Aphonopelma seefreakinmani

[JoshDM020]

I cant figure this little jerk out. Its to the point where im so frustrated, sensoring my language is hard enough work to gain hourly wages for it
Its probably the only tarantula in the world that wont touch a cricket. At all. Itll take mealworms (heads crushed, of course) but ONLY once they've stopped squirming entirely.
But the MOST interesting thing is, every time i moisten the substrate (straight up coco fiber) he climbs down into his little cork tube tunnel and webs up the entrance. Very very thin-ly. Can see right through it. Hes done this three times now and just comes out when its dry. And when i moisten the sub in the hole along with everything else (i did this as an experiment) he huddles in the dryest looking corner and pouts.
Ive got him on about 8 inches of sub (which he has refused to use, but i know these guys dont ALWAYS burrow necessarily). Hes anywhere between 3 and 4 inches DLS. His enclosure is only SLIGHTLY too long for him because i imagined he'd be closer to molting than he apparently is. Hes quickly becoming a bigger pain in my neck than than the super flighty C. cyaneopubescens.
The closest thing there is to decoration or anything is the cork bark because thats really all i found in my research that they need. But im quickly beginning to wonder if i have anything right with this dill-hole just because of the way he reacts to everything ive been told is correct.
Pictures will be coming, i assure you, but its 11 pm and the bulb in my T closet has blown.
Any suggestions or tips in the meantime would be great. Thanks in advance!

 

[arachnid.abdomen]

Just a suggestion but if you moisten the substrate and it hides, try just doing 1/3 or a half. It wont have to run off
As for the food, might be a stupid question but have you tried roaches or any other food options. If its only scavenging dead food then not entirely sure what can be done about that. Wait for someone with more knowledge, im just biding time

 

[arachnid.abdomen]

Also you could start off a burrow for it. I do that sometimes when rehousing and it usually encourages them to take it

 

[Ellenantula]

Strange indeed. Curious to see your pix.
Just goes to prove Ts are individuals. Sounds like yours is particularly skittish -- nothing wrong with offering pre-killed if that's what he'll eat.
Some folks do keep these dry (I've no experience with a dry set-up for these guys) but I am wondering if you could limit dampness away from cork bark and let your T just choose to stay dry.
I also like the suggestion of starting a good burrow for your guy. It could be the enclosure just feels too spacious and your guy is just trying to feel safe.

[My A seemanni seeks out the dampened areas -- has been known to lounge on (and in) her water dish. I also only dampen a third of enclosure at a time, let it dry, dampen a different area. Mine moves according to dampened area -- seeking it out.
Mine is also a bold hunter -- subsists mostly on live B lats. Far from being shy -- she has her work cut out for her with these fasties -- and she's good -- a nano-second capture.
Like yours, mine is also in large enclosure with plenty of substrate -- mine has a half-hide she sometimes uses. Mine (AF) didn't burrow until over 2 years in, but she eventually abandoned her deep burrow project and mostly prefers staying topside... in whatever area is damp.]

 

[JoshDM020]

If i ever come across some roaches that dont need to be shipped i will definitely see if those work.
The way the cork bark is set up IS basically a starter burrow. I used that particular piece because it was perfect for that. Just waiting for him to dig in it.
Also, i have no idea if its actually a male or not. If it is, it isnt mature.

 

[JoshDM020]

As i said, i am aware of it being a tad too large, but i was expecting a molt soon. Which i later realized. Was a foolish dream.
I will try reducing the area that i dampen.
I really have no idea why hes so freakin picky about food. Hes more than big enough for anything ive given him and i dont drop it far away from him.
Im not really worried about him being sick, he is eating and a pretty healthy size. Im just curious at this point if it may be something i read wrong and did wrong causing his weird behavior.

 

[boina]

Oh, thank you for this thread I've always thought my seemanni was the only weirdo around... Mine is very picky about food, too, to the point that I haven't found anything she'll eat regularly. Sometimes she'll take a cricket, sometimes she want's a roach and sometimes she want's nothing to do with anything... Be happy yours will eat worms regularly.

That said, I would probably angle the bark a little more so that it's flatter like a normal hide so your T can hide without investing any effort into burrowing. But don't get your hopes up - mine needed 6 month to start burrowing and then it took her just 2 days to tunnel through the whole enclosure.

 

[Ellenantula]

@JoshDM020 I see nothing wrong with your large enclosure (he's pushing 4" and due to moult, afterall) nor with you using cork bark. The earlier suggestion I liked to start a tunnel -- I had meant for you to start an opening beneath existing hide. And, you could start the burrow and your T absolutely hate it. I can picture yours "don't like all this blasted water, didn't ask this crazy human to dig a hole there" etc.. lol
But it was just an idea I liked since it might give him the 'idea' to dig a little deeper. I think if your T could talk, he'd be the "get off my lawn" type.

[edited to add: now I see the pix -- you might wanna tip/angle the cork bark]

I have heard of A seemannis being skittish -- so yours reaction to feeders may be more normal than mine's.

Yours and Boina's just goes to show how individual Ts can be.

Good luck! A seemannis can be pretty amazing Ts. Or little jerks, I suppose.

 

[Andrea82]

I would tilt the half cork round so it forms a tunnel. The little guy has no where to hide in this set up.
If it feeds dead crickets, then just kill the beasties and let him scavenge. If it eats dead mealies, let him scavenge on that. Feed what he'll take, his taste isn't that exotic or expensive
Water 1/3 of his sub, sit back, relax and let him be an A.seemanni. They know how to spider, we just have to provide what they need and let them do their thing.

 

[JoshDM020]

Alrighty, so tilt the cork bark more and make a better starter burrow that may still be entirely ignored. Also reduce moisture zone. All duely noted and much appreciated! I will do that as soon as i get home from work. Thanks a ton, guys! Will post a new picture when everything is done!

 

[Ellenantula]

You could also tip cork bark and start a burrow in a completely different place -- give your guy either 2 options of a safe haven (or two more places to get cranky over).

In this matter -- there isn't just one way to do things. Trust your own judgment -- it seems pretty sound!

 

[JoshDM020]

Update time! I did fix everything when i said i would but i kinda just wanted to wait and see what happens on my own before i posted anything. And I have not been disappointed!

seemani enclosure revision

• JoshDM020
• Aug 25, 2017

Got a different piece of cork bark out of my stash and cut it to shape/size and put it in at a...

I cut an entirely different piece of cork bark because the one i was using is honestly probably better suited for an arboreal (luckily i have one thatll be big enough for it before too long...) and put it at a pretty good angle but still steep enough to bury one end.

seemani enjoying new hide

• JoshDM020
• Aug 25, 2017

Little guy (actually my biggest guy) dug straight to the bottom (roughly six inches of sub after...

Im guessing he's "digging" it (lol) because he has burrowed almost completely to the bottom. Its been two days and he just started last night!

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'm certainly glad i asked instead of just wondering.

 

[Trenor]

Update time! I did fix everything when i said i would but i kinda just wanted to wait and see what happens on my own before i posted anything. And I have not been disappointed!

seemani enclosure revision

• JoshDM020
• Aug 25, 2017

Got a different piece of cork bark out of my stash and cut it to shape/size and put it in at a...

I cut an entirely different piece of cork bark because the one i was using is honestly probably better suited for an arboreal (luckily i have one thatll be big enough for it before too long...) and put it at a pretty good angle but still steep enough to bury one end.

seemani enjoying new hide

• JoshDM020
• Aug 25, 2017

Little guy (actually my biggest guy) dug straight to the bottom (roughly six inches of sub after...

Im guessing he's "digging" it (lol) because he has burrowed almost completely to the bottom. Its been two days and he just started last night!

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'm certainly glad i asked instead of just wondering.

When I set up my juvie girl I didn't use cork at all. I just made her a starter burrow and she took it over. I kept the substrate just barely moist for her and she took to digging pretty quick.

Later when I set her up in her forever home I used a half a cork round cut to make her a starter burrow and she has taken to it pretty quickly too. For burrowers I prefer to have an open piece of cork so they can burrow how they want and they mainly use it cork as a really stable roof.

I didn't have issues with her eating though I noted when the dubia kicked a bunch she would hold back where as when I legged it she took it much quicker.

Like others have said baboons will take to soil slower if it's too wet. I think they might be concerned with flooding issues. I know that my girl built a nice tower for her burrow and would come out and sit if it got too damp (she got in the habit of kicking over her water cup for a while there).

Here she is on top her tower. It's a good 3 inches or so higher than the rest of the ground.

 

[JoshDM020]

When I set up my juvie girl I didn't use cork at all. I just made her a starter burrow and she took it over. I kept the substrate just barely moist for her and she took to digging pretty quick.

Later when I set her up in her forever home I used a half a cork round cut to make her a starter burrow and she has taker to it pretty quickly too. For burrowers I prefer to have an open piece of cork so they can burrow how they want and they mainly use it cork as a really stable roof.

I didn't have issues with her eating though I noted when the dubia kicked a bunch she would hold back where as when I legged it she took it much quicker.

Like others have said baboons will take to soil slower if it's too wet. I think they might be concerned with flooding issues. I know that my girl built a nice tower for her burrow and would come out and sit if it got too damp (she got in the habit of kicking over her water cup for a while there).

Here she is on top her tower. It's a good 3 inches or so higher than the rest of the ground.

Well, i kinda added some moisture everywhere for this because it made it easier to pack and so far its dug straight into the corner with the MOST, which is completely contradictory to what he WAS doing. Im not complaining, though.
Once it dries ill be adding less moisture than i have been, for sure. Hoping this helps him mellow out.
Also, that picture is of an Idiothele mira, correct? Absolutely beautiful and made its way onto my wish list a few weeks ago.

 

[Trenor]

Well, i kinda added some moisture everywhere for this because it made it easier to pack and so far its dug straight into the corner with the MOST, which is completely contradictory to what he WAS doing. Im not complaining, though.
Once it dries ill be adding less moisture than i have been, for sure. Hoping this helps him mellow out.
Also, that picture is of an Idiothele mira, correct? Absolutely beautiful and made its way onto my wish list a few weeks ago.

It's a Augacephalus ezendami and I totally misread the species you were talking about.

I would still use the open half cork and you're likely fine with it being a bit damper for your Aphonopelma seemanni.

Idiothele mira are pretty cool too. They do trap doors.

 

[JoshDM020]

Interesting update number 2. I went to petco to get some fruitflies for my teeny tiny baby jumpers, and saw dubia roaches on a shelf. I feel like $8 for probably 25 roaches is a little steep, but ive always wanted to try em out, and it was suggested in this thread because the dude is so picky. (The Dude. New name? Kinda fits...) turns out, all of my spiders love them. So. Thats good. Glad he likes it, because this one managed to squirm into his new little cavern with a crushed head and id be reeeaaaaalllll worried about mold down there.

 

[arachnid.abdomen]

Interesting update number 2. I went to petco to get some fruitflies for my teeny tiny baby jumpers, and saw dubia roaches on a shelf. I feel like $8 for probably 25 roaches is a little steep, but ive always wanted to try em out, and it was suggested in this thread because the dude is so picky. (The Dude. New name? Kinda fits...) turns out, all of my spiders love them. So. Thats good. Glad he likes it, because this one managed to squirm into his new little cavern with a crushed head and id be reeeaaaaalllll worried about mold down there.

Glad you managed to get some. If you have a large enough tarantula collection it might be worth considering breeding them, ive heard about how easy it is and if your Ts are all eating them, it might work out best

 

[Ellenantula]

The Dude. New name? Kinda fits...

Nope! I like 'Seefreakinmani' as its name (assuming we're still talking about same T). I think of this name every time I see mine now.

 

[JoshDM020]

Glad you managed to get some. If you have a large enough tarantula collection it might be worth considering breeding them, ive heard about how easy it is and if your Ts are all eating them, it might work out best

I may just be doing that. Honestly, ive only had em for a day and given out one to each of em (except my B. boehmei, but its waaayyyy too small for the ones i got), and i like em a lot more. The tales of being less stinky are definitely true and thats enough for me

Nope! I like 'Seefreakinmani' as its name (assuming we're still talking about same T). I think of this name every time I see mine now.

Seefreakinmani it is!

 

[AmberDawnDays]

Seefreakinmanni is an awesome name.