# Heterophrynus batesii



## Goliath (Dec 11, 2014)

Here are a couple shots of my adult batesii and the new vivarium that they will be going into in about a month.  The full tank construction will be detailed in an article in invertebrate magazine.

Thanks,
Mike

Reactions: Like 12


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 11, 2014)

Everything is beautiful. The whip scorpion is just stunning! The enclosure looks amazing! I WILL own one of these one day. I have one question, how big does the enclosure need to be?


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## pannaking22 (Dec 12, 2014)

That enclosure is insane! Can't wait until I get some batesii of my own and can give them fun and fancy setups  Awesome enclosure and awesome whip! Good luck with the babies!


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## klawfran3 (Dec 12, 2014)

Are these guys communal?


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## Goliath (Dec 12, 2014)

Biollantefan54 said:


> Everything is beautiful. The whip scorpion is just stunning! The enclosure looks amazing! I WILL own one of these one day. I have one question, how big does the enclosure need to be?


Thank you very much.  The enclosure is larger than it needs to be for them.  This tank is 36"x18"x36".  You can easily get away with a 10-20 gallon tank for them.

---------- Post added 12-12-2014 at 08:56 PM ----------




pannaking22 said:


> That enclosure is insane! Can't wait until I get some batesii of my own and can give them fun and fancy setups  Awesome enclosure and awesome whip! Good luck with the babies!


Thank you.  They are very remarkable.  I have two females with eggs at the moment, so we will see how many are produced.

---------- Post added 12-12-2014 at 08:57 PM ----------




klawfran3 said:


> Are these guys communal?


Yes they are communal.  I have kept them together without any aggression.


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 12, 2014)

Ok, that is smaller than I thought (I like that).....yeah....I am getting these!


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## fuzzyavics72 (Dec 13, 2014)

If you hit on some babies.  I would love to get some of these amazing whips. Goodluck


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 13, 2014)

I don't know if it is me but that one looks pregnant!


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## numbat1000 (Dec 14, 2014)

An amazing enclosure for an amazing species!  I just aquired my first amblipigid, a _Damon Diadema_.  She's beautiful, but she has nothing on those stunning _batesii_'s.   Good luck with breeding!


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## viper69 (Dec 14, 2014)

This is one of the best vivs I've seen in a long time, one of the best for an invert.

Are you a dart frog owner?

What misting system are you using?

What did you use for lighting?

I'd love to see pics of the build!!


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## Ambly (Dec 15, 2014)

Dartarific indeed.  Post again when it has grown in.

Great pics of the 'pygi's.   Let us know how successful it is in the long run - mostly regarding molts and stuff, as that is generally the limiting factor in enclosures.


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## Oreo (Dec 15, 2014)

Great setup! Better than some zoo enclosures I've seen. With your knack, you should create a communal setup for some H. incei gold.


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## MrCrackerpants (Dec 16, 2014)

Oreo said:


> Great setup! Better than some zoo enclosures I've seen. With your knack, you should create a communal setup for some H. incei gold.


And Monocentropus balfouri


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## Goliath (Dec 20, 2014)

viper69 said:


> This is one of the best vivs I've seen in a long time, one of the best for an invert.
> 
> Are you a dart frog owner?
> 
> ...


Thank you very much.  I am not a dart frog owner.  
 A couple of my friends are.  I have doing tanks like this for years and have found tremendous success with breeding inverts in them.  Plus they are fun to build and look very nice.  The misting system is an exoterra monsoon Rs400 system.  The lighting is 4 17W jungle dawn LED bulbs and a led strip for night viewing.  I will post more photos soon.

---------- Post added 12-20-2014 at 08:48 AM ----------




Ambly said:


> Dartarific indeed.  Post again when it has grown in.
> 
> Great pics of the 'pygi's.   Let us know how successful it is in the long run - mostly regarding molts and stuff, as that is generally the limiting factor in enclosures.


Thank you.  I will keep everyone up to date.  I have had great success with animals in these type of terrariums over the years.

---------- Post added 12-20-2014 at 08:51 AM ----------




Oreo said:


> Great setup! Better than some zoo enclosures I've seen. With your knack, you should create a communal setup for some H. incei gold.


Thanks, I have done it before with incei.  They tend to kill all the vegetation with their webbing.  These tanks do work very well with arboreals though which tend to web less.


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## viper69 (Dec 20, 2014)

Goliath said:


> Thank you very much.  I am not a dart frog owner.
> A couple of my friends are.  I have doing tanks like this for years and have found tremendous success with breeding inverts in them.  Plus they are fun to build and look very nice.  The misting system is an exoterra monsoon Rs400 system.  The lighting is 4 17W jungle dawn LED bulbs and a led strip for night viewing.  I will post more photos soon.





It's a gorgeous setup. I'd love to see how it was actually made, as I've always wanted to make something like that, but figured I'd start off smaller than yours, maybe 8x8x12 or 18x18x24. I am not familiar with everything that needs to be taken into consideration (minus making a drainage layer). I've seen some European  setups as they are very much into living jungles.

I'm definitely not familiar w/the right plants, proper lighting etc. I've seen those LED bulbs, good to know they work.

I take it the night viewing was just a regular blue LED strip found online etc, as opposed to something from the pet industry? I saw someone use some nice LED strip lighting for the night, blue, but he didn't mention where the lights came from.

I'm thinking of adding a LED blue light for my small ExoTerra Nano Talls for my Avics.


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 20, 2014)

Y'all need to let this thread die! Every time it gets bumped I click it and see the pictures of the H. batesii and it just makes me want them more! These amazing pictures and beautiful enclosure, it is like y'all are trying to make me go broke!


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## Goliath (Dec 20, 2014)

viper69 said:


> It's a gorgeous setup. I'd love to see how it was actually made, as I've always wanted to make something like that, but figured I'd start off smaller than yours, maybe 8x8x12 or 18x18x24. I am not familiar with everything that needs to be taken into consideration (minus making a drainage layer). I've seen some European  setups as they are very much into living jungles.
> 
> I'm definitely not familiar w/the right plants, proper lighting etc. I've seen those LED bulbs, good to know they work.
> 
> ...


Thanks again.  They are not that difficult to make.  They can be time consuming but that is about it.  I will be putting together a full article that describes the full process.  The LEDs are just your typical led strip, nothing special.


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## Goliath (Dec 20, 2014)

I figured I would add some more photos.

Reactions: Like 6


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 20, 2014)

Yep....you're going to be the cause of me going bankrupt. Let that sit in your conscious.

Reactions: Like 3


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## viper69 (Dec 21, 2014)

Goliath said:


> Thanks again.  They are not that difficult to make.  They can be time consuming but that is about it.  I will be putting together a full article that describes the full process.  The LEDs are just your typical led strip, nothing special.



Thanks again. I look forward to that article. Great photos below!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 21, 2014)

Yep..Viper, you just made me look at the pictures again lol. Why do I like this arachnid so much lol?


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## numbat1000 (Dec 21, 2014)

lol but they really are so amazing.  I only wish they were more easily acquirable.


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## Goliath (Dec 22, 2014)

Here are a couple more from yesterday.

Reactions: Like 5


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 22, 2014)

That is a BEAUTIFUL arachnid! How are they care wise? Easy?


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## Goliath (Dec 23, 2014)

Biollantefan54 said:


> That is a BEAUTIFUL arachnid! How are they care wise? Easy?


They are fairly easy.  They are good eaters that like big prey.  They grow fairly quick and are communal.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 23, 2014)

Is care pretty much the same as D. diadema? Everyone says that D. diadema is the one of the easiest but I have never found anything to suggest care is different for pretty much any of them really.


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## Goliath (Dec 24, 2014)

Biollantefan54 said:


> Is care pretty much the same as D. diadema? Everyone says that D. diadema is the one of the easiest but I have never found anything to suggest care is different for pretty much any of them really.


I keep them much more humid than Damon species.  They are not as skittish as Damon with large prey, they like the prey big.  They do not hug the surface like Damon species, they prop themselves above it so you need more vertical space than with Damon.  They also do not hide in crevices like Damon, they are out in the open more.  Large flat vertical spaces are required for them to hang out on.  They are also much more communal than Damon species. I have never had any cannibalism between members even while molting.  They usually bunch up when they are resting during the day and then spread out a little at night to hunt.  They will take food at any opportunity during the day and they are great hunters.  They will usually take food within minutes of the prey being introduced into the enclosure.

Reactions: Like 2


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## Biollantefan54 (Dec 24, 2014)

Ok, sweet! Thanks for all the help lol.


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## Goliath (Nov 15, 2015)

I figured I would add some new tank shots since it has grown in.

Thanks,
Mike

Reactions: Like 8


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## Biollantefan54 (Nov 15, 2015)

Woah, that tank is gorgeous!


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## Hisserdude (Nov 15, 2015)

Wow, that's a beautiful tank!  One question, how are they EVER going to find their food? It's more likely that the crickets/roaches you feed it will die of old age than be eaten by your whipspiders!


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## schmiggle (Nov 15, 2015)

The tank is almost more stunning than the whipspiders!   I love the picture of the just-molted babies.


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## Goliath (Nov 15, 2015)

Hisserdude said:


> Wow, that's a beautiful tank!  One question, how are they EVER going to find their food? It's more likely that the crickets/roaches you feed it will die of old age than be eaten by your whipspiders!


Thanks.  They do have been very efficient at finding the food in the tank.  They have molted numerous times since the introduction to the tank.  The choice of prey is chosen carefully though with the introduction of isopods, large crickets and non burrowing roaches.  Burrowing prey would be completely lost very quickly.


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## Hisserdude (Nov 15, 2015)

Well that's good to hear, glad they are doing well for you. Again, very beautiful tank!


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## Philth (Nov 15, 2015)

Great stuff, and beautiful pictures.  I need to set something up like this. 

Later, Tom


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## pannaking22 (Nov 15, 2015)

Wow, that tank is crazy! Glad to hear they're doing well and awesome to see you got some whiplings too! Hoping to do a pretty major setup once I get a big tank. I already have plants and clean up crews, so now I just need a tank and some _H. batesii_


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## dactylus (Nov 16, 2015)

Very nice!!  How are you lighting the tank?


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## Goliath (Nov 17, 2015)

dactylus said:


> Very nice!!  How are you lighting the tank?


Thank you.  The lighting is 4 17W jungle dawn LED bulbs and a led strip for night viewing.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Goliath (Nov 17, 2015)

Here are some more photos.  Enjoy.

Mike

Reactions: Like 6


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## Forcep (Nov 19, 2015)

The terrarium is stunning! Do you have any problem with the plants by putting crickets in?


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## Ratmosphere (Nov 22, 2015)

Nice job on setting up that enclosure.


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## numbat1000 (Nov 24, 2015)

*jaw drops* That tank is absalutely outstanding!  I have a planted tank (also larger than is needed for the inhabitant lol, 12x12x18) for my D. diadema, but it pales in comparison to yours.  What plant species are you using?
Could we get some more detailed shots of the enclosure, and maybe a video of the occupants moving around/interacting with the enclosure? I'm begging you here, please. 
Gorgeous pics of the H. batesii as well, btw. 


--numbat1000

Reactions: Like 2


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## viper69 (Nov 27, 2015)

This is quite stunning to say the least. Video would be great


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## zonbonzovi (Nov 27, 2015)

Mike, can I assume that the photos with pedipalps extending beyond the first pair of legs are male and those that are much shorter are female?


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## wizentrop (Nov 30, 2015)

To zonbonzovi: Surprised no one answered this already. No, pedipalp length is not a good character for distinguishing males from females in H. batesii. Old females have long pedipalps that extend beyond the femurs of the first pair of legs.

Reactions: Like 3


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## zonbonzovi (Dec 2, 2015)

Thank you, wizentrop.  I did stumble across a paper that said as much after I posted my question.  There is a clear photo of male and female operculum on page 56:

http://www.researchgate.net/publica...ypygi_Phrynidae)_in_Eastern_Amazonian_Ecuador


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## Elytra and Antenna (Mar 15, 2016)

Any more batches of babies 





zonbonzovi said:


> Thank you, wizentrop.  I did stumble across a paper that said as much after I posted my question.  There is a clear photo of male and female operculum on page 56:
> 
> http://www.researchgate.net/publication/224608256_Ecology_and_Natural_History_of_the_Tree-inhabiting_Social_Amblypygid_Heterophrynus_Batesii_(Butler_1873_Amblypygi_Phrynidae)_in_Eastern_Amazonian_Ecuador


They are easier to sex with palps than operculum. Take a closer look at those operculum photos, it's not even slightly easy like it is with D. diadema or P. barbadensis. If you take a look at that article you'll see the palp difference by gender is listed numerically and is significant. Females have long palps but males are even longer. The only problem is very young mature specimens are difficult to sex with either character.


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