Welcome To Tarantula Haven!

Gooty Sapphire Ornamental (Poecilotheria metallica)
Gooty Sapphire Ornamental (Poecilotheria metallica)

I am so excited to announce that I have created my own web site for my tarantula hobby.  The site is just beginning but I plan on posting much more as I continue.  Eventually, I would like to sell tarantulas but that remains to be seen.  For now I am content to have an outlet for my photography and to share my experiences with others.

Pictured on the left is one of my new additions to my collection, the beautiful P. metallica, commonly known as the Gooty Sapphire Ornamental.  This is a highly sought after species in the hobby and because of its beauty and rarity usually commands a high price.  Fortunately, because of breeding projects in the pet trade, the price has come down considerably.  This species of tarantula is considered critically endangered.  It is found in the wild in a small area that is under 100 square kilometers (39 sq. mi.) in a reserve forest in India.  Due to deforestation this species may eventually become extinct in the wild.

The photo I’ve taken is of a 1 inch sling.  All poecilotheria slings tend to have similar markings and are dull in color.  They won’t begin to start showing their true colors until they get much larger in size.  Already a little bit of the blue iridescence can be seen on its hairs.