Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Chaco Golden-Knee Tarantula

This past Sunday was the exotic reptile show in Overland Park, KS. They have this reptile show every three months and invite exotic reptile breeders from all over the region. I attend whenever possible and generally come away from there with some unique critter. I prefer to buy animals from reputable breeders who know all about the species they are rearing and selling. Buying from places like Petco and Petsmart is an iffy business. They may or may not be purchasing their animals from licensed and reputable breeders, the employees they hire know very little about the creatures they are selling and can provide very little information to common questions. Many of the employees are terrified of snakes, tarantulas and lizards and are reluctant to handle them or remove them from cages. I purchased a Chilean rose-haired tarantula from Petco 3 months ago and had to remove it from the cage myself because the employee was too terrified to do it himself. Often times the animals are not cared for properly and are fed the wrong diet. If owning a tarantula or spider is something you think you might like to do, then I recommend turning to a breeder that is experienced and can answer any questions you may have.

At the show on Sunday  I bought a tarantula that I have wanted to own for a long time now. It is a Chaco Golden Knee (Grammostola pulchripes).They were formerly listed as (Grammostola aureostriata).This is a large species of tarantula and may reach legspans up to 8 inches or more. The one I purchased is 6 inches in diameter and beautifully colored.

  This species is often recommended for first time tarantula owners because of their friendly, docile temperament. They are large in size and make quite an impression and are not known to bite. When placed in a cage they typically remain in the open and easy to view, rather than hiding like many other species of tarantulas do. I was so excited to finally have the opportunity to own one of these magnificent spiders that I couldn't keep my hands off it.


Now I realize a tarantula is not everyone's idea of the perfect pet and for many years I would have been in agreement. My fear of spiders was legendary and it hasn't been too long that I overcame my fear of spiders and was able to recognize their beneficial qualities and beauty, now I am hooked. 

Golden-Knee tarantulas are gorgeous with light colored hairs all over their bodies and beautiful golden colored lines on their legs, especially near their knees. It is these golden lines that they get their common name from. They feed on crickets, superworms, roaches and pinkie mice. One draw back to this species is their cost, they are relatively expensive. Generally they are in the range of $150, but I was able to score this one for $100. Of course I considered this a great buy, whereas my husband thought I needed my head examined for paying that much for a spider!
This species is terrestrial and originates from South America. As young spiders they spend the daylight hours in underground burrows as they age they prefer a life above ground. This species has a large appetite and grows rapidly. Even though this species rarely bites, it is reported to be extremely painful if they do. If trying your hand at breeding tarantulas, this is a good species to start with. They breed easily and produce up to 800 young with each mating. However the female can be and often is aggressive towards the male. She will attack and try to kill her mate. This tendency is typical of most spiders, and with any luck the male will escape.

22 comments:

  1. Lovely specimen, you have found an interesting love.

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  2. Thanks Steve, it is easy to get hooked on these gentle giants of the spider world

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  3. What a beautiful spider! Colours are extra-ordinary.

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  4. Gorgeous creature. Couldn't agree with you more re: finding a reputable breeder, 'cause as a former NPS person who knew a bunch of well-informed herpetologists (USGS), they told me THE pet shop to go to so that you know the animal was not poached from the wild. Animals poached from, for example, Big Bend NP have ended up in Europe and beyond. Yeah, decide you love a particular species, then take steps to exterminate it. SMART! =)

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  5. Thanks Zane, she is marked beautifully isn't she? I am crazy about her

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  6. Thanks Bio, I am huge supporter of people buying from breeders that do not remove creatures from the wild, but rather breed them in captivity. Some people have no sense of responsibility when it comes to wild animals.

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  7. amen to your post about breeders and lot of the pet store employees :( my daughter actually raises small geckos and keeps a lot of crickets, mealworms and the like... she's always loved critters and this is her way of trying to keeping wild caught out of the market place... as for your lovely new charge.. gorgeous :D

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  8. Wow, thats a big tarantula! My brother has tarantulas in here and cant wait for them to get big as your pet. I already saw some of them moult, awesome..

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  9. Hi there My boyfriend and I purchased one today. its a little spider-ling:) I just wanted some tips on how to start off with one. I am petrified of spiders but I can see my self growing fond of Little Orion(^^,)we at this moment have a glass cage for it with this sand the pet shop gave us and we are feeding it twice a week. this is what we have been told to do. I would like to know is there anything that I should know of or do?

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  10. Hello! I bought my Chaco at the same event but she is just a spiderling. She is already beautiful and I can not wait to raise her to be a beautiful adult Chaco. If you can wait for them to age they are less expensive in price. I paid $10 for my baby. I have a Rosie that I handle and adore but I am excited to get my Chaco big enough to handle without the fear of losing her. I also purchased a B. Smithi juvenile whom I handle...same event but again less expensive than an adult. I love them.

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  11. I'm a huge arachnophobic. However, my younger brother is so addicted to spiders especially to that Golden Knee Tarantula. Now I'm trying to get used to seeing his pets everyday. I'm actually trying hard. I have to. I need hehehehelpppppp...
    ^^

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  12. To Above: Once you have one crawl on your hand and behave your views will change. I neither disliked nor liked tarantula's but after holding one and seeing it wander around my hands and arm, i totally love them!

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  13. ive been such so worry to raise someone like that .coz im afraid to fail on raising them...i would like to have one of it ...i want to buy ...

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  14. Beautiful! I bought my son a rose-hair for his birthday almost 5 years ago. This past May I was in the pet store buying crickets and vermiculite for her. Luckily, one of the managers is a spider enthusiast himself, and was excited to show me a chaco golden knee they had recently acquired from one of their main breeders. Because there isn't too much of a demand in the area, they'd already lowered the price to $110. He offered it to me for $100. I went home and told my husband about it. (He's not exactly a big fan, though they are growing on him :)) I mentioned that Mother's Day was coming. The following Sunday, we all took a trip to let my youngest daughter see the spider. My husband talked them into dropping the price to $90 and including a terrarium. Of course, they provided us the smallest one, but it was enough to hold him until I got a 20 gallon. I am now the proud owner of Aurelius - my first Chaco Golden Knee. I just absolutely love them!!!

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  15. I need expert advice please! I purchased a Chilean Rose hair from a chain pet store at the end of July. She (Rosie) is wonderful and my family loves her! She has been a big eater.. attacking any cricket we put in her tank. At least one cricket a day, sometimes more. 2 weeks ago Rosie went inside her 1/2 log and webbed herself in. Today I decided to break a little area of her web and look inside the log with a flash light. She was in there with an egg sac! What do I do? Is it possible she was pregnant when she came to me? How much time is typically between being with a male and laying the eggs? I am so excited and worried for their safety. Thanks!

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    1. Julie, I wish I could tell you I was the right person to answer your questions. I am not an expert when it comes to tarantulas and their breeding habits. It is entirely possible that she was mated prior to you buying her. You might visit the website www.tarantulainc.com and see if they can advise you. They are who I bought my tarantula from.

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  16. I just bought one as a baby, I'm pretty excited for it to grow up

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    1. They are awesome, you are sure to love her as much as I love mine. They make wonderful pets and are so easy to handle.

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  17. Hi! I recently had a Chaco golden knee and she is 4 months old.just wnna ask if how many months will the golden stripes appear?thanks

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  18. Hi,
    I am meant to be receiving my first Chaco today.
    When they go in their defense mode, is it wise to pick them up?
    I am so happy that all my research via Internet states how docile and easily handled they are.
    Are they really that friendly or do you have to be lucky enough to come across one as Spiders don't show emotion in characteristics?
    Hoping mines a Female hence the life span :)

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    1. I've had mine several years and I've never witnessed mine going into a defensive mode. They truly are gentle giants. But, if you do witness yours rear up or act defensive then I wouldn't recommend handling it until it settles down. By nature though this species is not known to be aggressive, defensive or fearful.

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  19. i got my second chaco today.. and the dealer told me that she was already mated a month ago.. how long do i have to wait and what would i do to ensure her having an offspring??

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