Photo credit: Gray Ghost Creations

Do you have any exciting projects you’ll be working on in the future?

I plan to do a Pamphobeteus machala, Psalmopoeus cambridgei, and Poecilotheria ornata in the near future. However there will be many more!

You can view more of Laura Airey Le’s work (available for purchase as well) on Etsy at www.grayghostcreations.etsy.com.

You can also follow her on Facebook, or on Instagram!

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BLUE TARANTULAS: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE

By S. Perez

There is nothing as mesmerizing to many new tarantula keepers as the thought of acquiring a blue tarantula.

Of the many blue species - blue has been found in 40 of 53 genera so far - none have captivated us like the Poecilotheria metallica, or Gooty Sapphire Ornamental, its brilliant blue marked by intricate patterns of black and white with contrasting yellow leg bands. Perhaps P. metallica seems rare because it is the only blue species in the Poecilotheria genus, and its pattern and stance make it appear unique among tarantulas.

Photo credit: Jonathan Pearson / Tennessee Tarantulas 54

Photo credit: Jonathan Pearson / Tennessee Tarantulas

Tarantulas are often portrayed as brown or black, and spiders in general are not an animal that many people choose to inspect closely, so when people see P. metallica for the first time they’ve often seen nothing like it before.

By 2015, blue tarantulas had also caught the eye of University of Akron’s then PhD student Bor-Kai Hsiung, not only because they are blue, but because their blue color remains consistent when viewed from different angles, unlike the iridescent sheen of butterfly wings or peacock feathers that change hues when hit by light from different angles.

Hsiung’s curiosity follows a path familiar to the human narrative, one of invention via biomimicry, akin to flight copied from birds and insects. In this article I will explain the amazing findings that have resulted from Hsiung and his team of researchers examining the nanostructures in the hairs of blue tarantulas.

Will our future be measured in nanometers, in computer chips so minute they are invisible to the naked eye, embedded in vivid paints or plastics that never fade? Just how small is a nanometer? Imagine that a human hair measures 100,000 nanometers.

55

BLUE TARANTULAS: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE, cont’d

Apply this to the nanostructures that make up tarantula hairs, layers of spongy keratin or chitin interspersed with air pockets arranged in highly structured, hierarchical patterns that, due to rotational symmetry, defy iridescence. Singularly invisible to us, millions of these tiny transparent structures combined as a whole create some of the most vivid colors we’ve ever seen.

In many species, bright colors serve a purpose during mating rituals. Not so for tarantulas, who have poor vision. The current theory is that tarantulas are colorful as a result of the underlying nanostructures that make up their hairs, and that the brilliant blue of the Poecilotheria metallica, for example, is merely a byproduct of unknown function.

Photo credit: Korey Fuller 56

Another interesting finding is that the color blue has evolved independently at least eight times in tarantulas, and not in linear fashion as one might suspect.

This led Hsiung’s team to investigate differences in underlying hair structures of which, according to an article published in Science Advances titled, “Blue reflectance in tarantulas is evolutionarily conserved despite nanostructural diversity,” researchers have found three: (1) smooth, rod shaped hairs; (2) symmetric hairs with an array of rodlike, tubular foldings projecting longitudinally on their periphery; and (3) asymmetric hairs with longitudinal, bladelike protrusions on one or more sides or irregularly flattened hairs.

Known as convergent evolution, the independent formation of this non-iridescent blue throughout different lineages is caused by highly symmetrical structures that scientists aim to recreate on a nanoscale in hopes of some day commercially offering long-lasting,

Flip to the back to see references for this article!

Photo credit: Aestas / Arachnoboards.com

environmentally friendly synthetic pigments. Imagine that one day polluting and fading dyes will no longer be produced for clothing, ink, or toys, to name a few colorful items, and that this new technology will be developed using 3-D printed nanostructure patterns copied from the hairs of blue tarantulas.

Does this mean that in the future all consumer products will be blue?

By varying the spatial properties of nanostructures, scientists

can produce a myriad of colors.

This means that while underlying patterns remain consistent, tweaking the distance between structures on a nanoscale causes us to see different colors. Research and development is well underway using nanotechnology to provide unchanging, vibrant colors that endure time and weather. To think: the stunning blue of P. metallica may be an environmentally friendly substitute for our dependence on non-sustainable pigments.

So next time you see a tarantula, remember they are much more than eight legs and fangs, and prey drives, or brilliant blues or coppers or velvety blacks - their bodies are a nanoworld that holds answers to new technologies which, in the not-so-distant past, existed beyond science. Tomorrow we may be wearing brightly colored synthetic tarantula skins or viewing vivid movies through tarantula-inspired screens.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR S. Perez and her work with tarantulas can be found online on her YouTube channel!.

57

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59

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!

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a

UNITY 61

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

62 credit: Sophie Swaney Photo

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

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I have always loved spiders and my dad used to have tarantulas as pets when I was little. I got into owning them when I was in college because I felt bad about having to have dorm advisers come in and kill a brown recluse.

I have between 60 and 70 individual tarantulas plus a female Latrodectus mactans I caught where I work. I have 49 different species of tarantulas, so with that I don’t even know where to start. I made a huge spreadsheet of all that, I have in common names as well as updated scientific/binomial names.

I have four favorite tarantulas in my collection: My old G. porteri princess named Jovia, M. balfouri, G. pulchra, and my C. darlingi named Maggie the Unicorn (or just Magortha).

I enjoy collecting tarantulas because feeding them, watering them, collecting molts, and just watching them grow is so relaxing and satisfying. I am also lucky to have a wonderful boyfriend who has pet tarantulas too and shares my love for these gorgeous animals.

There is just so much to say. This may sound cliche, but they are the most rewarding animals I have ever encountered.

- Sophie Swaney

64 Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Sophie Swaney

Photo credit: Seaneva Gowlis

This is Strawberry. I originally got strawberry from a friend that no longer wanted to take care of her and since she came in my life I was obsessed have her. It’s fabulous. Fun. Fascinating to have Strawberry and my slings.

I love staring at her when I have the time. If I’m lucky, I get to watch her “preen”, pick up dirt and move it around (this is sooo adorable to watch!), or watch the slings make tunnels in their enclosures.

It’s fun showing them off at parties; I get to witness countless facial expressions from guests ranging from disgusted and shocked to wonder and curiosity.

Some people come into my room, completely and utterly freaked out by any and all creatures with multiple legs, but walk out with a little more confidence and appreciation for them when they give me a chance to educate. It’s rewarding when I get this opportunity, to see people’s fear alleviated by education.

As someone who’s constantly working and traveling, they’re pretty low maintenance and cheap to take care of. So, that’s nice.

Overall, it’s awesome having tarantulas as pets.

- Seaneva Gowlis

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Photo credit: Aviculor / Tumblr

Photo credit: Aviculor / Tumblr

Photo credit: Aviculor / Tumblr 66

Photo credit: Tricksyfoxx / Tumblr

Photo credit: Tricksyfoxx / Tumblr 67

“Jumanji”, Grammostola rosea Photo credit: Shouldntwebeworking / Tumblr 68

“Terry”, Grammostola rosea Photo credit: Tytythehistoryguy / Tumblr

Grammostola rosea 69 Photo credit: Projectexotic / Tumblr

Poecilotheria striata Photo credit: Whitelightning777 / Tarantulaforum.com

Theraphosa stirmi 70 Photo credit: Whitelightning777 / Tarantulaforum.com

Poecilotheria striata Photo credit: Whitelightning777 / Tarantulaforum.com

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Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens

72 Photo credit: PanzoN88 / Tarantulaforum.com

Photo credit: PanzoN88 / Tarantulaforum.com

Brachypelma emilia Photo credit: PanzoN88 / Tarantulaforum.com

Photo credit: PanzoN88 / Tarantulaforum.com

Brachypelma albopilosum 73 Photo credit: PanzoN88 / Tarantulaforum.com

Photo credit: Mark Postins

Photo credit: Mark Postins

Photo credit: Mark Postins

74 Photo credit: Mark Postins

Photo credit: Mark Postins

“Scarlet”, Brachypelma hamorii (formerly smithi) Photo credit: Mark Postins

My first foray into owning a tarantula began about 25 years ago. Long before the internet and specialist pet shops, tarantulas were quite hard to come by especially in rural Leicestershire. So imagine my surprise and amazement when one was advertised for sale in the classified adverts of my local weekly newspaper.

At the time, I could not drive and got a lift to and from work, so you should have seen the look of surprise on my mate’s face one night when I asked him if we could collect my new pet on the way home. He took some persuading to let me back in the van, but I finally convinced him that it couldn’t get out off the glass vivarium it came in as the lid was taped on well.

Now £10 ($15) lighter in the wallet I was the proud owner of my first tarantula, a beautiful Mexican Red Knee (Brachypelma hamorii). I named her Scarlet.

A walk to the local library revealed the vast amount of one book on tarantulas (written by John G. Browning). Renewed many times that year, I seemed to be the only tarantula keeper in my village at that time as nobody else took out that book to my knowledge. So began my fascination with tarantulas that has lasted for over a quarter of a century on and off.

- Mark Postins 75

Photo credit: Mark Postins

“Cleopatra aka Blondie�, Aphonopelma chalcodes Photo credit: Mark Postins 76

Photo credit: Mark Postins

Photo credit: Mark Postins

Photo credit: Mark Postins

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Pterinochilus murinus

78 Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Aphonopelma chalcodes Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Aphonopelma seemanni 79 Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens 80 Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Hapalopus sp. Colombia large Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Bumba cabocla 81 Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Phormictopus cancerides Photo credit: Korey Fuller 82

Pelinobius muticus Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Pseudoclamoris gigas Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Bumba cabocla Photo credit: Korey Fuller

Lasiodora parahybana Photo credit: Korey Fuller 83

Phlogius sp. “Stents” 84 Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Phlogius sp. “Stents�

Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Selenotypus sp2 Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Selenotypus plumipes 85 Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Phlogius sp. “Stents” Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Selenotypus sp2 Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Selenotypus plumipes

Phlogius sp. “Goliath” Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com 86

Selenotypus plumipes Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

Phlogius sp. “Stents�

87 Photo credit: Dave Dunn / Tarantulaforum.com

REVISIONS RECENT CHANGES IN THE HOBBY Tapinauchenius and Psalmopoeus generas The genera of Tapinauchenius (Ausserer, 1871) as well as Psalmopoeus (Pocock, 1895) have never been reviewed or revised before, until now. Thanks to the advancements we’ve made in diagnosing tarantulas, we have more accuracy than ever before.

You can read the entire report here, but below is a summary: The Changes Tapinauchenius sp Colombia (A new species from the Amazon region) is now Pseudoclamoris burgessi Tapinauchenius gigas is now Psuedoclamoris gigas

Species: Psuedoclamoris gigas (revised) Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons 88

Tapinauchenius elenae is now Psuedoclamoris elenae Tapinauchenius sp Union Island is now Tapinauchenius rasti Tapinauchenius sanctivicenti is now Tapinauchenius polybotes Tapinauchenius subcaeruleus is now nomen dubium (meaning there is not enough accurate data to precisely describe or confirm this species) In addition to all of this, the genera/Subfamily Psalmoponinae has been revised to include the following genus families; Ephebopus, Psalmopoeus, Psuedoclamoris and Tapinauchenius.

Species: Psuedoclamoris gigas (revised) Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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

EVENT

LOCATION

March 9

Terraristika Hamm Reptile Exhibition

Westphalia, Germany

March 24

Northern Invertebrate Show

Halifax, England

May 19

34th British Tarantula Society Exhibition

Warwick, United Kingdom

July 21

Western Invertebrate Show

Thornbury, England

August 18

Scottish Invertebrate Show

Glasgow, Scotland

September 15

Eastern Invertebrate Show

Bedford, England

November 7

Southern Invertebrate Show

Brighton, England

90 Photo credit: Jonathan Pearson / Tennessee Tarantulas

UNITED STATES DATE

EVENT

LOCATION

February 2-3

Repticon

Austin, TX Fayetteville, NC Jacksonville, FL

February 8-10

Repticon

Edison, NJ (Super Pet Expo)

February 9-10

Repticon

Nashville, TN

February 16

Repticon

Gainesville, FL

February 16-17

Repticon

Birmingham, AL

February 23-24

Repticon

Tampa, FL Oklahoma City, OK Charlotte, NC

March 2-3

Texas Reptile Expo

McQueeny, TX

March 2-3

Repticon

Knoxville, TN Marietta, GA

March 9

Repticon

Port St. Lucie, FL

March 9-10

Repticon

Denver, CO Shreveport, LA

March 15-17

Repticon

Chantilly, VA (Super Pet Expo)

March 16-17

Repticon

Houston, TX West Palm Beach, FL

March 23-24

Repticon

Greenville, SC

March 24

Kansas City Reptile Show

Kansas City, MI

March 30

Repticon

Ft. Myers, FL

March 30-31

Repticon

Memphis, TN Roanoke, VA

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SOURCES +

POECILOTHERIA METALLICA: THE PEACOCK TARANTULA Author: Michael Fantus

Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Listing Determinations for Five Poecilotheria Tarantula Species From Sri Lanka. (2016, December 14). Retrieved December 9, 2018, from https://www.federalregister. gov/documents/2016/12/14/2016-30059/endangered-and-threatenedwildlife-and-plants-listing-determinations-for-five-poecilotheria Poecilotheria metallica. (n.d.). Retrieved December 9, 2018, from https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Poecilotheria_meta llica.html Vierberghe, D. V. (2017, October 23). Poecilotheria metallica. Retrieved December 4, 2018, from https://www.theraphosidae.be/en/poecilotheria-metallica/ Pocock, R. (2014, July 14). A new iridescent tarantula of the genus Thrigmopoeus Pocock, 1899 from Western Ghats, India. Retrieved December 5, 2018, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1631069114001371

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REFERENCES BLUE TARANTULAS: MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE Author: S. Perez Deamer, Kacey. 2017. Blue Tarantula Hair Inspired Nonfading Color Pigment. Live Science (February). https:// www.livescience.com/58031-tarantula-hair-inspired-nonfading-color.html.

Hsiung, B.K., Deheyn, D., Shawkey, M., and Blackledge, T. (2015) Blue reflectance in tarantulas is evolutionarily conserved despite nanostructure diversity. Science Advances Vol. 1, No. 10 (November). http:// advances.sciencemag.org/content/1/10/e1500709.full?intcmp=trendmd-adv.

Hsiung, B.K., Shawkey, M., Zarksy, K., Hsiung, J., Tseng, L., Jiang, J., and Lu, Y. Project on experiment. com: The Development of Non-iridescent Structurally Colored Material Inspired by Tarantula Hairs. https:// experiment.com/projects/the-development-of-non-iridescent-structurally-colored-material-inspired-by-tarantulahairs.

Hsiung, B.K., Siddique, R.H., Jiang, L., Liu, Y., Lu, Y., Shawkey, M., and Blackledge, T. 2017. Structural Colors: Tarantula-Inspired Noniridescent Photonics with Long-Range Order. Advanced Optical Materials (February). https://doi.org/10.1002/adom.201770008.

Madhusoodanan, J. 2017. Inner Workings: Tarantula tint inspires new ways of making colors. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (April): 114 (14) 3547-3549. https://www. pnas.org/content/114/14/3547.

Morad, Renee. 2017. Seeker.com. Blue Tarantulas Inspire 3D-Printed Color That Never Fades. https://www. seeker.com/blue-tarantulas-inspire-3d-printed-color-that-never-fades-2249897760.html.

Murray, Bayleigh. Biomimicry and the Mesmerizing Colors of Blue Tarantulas. A Modern Corporation, October 26, 2016. https://medium.com/this-is-an-experiment/biomimicry-and-the-mesmerizing-colors-of-blue-tarantulas11754a97edfd.

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a final note Thank you so much for your support!

I hope you enjoyed the first issue of The Spinnerette! My goal is to keep growing and improving what this magazine has to offer, and your feedback is very important to me and how this magazine develops.

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, big fuzzy spider hugs to you! May you and your tarantulas continue to thrive and prosper!

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