# Haplopelma vonwirthi care/housing?



## Duckaay (Dec 31, 2014)

So i acquired my first of the haplopelma sp yesterday i just wanted some info on care im finding conflicting reports on humidity, could anyone who has owned this sp give me the run down please ? also i understand they a remarkable burrowers or from what ive heard i have a female around 4 inches could i fill one of my old jars i used for my avic with substrate most of the way up would this be a suitable container ?.


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## Poec54 (Dec 31, 2014)

As far as I've seen, every Asian terrestrial needs moist substrate, moderate ventilation, a secure retreat, and a water bowl.  They like humid but not stuffy cages.  Shouldn't be condensation.  I keep my vonwirthi adults in 15 qt clear plastic storage boxes with hinged lids.  I have a number of airholes on the sides and top for cross ventilation.  I start them off with a cork slab to hide under, and they make a tunnel from there.  When hungry they'll be out in the open.  I would not put your vonwirthi in a jar; I doubt it's big enough for an adult spider and a cage transfer would be more difficult.  You need room to maneuver and a wider cage makes life simpler with a fast, feisty spider.

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## jigalojey (Dec 31, 2014)

Any pictures of this beauty??


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## Quazgar (Dec 31, 2014)

My recommendation is a tall container filled mostly with substrate. Start a little bit of a hole to help encourage the T to burrow. You can try giving it a hide and a water dish, but don't be terribly surprised if/when they both get buried under excavated substrate. In terms of keeping the substrate moist, you definitely don't want it wet but I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not it has a little bit of moisture or dries out. A lot of Haplopelma keepers will start watering them by pouring just a little bit of water down their burrow holes (generally the only method if the water dish consistently gets buried). Depending on the substrate and how much water you use, you should then end up with a slightly moist bottom becoming increasingly dry to the top of the enclosure, which seems to work perfectly for them.


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## Duckaay (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks guys for the info sorted her out into her enclosure pre made her a burrow not all the way down but just to get her started, i have never seen a T spin around so fast to try tag the tweezers definitely a T which needs alot of respect she was abit narky at first but just walked into her enclosure and bolted into the pre made burro not looking forward to doing that again!.

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jigalojey said:


> Any pictures of this beauty??


Yeah ill try throw some up within the next 10 mins or so 

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jigalojey said:


> Any pictures of this beauty??


http://prntscr.com/5n0oa1

http://prntscr.com/5n0oqp

there you go mate my iPhone camera does its best, hard to get a photo of her shes so nervous..


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## Storm76 (Dec 31, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> You need room to maneuver and a wider cage makes life simpler with a fast, feisty spider.


Signing this 100%  Makes your life way easier than keeping one in a cramped cage you may have to rehouse them out of at some point - facing an extremely annoyed T. Feisty? I'd gonna say downright angry


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## jigalojey (Dec 31, 2014)

Thanks mate, awesome looking T.


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## Poec54 (Dec 31, 2014)

Quazgar said:


> My recommendation is a tall container filled mostly with substrate.


I give my Asian terrestrials about 4" of substrate, and that's ample for them to tunnel in.


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## cold blood (Dec 31, 2014)

Quazgar said:


> Start a little bit of a hole to help encourage the T to burrow.


I see this frequently, and it works for a lot of folks, so I'm not knocking it....but who starts their burrows in the wild?   I have NEVER started a burrow for any species, especially not a burrowing specialist.  Just strikes me as odd to think that people belive they need a hand at what's basically their forte.


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## Poec54 (Dec 31, 2014)

cold blood said:


> I see this frequently, and it works for a lot of folks, so I'm not knocking it....but who starts their burrows in the wild?   I have NEVER started a burrow for any species, especially not a burrowing specialist.  Just strikes me as odd to think that people belive they need a hand at what's basically their forte.


A cage isn't the wild, and some burrowing species can take a while to start digging, which is not good when it's a fast, high-strung spider that's prone to panicking when it's caught out in the open.

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## cold blood (Dec 31, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> A cage isn't the wild, and some burrowing species can take a while to start digging, which is not good when it's a fast, high-strung spider that's prone to panicking when it's caught out in the open.


I would thing burrowing would be significantly easier than in the wild.  No one to bother them, generally softer, more easily manipulated subs and even the soil we'd be inclined to use would be pretty consistent without rocks or hard spots or clays, etc.  

I do see why people do it, and I'm not knocking it, because you are right, that a burrow is a good thing for them to have without a doubt.   Guess mine have never been shy about starting their own pretty quickly.  Perhaps the cooler climate encourages it, even in a warm room.


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## Storm76 (Jan 2, 2015)

Somewhat silly question: Due to the fact that Haplos are generally petholes in addition to their nasty temper - how much different are they really threshold-wise in comparison to C. fimbriatus? Reason why I ask is that I really like the looks of the albostriatum, but so far the whole genus is marked red for me. Somehow I get a bad feeling thinking about keeping one. Following my own advice, it's the reason why I haven't kept one so far.

On the other hand, I've had no problems with my couple fimbriatus devils that I raised from slings and paired up last year. So, there's that.

Reactions: Like 1


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## jigalojey (Jan 2, 2015)

cold blood said:


> I see this frequently, and it works for a lot of folks, so I'm not knocking it....but who starts their burrows in the wild?   I have NEVER started a burrow for any species, especially not a burrowing specialist.  Just strikes me as odd to think that people belive they need a hand at what's basically their forte.


 None of my obligate burrowers use premade or hides anyway.


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## Poec54 (Jan 2, 2015)

Storm76 said:


> Somewhat silly question: Due to the fact that Haplos are generally petholes in addition to their nasty temper - how much different are they really threshold-wise in comparison to C. fimbriatus? Reason why I ask is that I really like the looks of the albostriatum, but so far the whole genus is marked red for me. Somehow I get a bad feeling thinking about keeping one. Following my own advice, it's the reason why I haven't kept one so far.
> 
> On the other hand, I've had no problems with my couple fimbriatus devils that I raised from slings and paired up last year. So, there's that.


Haplos don't spin as much as Chilos. They're both hardy and are out when they're hungry.  Mine aren't pet holes, but then I don't give them a foot of substrate either.  Once they've settled in, they're fine; I don't get threat displays.  You only get bit if you're hand is where it's not supposed to be, it's their territory.  Forceps/tongs are essential with OW species.


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## Storm76 (Jan 2, 2015)

Poec54 said:


> Haplos don't spin as much as Chilos. They're both hardy and are out when they're hungry.  Mine aren't per holes, but then I don't give them a foot of substrate either.  Once they've settled in, they're fine; I don't get threat displays.  You only get bit if you're hand is where it's not supposed to be, it's their territory.  Forceps/tongs are essential with OW species.


Obviously, yeah. Never had any problems with my Chilobrachys so I might consider a Haplo sometime this year...thanks.


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## Poec54 (Jan 2, 2015)

Storm76 said:


> Obviously, yeah. Never had any problems with my Chilobrachys so I might consider a Haplo sometime this year...thanks.


Think of them as Chilo's with less silk.


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## dopamine (Dec 16, 2016)

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but have any of you guys had your Haplos hang out up in the corner of the enclosure for an extended period of time? It's even begun webbing up there. It's a 1" sling from Swift's and I'm baffled as to why it refuses to burrow and instead act like an OBT.

Reactions: Sad 1


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