# Black earth tiger



## robc (Nov 22, 2007)

Does anyone here have any exsperience with a black earth tiger? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.


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## funnylori (Nov 22, 2007)

Sounds like a _Haplopelma schmidti._ If so, do a search for cobalt blues _Haplopelma lividum_ and the yellow earth tiger also _Haplopelma schmidti_ but a different color phase. I have both.

They love to burrow, so give them a lot of cocofiber to live in. They can also be quite defensive, so they aren't great for a beginner, and they are not good to handle. They make excellent pet holes. You just put crickets in and they dissapear. I see mine about once a month.

They can be known for being crazy. It will calm down (slightly) once it is in what it feels is a safe environment. Give it about 6-8 inches of soil and leave the dude alone.


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## butch4skin (Nov 22, 2007)

I think it'll just get meaner and meaner as it settles in more.


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## funnylori (Nov 22, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> I think it'll just get meaner and meaner as it settles in more.


I certainly have never heard of them getting nicer... 

It will be down in it's hole, so then you can open the lid; calm.


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## Talkenlate04 (Nov 22, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> I think it'll just get meaner and meaner as it settles in more.


And you base this on what exactly? :?


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## robc (Nov 22, 2007)

funnylori said:


> Sounds like a _Haplopelma schmidti._ If so, do a search for cobalt blues _Haplopelma lividum_ and the yellow earth tiger also _Haplopelma schmidti_ but a different color phase. I have both.
> 
> They love to burrow, so give them a lot of cocofiber to live in. They can also be quite defensive, so they aren't great for a beginner, and they are not good to handle. They make excellent pet holes. You just put crickets in and they dissapear. I see mine about once a month.
> 
> They can be known for being crazy. It will calm down (slightly) once it is in what it feels is a safe environment. Give it about 6-8 inches of soil and leave the dude alone.


I have around 12" of substrate and built in hydrometer gauges with probes in her/his den and a built in mister half way through the substrate, his den wich he made tonight is against the glass and I can see him at all times, I helped her/him make this decision I started the burrow, I had the enclosure made for a cobalt but got her instead.


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## problemchildx (Nov 22, 2007)

It makes the most sense IMO..

Always hearing these nice and cuddly lividums and then they make themselves a cozy home and start to scare their owners.

Edit: That sounds like a very cool setup! Got any pics?


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## LimaMikeSquared (Nov 22, 2007)

Heres some info I have found whilst browsing about - 

Haplopelma schmidti von Wirth, 1991 (Golden Earth Tiger)

Origin: Northern Vietnam (Southern China - Guangxi province)
Adult size: 7-8 cm BL, over 20 in LS
Humidity: 80-90
Temp: 22-24°С
Lifestyle: burrowing

Description: This is by far one of the most expressive Asian tarantulas! The largest from his con-geners and maybe all Asian terrestrials, this heavily-bodied with different shades of golden-yellow coloration spider (depending on color form) is the real beast!

It requires a rather spacious terrarium and a thick layer of substratum for establishing a burrow. It is very important to avoid overheating the enclosure! Room temperature or even lower is much preferable for this species. 

In nature at the Tam-Dao (Northern Vietnamese studied population) H. schmidti excavates not deep burrows in clay soil slopes on the very humid forest areas at the higher elevations, where at the cool period the night temperatures drop down to zero level. Females found with cocoon at the middle of summer months to late autumn. 

Spiderling (usually not much then 180-200 from one eggsac) emerges of surprisingly large size (1 cm in LS), feeding very well and grows fast. Females reach maturity to 2 years old, males – even earlier.
You must be very attentive being maintain them – they’re extremely fast and if escapes do not survive for a long time – dehydration is one of the main its “enemy”.
Very interesting feature of this particular tarantula is a maternal care, rarely seen and recorded among theraphosids in nature: female not only defend the offsprings but also feed them with pre-killed prey (E. Rybaltovsky, 2002).

There’re two main color forms have been known for this species: “light (or gold)” and “dark” clearly separated by the coloration – the “gold” one is overall yellow-golden-brown and the “dark” – have some yellow hairs on the dark overall coloration.

There is another one color form can be also determined by pet-trade – the “black”. This is considering the spider, named as Haplopelma hainanum (firstly described as Ornithoctonus hainana by Chinese arachnologists) as provided with modern study (Volker von Wirth, 2005) seems so the synonymy names. At the same time another one Chinese phantom-species - Haplopelma huwenum (formerly Selenocosmia huwena) has also primarily been considering the same species as H. schmidti (http://tarantulas.tropica.ru/en/node/621 – taxonomy news 2005).

It is a must species in collection for every Asian-tarantulas lover, but at the same time be warned - this is very aggressive and fast spider, has a very painful bite and must be kept by keeper, who has an experience, not a beginner.

Reactions: Like 2


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## LimaMikeSquared (Nov 22, 2007)

And here is another similar report, I collect them as I find them as I have a H.Schmidti, H.Longpipes and a H.Albostatium, -



This is by far one of the most impressive Asian Tarantulas and possibly largest of all Asian Tarantulas. It is a heavily bodied species and is different shades of gold and yellow (depending on colour form) and is a real beast. It requires a rather spacious terrarium with deep substrate to establish a burrow in. It is very important that you avoid overheating the enclosure, room temperature is preferable for this species. In nature at the Tam-Dao (Northern Vietnamese studied population) H.schmidti excavates burrows in clay soil slopes on very humid forest areas at the higher elevations, where at the cool period the night temperatures drop below zero. You have to be very attentive when maintaining them - they are extremely fast and do not last long if they escape usually due to dehydration which is a common cause of death.
Females have been found with eggsacks in the middle of Summer months to late Autumn. An eggsack usually contain 180 - 200 spiderlings which are surprisingly large (1cm) with huge appetites and are fast growing. Females reach maturity at about 2 years and males even quicker. A very interesting feature of this particular tarantula is maternal care, rarely seen and recorded among Theraphosids in nature. The females not only defend the offspring but also feeds them with pre-killed prey (E.Rybaltovsky, 2002). 
There are two main color forms of this species: The "Gold" and "Dark" clearly separated by colour. The "Gold" one is overall yellow / Gold / brown and the "Dark" that have some yellow hairs on an overall dark colouration. A closely related species Haplopelma hainanum from Hainen Island is sometimes mistaken as the dark form or sometimes sold as a "black form" these are in fact a different species. This species is a must for any Asian Tarantula lover. But be warmed it is very aggressive and fast spider.

Reactions: Like 1


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## butch4skin (Nov 22, 2007)

talkenlate04 said:


> And you base this on what exactly? :?


My experience with the species and the genus in general, which has been that you put one of these spiders in an enclosure, and for a time it will likely huddle in a corner, web and dig very little, and show little to no defensive behavior. Eventually, the spider will accept the immediate area as it's territory, dig a hole, and become much more flighty and defensive. It's the same concept behind taking a defensive spider out of it's enclosure to render it more handleable. Defensive spiders are more difficult to deal with within their respective terriories. This is pretty well established Ryan.

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## problemchildx (Nov 22, 2007)

If that part about the maternal care in nature is true, then this is truly an amazing spider.. Thanks for the read Mike!


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## Talkenlate04 (Nov 22, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> I think it'll just get meaner and meaner as it settles in more.


Sorry dude, no where is it written and or commonly known or accepted that a tarantula such as this one gets meaner and meaner once it settles into its tank.


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## butch4skin (Nov 22, 2007)

talkenlate04 said:


> Sorry dude, no where is it written and or commonly known or accepted that a tarantula such as this one gets meaner and meaner once it settles into its tank.


It may not become more defensive day by day, each day being more high strung than the last, obviously, but it will certainly become more defensive once it settles in, compared to when it is first introduced to the enclosure. If you disagree, then we must agree to disagree. I don't doubt that it isn't written anywhere, but it is the truth, nonetheless.


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## Hedorah99 (Nov 22, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> It may not become more defensive day by day, each day being more high strung than the last, obviously, but it will certainly become more defensive once it settles in, compared to when it is first introduced to the enclosure. If you disagree, then we must agree to disagree. I don't doubt that it isn't written anywhere, but it is the truth, nonetheless.


I gotta agree with you. My lividum and aureotibialis pre-burrow were very calm and prone to curl in a corner when the tank was opened. Post burrow digging, will readily defend the burrow. They will run and hide but the second you start trying to excavate them or remove a molt, they turn into little pitbulls.


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## beetleman (Nov 22, 2007)

i have 3 adult females,and they are very aggressive,mine don't burrow much ,even though i have deep semimoist substrate/corkhide they are always on the top of the corkhide,but they rear up everytime i open their containers to water/feed,they always attack the waterdish,i wouldn't want to get tagged by these big girls they are fast and very impressive spiders:clap:


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## Talkenlate04 (Nov 22, 2007)

A defensive species is a defensive species. If I dig up my Haplo she is going to be defensive, if she is in her burrow she's going to be defensive, if she has an egg sac she is going to be defensive, if I fill the water dish she is going to be defensive, if I have to pack her to ship she is still going to be defensive.
IMO they are always defensive that is just their nature, it does not increase because they make a burrow to the bottom of my tank.


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## butch4skin (Nov 22, 2007)

Well, it does with mine. I've noticed a great deal of variation with regards to defensiveness, depending on how long the spider has been in a particular enclosure, for many different species. I've never had a Haplopelma that hasn't burrowed, but I have an adult female P. murinus that I have moved several times, and who has never burrowed. But still, she invariably became infinitely more defensive once she's "settled in", made her little tube web, ect. The time it takes for a particular spider to feel comfortable with it's surroundings no doubt varies considerably, but my experience has always been that once they do, a sp. with a tendecy towards defensiveness will be much more likely to show you what it is capable of.


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## robc (Nov 22, 2007)

After doing some reasearch and posting my pics on the picture forum I think she is a Haplopelma hainanum, take a look at the pictures I have posted in the picture forum and see what you guys think.


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## problemchildx (Nov 23, 2007)

There's also the fact that when you remove a spider from its home, they tend to mellow out almost 100%... Not always, but this is usually the norm and not the exception.


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## LimaMikeSquared (Nov 23, 2007)

I never see my Schmidti out of her burrow. She waits till I've gone to catch her dinner....... even if I hide she knows I'm there  :?  I put in an adult locust once that I knew wouldn't go down the burrow to see if I could catch her struggling. It was ignored. Then as I tried to remove it, the bloomin thing went head first down the burrow, the more I tried to get to it the deeper it went. I had me on one side of it and retreating Schmidti on the other. She backed up right to the glass then reversed up the glass and her backside then came over her front as the burrow is narrow! ( you can put in the scientific names yourself ) I had a good clear view to sex her then lol. The locust kept on going, when my Schmidti could go no further she went into attack mode and the show was over. 
I'm going to flood her out to rehouse her, and hold a pot over the burrow mouth as she exits.... and put the tanks into a clear sack for good measure ( brave aren't I  :razz: )
My Longpipes I only see very early in the morning at the mouth of her burrow. I put the torch on her and she freezes, when I turn it off she's gone.
When there is something wrong with her burrow she comes out and is easy to pot up, I just stick it over the top and slide a piece of card underneath. I don't retank her till then.
Both of them retreat when I'm about and I can take the lid off the tanks and ferret about with my fingers. No flying pitbulls here....... but I think I'm lucky and am not chancing a Lividum lol


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## LimaMikeSquared (Nov 23, 2007)

Robc I've been looking at your picture threads, the Haplo's are a real puzzle aren't they. There is a guy on the threads called Soren - 'phormingochilus', and he was so helpful to me in identifying my Longpipes and took the trouble to explain it all as well, see if you can get his attention and see what he thinks.


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## EDED (Nov 23, 2007)

LimaMikeSquared said:


> And here is another similar report, I collect them as I find them as I have a H.Schmidti, H.Longpipes and a H.Albostatium, -
> 
> 
> 
> ...


since you posted this, 
here is something interesting to read http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=813382&postcount=1

remember though that post is dated awhile back, at that time it was noted that DCF was hainanum, not sure if this has changed since then, but there are no other characters as of yet that can distinguish DCF and hainanum.   so it's hainanum,,,weird huh?

I think as long as the spider has a deep burrow, it should be fine.  They are 'happiest' and 'non-threatening' when they have a burrow to run into.


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## LimaMikeSquared (Nov 23, 2007)

Thats very interesting, and very clear too. The 2 articles I posted have obviously come from the same original source as they are almost the same word for word. I have read another one somewhere that says H.Schmidti has only a gold colour form. The Wilkipedia confuses by calling the H.Huwenum the 'Golden Earth Tiger' which is the name generally associated with the H.Schmidti, and reading the article again I think it seems to say what you do but in a confusing way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haplopelma_schmidti

mind you they say that any one can post anything on Wikipedia


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## sgt.batguano (Nov 23, 2007)

butch4skin said:


> It may not become more defensive day by day, each day being more high strung than the last, obviously, but it will certainly become more defensive once it settles in, compared to when it is first introduced to the enclosure. If you disagree, then we must agree to disagree. I don't doubt that it isn't written anywhere, but it is the truth, nonetheless.


yes i have seen this repeatedly with a number of species. thet determine where their territory is and they defend it more vigorously than if they had not settled in. this is seen with many animals. including perverted peruvian pearl bats.


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