Appropriate container for H. lividum?

Moltar

ArachnoGod
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Could someone who keeps H. lividum tell me if this container is appropriate for an adult? It's a 1.5 gallon rubbermaid cereal container. I understand depth is more important than height w/ lividums so i picked this up. Now on afterthought it looks small.

Two pics shown w/ 12oz bottle for perspective.





Thanks folks!
 

Widowman10

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hmmm, i might have gone a little bigger for an adult, but thats my preference. depth is definitely more important than height, so make sure you give him/her/it lots of room to burrow. they like it moist, but not crazy wet, so i don't know about the small ventilation holes. maybe someone whos had a ton of them knows more, but i might keep it pretty moist with a bit more air flow. container just seems a bit narrow, but who knows, he/she/it might love it!!! how is the legspan compared to the container size??? is the lividum full grown? 5 inch legspan?
 

Moltar

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Yeah... the more i look at that container the more i think it isn't right. My guess is that the lividum is 1-2 molts from adulthood. I'd say 4"-4.5" at present. I want a container he/she can stay in for a long time. I understand they can be a handful so i'd rather not rehouse anytime soon. BTW, i wasn't done drilling holes yet when i took the pic. The final product would have holes all over the top with some on the side and some in the bottom.

That was the biggest properly shaped container i could find. Any suggestions on what else i might try to get about 14" of total height? The container pictured is 10.5" total height which would only leave about 7-8" substrate. Probably not enough.
 

AphonopelmaTX

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I have seen those Rubbermaid containers and if I remember correctly, they taper so the bottom is more narrow than the top and they are not that translucent.

These are what I keep my H. lividum in and they construct the coolest burrows in them.

http://www.containerstore.com/brows...=9331361&itemIndex=2&CATID=64153&PRODID=60185

- At the above link, I use the 5.3 qt. Store 'n Pour 5 ltr. as it is the only size that a full grown H. lividum or any other smaller Asian burrower can fit it.

- Drill or melt a row of holes around the top. You will need lots of ventalation.
- Add a few small holes to the front (round end, not the "handle" side)
- To provide water, hold the container in a bucket of water until the substrate is wet then let drain
- Fill the container half way with moist peat moss and compress it so it is nice and compact
- Start a burrow for the spider at the front (round end again) that is approx. 1 - 1.5 inches in diameter (i use the carboard tube from paper towels) and it will construct the typical "L" shaped burrow down to the bottom where you will be able to view it at all times (if it doesn't web up the burrow that is)
- Keep in mind that if you go this route, it may take several months for the tarantula to construct its burrow. I believe this is because it already feels safe in a narrow container. So to get it to feel unsafe, I open the container's lid to get the spider to run to the pre-made burrow which it will eventually expand on.

- Lonnie
 

cacoseraph

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i can't see the pic but i use ~1G cylinder shaped jars and it works fine. it's a bit hairy before the spider makes it's burrow though, as it will be chilling a few inches from the top of the container =P
 

Moltar

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- To provide water, hold the container in a bucket of water until the substrate is wet then let drain

- Lonnie
So how moist does this substrate need to be. If i understand these instructions correctly, that leaves the strate VERY wet. Beyond moist but actually wet? Almost but not quite mud?

I ws thinking more like pretty moist where if you squeeze the soil in your hand it clumps together but you can't wring water out of it.
 

AphonopelmaTX

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So how moist does this substrate need to be. If i understand these instructions correctly, that leaves the strate VERY wet. Beyond moist but actually wet? Almost but not quite mud?

I ws thinking more like pretty moist where if you squeeze the soil in your hand it clumps together but you can't wring water out of it.
You are correct. My instructions leaves the substrate "actually wet" BUT for only a few weeks if proper ventilation is provided. There is no "optimum" moisture level to be maintaned for any species of tarantula as they are all pretty much capable of dealing with extreme levels of moisture/ humidity for a period of time. I neglected to add that flooding the enclosure of an H. lividum or any other rainforest species should only be done when the substrate begins to dry out. One will definitley want to make sure the substrate is moderately dry before a repeat flooding.

- Lonnie
 

supsativa

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Jun 16, 2007
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ok i do not currently own a Cobalt, but i previously have, and i kept it much similiar to the king baboon. alittle dry, with occasional misting.. all ways full water dish.and atleast 4in of substrate.also having a premade burrow is slick to. you can accomplish this by find a 3-4in deep pipe or some type of tube and burying it in the substrate with the hole at the substrate line.chances are the T will find this and take advantage of it being "premade".so feel free to put it in the best spot possible.. if you wanna get real slick you can cut the pipe or whatever you have found in half and place it against the glass so you can actually see the tarantulas burrow in the substrate!!!. . i would look into getting a kritter keeper. commonly sold at petco,petsmart. they have many dif sizes and all have proper ventalation that can be taped/covered to suit humidity needs... kool colors too.
 

Becky

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I think that would be fine. Fill it 2/3 full of subby and start a burrow for her. As long as its deep she'll be fine. How deep is it? I have a 4" Haplopelma albostriatum in a tank and she's 10" under ground! lol
 
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