# Hogna schmitzi



## ChaosSphere (Mar 27, 2019)

Hey, new poster (and long time lurker) here. I've been eyeing Hogna schmitzi for a long time and I just saw that Spidersworld.EU carries a few slings for a very reasonable price. I cannot find any info om them, besides that they are from Madeira? Anyone got anything?


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## mantisfan101 (Mar 27, 2019)

Now THAT, my friend, is what you call a wolf spider!
I have no clue but based off of previous experiences with other species and their matural environment I would say typical T setup with dry or maybe try slightly damp substrate. Water dish as usual and a hide or deep substrate, perhaps 5” or so depending on specimen size. Enclosure sould follow typical tarantula standards although you might be able to get away with more height since I don’t believe lycosidae can climb smooth surfaces. Tey feesing every 3 or so days for slings and twice or once a week for adults and see how it works. In my opinion based off my limited knowledge I think typical tarantula care should suffice.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ChaosSphere (Mar 28, 2019)

Indeed, and beautiful as well - the orange on the first two pairs of legs! 
I was thinking of trying deep substrate and keep half of it slightly moist - that way I get to know what it prefers and it has the ability to burrow.
The ones I can buy are teeny tiny slings though, .5 cm in body length.. As far as I'm aware, lycosidae slings can climb both smooth plastic and glass
But it all depends on if anyone I know can get them into Denmark, as they will be bought in Poland and they cannot be shipped here (its not illegal, just our main mailcarriers being garbage).. 
I hope its possible, they are amazing looking and I would love having a few!


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## pannaking22 (Apr 1, 2019)

I don't know much about the weather in Madeira, but I'd try to mimic that as much as possible. If you contact the seller they may have some details as well. That's a gorgeous species though, hope you have lots of success keeping them!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Joey Spijkers (Apr 1, 2019)

Mark Stockmann (buthidae.eu) had some as well, but they're sold now. The text said to keep them very dry, that's everything I know hahah.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## pannaking22 (Apr 2, 2019)

Very dry is what I suspected, I'd say that's a good starting point then.

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## ChaosSphere (Apr 3, 2019)

Thanks guys! Does anyone have anything about whether they burrow or hunt actively?
Still looking for someone who can get them into Denmark and I'm honestly not that hopeful..
The danish postal service will destroy all animal shipments that doesnt have full name and a documented visit to a vet for ID'ing the animal and checking it for descease and such. this practicly makes it impossible to ship spiders with them.


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## pannaking22 (Apr 3, 2019)

Based on look I'd say they actively hunt, though I wouldn't be surprised if they built a burrow as a retreat. The front pair of eyes aren't small enough to make me think it's a burrowing species (compare to _Geolycosa_), though they aren't as large as the _Hogna _here in the US.

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## ChaosSphere (Apr 3, 2019)

pannaking22 said:


> Based on look I'd say they actively hunt, though I wouldn't be surprised if they built a burrow as a retreat.


I was thinking of giving them a setup that allows both. But the onces I can buy are around .5cm in body length, so they'll go in a pill vial and I'd expect them to burrow anyway, considering their size (like most T slings)?

Anyway, I would offer substrate that allows for burrowing (a mix of clay, fine sand and soil of some kind, as to replicate their natural enviroment) but with enough floor space for them to actively hunt and for me to make some variation to the terrain.

Any word on their adult size?


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## pannaking22 (Apr 3, 2019)

ChaosSphere said:


> I was thinking of giving them a setup that allows both. But the onces I can buy are around .5cm in body length, so they'll go in a pill vial and I'd expect them to burrow anyway, considering their size (like most T slings)?
> 
> Anyway, I would offer substrate that allows for burrowing (a mix of clay, fine sand and soil of some kind, as to replicate their natural enviroment) but with enough floor space for them to actively hunt and for me to make some variation to the terrain.
> 
> Any word on their adult size?


I think a setup like that would be fine.

In terms of adult size, I found a paper saying 20-30mm, but I'm not sure if that's body length or legspan. _Hogna _tend to be larger though so I'd assume body length, plus that's typically how they're measured in most scientific papers.


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## Gogyeng (Jul 21, 2019)

Did your spider burrow ? I am curious as how much its behaviour resembles its neighbour Hogna Ingens (Desertas Wolf Spider), which is huge. Likes mixed substrate sand/soil with stones as anchors for making their  burrow
https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/save-wildlife/conservation-and-research/desertas-wolf-spider-project


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## ChaosSphere (Jul 21, 2019)

I'm sorry to say that the one I ordered was DOA

Reactions: Sad 4


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## Gogyeng (Jul 21, 2019)

Oh my gosh, sorry to hear man !


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## ChaosSphere (Jul 22, 2019)

It happens, unfortunately, but thank you!


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## BenLeeKing (Jul 24, 2019)

Gogyeng said:


> Did your spider burrow ? I am curious as how much its behaviour resembles its neighbour Hogna Ingens (Desertas Wolf Spider), which is huge. Likes mixed substrate sand/soil with stones as anchors for making their  burrow
> https://www.bristolzoo.org.uk/save-wildlife/conservation-and-research/desertas-wolf-spider-project


My setup is coco mixed with peat and sand in a small deli cup with a piece of broken off mudstone fragment in the middle. They both built a surface level tube along the side of the cup right before their first molt under my care, and seal both ends when they are in premolt. As they grow the tube extended deeper and eventually also used the mud stone fragment as anchoring too when it got wider. They are getting too big for the cup now, so eventually I’ll transfer them to a new tank and see if they act the same way.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Wolfclan77 (Oct 13, 2020)

ChaosSphere said:


> Hey, new poster (and long time lurker) here. I've been eyeing Hogna schmitzi for a long time and I just saw that Spidersworld.EU carries a few slings for a very reasonable price. I cannot find any info om them, besides that they are from Madeira? Anyone got anything?


I have one hogna shimcht I got it very small it ate alot and then made a cacoon the root of a plant in its enclosure it's been a few weeks and it's still in its cacoon. I don't know how long it will stay in there for I check up on it once in awhile.


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## Wolfclan77 (Oct 16, 2020)

ChaosSphere said:


> Indeed, and beautiful as well - the orange on the first two pairs of legs!
> I was thinking of trying deep substrate and keep half of it slightly moist - that way I get to know what it prefers and it has the ability to burrow.
> The ones I can buy are teeny tiny slings though, .5 cm in body length.. As far as I'm aware, lycosidae slings can climb both smooth plastic and glass
> But it all depends on if anyone I know can get them into Denmark, as they will be bought in Poland and they cannot be shipped here (its not illegal, just our main mailcarriers being garbage)..
> I hope its possible, they are amazing looking and I would love having a few!


This hogna shimcht wolf spider it grows very quickly


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 26, 2021)

ChaosSphere said:


> Indeed, and beautiful as well - the orange on the first two pairs of legs!
> I was thinking of trying deep substrate and keep half of it slightly moist - that way I get to know what it prefers and it has the ability to burrow.
> The ones I can buy are teeny tiny slings though, .5 cm in body length.. As far as I'm aware, lycosidae slings can climb both smooth plastic and glass
> But it all depends on if anyone I know can get them into Denmark, as they will be bought in Poland and they cannot be shipped here (its not illegal, just our main mailcarriers being garbage)..
> I hope its possible, they are amazing looking and I would love having a few!


I have one and it's on it third molt it will be much bigger when it comes out of it's cacoon


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## basin79 (Jan 26, 2021)

Wolfclan77 said:


> I have one and it's on it third molt it will be much bigger when it comes out of it's cacoon


They need a dry environment.


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 26, 2021)

basin79 said:


> They need a dry environment.


Yeah I changed him or her in a bigger enclosure dry with rocks

Reactions: Like 1


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## CtenidaeMan (Jan 27, 2021)

Ke


ChaosSphere said:


> Hey, new poster (and long time lurker) here. I've been eyeing Hogna schmitzi for a long time and I just saw that Spidersworld.EU carries a few slings for a very reasonable price. I cannot find any info om them, besides that they are from Madeira? Anyone got anything?


Keep them more dry on sand /soil mixed with sand. The don't dig/burrow unless they make an eggsac


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 27, 2021)

CtenidaeMan said:


> Ke
> 
> Keep them more dry on sand /soil mixed with sand. The don't dig/burrow unless they make an eggsac


Oyeah thanks I forgot about the sand and it did make a eggsac its it second time going in same one to molt I be getting the sand today


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 27, 2021)

Wolfclan77 said:


> Oyeah thanks I forgot about the sand and it did make a eggsac its it second time going in same one to molt I be getting the sand today


Can you give me some advice on my two LP juveniles and two curly hairs one a juvenile and one still a sling


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 27, 2021)

Wolfclan77 said:


> Can you give me some advice on my two LP juveniles and two curly hairs one a juvenile and one still a sling


I have them in right settings they been eating alot the two LPs my LPs molt around same time and one is darker than the other is more pinkish could it be one is male and the other female?


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 27, 2021)

Wolfclan77 said:


> I have them in right settings they been eating alot the two LPs my LPs molt around same time and one is darker than the other is more pinkish could it be one is male and the other female?


And the darker one large than the pinkish one


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## Wolfclan77 (Jan 27, 2021)

Wolfclan77 said:


> And the darker one large than the pinkish one


They come from the same place I ordered them from also


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## Jumbie Spider (Jan 27, 2021)

CtenidaeMan said:


> Ke
> 
> Keep them more dry on sand /soil mixed with sand. The don't dig/burrow unless they make an eggsac


I keep 2 H Schmitzi and both have been observed to burrow and stay there for undefined periods. They usually go in there and hide out to molt, but I have also seen them go in there after being well fed and wanting to be left alone.
They clearly enjoy to burrow, and creates a nice web bubble underground, and even hangs upside down in there. 
Growth rate is extremely fast, one of my < 0.25" sling has grown to about ~1.5" (or bigger) and showing some adult colors already in less than 3 months.


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## basin79 (Jan 27, 2021)

CtenidaeMan said:


> Ke
> 
> Keep them more dry on sand /soil mixed with sand. The don't dig/burrow unless they make an eggsac


My juvenile made a burrow/hide. I call it a sub bubble. Has made it larger with each moult. Moults in the sub bubble and shelters in it too.


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## basin79 (Jan 27, 2021)

Here she is emerging from her sub bubble to grab a passing cricket. 

View attachment IMG_4189.MP4

Reactions: Like 2


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