# red trap door spider



## angel of death (Sep 25, 2005)

can any one tell me how to care for a red trap door spider gorygorella sp. thank you


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## ScorpDemon (Sep 25, 2005)

you need a container thats deep.. floor space is almost insignificant.. they like to dig.. a lot.. and y ou will almost never see it.. except when its eating, and only for a split second then.. lots of deep substrate packed fairly tight.. moist but not too moist.. around 80 degrees, and dont touch


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## WidowMaker (Sep 25, 2005)

I pretty much agree with ScorpDemon.  You need lots of substrate, they love that obviously. I have several different trapdoors and sometimes you get lucky where they'll burrow down right next to the edge and you can actually watch them through their webbing since the glass is right there. A few actually don't complete their doors either and you can sort of see them through (around) the doors. They do like to stay down in their holes though. Not what I would call a docile, hands on type spider, or one that I would get if you wanted to watch it alot. Bites have caused some serious reactions in a few people. Other than that, they are quite 'neat'. Best wishes.


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## Schlyne (Sep 26, 2005)

I've also read that you may need to start a burrow for it and shoo it down.  Trapdoors get stressed fairly quickly sitting out in the open.  I've got a black trapdoor myself, but I picked it up after it had already burrowed in.

Trapdoors are considered to be very venemeous btw.


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## AfterTheAsylum (Sep 26, 2005)

Schlyne is right.  You should start the hole for the trapdoor.  I also have a red.  I actually made the entire hole for it and made it back into the hole.  It sits fine now.  Watch out for these guys.  They are more insane than a Haplopelma.  If you so much breathe on one when it surfaces, it will strike.  Any vibration, any anything.  The thing that sucks is that I haven't seen mine since I made the burrow.  They never come out.  I was well aware of this beforehand.  I am just hoping that one night I walk into Dante's Inferno (the spider room - "All hope abandon, ye who enter here") and see it eat for the first time.


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## buthidae46290 (Sep 27, 2005)

I had my red trapdoor for about 2 weeks before I finally got sick of waiting for it to make a burrow and made one for it. Its moved in quite nicely though. Hasnt made a door so I can still see it...and to echo everyone else...theyre mean as hell.


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## Hutch (Jan 2, 2011)

I once owned a trapdoor spider. Everytime I fed it I sat for as long as 25 minutes with a motion picture camara to catch a glimpse at the little devil.
You may have to start a little tunnel for them, (Even though they hate us they do need our help) Feed it the usual crickets, make sure is has access to water as all spiders do, and whatever you do do not give it the chance to bite or run away. They are fast a lightning and it took 2 hours me and 5 men to find one adult female red trapdoor spider in what seemed to be an empty room. Beware.


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## grayhound (Jan 2, 2011)

*never seen*

I agree.... Pretty much deep substrate is the key.

I got a female Red Trap about 6 months ago.  I saw her on the first day only!!  She built her trap right behind a cork log, and you can barely even see it.  (nobody has even been able to point it out until I show them what to look for)  I have NEVER even seen her since the first day when she built her trap.  Crickets will walk right over her trap in front of me, and NOTHING!!..... however.... the crickets will dissappear overnight when I'm not watching.  Sooner or later I'll get lucky and see her eat, but until cage cleaning time, i'm not holding my breath.

Cool spiders, but not the greatest displays.

Grayhound


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## grayhound (Jan 3, 2011)

*pic of my red trap*

I'm going to attempt to attach a picture that I took of her right when I took her out of the deli cup she came in and was settling into her new home.  I'm trying to attach a link to photobucket, and not sure if this will work...... ( I'm still learning how arachnoboards posting works! ) .....   They are so beautiful.... I wish they would show themselves more!!







grayhound


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## Moltar (Jan 3, 2011)

There is a trick to getting them to let you see them feed. Place the container wherever you want it to be when you feed and take the lid off. Then give her about 30 minutes of quiet, sneak back into the room and drop the cricket in. Usually she's chilled out enough by then to go ahead and take the prey.

They're just so skittish and so vibration sensitive that the mere act of opening the lid can spook them too much to eat. This is all assuming she's in an enclosure that can't be climbed out of, btw. They're useless on plastic/glass so it shouldn't be too hard.


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## Zeny Nurdinata (Dec 2, 2016)

Wow thats amazing! Its in my wishlist haha.... 
Btw you know who sale trapdoor spider in here and accepted shipping internationally? Thanks


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## chanda (Dec 2, 2016)

I had one of these for about a year or so and it was kind of disappointing. The thing was literally a pet hole. I knew it would spend most of its time down the burrow, but I did hope to see it pop out to grab crickets. No such luck! It seemed like it was so sensitive to vibration that it always knew I was there, even if I turned out the lights and waited quietly next to the cage with just a red light on. The only times I got to see it were when I first brought it home, when I dug it out for a "life check" after not seeing it for months, and when it finally died.


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