Appeal of Fossorial Ts & Trapdoor Spiders?

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I assume you achieve this by making the enclosure not too wide so the burrow's walls are the enclosure's walls... is that ok for the t? I guess you have to keep it in a dark area so it feels properly hidden it it's burrow, or else light would enter it.

I’ve never had a t room bright enough to stop an obligate burrowing tarantula from digging. Basement right now.

 

[FlamingSwampert]

Why wouldn’t it be ok?

I'd figure that the light would bother them, since the point of burrowing is to go into a dark, secure area, but I guess most people's t rooms (such as my own) are dark enough to not cause an issue.

 

[SpookySpooder]

I'd figure that the light would bother them, since the point of burrowing is to go into a dark, secure area, but I guess most people's t rooms (such as my own) are dark enough to not cause an issue.

If you have them in a closet or cabinet then the occasional light isn't going to bother them much... if they're kept in the open daylight then I can see them closing off their burrows.

It comes down to how they are housed, like mentioned, if you set up their enclosures in a way that makes them feel comfortable and safe, they will often treat the entire enclosure as a burrow or leave their chambers and tunnels exposed to the side for easy viewing.

My T's seem more sensitive to vibrations than light, so for me it's a matter of keeping things from shaking a lot.

 

[fcat]

It took 1-3 molts (because I don't know, I couldn't see) for my 5/8" sling to build me both a turret and a basement window in a 4" tall vial. I noticed it yesterday and it made me think of this post, but then I had to go to a home inspection . I was so excited that finally, at yesterday years old, I get the peace of mind of doing health checks. I've now seen it's abdomen 2 times since I bought it.



The original substrate level was about to the top the red phone in the reflection. I placed a thin piece of cork bark down the middle as scaffolding considering the DLS to enclosure ratio, dirt gets heavy. Then spiraled a long piece of sphag to the top, to pad the fall space. It hid out under the moss for a few days, then got right to work building.



It made the turret first, which is all the brown stuff above the original substrate line



and in the last few days started expanding the turret. Seems it reached the lid overnight, and took a left. We are peak intermolt people!!!



Respectfully @FlamingSwampert How dare you?!? Look what these magnificent creatures can do as slings! In fact this Haploclastus devamatha says it will show you in the parking lot ... Don't worry he's probably only an inch but as you can see he can definitely hold his own What is your pet rock, sorry, Display T gonna do about it????

 

[FlamingSwampert]

It took 1-3 molts (because I don't know, I couldn't see) for my 5/8" sling to build me both a turret and a basement window in a 4" tall vial. I noticed it yesterday and it made me think of this post, but then I had to go to a home inspection . I was so excited that finally, at yesterday years old, I get the peace of mind of doing health checks. I've now seen it's abdomen 2 times since I bought it.
View attachment 462420


The original substrate level was about to the top the red phone in the reflection. I placed a thin piece of cork bark down the middle as scaffolding considering the DLS to enclosure ratio, dirt gets heavy. Then spiraled a long piece of sphag to the top, to pad the fall space. It hid out under the moss for a few days, then got right to work building.

View attachment 462421

It made the turret first, which is all the brown stuff above the original substrate line

View attachment 462422

and in the last few days started expanding the turret. Seems it reached the lid overnight, and took a left. We are peak intermolt people!!!

View attachment 462423

Respectfully @FlamingSwampert How dare you?!? Look what these magnificent creatures can do as slings! In fact this Haploclastus devamatha says it will show you in the parking lot ... Don't worry he's probably only an inch but as you can see he can definitely hold his own What is your pet rock, sorry, Display T gonna do about it????

Damn I better hide my ts lol... but seriously I don't hate fossorials, I just am trying to learn to appreciate them and who knows, I might just have to get one now! But prepare yourself, my n incei sling is well prepared to... run and dive into it's web if you get close!

 

[Kada]

I prefer arboreal, but somehow have mostly fossorials at the moment. I think, for some, part of the attraction is the mystery of the unknown. I think a lot of people are also equally as drawn to the ecology of the animal as the animal itself. I am quite interested in their webs, tunnels etc just as much as seeing it on the surface. There is a lot going on with them, not just a simple hole

I do feel though, it may be a different type of keeper. People with patience and not needing to see their fish every second type of keeper.

One of my favorite animals in the world are terrestrial Caecillians. Make these tarantulas look like extroverts. But the appeal is what amazing feats of biology are thriving and making lives just under that soil. Captivating!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I prefer arboreal, but somehow have mostly fossorials at the moment. I think, for some, part of the attraction is the mystery of the unknown. I think a lot of people are also equally as drawn to the ecology of the animal as the animal itself. I am quite interested in their webs, tunnels etc just as much as seeing it on the surface. There is a lot going on with them, not just a simple hole

I do feel though, it may be a different type of keeper. People with patience and not needing to see their fish every second type of keeper.

One of my favorite animals in the world are terrestrial Caecillians. Make these tarantulas look like extroverts. But the appeal is what amazing feats of biology are thriving and making lives just under that soil. Captivating!

Caecillians look a lot like a snake. Very cool.

 

[FlamingSwampert]

I prefer arboreal, but somehow have mostly fossorials at the moment. I think, for some, part of the attraction is the mystery of the unknown. I think a lot of people are also equally as drawn to the ecology of the animal as the animal itself. I am quite interested in their webs, tunnels etc just as much as seeing it on the surface. There is a lot going on with them, not just a simple hole

I do feel though, it may be a different type of keeper. People with patience and not needing to see their fish every second type of keeper.

One of my favorite animals in the world are terrestrial Caecillians. Make these tarantulas look like extroverts. But the appeal is what amazing feats of biology are thriving and making lives just under that soil. Captivating!

Caecillians freak me out. It's not anything about them, I was digging around in some dirt one day and I discovered a salamander, and when I reached down to pick it up a caecillian burst out of the soil and ate it lol... left an impression on young me.

I get what you mean about their value being more than just the ability to see them. I guess many "write" them off because I don't see people talking about them a lot. I was under the impression that you pretty much never saw them outside of feeding, and that they only made one tunnel and just stayed there forever!

 

[Smotzer]

Honestly I love all my more true obligate fossorials, watching them construct and build their burrow systems if they allow so, is amazing! If set up well they can be seen often and I think their feeding behavior is also very attractive. Plus like I got to see this morning with my Harpactirella magna female, when one is out fully in the morning or whenever it is incredible!!

 

[FlamingSwampert]

Honestly I love all my more true obligate fossorials, watching them construct and build their burrow systems if they allow so, is amazing! If set up well they can be seen often and I think their feeding behavior is also very attractive. Plus like I got to see this morning with my Harpactirella magna female, when one is out fully in the morning or whenever it is incredible!!

You mentioned "if set up well," how do you set up your fossorial ts?

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I don't really get the point of fossorial ts and trapdoor spiders. To me it seems like you keep a box of dirt and once a week you get to see something get dragged under said dirt and eaten. Are the takedowns impressive enough to make up for the lack of activity and visibility? I doubt there are many fossorial t enthusiasts out there but I just want to know what makes them worth buying. I guess I've heard some will come to the surface for a short period of time, but idk which species or how many exhibit this behavior.

I only have one fossorial. When I purchased it I was not aware that it would adapt to being fossorial.

So the appeal of fossorials are the stunning patterns and colors.

The trick to see even the most reclusive ones is not to allow them to gorge. Feed sparingly and eventually you will see them more often at the burrow entrance with their legs out. Once in a while they will come completely out in the dark.

 

[fiendish foe]

My mom asked me the same kind of question about keeping carnivorous plants or funnelwebs. I just think they’re neat and if I see them do something outside of the usual I just think that’s great.

 

[FlamingSwampert]

Which ones would y'all recommend? All this talk has piqued my interest...
I saw a nice c. darlingi available for a low price... this wouldn't be my first t, any thoughts?

 

[fcat]

Which ones would y'all recommend? All this talk has piqued my interest...
I saw a nice c. darlingi available for a low price... this wouldn't be my first t, any thoughts?

How large is the subject?

 

[FlamingSwampert]

How large is the subject?

It's a sling under an inch... I think it was around 3/4"

 

[NMTs]

It's a sling under an inch... I think it was around 3/4"

That would be a great addition - Ceratogyrus are awesome. Mine have grown fast, so getting a sling shouldn't really be a problem. My adult female C. darlingi doesn't really act fossorial, though - she's got plenty of sub to burrow in, but she prefers to stay in her web castle on the surface. She's got a shallow burrow that she'll retreat into if I'm really annoying her, but otherwise she's out and about.

0.1 Ceratogyrus darlingi - 4.25" DLS

• NMTs
• Mar 6, 2023
• baboon spider ceratogyrus ceratogyrus darlingi darlingi horned

Freshly molted and looking amazing. Her name is Saturn.

You could also check out the Chilobrachys species (C. natanicharum for example), and many other Asian genus are fossorial (Haplopelma, Cyriopagopus, Haploclastus, Citharognathus, etc.). Lots of the African genus tend to be fossorial, as well, like Pelinobius muticus, Augacephalus, Harpactira, Pterinochilus, and Hysterocrates. From the new world, there are things like Ephebopus, Cyriocosmus, Euthycaelus, and Megaphobema that all have fossorial tendencies. So, lots to choose from, it really just depends on what you like.

 

[FlamingSwampert]

You could also check out the Chilobrachys species (C. natanicharum for example), and many other Asian genus are fossorial (Haplopelma, Cyriopagopus, Haploclastus, Citharognathus, etc.). Lots of the African genus tend to be fossorial, as well, like Pelinobius muticus, Augacephalus, Harpactira, Pterinochilus, and Hysterocrates. From the new world, there are things like Ephebopus, Cyriocosmus, Euthycaelus, and Megaphobema that all have fossorial tendencies. So, lots to choose from, it really just depends on what you like.

Wow, so many to choose from! I was also looking at a Chilobrachys huahini around the same side, but I heard they can be quite the handful... is that just a bad reputation or a big issue?

 

[Tbone192]

I don't really get the point of fossorial ts and trapdoor spiders. To me it seems like you keep a box of dirt and once a week you get to see something get dragged under said dirt and eaten. Are the takedowns impressive enough to make up for the lack of activity and visibility? I doubt there are many fossorial t enthusiasts out there but I just want to know what makes them worth buying. I guess I've heard some will come to the surface for a short period of time, but idk which species or how many exhibit this behavior.

I absolutely love fossorial T's and I cannot be swayed. When they are out of their burrows it is a treat and there are quite a few that are really nice to look at. My OBT is one of my favourite T's to see.

 

[NMTs]

Wow, so many to choose from! I was also looking at a Chilobrachys huahini around the same side, but I heard they can be quite the handful... is that just a bad reputation or a big issue?

I've not ever kept that species, but I have heard they're challenging. Very fast and prone to bolting if given the opportunity.

That's the thing about fossorial T's, though - if you give them enough substrate to dig a good burrow, they will opt to retreat into the burrow 99.9% of the time. Some may try to give you threat poses and do some leg slapping to scare you off, but if that doesn't work they'll hunker as far down into the burrow as they can. If you need to work in the enclosure, you usually just have to tap on it a couple times and they'll disappear into the depths.

Rehousings can be challenging because you usually have to dig out a T that isn't going to be happy about being dug up, so you'll need to get comfortable with that. Your skills will grow with the T if you get a sling, though. Just do your rehousings in a big tub (I actually do them in a small tub inside of a much bigger one - 2 layers to slow down a bolting T) and have good catch cups close at hand!

 

[Tbone192]

You mentioned "if set up well," how do you set up your fossorial ts?

A boatload of substrate but make sure it is safe for T's, a hide and some safe plants/safe fake plants for additional cover, starter burrow, water dish and you are set.