Theraphosa apophysis care?

[Lange Jo]

Hi,
I'm getting my first Theraphosa sp. and it's going to be a T. apophysis sling. They are quite expensive and I want to take preper care of him/her. So that's what I wanted to ask you guys what the best care is for them, from sling to adult.
Thank you!

 

[l4nsky]

What's your relative experience keeping T's? Any experience with moisture dependent species like Asian Fossorials?

 

[0311usmc]

All you need is deep moist substrate with plenty of ventilation and a good hide. Keeping theraphosas is actually really easy, don't get what all the fuss is with theraphosas as being an advanced specie. If you can keep the sub moist and have good ventilation to avoid mold and fungus and give a good hide I find them super easy to care for. My female apophysis eating a roach.

 

[sourpatchkid]

All you need is deep moist substrate with plenty of ventilation and a good hide. Keeping theraphosas is actually really easy, don't get what all the fuss is with theraphosas as being an advanced specie. If you can keep the sub moist and have good ventilation to avoid mold and fungus and give a good hide I find them super easy to care for. My female apophysis eating a roach.

I keep my T. Blondi sling the same way, with a small coconut shell as a hide. It only uses the hide when molting. Most of the time, it fills it up with dirt.

 

[cold blood]

All you need is deep moist substrate with plenty of ventilation and a good hide. Keeping theraphosas is actually really easy, don't get what all the fuss is with theraphosas as being an advanced specie. If you can keep the sub moist and have good ventilation to avoid mold and fungus and give a good hide I find them super easy to care for. My female apophysis eating a roach.

Its not that they are hard to keep, its more that new keepers tend to struggle for a period when first dealing with moisture dependent species....getting things just right with moisture at the right levels and in the right places in combination with proper ventilation tends to have a bit of a learning curve....its this learning period that often costs Theraposa their lives.

I absolutely agree though, for an experienced keeper its not all that difficult.

 

[mack1855]

Ya,the whole group,blondi,stirmi,and apophysis are not difficult,and are actually in your face,big and
fun spoods.But,as @cold blood has said,you need to be on top of their care.
You cant take a two week holiday from their care.Mind the hair,and the attitude for sure, and
they are more fun than a barrel of spooders.And they can move out,for big spiders,so keep
that in mind,its been said here on AB before,but….just a reminder...and food,food and then more food,
and we are not talking medium crickets here.Half a chicken!!!a week, and im kidding..
But they do take big prey items.

Its not that they are hard to keep, its more that new keepers tend to struggle for a period when first dealing with moisture dependent species....getting things just right with moisture at the right levels and in the right places in combination with proper ventilation tends to have a bit of a learning curve....its this learning period that often costs Theraposa their lives.

I absolutely agree though, for an experienced keeper its not all that difficult.

I understand what your saying and i agree with you. I don't find the theraphosa to be as fragile as most people think however. I find them to be pretty hardy actually. Sometimes i accidentally over water the substrate or when i would work out of town for weeks at a time i would come home to a drier than acceptable substrate only to find a hungry tarantula wanting a roach that would grab it before it hit the dirt.

 

[Lange Jo]

First of all I'm not a beginner. I have H. maculata, B. albipolosum, Pterinochilus chordatus, crested Geckos, Scolopendra cingulata, Chaerilus stockmannorum and different other true spiders. I have spagnummoss for them, will get springtails for the terrarium. So I need to get them a terra with crossventilation, deep substrate (how deep in cm? ), a hide, spagnummoss, springtails and a water dish? Isn't it best to keep half te substrate moist?

All you need is deep moist substrate with plenty of ventilation and a good hide. Keeping theraphosas is actually really easy, don't get what all the fuss is with theraphosas as being an advanced specie. If you can keep the sub moist and have good ventilation to avoid mold and fungus and give a good hide I find them super easy to care for. My female apophysis eating a roach.

She's beautiful

 

[0311usmc]

I keep my Theraphosas just like I do my Asian fossorials. This is my T.stirmi on the left and my C.lividus on the right. Plenty of moist substrate and a good hide.

 

[BarbaraStreetBaby]

I keep my Theraphosas just like I do my Asian fossorials. This is my T.stirmi on the left and my C.lividus on the right. Plenty of moist substrate and a good hide.

I keep my 9 inch female t stirmi the exact same way!! Down to a T

Im currently feeding her XL adult hissing cockroaches and superworms with the ocassional small lizard/ pinky mouse. All theraphosa sp. will LOVE TO EAT

 

[esa space station]

First of all I'm not a beginner. I have H. maculata, B. albipolosum, Pterinochilus chordatus, crested Geckos, Scolopendra cingulata, Chaerilus stockmannorum and different other true spiders. I have spagnummoss for them, will get springtails for the terrarium. So I need to get them a terra with crossventilation, deep substrate (how deep in cm? ), a hide, spagnummoss, springtails and a water dish? Isn't it best to keep half te substrate moist?



She's beautiful

Ebay and other such places are great for clear plastic tubs that u can add cross flow ventilation to.(a row of holes each side).u need a few inch of substrate ! Lightly dpray it till damp and let it soak in.humidity is impirtant at

 

[0311usmc]

Ebay and other such places are great for clear plastic tubs that u can add cross flow ventilation to.(a row of holes each side).u need a few inch of substrate ! Lightly dpray it till damp and let it soak in.humidity is impirtant at

I wouldn't recommend spraying water in a Theraphosa enclosure especially an apophysis enclosure. Their urcitating hairs are brutal, like wake you up at 2:26am scratching your hand till you rub off a layer of skin like a carpet burn bad.

 

[esa space station]

I wouldn't recommend spraying water in a Theraphosa enclosure especially an apophysis enclosure. Their urcitating hairs are brutal, like wake you up at 2:26am scratching your hand till you rub off a layer of skin like a carpet burn bad.

Well i meant to let water pool up an drain a bit

 

[Paul1126]

advanced specie

I don't think it is just the husbandry that makes this an advanced species, they are high strung, skittish, fast and can be defensive.

you need to be on top of their care.
You cant take a two week holiday

Why couldn't you? There is no way an enclosure will dry out that fast, it takes more than 2 weeks for my blondi's enclosure to start drying out.

 

[0311usmc]

I don't think it is just the husbandry that makes this an advanced species, they are high strung, skittish, fast and can be defensive.

Most if not all tarantulas can move faster than you can react too if they really want too. Most if not all tarantulas can be defensive or skittish especially around pre molt. The urcitating hairs are really the only thing i dont care for about them but over all i really love the genus and absolutely love both of my Theraphosas.

 

[esa space station]

I don't think it is just the husbandry that makes this an advanced species, they are high strung, skittish, fast and can be defensive.



Why couldn't you? There is no way an enclosure will dry out that fast, it takes more than 2 weeks for my blondi's enclosure to start drying out.

Thats why im sticking with t blondi species as opposed to t apophysis.more chilled out

 

[Paul1126]

Thats why im sticking with t blondi species as opposed to t apophysis.more chilled out

No idea about the apophysis, I have only had my blondi kick at me once.
Surprisingly calm during rehousing, I have rehomed him 3 times so far.

 

[Kaemon285]

Hi all, i have a question for you guys, im considering to buy my first Theraphosa sp. as well but I’m not really sure which one is the best for me I couldn’t find much info about their temperament, like which one tends to be calmest of them, which kicks the most hairs and such. I’d love to hear your experiences and opinions.

 

[Andrea82]

This thread has valuable info on how to keep Theraphosa species succesfully:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/theraphosa-care-and-info.303033/

 

[Kaemon285]

This thread has valuable info on how to keep Theraphosa species succesfully:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/theraphosa-care-and-info.303033/

Really helpful info, found it just 2 days ago when I started to think about Theraphosa sp., but sadly no one mentioned they’d temperament, all I know they are the worst when it comes to hair kicking but that’s kinda it, and I’m not sure if all Theraphosas are the same when it comes to temperament.

 

[Andrea82]

Really helpful info, found it just 2 days ago when I started to think about Theraphosa sp., but sadly no one mentioned they’d temperament, all I know they are the worst when it comes to hair kicking but that’s kinda it, and I’m not sure if all Theraphosas are the same when it comes to temperament.

I haven't kept them myself, but I've never heard or read about a calm and tolerant Theraphosa species.
They always seem to be irritated and quick to either kick hairs or stridulate and threat pose.