Genus Aphonopelma

[AntlerAlchemist]

Well I don't have any currently. But I was planning on going for a hike today. So maybe I could snap a few shots.

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

I guess I have a few pictures that would be similar habitats. Here are a couple from the Saguaro National Park. This is just a few miles from where I captured my Tarantula. Most of these pictures are of other creatures or plants of the Sonoran desert. Including a western diamond back, common king snake, gila monster, and regal horned lizard. I hope these pictures will give kind of an over view of just some of the natural habitats. I found my tarantula in more of a flat area, kind of a flood plane near a large wash. The vegetation is more sparse with less cactus and more creosote bushes.

 

[RepugnantOoze]

Lovely pictures and enclosure. Why the wet paper towel though?

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

Well I suppose I could just take the paper out. I was worried she could fall in and drown. I would have used a sponge instead but I didn't have any unused ones. I should mention the water is in an old plastic cap from a bottle. It is kind of deep for a small spider. I could probably find something smaller and more shallow so that there is a lower risk of her falling in.

 

[user 666]

I was worried she could fall in and drown.

Yeah, there's no real risk of that happening.

 

[Richard McJimsey]

Don't use a sponge, or a paper towel, or anything along those lines; they're useless. A shallow water bowl is perfectly fine.

 

[user 666]

Don't use a sponge, or a paper towel, or anything along those lines; they're useless. A shallow water bowl is perfectly fine.

and they are a vector for bacterial growth.

 

[advan]

Check the albums ATS Conference 2013, 2014 and 2016 to see Aphonopelma chalcodes in the wild. Here >>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/76845739@N03/albums

Aphonopelma chalcodes female and slings

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

Thanks for the advise I will just take it out and make the water shallow!

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

Do you have photos of the native environment?

Many of us want to do desert terrain, and photos from the wild would help a lot.

I took some pictures today and posted them under the field trips thread if you wanted to take a look at an actual burrow and the surrounding enviroment.

 

[Leila]

I took some pictures today and posted them under the field trips thread if you wanted to take a look at an actual burrow and the surrounding enviroment.

Will you be a sweetie and post a link? Maybe I am slow right now, but I cannot locate the photos and really wanna see them

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/aphonopelma-chalcodes-burrow-outside-of-tucson-az.293025/

Maybe this will work?

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

I took some new pictures today. The first is from almost one month ago. And the second from today. I think maybe I should start to feed her less?! She will eat anything dropped into the cage with no signs of slowing down! I have decided to name her Shelob.

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

 

[user 666]

That is a fat abdomen. Yes, you can stop feeding for a couple weeks. But don't neglect the water dish.

A hentzi do eat a lot when the food is available, yes. I have a 3" hentzi T and it was eating 3 times a week for a while there.

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

Okay thanks, I was thinking maybe she would just start to ignore the crickets. But she attacks them just as viciously as before. I'll wait a while before I start to feed her again.

 

[user 666]

Okay thanks, I was thinking maybe she would just start to ignore the crickets. But she attacks them just as viciously as before. I'll wait a while before I start to feed her again.

Captive-bred Aphonopelma might, but many Aphonopelma species are native to the desert. That is a food-poor environment, which is why wild caught Aphonopelma eat whenever they have the food.

 

[campj]

Back when we had her, we gave our WC A. chalcodes a burrow and she lived in it. She'd be out on a regular basis, but would dart into the burrow when disturbed, or hang half out of it waiting for a meal. We lived in Tucson, so we collected everything for the tank from the desert. The burrow made the "realistic" environment more real in my mind. Just a thought.

 

[AntlerAlchemist]

Well thats exactly what I did I am in Tucson currently. I mean the sand, the rocks and the wood are from where I got her. She also does have a burrow under the wood that she can retreat to. She usually hangs out at the entrance of the burrow until she gets startled or drags her food in.

 

[Casey K]

Aphonopelma bicoloratum mature female


Aphonopelma bicoloratum penultimate male


Cross fingers for a successful breeding when he matures!!!