Opinions and Tips on keeping L.sp "Borneo Black"?

[EmilzHernandez]

So I found out two days ago that my Borneo Black sling passed away after a horrible molt that it simply could not complete. A friend who was caring for my spiders found it stuck in the exuvium, dead as can be Much as this sucks, I know we all lose some in the hobby as we go along. Because I absolutely adore this species, I decided to purchase a juvenile female from Jamie's the other day. As I prepare for its arrival, I have decided I want to see if I can gather some opinions on keeping this species in the right conditions. The enclosure I have set up for it is a 14” x 8” x 6” exo terra faunarium that I have flipped so it stands taller, a makeshift arboreal enclosure if you will. I have added coco fiber, some fake plants, a water dish and of course some cork bark. The female is about 3-4", so this should be an adequate enclosure for quite some time. Now, my question: Any suggestions or amendments to this set up? I currently don't have a picture of the set up, as I am not even near my house (I have the tarantula being held for a couple weeks until I can receive it), but i can find an image for reference if necessary. Any useful information on the species itself is also very much appreciated, just so I can be as prepared as possible.

 

[Venom1080]

Although arboreal, they actually will readily burrow. Keep it with about a third of the wayfilled with substrate. Itll use it all eventually. Really a kind of semi arboreal.

 

[scott308]

My female Borneo Black spends almost all her time underground. She comes out occasionally at night (although it is quite possible she is out often when I'm sleeping).

 

[EmilzHernandez]

My female Borneo Black spends almost all her time underground. She comes out occasionally at night (although it is quite possible she is out often when I'm sleeping).
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Such a gorgeous spider! There's a reason they're in my top three

 

[Venom1080]

Try to get at least three. If you didn't know, they are prone to being male.

 

[EmilzHernandez]

Try to get at least three. If you didn't know, they are prone to being male.

Luckily mine is a confirmed female from Jamie's. But when I start breeding at some point in my life, this is def gonna be one of the species. Approx. how fast do females mature?

 

[Venom1080]

Luckily mine is a confirmed female from Jamie's. But when I start breeding at some point in my life, this is def gonna be one of the species. Approx. how fast do females mature?

Oh yeah, duh.

 

[EmilzHernandez]

Oh yeah, duh.

the sling that died was a suspect male, it sucks especially now

 

[Venom1080]

the sling that died was a suspect male, it sucks especially now

Ah.
I don't know exactly how fast they mature. Poecilotheria speed IME.

 

[cold blood]

I would expect a female to mature in 3-5 years, depending on individual growth rate.

 

[user 666]

How quickly does the male of this species mature?

I have one that molted about a month ago and came out a rich brown.

 

[boina]

Just to point this out again: All Asian arboreals (except Pokies, of course) are not as arboreal as the name suggests. All of mine, including my juvenile female L. sp. Borneo black, are in enclosures that are longer than high, i.e. NOT arboreal enclosures at all. They make shallow burrows under cork bark, extended with dirt curtains. In my opinion they need a piece of bark on the ground to start their burrow. That said, they don't need that much substrate for their shallow burrows, but they need more pieces of bark and wood to climb around at night. They don't really go high, though, they move horizontally through the sticks and wood I provided.

 

[mconnachan]

I'm just going to echo what the other guys have said, although they are described as arboreal, they burrow more often than not, make lots of tube webbing, throw up dirt curtains, so provide plenty of anchor points as CB has explained, they like to climb low down, on and around the cork slab but at ground level. My O. schioedtei has done this, as they're from the same sub-family - Ornithoctoninae
(Earth Tigers) they all tend to have the same traits.

 

[EmilzHernandez]

So heres what I have amended the enclosure to: 4.5" of sub, a cork bark slab slightly propped up to make webbing and burrow construction easier, some fake plants because plants, and a nice water dish for her to continually knock over in the night.

 

[EmilzHernandez]

Does that sound right? Obviously I'll post pics the second I can

 

[user 666]

So heres what I have amended the enclosure to: 4.5" of sub, a cork bark slab slightly propped up to make webbing and burrow construction easier, some fake plants because plants, and a nice water dish for her to continually knock over in the night.

I haven't found that either of my Lampropelma sp "Borneo Black" have flipped their water dishes - they're more likely to web the desihes in place.

But yes, that sounds good.