The Spinnerette Issue 11: Acanthoscurria geniculata

THE SPINNERETTE ISSUE 11 ACANTHOSCURRIA ADVICE, CARE TIPS, GENICULATA INTERVIEWS B R A Z I L I A N W H I T E K N E E1

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hey spider fans! I don't think I'd be alone in saying that the last few months have been TOUGH. No matter where you are in the world, you have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, I've been so grateful and felt very blessed for the tarantula hobby for providing me with a comforting, wonderful community and friends, as well as my beautiful spiders who provide endless entertainment from home. I've honestly gained an entirely new respect for tarantulas and their introverted habits during quarantine! Anyway, please enjoy this issue about the Acanthoscurria geniculata! I love this spider and I'm so happy to share the knowledge of some amazing keepers. Big thank you to the Tarantula Heaven community for contributing stories/photos and The Tarantula Collective for sponsoring this issue! If you are interested in submitting feedback, being a part of future issues, or contacting me for advertising, you can do so at [email protected]! 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 [email protected] The cover image is credited to Wikimedia Commons Copyright © 2020 Patricia Colli

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 09 Acanthoscurria Geniculata: The Brazilian White Knee 12 14 By Michael Fantus Acanthoscurria Geniculata Care Tips By Patricia Colli A. Geniculata: My Hungry Tarantula An interview with Zak Agar 20 A. Geniculata: A T With Personality 26 32 An interview with Shauna Ann Dudgeon 36 My Feisty Brazilian White Knee Tarantula An interview with Abigail Owen Tarantulas: A Lifelong Passion An interview with Matt Costello Tarantula Community A collection of submissions from the Tarantula Heaven community 44 References A collection of citations

ACANTHOSCURRIA GENICULATA, THE BRAZILIAN WHITE KNEE By Michael Fantus I had the privilege of raising a female specimen of this species. She was gorgeous, docile, and ate readily. I strongly recommend purchasing one for hobbyists of all levels as they are not shy, grow quickly, and have a stunning appearance from birth on. Description: Acanthoscurria geniculata (C. L. Koch, 1841), also known as “Giant white knee”, “Brazilian white knee tarantula” and “White banded tarantula”, is an astonishing bird spider due to its coloration, pattern and behavior from Brazil. She furiously hunts down her prey, going straight for the kill. You’ll sometimes hear people talk about Acanthoscurria transamazonica, which is being used as a synonym for the same spider. Acanthoscurria geniculata is high on many favorite-lists. Suppliers and amateurs sometimes confuse it with Nhandu chromatus. Geography: The Brazilian White knee is native to the Rio Branco region of Brazil. The species prefers living in the warm and tropical Brazilian rain forests, and thrive in temperatures ranging between 23 degrees Celsius and 29 degrees Celsius. When the temperature gets extremely high for their tolerance (more than 30 degree Celsius) they seek retreats under massive tree trunks, holes of the branches, crevices of the rocks and may burrow into the substratum. P8hoto credit: Pixabay

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons9

]Brazilian White Knee, cont’d Taxonomy: Acanthoscurria: “thorny with rounded horn like ends” Geniculata: “with white leg joints” Kingdom: Animalia –animals Subkingdom: Bilateria Infrakingdom: Protostomia Superphylum: Ecdysozoa Phylum: Arthropoda- arthropods Subphylum: Chelicerata – cheliceriformes Class: Euchelicerata Subclass: Arachnida –arachnids Order: Araneae – spiders Family: Theraphosidae Thorell, 1869 – tarantulas Genus: Acanthoscurria Ausserer, 1871 Species: Acanthoscurria geniculata (C. L. Koch, 1841) – White banded tarantula Status: Tarantulas, like all living things on earth, are an endangered species due to complications ]associated with climate change. 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! 10

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commo1n1s

Acangtehnoiscuculartraia CARE TIPS BASIC INFO Common name: Brazilian white Scientific name: Acanthoscurria Experience level: Beginner knee geniculata Type: New world, Terrestrial Origin: Forests of northern Brazil Life span: Females can live over a decade (sometimes up to 20 years) Growth rate: Fast Size: 7-8 inch leg span fully grown while males generally only live 4 years. APPEARANCE The Brazilian white knee, unlike many of the larger terrestrial tarantulas, is very striking in its appearance due to the brilliant white stripes that adorn its leg joints. Attitude: The Brazilian white knee has a BEHAVIOR reputation of being semi-aggressive and nervous. Defensive behavior: Brazilian giant white knee is a bold tarantula. It may use a defensive pose, but would rather retreat than stand and fight. This tarantulas has urticating hairs, type I and III. Bite danger: If you are bitten, this has been Handling: Always use caution when handling likened to a bee sting. A small percentage of any tarantula. Many tarantula owners use gloves people are allergic to bee stings so care should due to the irritating urticating hairs. be taken. DIET + NUTRITION This is a hungry, greedy tarantula. Brazilian giant white knee spiderlings eat pinhead crickets and other small insects. Adults eat crickets, other large insects, small lizards, pinkie mice, and an occasional fuzzy mouse. 12

THE TARANTULA COLLECTIVE: BRAZILIAN WHITE KNEE (ACANTHOSCURRIA GENICULATA) TARANTULA CARE Substrate: 4 - 5 inches of peat HOUSING Temperature: The ideal moss, potting soil, or coconut husk temperature for Brazilian giant substrate. Enclosure: Adults will need a white knees is 80° – 85°F however 10-15 gallon terrestrial terrarium, room temperature is fine. Decor: Drift wood or a small hide not too high as the tarantula may should be provided. climb. Collection notes: The urticating hairs of this tarantula can be Ventilation: Good ventilation is Humidity: The humidity should be particularly irritating; many very important for this tarantula. 75 to 80%. tarantula owners wear gloves or other protective gear during Water: A small, shallow water dish feedings, rehousing and cleanings. should always be present. FUN FACTS Brazilian giant white knees can tackle food many times their own size! 13

A GENICULATA: MY HUNGRY TARANTULA An interview with Zak Agar Zak Agar, known as @thetarantulad on Instagram, is a tarantula keeper from the United Kingdom who became interested in the Brazilian white knee after being inspired by YouTuber The Dark Den. Tell us about yourself! ]What is your favorite thing about the I’m Zak and I’m a 20 year old student from Brazilian white knee? the UK :). Apart from the obvious tarantula keeping, I primarily game, study and play ]My favourite thing about Piglet guitar. How did you get into tarantula keeping? is how they look and her feeding What inspired you to get a Brazilian response. She will eat anything, white knee tarantula? even attacking water when I I was inspired to get my Acanthoscurria spray her enclosure! geniculata, whom I have named Piglet, by a YouTuber called The Dark Den. After Do you have other spiders in your tarantula seeing how voracious they were, I told collection? myself I needed this species. I have 14 tarantulas including Piglet. What has been your experience with Out of all your spiders, where does the this spider? Brazilian white knee rank? The name Piglet is apt because she Piglet is easily one of my favourite spiders, and devours anything and everything I throw she is only a small juvenile! in her enclosure, and I’ve had to put her on a diet until she moults because she is extremely fat! 14

Photo credit: Zak Agar

A Geniculata: My Hungry Tarantula, cont’d What has been the most helpful tip for you when caring for this species? They’re very hardy. Mine has been fine on substrate I mist once a week and she will often eat even in premolt. Just be careful they don’t get too fat because they rarely refuse. Would you recommend this tarantula for beginners? Why or why not? I would recommend this species for beginners - while they can be skittish they’re a good tarantula to have! Maybe not a first tarantula but definitely a second or third. What do you love most about tarantula keeping and the tarantula hobby? I love how easy it is to keep tarantulas. And how convenient it is to make enclosures out of anything! What changes would you like to see in the hobby? I think there’s a fair amount of toxicity in the hobby groups on Facebook. It’d be nice if certain people were nicer. Do you have a goal tarantula or favorite? I really want a H. Pulchripes :) It'd be my first Old World and they’re gorgeous. ABOUT ZAK Zak is a student and tarantula keeper living in the United Kingdom. To see more from him and his collection of spiders, follow him on Instagram @thetarantulad!

Photo credit: Zak Agar



Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons While the Brazilian white knee tarantula may sometimes be judged for being a \"boring\" spider due to dull coloration, they are still stunning to look at. They are an amazing display spider due to their large bodies, white leg bands and tendency to stay out in the open.

A. GENICULATA: A T WITH PERSONALITY An interview with Shauna Ann Dudgeon Shauna lives in Southern California, USA, and when she isn't teaching young children, she can be found taking care of her animals and doting on her tarantulas! Tell us about yourself! So I'm a preschool teacher living in Southern California. I'm a big animal lover! I have a mini zoo at home. I spend a lot of my free time going to places like The San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. I love being outside in nature and just relaxing. How did you get into tarantula keeping? I've always had a thing for spiders. Even as a child, I would collect all kinds of spiders from the garden, playground, etc. and bring them home in jars. My mom was terrified of spiders and would make me take them back outside. As I got older, I never lost interest in spiders but never considered them as a pet until I got to college. In the Preschool Labs at my college there was a pet tarantula in the classroom. No one knew what kind of tarantula it was, but I quickly became obsessed with it. I would help feed her and keep the enclosure tidy. I didn't know much then, but I was determined after graduation on getting my own. Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon

What inspired you to get a Brazilian white Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon knee tarantula? Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon I did tons of research and read the Tarantula Keeper's Guide. I decided that I would get a Brazilian black tarantula first. So as soon as I graduated and moved back to Southern California, I purchased one as a sling. A year later I decided I liked it so much, I would buy another. That's when I found the Brazilian white knee. The tarantula breeder I had bought Cinders (my first T) from happened to have them on sale and I looked up information on them and thought they looked really cool! So I went ahead and bought one. Its name is Aspen. I don't currently know the sex, but often refer to it as a he. Aspen really tears his molts up, so it's difficult to determine.

A Geniculata: A T With Personality, cont’d ]Have you experienced any challenges when When I do this, he will run right at the water and start using his front legs to bat at the it comes to caring for this spider? water and then he will just stay there and He's a pretty easy spider to care for. chill hovering over the water. My other However he is a lot more aggressive than tarantula does not do this at all. Even if a Cinders. Since I only have one of this little bit of mist hits him, he will run into his species, I can't say whether or not it's hide. common for the species or if it's just his temperament. ]Water changes are always What's your favorite thing about this species? exciting. He will attack the tongs My favorite thing about him is his crazy every time I put them in his personality and he just looks awesome. enclosure. Sometime I wonder I've brought him into my preschool class if he secretly loves water. I say a couple times to teach the children about that because sometimes if he's spiders and they think he looks like a being too aggressive around a skeleton. So he's my little Halloween baby. watering dish, I will use a syringe to give him some fresh water till Do you have a top tip for keeping this he cools off and I can change it species? I would recommend with the species or any species really, is not to take expectations properly. of a tarantula's temperament too seriously. Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon

Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon

Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon

Photo credit: Shauna Ann Dudgeon Like people, you never know what you're baboon tarantula next! I couldn't possibly going to get! I certainly didn't expect a water pick a favorite tarantula. They are all so loving little psycho! But here I am and I'm unique and special! loving it! What advice would you give to a new What is most important to you regarding keeper? tarantula keeping and the tarantula hobby? My advice to any new tarantula keeper is to One thing I love about tarantula keeping read the Tarantula Keeper's Guide. It was is its versatility! Every tarantula you get my biggest help starting out! is so different in looks, temperaments, requirements for keeping them healthy, etc. ABOUT SHAUNA Every time you get a new tarantula is like Shauna is a preschool teacher in California. the first time. It's exciting and new! Passionate about tarantulas, she sometimes brings them into class to teach her students! You What's your favorite tarantula? can follow her Instagram @TarantulaGardens! I only have those two right now, but I'm currently looking into a blue legged golden

MY FEISTY BRAZILIAN WHITE KNEE TARANTULA An interview with Abigail Owen Abigail is a medical secretary in the United Kingdom who cares for several inverts as well as her tarantulas! She is passionate about educating others about how tarantula keeping can be a rewarding hobby. ] Tell us about yourself! ]About 10 years have passed Hello! My name is Abby I’m 29, and I live in Sheffield, UK. I work for the NHS as a since I took my first T home, Medical Secretary, and after the crazy year and I still find them incredibly we are having I appreciate my interest in interesting, and they are great tarantulas more than ever! It's how I wind pets in my opinion. down after my day tending to my Ts and seeing what they have been up to, and my I also really enjoy educating collection doesn’t stop there. I have a corn people about them. I have snake, crested gecko and over the years found that for the few that have kept many kinds of inverts, hermits, can overcome the fear, they jumping spiders, millipedes, praying too become fascinated and I mantids, and ants! find myself answering 100s of questions. I love it when this How did you get into tarantula keeping? happens! From a young age I have had a fascination with bugs. I was always turning over rocks to see who I would find! When I saw my local pet shop had a Chilean rose hair, and after being allowed to handle her I knew I had to have her. So I went home did some research and started my set up and a few days later I brought her home. 26

Photo credit: Abigail Owe27n

Photo credit: Abigail Owen

My Feisty Brazilian White Knee Tarantula, cont’d What inspired you to get a Brazilian white The markings of this species are so pretty knee tarantula? - it really is an impressive tarantula, the I purchased my Brazilian white knee when I white knees and the red hairs look stunning attended my first convention. It was the BTS especially after molting. Midlands Show March 2013, the conventions are so exciting, I didn’t know where to go What's the best tip you've gotten since first! The first table I went to was The Spider becoming a tarantula keeper? Shop and I was immediately drawn to the In terms of advice I think the most striking white markings of the Brazilian white interesting thing I have heard is one from knee. It was about 3-4cms and adorable, yourself Patricia, and that’s about putting after looking around for the rest of the day objects such as ping pong balls inside the I couldn’t get her off my mind and ended enclosure to see if your T interacts with up taking her home. She is such a beautiful them. It's fascinating to see what your tarantula. Spidey gets up to. I learn a lot from YouTube creators such as Do you have any other tarantulas in your yourself, and The Dark Den is another one collection? of my favourites. In my collection I have: Chilean rose hair – Adult What advice would you tell others who Salmon Pink Bird eater – Adult are interested in this spider? Green Bottle Blue – x1 – 7-8 cms My advice for this species is that I wouldn’t Brazilian white knee – x1 – 7/8cms recommend it for a beginner but anyone Brachypelma boehmei – x3 - 3-4cms with experience of tarantula keeping of Brachypelma Vagans – x1 - 3-4cms a few years would be fine. Its beautiful Brachypelma albopilosum x1 - 3-4cms markings and huge appetite make it a must Antilles Pink Toe – 2x tiny slings. for most collectors! How does this spider differ from them? ABOUT ABIGAIL What stands out to you about this Abigail is a medical secretary in the UK who has species? an extensive tarantula collection, among several I would say that my Brazilian white knee other inverts! She is passionate about spreading differs from the others in my collection as education about these creatures, and loves she is very feisty! Loves to kick hairs and expanding her knowledge. is an absolute dustbin for any food I put in there. She is growing well, and she has actually just molted, so she’s looking very fresh! And getting big - she’s around 7/8 cms now.

A. geniculata have an extremely hearty appetite - many can eat every single day and are very eager hunters! Unfortunately, this can sometimes transfer to mating practices, as we see here...

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

TARANTULAS: A LIFELONG PASSION An interview with Matt Costello Matt is a long time tarantula keeper who has always had an interest in spiders and even has a tarantula that is over two decades old! Tell us about yourself! rose and my mother was amazed and I am 40 years old and into fast cars, slowly got over her fear. I came home technology (as I’m in the IT field), and from school one day and found she picked spiders to name the main ones. up an Avicularia minatrix sling from a pet store, and she became obsessed with How did you get into tarantula keeping? watching them grow as she was feeding I have had a lifelong interest in spiders them, and eventually would handle them starting at an early age. I was terrified but if I was not too far away to intervene if fascinated. When I was only 2 years old, needed. Eventually my collection grew to 6 mother recalls me sitting on the floor with tarantulas before I moved out. something in my hands. When she looked she found it was a large spider that I pulled What inspired you to get a Brazilian the legs off of unfortunately. I didn’t know any white knee tarantula? better. As I grew up, I was afraid of spiders I became interested in the A. geniculata and their webs. Whenever I was playing in (white knee) when I picked up my first the back yard, I would sometimes run into red knee and curly hair many years ago. I the web of an orb weaver. I ran into the still have the red knee and she is over 24 house screaming, webbers. I still call them years old. webbers to this day oddly enough lol. Finally I picked up a white knee who I got into tarantulas when I handled my matured into a male a year later, who was first one at 12 years old - a Chilean rose hot and bothered and nailed me one time. in a pet store and I was amazed at how It passed and I knew I had to get another calm and gentle the sweet creature was. one, but that did not happen until about My mother was terrified of spiders and had 5 years ago when I picked up a pair of very bad arachnophobia and she did not females, and still have one of them named want them in her house. However by the Charlotte II. time I was 16 I got a Chilean (Charlotte)

Photo credit: Marcin / Flickr Do you have any other the one that passed in 2019 at 1 White knee - one passed tarantulas in your collection? around 24 years old. last year unexpectedly. I have many other spiders in my collection. 1 Pumpkin patch - feisty and 2 LP’s - one young and a fast. large 8 year old female that 2 Avicularia versicolors - one is close to 9”. adult female and one sub adult 1 GBB - also quite feisty. that is likely female as well. 1 Pamphobeteus nigricolor 1 B. smithi - female and large which I 1 Avicularia diversipes - feisty actually can handle with no and the only Avic I have ever 1 Costa Rican red rump which problems been nailed by. I have had for almost 15 years now. 1 Chaco golden stripe female 1 B. albopilosum to replace - full grown and is at least 15

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Tarantulas: A Lifelong Passion, cont’d years old now. The only spider I have had in the past that scared me a bit was an OBT that would try 16 jumping spider slings - I lost my mother to attack her water dish when I filled it up. recently unfortunately after giving us three egg sacs. To other potential tarantula owners, I highly recommend to be careful of the hairs and My herd is thinning unfortunately because to only handle them in absolutely safe I have had many of them for so long and conditions. On the floor, or I handle my some have passed away. Avics on the bed since they don’t have the nasty hairs. These animals are not supposed to have memory, however How does this spider differ from them? they do get used to us which is why I What stands out to you about this recommend to get them while they are species? young, and handling them at an early age. I love how they are feisty but for the most It makes a huge difference. My largest LP part they are generally handleable, and also is very familiar with me and actually will lay visually striking in appearance. It doesn’t on my chest and has crawled under my matter if I’m giving Charlotte II water or shirt in the past to lay on my stomach. ]trying to remove the remains of eaten prey in her cage. ]She looks at me and lovingly Do you have a goal tarantula for your collection? flicks hairs at me most of the My goal for my collection is to expand it to time, which sucks because her three maybe four times the size of what I urticating hairs are one of the currently have - once I get a house in the worst kind. She is pretty chill future and I can use an extra bedroom when you handle her however as a tarantula room, named Union of the and acts a lot like my main LP Spiders. (Webster) and is rather gentle ABOUT MATT otherwise. Matt is passionate about fast cars, IT, and of course... tarantulas! As a long time tarantula keeper who always loved spiders, he is What advice would you tell others who passionate about expanding his collection. are interested in this spider?

tarantula COMMU P3h6oto credit: Frosted Peppercorn / Flickr

a UNITY 37

P3h8oto credit: Hiro Ugh

Photo credit: Nicholas Suszycki 39

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

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REFERENCES Acanthoscurria geniculata, the Brazilian White Knee Tarantula Author: Michael Fantus Breene, R. G., Dean, A., Edwards, G. B., Hebert, B., Levi, H. L., & Manning, G. (2003). Acanthoscurria geniculata. ITIS Report. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_ value=849840#null I. (2019, October 26). Brazilian White knee (Acanthoscurria Geniculata). Tarantula Friendly. https:// tarantulafriendly.com/brazilian-whiteknee/ Van Vlierberghe, D. (n.d.). Acanthoscurria geniculata. Theraphosidae.Be. Retrieved August 22, 2020, from https://www.theraphosidae.be/en/acanthoscurria-geniculata/#:~:text=Acanthoscurria%20geniculata%20(C.%20 L.,going%20straight%20for%20the%20kill. 4P4hoto credit: Wikimedia Commons

Photo credit: Wikimedia Common4s5

thanks so much I hope that you are all safe and healthy during this COVID-19 pandemic, wherever you are in the world. I'm grateful that you have chosen to spend some time with my magazine. Thank you for supporting The Spinnerette and its 11th issue! A big thank you to Richard Stewart and The Tarantula Collective for continuing to support and sponsor this magazine (and provide the tarantula hobby with amazing content and information!) 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 [email protected]. 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. 46