Not a Threat Pose
CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy

Not a Threat Pose

My suspect female 3.5+" Ornithoctoninae sp. "Haribon", making a rare appearence outside her dirt curtain a few days after her most recent molt (this was taken the week before the other pic of her but is a worse shot). She dropped to the floor the moment the camera flashed.
A bit of friendly advice here, IMHO, she needs a new enclosure. If this is one of the newly discovered Philippine species (not doubting, just never seen any of them to compare. Can you get a clearer picture possibly outaide of the enclosure?), then it's exceedingly rare in the hobby and we need to make sure any females stay alive and reproduce in captivity to take the collection pressure off the wild population.

I'd look into a larger enclosure for one and add more ventilation. I can't see what top ventilation you have, but I can see there isn't any cross ventilation, which is crucial IME for moisture dependent species. Also, it appears you're adding too much moisture to the soil, but a larger amount of ventilation can help offset this. I detailed how I keep Ornithoctoninae ssp from sling to subadult here: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/l4nskys-methodology.343787/post-3161926
and some more general information here: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/the-paradoxical-importance-of-humidity.346451/post-3190549
If you get through those resources and still have questions, feel free to DM me ;)
 
A bit of friendly advice here, IMHO, she needs a new enclosure. If this is one of the newly discovered Philippine species (not doubting, just never seen any of them to compare. Can you get a clearer picture possibly outaide of the enclosure?), then it's exceedingly rare in the hobby and we need to make sure any females stay alive and reproduce in captivity to take the collection pressure off the wild population.

I'd look into a larger enclosure for one and add more ventilation. I can't see what top ventilation you have, but I can see there isn't any cross ventilation, which is crucial IME for moisture dependent species. Also, it appears you're adding too much moisture to the soil, but a larger amount of ventilation can help offset this. I detailed how I keep Ornithoctoninae ssp from sling to subadult here: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/l4nskys-methodology.343787/post-3161926
and some more general information here: https://arachnoboards.com/threads/the-paradoxical-importance-of-humidity.346451/post-3190549
If you get through those resources and still have questions, feel free to DM me ;)
I was actually planning to rehouse this T already into something bigger and with more ventilation (ExoTerra 8" x 8" x 12" has been ordered and is coming)-this is the enclosure I started out with when she was a 2" DLS juvenile, but she's already outgrowing it after just two molts. I've have had to keep the enclosure top open (with me in attendance in case the T tries to get out, though she pretty much only comes out at night) once every few days because of the ventilation issue.

I don't add water to the substrate that often (usually once every couple of weeks or less); it's a dark substrate (mix based on peat moss but with some clay added in to retain moisture better) so it looks seriously waterlogged even if it's just damp.

By the way, I've actually read your two threads before I've joined, and I consider them the two of the best sources ever written on keeping ornithoctonines; you probably have more advice on keeping and breeding ornithoctonines than anyone else on Arachnoboards.
 
I was actually planning to rehouse this T already into something bigger and with more ventilation (ExoTerra 8" x 8" x 12" has been ordered and is coming)-this is the enclosure I started out with when she was a 2" DLS juvenile, but she's already outgrowing it after just two molts. I've have had to keep the enclosure top open (with me in attendance in case the T tries to get out, though she pretty much only comes out at night) once every few days because of the ventilation issue.

I don't add water to the substrate that often (usually once every couple of weeks or less); it's a dark substrate (mix based on peat moss but with some clay added in to retain moisture better) so it looks seriously waterlogged even if it's just damp.
The sooner the better as far as rehousing her into a new enclosure with better ventilation. Even a few holes at the substrate level and some at the top of the enclosure would be better then no cross ventilation. The air in the bottom of a closed cylinder enclosure turns over much slower than the air at the top and can become stagnant quite quickly. If you want to read a bit more ;) : https://arachnoboards.com/threads/my-ts-are-dying-help.351789/post-3248862


By the way, I've actually read your two threads before I've joined, and I consider them the two of the best sources ever written on keeping ornithoctonines; you probably have more advice on keeping and breeding ornithoctonines than anyone else on Arachnoboards.
Thanks for the kind words, but I'll be the first to argue that I'm standing on the shoulders of giants here on AB and beyond. I just want to make sure that I share and document as much as I can on this subfamily so others can advance it even further one day ;).
 
The sooner the better as far as rehousing her into a new enclosure with better ventilation. Even a few holes at the substrate level and some at the top of the enclosure would be better then no cross ventilation. The air in the bottom of a closed cylinder enclosure turns over much slower than the air at the top and can become stagnant quite quickly. If you want to read a bit more ;) : https://arachnoboards.com/threads/my-ts-are-dying-help.351789/post-3248862
Re: Issue with CO2 buildup from stagnation, would the position of the T within the enclosure affect this? The dirt curtain this particular T has built up is set between two cork flats and runs three-quarters the height of the entire enclosure, with an entry point at both ends, so I'm wondering if the spider could relocate to the upper reaches of its shelter if the air towards the bottom becomes stagnant.

And would the ExoTerra 8" x 8" x 12" be enough as the permanent enclosure (keeping in mind that O. sp. "Haribon" appears to be one of the larger Asian arboreals from what I've heard, around 8" DSL), or would you prefer a later rehouse into a 12" x12" x 18"? I actually wanted to go for that option just in case, except my current T cabinet doesn't have enough vertical room to accommodate a 18" tall enclosure.
 
Re: Issue with CO2 buildup from stagnation, would the position of the T within the enclosure affect this? The dirt curtain this particular T has built up is set between two cork flats and runs three-quarters the height of the entire enclosure, with an entry point at both ends, so I'm wondering if the spider could relocate to the upper reaches of its shelter if the air towards the bottom becomes stagnant.
Possibly, but I wouldn't rely on that being the case. Tarantulas will instinctively burrow down and lethargy is one of the symptoms of a lack of oxygen. It might get into a position where it can't save itself so to say.

And would the ExoTerra 8" x 8" x 12" be enough as the permanent enclosure (keeping in mind that O. sp. "Haribon" appears to be one of the larger Asian arboreals from what I've heard, around 8" DSL), or would you prefer a later rehouse into a 12" x12" x 18"? I actually wanted to go for that option just in case, except my current T cabinet doesn't have enough vertical room to accommodate a 18" tall enclosure.
I always tend to err on the side of more space. It's not just for the tarantula, it's for you too so you have the room to safely work in the enclosure and with the tarantula.
 

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Cyriopagopus
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CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
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