# fastest tarantula in the world?



## Michael Jacobi (Jul 21, 2006)

People often ask me which species I think is the fastest tarantula. There are plenty of quick ones, but I generally answer that any of the _Tapinauchenius_ are the fastest. In my experience, they are the fastest of the arboreals, which - as a group - you would expect to be fastest. However, after potting up all of these Australian tarantulas I would have to say that a 1 inch _Selenocosmia crassipes_ is so fast it is almost unreal. I have no idea how fast they will be when they are 9 or 10 inches, but these yearlings are just a blur. I pot them over a large sweater box and when one falls in it can run around the entire perimeter in about one second flat! :worship: I can't wait until they are huge, full of attitude, and stridulate loud enough to be heard across my shoppe!

Cheers, Michael


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## PhilR (Jul 21, 2006)

LOL, thanks for that Michael. Mine moulted about a week ago and needs rehousing!

Sounds like it'll be fun


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## Nate (Jul 21, 2006)

My Chilobrachys fimbriatus is about 1.5” right now and that sucker is fast. I had to re-house it last night and it kept dart backing forth between the old enclosure and new one like crazy. 

“Run all you want just don’t bite!”


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## brachy (Jul 21, 2006)

Hi

The murinus is fast  but faster is H. huahini, S peerboomi, Poecilotherias, E. cyanognathus.


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## Brian S (Jul 21, 2006)

MJ, Do they have the attitude at 1 inch even? If so, they might give P murinus a run for its money as far as attitude goes.


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## Snipes (Jul 21, 2006)

hehe, B. albopilosum sling. Faster than my OBTs and avics!


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## ShadowBlade (Jul 21, 2006)

Aw.. come on.. nobody mentioned Psalm slings?


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## syndicate (Jul 22, 2006)

the chilobrachys ive had are very fast.i was also really surprised at how fast my e.murinas was.quick little slings


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## bodar (Jul 22, 2006)

fact is they are all faster than me :wall:


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## NickS1004 (Jul 22, 2006)

My GBB is pretty fast... 0-60 in 4.6 seconds and 13.3 in the quarter mile

ok not really, but it seems to catch crickets before they hit the substrate


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## Steve Nunn (Jul 22, 2006)

LOL, you should see an adult in full flight!! They are probably the one species of Australian tarantula I pretty much refuse to handle, size, speed and attitude are not to be messed with!!







Steve


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## bananaman (Jul 22, 2006)

I had quite an experience last night with my Ceratogyrus bechuanicus... might not be as fast as those mentioned before... but it's the fastest I have personally ever seen...

Frame 1: In enclosure
Frame 2: On arm
Frame 3: On chest
Frame 4: On floor

We caught the little bugger once it stopped at the door... it's doing fine so dont worry about it... and Im doing good too thank you


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## TheNatural (Jul 22, 2006)

Absolutly my Tapinauchenius Gigas

Reactions: Like 1


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## syndicate (Jul 22, 2006)

Steve Nunn said:
			
		

> LOL, you should see an adult in full flight!! They are probably the one species of Australian tarantula I pretty much refuse to handle, size, speed and attitude are not to be messed with!!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


beauty!hopefully will be able to get one of these little guys asap


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## Michael Jacobi (Jul 22, 2006)

Umm... this thread wasn't started to open a discussion on what each of you thinks is the fastest of the tarantula spiders you have in your own collection. There already has been at least two threads devoted to that, probably more, which you can find using the search function. This thread was solely for me to share the fact that based on keeping around 150 different tarantula species over the past 30 years, and who knows how many tens of thousands of specimens, I think these Aussie _Selenocosmia_ are the fastest.

They are faster than Taps, which means they are definitely faster than _Psalmopoeus _or _Poecilotheria_, which means they are significantly faster than any _Chilobrachys_, _Ephebopus_, etc. etc. ad nauseum. I specialize in arboreals/Asians and have hundreds of Poecs, Psalms, and Taps... they're quick, no doubt; especially the Taps, but I have never seen a 1-inch Tap move at anywhere near the speed of these 1-inch Oz tarantulas.

Cheers, Michael

Reactions: Dislike 1


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## Donovan (Jul 22, 2006)

Well micheal if you would stop feeding your T freakin cocaine and speed maybe it would be a little slower. Also get him off the damn roids. It may be appealing but when it gets big enough to eat you then youll be sorry.

j/k, i have no idea how fast these spiders are and I dont want a fast one. They scare me.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## bananaman (Jul 22, 2006)

oh no... does this mean we cant post now? are we just supposed to listen?

i know it wasnt a debate to find which one was the fastest... but whats wrong with sharing our experiences?


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## gagamboy (Jul 22, 2006)

haplopelmas are pretty fast... (minax and lividum)


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## Michael Jacobi (Jul 22, 2006)

bananaman said:
			
		

> i know it wasnt a debate to find which one was the fastest... but whats wrong with sharing our experiences?


Absolutely nothing. I was just making the point that threads with people sharing their experiences already exist and are more appropriate for similar discussion. I would have posted in one of them if I was trying to elicit more opinions. Instead I was just expressing my awe at the speed of these Australian species and informing others since these spiders are thus far almost unknown in arachnoculture. I was also hoping Steve would chime in with his experience with wild and captive-bred adults of these species - as he did.

Best, Michael

Reactions: Dislike 1


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## Scorp guy (Jul 22, 2006)

Michael Jacobi said:
			
		

> Absolutely nothing. I was just making the point that threads with people sharing their experiences already exist and are more appropriate for similar discussion. I would have posted in one of them if I was trying to elicit more opinions. Instead I was just expressing my awe at the speed of these Australian species and informing others since these spiders are thus far almost unknown in arachnoculture. I was also hoping Steve would chime in with his experience with wild and captive-bred adults of these species - as he did.
> 
> Best, Michael


I fully respect your post MJ, but IMO you should have posted in your first post that "nobody is allowed to post in my thread" or heck, even had it locked if thats still too much.

my N. chromatus sling is by far the fastest i've ever seen. It ran up my elbow, onto my back, and all around, until, after 5 minutes, it decided to move to the front, where i captured it....funny experience really.

"edit myself"

"threads with people sharing their experiences already exist and are more appropriate for similar discussion."

Well maybe you, yourself should've posted in THOSE threads, rather than telling us "no no"


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## syndicate (Jul 22, 2006)

mabey this thread belongs in the tarantula announcements forum


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## Garrick (Jul 22, 2006)

syndicate said:
			
		

> mabey this thread belongs in the tarantula announcements forum



Or the "for sale" forum, as an advert.  

Garrick
eight


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## Scorp guy (Jul 22, 2006)

syndicate said:
			
		

> mabey this thread belongs in the tarantula announcements forum


i think so


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## GartenSpinnen (Jul 22, 2006)

Michael Jacobi seems kinda greedy with his posts  Isnt the whole point of a forum to post a thread and then get replies to the thread? It seems kinda insane to post a thread about how fast you think tarantulas are and not expect everyone else to jump in. And i think its kinda rude to jump on people when they do that. If you dont want anyone to post anything else then you should of made the post so that no one else could post anything, and also you cant "pick and choose" who you want to reply to your posts, if you want to do that then go ahead and send those people private messages. Just thought u were being kinda rude, dont really care how much experience you have... its people that are replying to your posts that are keeping you in business yes? Just my two cents... after all... this is a forum


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## Scorp guy (Jul 22, 2006)

shammer4life said:
			
		

> Michael Jacobi seems kinda greedy with his posts  Isnt the whole point of a forum to post a thread and then get replies to the thread? It seems kinda insane to post a thread about how fast you think tarantulas are and not expect everyone else to jump in. And i think its kinda rude to jump on people when they do that. If you dont want anyone to post anything else then you should of made the post so that no one else could post anything, and also you cant "pick and choose" who you want to reply to your posts, if you want to do that then go ahead and send those people private messages. Just thought u were being kinda rude, dont really care how much experience you have... its people that are replying to your posts that are keeping you in business yes? Just my two cents... after all... this is a forum


1. ouch, that's a slap in the face  
2. AMEN to that man!


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## AphonopelmaTX (Jul 23, 2006)

I received one of each of the Australian species being offered yesterday and I would have to concur with Michael's statement that S. crassipes was indeed extremely fast.  Taking into consideration the speediness of species within the family Selenocosmiinae, I too housed mine in a sweater box but was surpised at how many laps S. crassipes made around the inside before I could see it stop.  I also can't wait until this little bugger grows up!

- Lonnie


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## maarrrrr (Jul 23, 2006)

faster than a huahini!?!?


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## Cerbera (Jul 23, 2006)

bananaman said:
			
		

> I had quite an experience last night with my Ceratogyrus bechuanicus... might not be as fast as those mentioned before... but it's the fastest I have personally ever seen...
> 
> Frame 1: In enclosure
> Frame 2: On arm
> ...


Talking about frames...

Whenever I record my T's feeding, I use a frame rate of 25fps (PAL) which I notice is not quick enough to capture any of my spiders doing a strike on prey.

As was posted above, in one frame the spider is sitting still, in the next it is over the other side of the enclosure and has caught what it was striking at, and therefore it has moved that distance (about a foot or so) in under a 25th of a second.

That's quite fast, and that was only an L para sling. The pokies do everything at roughly double the speed I have noticed so far, and are able to do a complete circuit of the tank in under 1/25th of a sec...

All very impressive, hey..


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## Michael Jacobi (Jul 23, 2006)

AphonopelmaTX said:
			
		

> I received one of each of the Australian species being offered yesterday and I would have to concur with Michael's statement that S. crassipes was indeed extremely fast.  Taking into consideration the speediness of species within the family Selenocosmiinae, I too housed mine in a sweater box but was surpised at how many laps S. crassipes made around the inside before I could see it stop.  I also can't wait until this little bugger grows up!
> 
> - Lonnie


Hi Lonnie

I am glad to see that you are enjoying these spiders as much as I and understand the point of this thread, even if Garrick would think that your post should be in the review section and the others who don't have the courtesy to sign their posts with real names might "think" otherwise.

These Australian tarantulas have been exported to England, Canada, Europe and now the US. There are a number of the 8000 members of this forum who own them. It was my intention to engage in intelligent conversation regarding the incredible speed of these spiders and read posts [Yes, I do want others to post here :wall: ] from other keepers of these new species. I look forward to others who have these expressing their opinions regarding their apparent speed and noting how quick they are as they grow.

All the best, Michael


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## Michael Jacobi (Jul 23, 2006)

Cerbera said:
			
		

> Talking about frames...
> 
> Whenever I record my T's feeding, I use a frame rate of 25fps (PAL) which I notice is not quick enough to capture any of my spiders doing a strike on prey.
> 
> ...



Hello,

That's an extremely interesting observation. It sounds like a good idea for a little comparison by someone who has the equipment and the time. I imagine it would be necessary to get different species to run in the same straight line, but with the tendency of most early instars to follow the inside of a plastic box it might just be possible. Thanks for sharing.

Cheers, Michael


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## IguanaMama (Jul 23, 2006)

Michael Jacobi said:
			
		

> Hi Lonnie
> 
> I am glad to see that you are enjoying these spiders as much as I and understand the point of this thread, even if Garrick would think that your post should be in the review section and the others who don't have the courtesy to sign their posts with real names might "think" otherwise.
> 
> ...


I'm looking forward to meeting my speed demon.  My DH says it's years of cricket wrangling and cockroach stomping that prepared me for speedy Ts.  By appearances you might not guess it, but I can move pretty fast when chasing down a T, haven't lost one yet!  But, still, I'm glad I was warned before unpacking.  
Jodi


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## Cerbera (Jul 23, 2006)

Michael Jacobi said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> That's an extremely interesting observation. It sounds like a good idea for a little comparison by someone who has the equipment and the time. I imagine it would be necessary to get different species to run in the same straight line, but with the tendency of most early instars to follow the inside of a plastic box it might just be possible. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> Cheers, Michael


I can just imagine the fun and games (and possibly nightmares) that would go on should I try to set that up  Having said that - has anybody got a pro video camera ? It might be possible, with the right gear, and a lot of hard drive space, to capture various species striking at prey at ridiculous frame rate - and I mean something silly like 1000 fps, allowing us to compare speeds of different spiders by analysing them in individual circumstances. 

I believe cams of this magnitude start at around £15,000, so my hopes are not high


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## Nate (Jul 23, 2006)

Another, only Steve Nunn can post thread…

::swaggers off::

::mutter::
I’m going to become a world exploring T expert and than you’ll be begging me to reply…

:liar:


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## Merfolk (Jul 23, 2006)

Unless I miscalculated, one foot in a 25th of a second translates roughly around 30km/h!!!!  Solifugids can sustain runs over 15 km/h so I assume that speed is only a short sprint.


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## edesign (Jul 23, 2006)

i hear ya Michael...heaven forbid you ask a topic to stay ON topic  :wall: 

btw...did you answer the question about their defensiveness at this size vs a similar sized OBT? Or did I miss it...again.


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## Michael Jacobi (Jul 23, 2006)

edesign said:
			
		

> btw...did you answer the question about their defensiveness at this size vs a similar sized OBT? Or did I miss it...again.


I haven't witnessed any defensive behavior. They move so fast I just let them run into a vial and haven't had any interaction that might elicit a threat posture. I just drop in roach nymphs and they hit them fast. It will be interesting when they have a legspan of a quarter or so to see if they rear up like an OBT or not.

Cheers, Michael


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## PhilR (Jul 23, 2006)

I'll certainly let you know my observations when I rehouse mine tomorrow


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## Skuromis (Jul 23, 2006)

Hehe, good luck Phil!


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## Crotalus (Jul 23, 2006)

The fastest is the one that got away


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## Steve Nunn (Jul 23, 2006)

Nate said:
			
		

> Another, only Steve Nunn can post thread…


Hi Nate,
Where are the other threads, I don't think I'm involved in them!! LOL 

Honestly, don't take offense, I think Michael was just interested in thoughts on this species, hence his post. I also think all Michael did was explain there are multiple "my fastest T" threads, which is true, those would surely be more appropriate to post which one you think is fastest.

This thread actually has pretty much *nothing to do with me at all* I would have thought and *everything to do with a fast Aussie T*. The fact I bred and exported them kind of puts me in a position to discuss the behaviour of the adults, which I would have also thought would be of interest to a few folk who actually purchased one. If you are affronted by that I really am sorry, it's never my intention to bignote or anything like that, more to discuss the animals I also love, as well as you do too, I'm sure.

Michael could have emailed me in private to find out more, the fact he did it in public just helps to spread the info and I think others would honestly prefer to hear the info "from the horses mouth", then from a third or fourth source.

If that's a bad thing, then I've really missed the concept of these boards. There was a time when all we did was discuss the spiders and our fascination, honestly mate, WTH happened to that??? Because I tell you hey, those were the good old days.......

Back to the spideys please, they are more interesting then a redundant argument any day of the week  

Steve

P.S. You also miss the fact that over 20 or so other members on these boards live in Australia AND have had years experience with them too. Those guys don't really post here much, this is a thread they could postively contribute to, not just me.


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## syndicate (Jul 24, 2006)

what in your experience is the fastest aussie t steve?


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## Steve Nunn (Jul 24, 2006)

syndicate said:
			
		

> what in your experience is the fastest aussie t steve?


Hi,
Anything form the southern _Phlogius_ group, that includes _P.crassipes, sp. "Sarina", sp. "Eunice"_.

The northern ones (once called by Raven _Phlogiellus_) are smaller and generally less stressed out about things, so less flighty, but a full grown southern _Phlogius_ is a sight to behold in full flight 

Cheers,
Steve


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## IguanaMama (Jul 24, 2006)

So what are your suggestions for the keeper of the fast and furious?  I'm expecting_ P. crassipes _.  Should I house it in a larger than normal container to avoid rehousing as it grows?  Will it feel safe with lots of substrate to dig in, a nice hide and some foliage?  Or am I better off keeping it in a small container, so that it feels safely confined?  Do they lose steam after running around a bit?  I purposely let an OBT sling run around my bathtub so that I could observe it's speed.  I had no problem capturing it, but now I'm starting to worry with all the clutter around my apartment....  Also, how is its strength?  I had a few horned baboons escape recently because I didn't realize they could push the tops off the containers I was keeping them in.  I now keep a rubber band around them.
Jodi


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## Sheri (Jul 24, 2006)

Hey Michael...

The way you named your thread...
"Fastest tarantula in the world?" sure seemed like a question to, I'm sure, more than a few. By nature of the english language, ending a sentence with a question mark means that you wish to have replies and nowhere in your first post did you qualify which replies you were seeking.

The title is immediately followed by;


> People often ask me which species I think is the fastest tarantula. There are plenty of quick ones, but I generally answer that any of the Tapinauchenius are the fastest. In my experience, they are the fastest of the arboreals, which - as a group - you would expect to be fastest. However, after potting up all of these Australian tarantulas I would have to say that a 1 inch Selenocosmia crassipes is so fast it is almost unreal.


Being that it was placed in the _discussion_ forum and not the _announcement_ forum, its not a stretch to assume that you wanted to discuss what other hobbyists thought of their fastest spider. _ Nowhere _did you ask to stick to a discussion of just S. crassipes - though I can edit that in for you, if you'd like.

And if you want me to rename it;
"For those few of you that also own Aussie T's - do you think yours is the fastest in the world?" just let me know.




> Umm... this thread wasn't started to open a discussion on what each of you thinks is the fastest of the tarantula spiders you have in your own collection.


Not many of us - yourself included - have had the opportunity to see many (and certainly not most!) species in the wild, right? So like others, you are also basing your conclusions on what is in your own collection - albeit - a much larger one since you are, after all, a dealer.

As for the specific topic at hand, I suppose to make an accurate analysis you would need several specimens of many genus at 1" in order to truly estimate the speed that they have. It would be tremendously interesting, of course, but what I would find more interesting is seeing how much of this speed they retain as adults.


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## ShadowBlade (Jul 24, 2006)

I was just saying that everyone was saying how fast _Chilobrachy_'s, OBT's, and other things were. IME Psalms slings are the fastest T's I've ever worked with. I figured someone would have mentioned them before _Ephebopus_!
I really need to get a couple _Tapinauchenius_ or _Selenocosmia_.:wall:


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## Vys (Jul 24, 2006)

Michael Jacobi said:
			
		

> but I have never seen a 1-inch Tap move at anywhere near the speed of these 1-inch Oz tarantulas.
> 
> Cheers, Michael


Well you know..takes some reflexes and speed to outrun all those natural predators; ..Wallabies and......echidnas... 
Seriously - it would be fun to keep one of these now, just to see. When you call them 'faster than Taps' I have to wonder if the slings of these are also the kind that will do 3 laps around their tiny enclosure as soon as you look at them funny? If so, then they can't be anything but fun


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## PhilR (Jul 24, 2006)

Skuromis said:
			
		

> Hehe, good luck Phil!


Thanks Skuromis 

Well I did it , and I must admit that all this talk of extreme speediness spooked me somewhat, so I did the transfer in the bath just in case  First time ever, but better safe than sorry  

Anyway, once I got the mound of soil that the spider had webbed to the lid out of the middle of the old pot, it decided that it would be fun to dart up to the top and wave its legs over the lip of the pot. The new enclosure was already on its side about a foot away and it must have liked the look of it, because after a slight pause, presumably to catch its breath, it ran straight into it, at what seemed like lightspeed. I got the lid on and that was that 

After settling in for a while, I introduced it to a cricket, and it just massacred it, so the move doesn't seem to have done it much harm 

I can certainly confirm that these spiders are unbelievably quick, so if you're transferring them, just bear it in mind!


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## Steve Nunn (Jul 24, 2006)

IguanaMama said:
			
		

> So what are your suggestions for the keeper of the fast and furious?  I'm expecting_ P. crassipes _.  Should I house it in a larger than normal container to avoid rehousing as it grows?  Will it feel safe with lots of substrate to dig in, a nice hide and some foliage?  Or am I better off keeping it in a small container, so that it feels safely confined?


Hi Jodi,
These guys love a lot of substrate, they love to burrow. The good news with this particular species is once they are mature, they hardly ever spend time in their burrows, they are usually always out, something not seen in most OW theraphosids. As adults they are full of confidence!! 

I would'nt opt for a larger enclosure, if anything it allows a bigger chance for prey to run rampant for too long. At the size these guys are currently at, I would look at a jar of some sort, nice and deep  no wider than about 3-4", but at least that deep  Temp and humidity requirements as in most _Haplopelma_.

Cheers,
Steve


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## PhilR (Jul 24, 2006)

Steve Nunn said:
			
		

> Hi Jodi,
> These guys love a lot of substrate, they love to burrow. The good news with this particular species is once they are mature, they hardly ever spend time in their burrows, they are usually always out, something not seen in most OW theraphosids. As adults they are full of confidence!!
> 
> I would'nt opt for a larger enclosure, if anything it allows a bigger chance for prey to run rampant for too long. At the size these guys are currently at, I would look at a jar of some sort, nice and deep  no wider than about 3-4", but at least that deep  Temp and humidity requirements as in most _Haplopelma_.
> ...


Looks like I've got my enclosure right then. Phew


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## Michael Jacobi (Jul 24, 2006)

Mine are in 50 dram vials filled over 3/4 of the height with tightly packed somewhat moist coconut coir. So that's about 3"+ of substrate and about a 2" diameter. I poke a burrow along the side about the diameter of a pencil and they are all residing deep in the burrows and have done some decorating with silk. Once they molt once or twice more I'll graduate them to 32 oz. deli cups and on to 1/2 gallon jars. From there they would normally go on to plastic cereal storage containers and Huber/von Wirth style "Haplopelma-tanks", but if the adults like to stay out I will probably use the 12" cube Exo-Terra terraria like I use for _Chilobrachys_.

Cheers, Michael

PS - @ Sheri: this is a thread intended for discussion so it doesn't belong in an announcement forum. However, my thread title choice was pretty poor so feel free to change it to "The speed of Australian tarantulas" or something like that.


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## Ewok (Jul 24, 2006)

I think we should start a thread, "what  is the slowest tarantula in the world" haha


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## PhilR (Jul 25, 2006)

I made a small starter burrow for mine yesterday and it seems to have adopted it and already expanded it, so that's good news.

Substrate consists of a mix of approximately 60/40 peat & fine vermiculite in a round klip-it pot (don't remember the capacity). The substrate is about 3" deep and it's the same mix I use for my _H. lividum_, _C. fimbriatus_, and _T. truculentus_ (as well as many slings) and it seems to be well suited for burrowing.

I did actually pick up some horticultural additive free coconut fibre over the weekend (in a block, the same size, but about half the price of eco-earth), but haven't got round to using it yet


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## Steve Nunn (Jul 25, 2006)

These are another that is quite fast, also found in P.N.G.  


_Selenocosmia cf. papuana_ (adult female):







Steve


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## T.Raab (Jul 25, 2006)

Hi,

one of the fastest is defently _Stromatopelma c. calceatum_. _Pterinochilus murinus_ is also very fast.

But nothing is faster then one of those big Dipluridae. IMO they are the real Formel 1 - Speedster in the World of Spiders.


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## syndicate (Jul 8, 2007)

rehoused a bunch of crassipes today and damm they are quick!
heres a nice juvie from the first import of these


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## Feathers (Jul 8, 2007)

Thanks, Michael. Your thread has certainly sparked my interest...


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## bushbuster (Jul 9, 2007)

My Johnious Forceious is the fastest!


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## Brettus (Jul 9, 2007)

My Aussie T is a Selenotypus plumipes-its in it burrow mostly, so I haven't seen it in full flight.  Does anyone who keeps one knows how its speed compares to S.crassipes?


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## mr_jacob7 (Jul 9, 2007)

syndicate said:


> rehoused a bunch of crassipes today and damm they are quick!
> heres a nice juvie from the first import of these


i'm not too sure about the species' size, but if it's the same as otehr t's, then this one could use a meal. :drool:


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