# To those considering Ephebopus murinus...



## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

Striking contrasts, generally leaning more towards the skittish / defensive side, no urticating bristles on the abdomen, but instead on the pedipalps (!) which they can kick in front of them. Mine never used them thus far, though perhaps because she's quite mellow and more stubborn if anything. Personally I'd place these not as 1st T's, not because of behavior (although they are really fast if they want to be!) but because keeping them is a bit more demanding. That said, these are true "swamp dwellers" that should be kept accordingly in a damp climate so restricting airflow to some degree and adding a bigger than necessary waterdish helps. I usually moisten half of her substrate and keep it that way. 

Word of advice: Be careful not to get fungus or mold as these will usually abandon their burrow in that case and sit somewhat stressed out looking in a corner then. I've seen this twice with a friends T which behaved normally again after cleaning the enclosure out. Other than that - don't expect to see them daily, but you can usually get at least a glimpse of them if feeding in the afternoon, or evening. Great T's to keep for sure!


Pics (since not everyone checks picture threads...)


"Asteria", Ephebopus murinus, ~5" female - *nomnomnom*






"Asteria", Ephebopus murinus, ~5" female - different angle






"Asteria", Ephebopus murinus, ~5" female - her enclosure: Her burrow is actually to the left at the deepest end of the corkbark






"Asteria", Ephebopus murinus, ~5" female - "More mealworms? GIMME!"






"Asteria", Ephebopus murinus, ~5" female - *nomnomnom* the 2nd... 






"Asteria", Ephebopus murinus, ~5" female - ...and again different angle

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## awiec (Oct 22, 2014)

Springtails are my best friends in my E.murinus cage, usually I'm pretty good at getting the poo and bolus out but they back me up if I happen to miss something. I keep some moss in there as well to help keep things humid without having to worry as much about fungus in the burrow. I see mine pretty often but it's kept in a room that is generally dim, I still mainly see it in the morning and at night. These are a very nice middle of the road spider as their temperament isn't terrible and they grow at a decent rate, mine still has sling colors so I don't really have any impressive pictures of it. Overall this is probably the most stunning of the genus and are fun to watch tunnel.

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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Thats some plastic bag looking web haha

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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> Thats some plastic bag looking web haha


It's because of the moisture. She has webbed it over some, but it's not visible on the pictures


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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> It's because of the moisture. She has webbed it over some, but it's not visible on the pictures


 Yeah I bet it looks pretty moist, looks like she has been in the enclosure for 2 years+ as well.


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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> Yeah I bet it looks pretty moist, looks like she has been in the enclosure for 2 years+ as well.


Actually, nope  This has been her enclosure for close to a year now, though. She's often moving dirt around, webbing up new corners and the like. She also has the odd habit of putting strains of web against the lid here and there and whenever I open it, she peeks out.

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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> Actually, nope  This has been her enclosure for close to a year now, though. She's often moving dirt around, webbing up new corners and the like. She also has the odd habit of putting strains of web against the lid here and there and whenever I open it, she peeks out.


 Sounds a lot like the Australian species, burrowers/ surface active/ heavy webbers.


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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> Sounds a lot like the Australian species, burrowers/ surface active/ heavy webbers.


She's an oddball alright. From the moment I unpacked her I figured she doesn't fall into the general description of the species. Hardly wanted to move, played rock, then a short sprint and again playing rock. She's pretty mellow and the only time I saw her fired up was when she was in premolt and I offered food at the mound of her burrow - boy, she didn't like that!


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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> She's an oddball alright. From the moment I unpacked her I figured she doesn't fall into the general description of the species. Hardly wanted to move, played rock, then a short sprint and again playing rock. She's pretty mellow and the only time I saw her fired up was when she was in premolt and I offered food at the mound of her burrow - boy, she didn't like that!


 Ha! How dare you offer her food, evil man.

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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> Ha! How dare you offer her food, evil man.


I know, right?!  Suffice to say I removed the meal immediately...after I got my tongs back from her!


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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> I know, right?!  Suffice to say I removed the meal immediately...after I got my tongs back from her!


 Yeah I have a pretentious T like that, always pissy when I try and do something good for her, so I just shrug and say don't complain when her enclosure is caked in dust sitting behind everything else :wink:


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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> Yeah I have a pretentious T like that, always pissy when I try and do something good for her, so I just shrug and say complain when her enclosure is caked in dust sitting behind everything else :wink:


Ha! That's pretty much how I treat hers now, too. Except for feeding and watering, I don't bother her ever. She's just not one too fond of interruptions and as long as she shows up at night, I know she's fine. Plus, it's interesting watching her web a little here, a little there and oh - over there, too!


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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> Ha! That's pretty much how I treat hers now, too. Except for feeding and watering, I don't bother her ever. She's just not one too fond of interruptions and as long as she shows up at night, I know she's fine. Plus, it's interesting watching her web a little here, a little there and oh - over there, too!


 Yes I'm also fond of big webbers.

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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> Yes I'm also fond of big webbers.


Btw, I'm using tropical isopods in her enclosure with great success.

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## jigalojey (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> Btw, I'm using tropical isopods in her enclosure with great success.


 I use silverfish for my moister species, I keep a species here that lives in mud in Rainforests in a plastic container with no air holes WITH a piece of wood in the enclosure, zero mold/fungus and I check the tank thoroughly once a week, never found any.


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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> I use silverfish for my moister species, I keep a species here that lives in mud in Rainforests in a plastic container with no air holes WITH a piece of wood in the enclosure, zero mold/fungus and I check the tank thoroughly once a week, never found any.


Nice. Guess those little buggers eat away all the mold / fungus that could grow. It's pretty much like that with the isopods in the enclosure of my girl, I usually don't even find any leftovers (bolus) from her the next day...works out well.


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## LythSalicaria (Oct 22, 2014)

Gorgeous T! I was leaning toward making an Ephebopus species one of my next acquisitions; this thread has me leaning even farther in that direction. LOL!

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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

LythSalicaria said:


> Gorgeous T! I was leaning toward making an Ephebopus species one of my next acquisitions; this thread has me leaning even farther in that direction. LOL!


Their genus is pretty underrated IMO. It's true, as burrowers and needing lots of moisture they're a bit more demanding, but with that in mind and knowing about their needs it's a great genus to keep. I kinda want to get an Ephebopus cyanognathus (bluefang) at some point just because I like how striking those blue fangs look. Granted, the T itself dulls out quite some as an adult, but those fangs...awesome.

If I'm not mistaken, the urticating bristles for all of these are on the pedipalps, not the abdomen. Though I'd have to look that up again if it's only true for the murinus, or the others aswell.


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## BobGrill (Oct 22, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> Their genus is pretty underrated IMO. It's true, as burrowers and needing lots of moisture they're a bit more demanding, but with that in mind and knowing about their needs it's a great genus to keep. I kinda want to get an Ephebopus cyanognathus (bluefang) at some point just because I like how striking those blue fangs look. Granted, the T itself dulls out quite some as an adult, but those fangs...awesome.
> 
> If I'm not mistaken, the urticating bristles for all of these are on the pedipalps, not the abdomen. Though I'd have to look that up again if it's only true for the murinus, or the others aswell.


It applies to the entire genus.

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## Storm76 (Oct 22, 2014)

BobGrill said:


> It applies to the entire genus.


I thought so, yeah. It's one detail making them very unique


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## scorpionchaos (Oct 22, 2014)

I love my E.murinus!!! he is special and has made two entrance points  to his burrow because no matter what I do when I offer food he has to turn around go back in and wait to grab his food at the entrance I dropped the cricket. His leg stripes are very gold/orange and I see him pretty often (from a pet hole perspective)

Love the "popcorn" feeding response


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## 14pokies (Oct 28, 2014)

Storm76 said:


> I know, right?!  Suffibrce to say I removed the meal immediately...after I got my tongs back from her!


 bro no joke... i had one do a backflip and 180 out of her hide when i was grabbin the water dish or as she liked to call it the dish i fill with dirt! No bs i couldnt believe what i had seen and have never seen anything like it since


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## klawfran3 (Oct 29, 2014)

jigalojey said:


> I use silverfish for my moister species, I keep a species here that lives in mud in Rainforests in a plastic container with no air holes WITH a piece of wood in the enclosure, zero mold/fungus and I check the tank thoroughly once a week, never found any.


Silverfish? I heard those eat anything. Wouldn't they chew on your spider after it molts?
also where did you get a colony of silverfish too? I haven't seen one in my house for years, let alone enough to start a colony...


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## Storm76 (Oct 29, 2014)

klawfran3 said:


> Silverfish? I heard those eat anything. Wouldn't they chew on your spider after it molts?
> also where did you get a colony of silverfish too? I haven't seen one in my house for years, let alone enough to start a colony...


Tropical petshops over here sell them actually, for one. Although I do prefer isopods over them, Silverfish tend to find any wet spots in the house and that may include your bathroom at some point - considering they can easily escape through the tightest gaps.

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## MrCrackerpants (Oct 30, 2014)

Storm76: I have seen people keep this species in a much drier enclosure (always with a full water dish). They said they did not have any problems. I'm not sure if this is true. Do you have any experience with your enclosure drying out and did you notice any problems? Thanks for sharing your beautiful spider. I had a chance last year to buy a beautiful CB cheap mature female and I did not. Kinda kicking myself...lol


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## DVMT (Oct 30, 2014)

MrCrackerpants said:


> Storm76: I have seen people keep this species in a much drier enclosure (always with a full water dish). They said they did not have any problems. I'm not sure if this is true. Do you have any experience with your enclosure drying out and did you notice any problems? Thanks for sharing your beautiful spider. I had a chance last year to buy a beautiful CB cheap mature female and I did not. Kinda kicking myself...lol


I have had my MF E. murinus in  an enclosure that I keep fairly dry with a nice, big (peanut butter jar lid sized) water dish and she has been fine for well over a year now.  I've had 1 molt from her and she eats on the regular.  Can't say much in the way of raising them from slings that way though.

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## Storm76 (Oct 30, 2014)

I have never kept her dry, always quite humid as in their natural habitat. A befriended breeder kept his female somewhat more on the dry side and she didn't adapt so well to it. Kept digging the whole enclosure trying to find a more damp spot probably. Once he did dampen it more, the T stopt digging and established one burrow that she stayed in.

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## Bugmom (Oct 31, 2014)

This is helpful as I just got three P. murinus slings.


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## BobGrill (Nov 1, 2014)

Bugmom said:


> This is helpful as I just got three P. murinus slings.


Typo I'm guessing ?


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## Bugmom (Nov 1, 2014)

BobGrill said:


> Typo I'm guessing ?


Yeah. That's what i get for trying to multitask lol. Only have one P. murinus, but three E. murinus.


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## Storm76 (Nov 1, 2014)

Bugmom said:


> Yeah. That's what i get for trying to multitask lol. Only have one P. murinus, but three E. murinus.


They're nice T's, raised mine from a ~2.5" unsexed to what she is now. Pretty easy to take care of really, if you know what to look out for. I'm of the opinion that simply because you -can- keep a certain species other than what they encounter in their habitat, doesn't mean you should do it. Yes, they can adapt, but some don't take too well to it and therefore it's nothing I want to expose them to.

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## MrCrackerpants (Nov 1, 2014)

DamonVikki said:


> I have had my MF E. murinus in  an enclosure that I keep fairly dry with a nice, big (peanut butter jar lid sized) water dish and she has been fine for well over a year now.  I've had 1 molt from her and she eats on the regular.  Can't say much in the way of raising them from slings that way though.


Thanks for the info. Good to know.


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## Mike41793 (Nov 2, 2014)

Nice pics! Love my E. murinus girl


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## advan (Nov 3, 2014)

DamonVikki said:


> I have had my MF E. murinus in  an enclosure that I keep fairly dry with a nice, big (peanut butter jar lid sized) water dish and she has been fine for well over a year now.  I've had 1 molt from her and she eats on the regular.  Can't say much in the way of raising them from slings that way though.


This would be an example of surviving not thriving.



MrCrackerpants said:


> Storm76: I have seen people keep this species in a much drier enclosure (always with a full water dish). They said they did not have any problems. I'm not sure if this is true. Do you have any experience with your enclosure drying out and did you notice any problems? Thanks for sharing your beautiful spider. I had a chance last year to buy a beautiful CB cheap mature female and I did not. Kinda kicking myself...lol


Keep them moist at all times. No reason to try and change a species needs to suite you. If you can't keep them correctly, get a spider that you feel comfortable enough to fulfill their needs.

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## BobGrill (Nov 3, 2014)

Even with the extra moisture that is needed, these are still easy spiders to keep. They need more humidity and moisture than the majority of other genera,  but I still wouldn't fret over it too much. I give mine a DEEP waterdish and keep it filled at all times.


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## DVMT (Nov 3, 2014)

advan said:


> This would be an example of surviving not thriving.
> 
> Keep them moist at all times. No reason to try and change a species needs to suite you. If you can't keep them correctly, get a spider that you feel comfortable enough to fulfill their needs.


Fairly dry, not bone dry.  She has never seemed to hover over the dish or any parts I have misted in the past.  I assume she has been comfortable.  Abdomen is plump, she moves fine, has plenty of access to water, eats well, in her burrow most of the time except at night.  I do still mist some occasionally and keep the cabinet humidity for those species requiring more, including her, up on the top shelves. A minimum of 65%.  Probably should have included this info in my original response.


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## Ultum4Spiderz (Nov 4, 2014)

P antinous also needs a lot of moisture. I need dwarf Ispods for there enclosure sometime. Rain-forest Ts like a lot of water .

I probably wont be getting a Skeleton T anytime soon though, P antinous are good enough for now.


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## Poec54 (Nov 4, 2014)

advan said:


> This would be an example of surviving not thriving.
> 
> Keep them moist at all times. No reason to try and change a species needs to suite you. If you can't keep them correctly, get a spider that you feel comfortable enough to fulfill their needs.


Well said.  I don't understand the theory of trying to keep tarantulas as dry as you possibly can.  A lot of them live in some high rainfall climates.


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## Storm76 (Nov 5, 2014)

Poec54 said:


> Well said.  I don't understand the theory of trying to keep tarantulas as dry as you possibly can.  A lot of them live in some high rainfall climates.


What's mind-boggling even more is the fact that people drown Avic in moistures, but those species really needing it, are kept dry as can be. Something's wrong here...


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## YagerManJennsen (Mar 2, 2016)

Erm... What should you do if it molts down in its burrow. I may be wrong and plz correct me if I am but I heard that at in haplopelma genus would eventually push their molt out to the surface. Would the E. Murinus do the same?


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## Chris LXXIX (Mar 2, 2016)

YagerManJennsen said:


> Erm... What should you do if it molts down in its burrow. I may be wrong and plz correct me if I am but I heard that at in haplopelma genus would eventually push their molt out to the surface. Would the E. Murinus do the same?


I do nothing  a lot of OB keep molts inside, it's a form of protection. Think, in the wild isn't a good idea to put the molt outside the hole, it's like to say "I live here" to predators. Genus _Ephebopus_ i owned and the 0.1 _Ephebopus murinus_ i have now, behave like that. Molts are somewhere in those long burrows

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## YagerManJennsen (Mar 2, 2016)

Alrighty, coolio. Another addition to the wishlist


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## Quixtar (Mar 2, 2016)

There's no harm in leaving a molt in the burrow. It doesn't occupy much space and is rather easy for the tarantula to tear apart or move.

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## YagerManJennsen (Mar 2, 2016)

That seems all well and good but what if you want to sex the molt? Is there any easy way to retrieve it that doesn't end with a ticked off tarantula?


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## Toxoderidae (Mar 2, 2016)

Tweezers and being very, very slow. (at least for my arboreals)

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## Storm76 (Mar 3, 2016)

YagerManJennsen said:


> Erm... What should you do if it molts down in its burrow. I may be wrong and plz correct me if I am but I heard that at in haplopelma genus would eventually push their molt out to the surface. Would the E. Murinus do the same?


Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't and just incorporate it into the walls of the tunnel. It doesn't really matter since it's not rotting. My fimbriatus molted in her chamber down below, never saw her molt thrown out and I honestly don't mind.

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## VesuviusX (Mar 3, 2016)

This is one Beautiful T

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## YagerManJennsen (Mar 3, 2016)

Cool. This species would probably be one of my first choices if I were ever to get a fossorial species.


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## Storm76 (Mar 5, 2016)

They come with a complimentary load of attitude. Well, the majority does. Mine is pretty laid back

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## scott308 (Mar 19, 2016)

I really like my E. murinus and E. uatuman.  Very nice looking spiders.  I would not mind picking up others in this genus at some point.

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