Semi-arboreal?

[KenNet]

So... I read, during my research for getting a new species, that P. murinus is semi-arboreal. Of course it caught my interest! And since I'm not one of those keepers that just do 8 inches of substrate and wish the spider to be happy for the rest of the days, I go along and set up an enclosure that is semi-arboreal for when I needed (not sure that she needed that tho...) to rehouse her.

In short; did it work? Yes!
Is it perfect? No.

I really didn't believe in my own findings at first, I thought: Just wait a few days, she will start to webb the whole enclosure" But she didn't!

 

[TownesVanZandt]

So... I read, during my research for getting a new species, that P. murinus is semi-arboreal. Of course it caught my interest! And since I'm not one of those keepers that just do 8 inches of substrate and wish the spider to be happy for the rest of the days, I go along and set up an enclosure that is semi-arboreal for when I needed (not sure that she needed that tho...) to rehouse her.

In short; did it work? Yes!
Is it perfect? No.

I really didn't believe in my own findings at first, I thought: Just wait a few days, she will start to webb the whole enclosure" But she didn't!

That´s a horrible setup for a P. murinus, IMHO. They are a fossorial species and should be housed as such (unless you want a jack-in-the-box whenever you open the enclosure).

 

[Chris LXXIX]

since I'm not one of those keepers that just do 8 inches of substrate and wish the spider to be happy for the rest of the days

Offended

 

[KenNet]

That´s a horrible setup for a P. murinus, IMHO. They are a fossorial species and should be housed as such (unless you want a jack-in-the-box whenever you open the enclosure).

Ok! Why? Your opinion, or you been there for see for yourself?

Offended

Why?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Why?

• Never be a 'substrate Scrooge'
• It's not only about 8 (or more) inches of substrate, it's about admiring a hole in a no man's land of substrate. It's like the origin of life.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Ok! Why? Your opinion, or you been there for see for yourself?

Obviously I have not been to your home to see your setup for myself, but there is no need for me to that to consider your enclosure to be a poor one for a P. murinius (or pretty much any other species for that matter). Your picture provides more than enough evidence for it

Now, I don´t really care how you house your spiders, but if you want to give your P.murinus a proper setup give it plenty of dry substrate to burrow in, some cork bark angled in the right direction with a beginner-burrow dug out and a water dish. That´s all you need.

 

[EtienneN]

I didn't want to be the first dude to say it, but P. murinus are actually not actually semi-arboureal. I think it's a hobby myth much the same as the caresheets that say Avics need 'high humidity'. They 'like' their enclosures best when they have room to burrow down into the substrate. People have kept their P. murinus this way so that they see it more, not because of any emulation of natural habitats.

 

[KenNet]

• Never be a 'substrate Scrooge'
• It's not only about 8 (or more) inches of substrate, it's about admiring a hole in a no man's land of substrate. It's like the origin of life.

Sorry, I don't follow...
What do you mean? And how do my setup don't follow Your needs? She (my P. murinus that is) seems to be happy as at home! Don't know if I can include the picture of inspiration here. But I'm sure you can find it by a Google search.

Obviously I have not been to your home to see your setup for myself, but there is no need for me to that to consider your enclosure to be a poor one for a P. murinius (or pretty much any other species for that matter). Your picture provides more than enough evidence for it

I'm listening...I still don't understand why. See me as a newbie... (or how to spell it)

I didn't want to be the first dude to say it, but P. murinus are actually not actually semi-arboureal. I think it's a hobby myth much the same as the caresheets that say Avics need 'high humidity'. They 'like' their enclosures best when they have room to burrow down into the substrate. People have kept their P. murinus this way so that they see it more, not because of any emulation of natural habitats.

Thanks! Where do you get your information from? I do care.

 

[Liquifin]

A P. murinus would make use of substrate if you give it some good amount.

I personally would throw out the rocks and add like 2''-4'' of extra substrate. If you're not going to go for the adequate terrestrial set-up at least make it less hazardous and cramped.

 

[EtienneN]

Plus it's not webbing because it's a bit stressed in there...

 

[TownesVanZandt]

I'm listening...I still don't understand why. See me as a newbie... (or how to spell it)

I updated my post with the basics of how to house a P. murinus. Now, the rocks, branches and whatever else you have in your enclosure is neither necessary or beneficial for your spider. On the contrary, it is a risk to it. Just give it a standard terrestrial setup with plenty of substrate to burrow in and you will be set to go As others have said as well, this is not a "semi-arboreal" species.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Sorry, I don't follow...

No, follow, instead! Follow the Benign Goddess* with us, Her humble disciples

And you will find the answers

*0.1 Pelinobius muticus PBUH (Peace Be Upon Her)

 

[EtienneN]

Thanks! Where do you get your information from? I do care.

It was actually an in vogue thing to do several years back to keep them arboureally and then there were the people who told those people that what they were doing wasn't in the spider's best interests. But just like Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens is not semi-arboureal, neither is P. murinus. Think about it: Either spiders are arboureal or they aren't. There is no such thing as being 'semi-arboureal'.

 

[KenNet]

Plus it's not webbing because it's a bit stressed in there...

Ok. How to tell that she is stressed?
Walking around the enclosure at night?
No, she don't.
Not want to eat?
She is as hungry as usual.

Why do you think it's normal for a murinus to webb?

No, follow, instead! Follow the Benign Goddess* with us, Her humble disciples

And you will find the answers

*0.1 Pelinobius muticus PBUH (Peace Be Upon Her)

You do have some humor, I give you that.
What else?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

You do have some humor, I give you that.
What else?

The humble worshipping of the Hissing Mother - the Goddess* - is a serious thing!

Are you an heretic, by chance?

Or a possible new devoted brother?

*0.1 Pelinobius muticus PBUH (Peace Be Upon Her)

 

[KenNet]

Sorry, I'm in Sweden and I will try to catch up with this tomorrow (well, later today, that is).
I really appreciate all your response. Sleepy.

 

[Minty]

Agree with everything TownesVZ has said.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They're fossorial and do best in setups with deep substrate for burrowing (you can put anchor points outside of the burrow entrance if you want), they will web heavily in an attempt to adapt to setups where this isn't provided but they tend to be much more flighty and/or defensive as a result. When they have a burrow they will just retreat to it when disturbed which will make life a lot easier when you need to do maintenance, when they don't the whole enclosure effectively becomes their burrow and they don't like people poking around. People keep trying to do the same thing with C. huahini with similar results.

 

[johnny quango]

I agree with everything that as been said about the set up it's simply not appropriate.
That been said there was video footage of the dcf or bcf species on here posted a while back by @KezyGLA i believe and It showed them living in hollows in trees about 6ft from the ground. I may also have the wrong species, it was definitely an African country maybe Mozambique or Tanzania. So technically if it is these then they are semi-arboreal.
I still wouldn't set it up like that though

 

[KenNet]

Oh well, then. Morning has broken and I give up. I realise now that I was wrong.

I can't change her setup before the weekend, but in the meantime, I will put up a sign telling her to watch her steps and not loose her grip on the corkbark.

At least she now has a name.

I did rewrite this many times, but this is the final cut.