Appropriate Housing For Superstition Mountain Tarantula

Rott13FLGuy

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
5
Hi,

I need some help with a recommendation for the correct housing arrangement for a 4" Female Superstition Mountain Tarantula.

I presently have her in a critter keeper that has peat moss in it. I received her yesterday from an online purchase I made.

She really has not come off the side of the critter keeper (wall).

I really could not find out too much information about these Tarantulas.

I appreciate any information that can be provided to me.

-John-
 

Mina

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Oct 4, 2005
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2,136
Could you give us a scientific name? I have no idea what a "superstition mountain tarantula" might be other than probably a US native, and that means probably a member of the genus Aphonoplema.
 

Rott13FLGuy

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
5
Scientific Name For Superstition Mtn Tarantula

Hi,

The name is: Aphonopelma schmidti.

Thanks.
 

Stan Schultz

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,677
... I need some help with a recommendation for the correct housing arrangement for a 4" Female Superstition Mountain Tarantula. ...
Keep it like any other Aphonopelma: Dry, with a water dish. Room temperature. (Whatever you're comfortable at.) Some sort of day-night light variation. (Don't keep it in a dark closet to hide it from your mother, significant other, wife, roommate, etc.) Feed it 6 to 8 adult crickets a MONTH. Don't be surprised if it stops eating entirely in January and February.

... I presently have her in a critter keeper that has peat moss in it. ...
The KK is just fine as long as it's about 5 gal capacity or one of the flat kind that resembles a plastic shoebox.

Similarly, the peat is also fine as long as you tamped it into a firm pad first, then let it dry out completely. The tarantula can stay on the damp peat for a few days while it dries, but shouldn't be forced to stay in a very humid cage or on damp substrate forever. Neither should you mist it. It's a confirmed desert species and abhors too much exposure to liquid water.

For those of you who attended the ATS Conference last June, the Superstition Mountains are on the eastern edge of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area, just outside Apache Junction. Now, do you know what kind of climate it endures and thrives in? It should be able to survive just about anything except a swamp!

... She really has not come off the side of the critter keeper (wall). ...
Either the peat is still damp and she doesn't like it or she's not accustomed to the peat itself and doesn't know what to make of it. Did you tamp the peat well before you put her in there?

This will change with time. If after 2 weeks she's still hanging from the cage wall you should consider switching to another substrate. My next choice for a substrate would be a coarse, sand box type sand. (But NOT fine silica sand, blasting grit, beach sand, etc.)

... I really could not find out too much information about these Tarantulas. ...
There are 2 possible reasons for this:

1. It's a fairly recently available tarantula and enthusiasts haven't yet had a chance to write one up.

2. Writing up a different care sheet for every species, variety and color variation for members of the genus Aphonopelma is a waste of effort, partly because they're all very resilient and adaptable, and partly because they're all cared for about the same.

Hope this help. Enjoy your tarantula!
 

Rott13FLGuy

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 24, 2007
Messages
5
Thanks for Your Help With MY Aphonopelma Schmidti T ?'s

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR HELPING ME UNDERSTAND THE HOUSING REQUIREMENTS FOR MY NEW T.
:clap: :clap: :clap:
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Jan 5, 2005
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except the weather outside a burrow and the conditions in a burrow are only somewhat related

the earth is, er, a bit of a thermal mass to contend with, powerful as mr sun is.

i believe temps approach about 65*F fairly quickly under groud. a veiled burrow a meter deep should have a virtually constant temp of 65 or 68*F near the bottom and then fairly quickly approach ambient air temp close to the burrow mouth. the spiders thermo- and hygro- regulate by moving up and down the burrow

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metallica

Arachnoking
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Aug 18, 2003
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i believe temps approach about 65*F fairly quickly under groud. a veiled burrow a meter deep should have a virtually constant temp of 65 or 68*F near the bottom and then fairly quickly approach ambient air temp close to the burrow mouth. the spiders thermo- and hygro- regulate by moving up and down the burrow

ow i too believe the temp will be about 65 or 68F a meter deep in the ground.... this species however burrows only 33 cm totall length on average.
with a burrow depth of about 25-30 cm.

<edit>

cheers
Eddy
 
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cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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ow i too believe the temp will be about 65 or 68F a meter deep in the ground.... this species however burrows only 33 cm totall length on average.
with a burrow depth of about 25-30 cm.
hmmm. i bet an approximation of that gradient wouldn't be *too* hideous to manufacture and then reproduce in captivity... hmmm.

i need to look up what temperature dirt is 1 foot down. i think it will still be pretty constant and fairly close to like ~68-70*f


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metallica

Arachnoking
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data from A. henzi and B. smithi show a burrow temp of 79 F
 

metallica

Arachnoking
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Aug 18, 2003
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Hi Stan,

Tarantula spiders, tarantulas of the USA and Mexico
Andrew M. Smith 1994
page 112,172, 146

Cheers
Eddy
 

Arachnoboards

Arachnoboards Team
Staff member
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Sep 23, 2002
Messages
234
Ok, I've had it with the 3 of you. ENOUGH already! Go play in someone else's playground if you can't play nice in ours. :rolleyes:

People will start to get suspended pretty fast if this crap doesn't stop. Not joking anymore. Game over for the 3 of you (and you know who you 3 are). You all know better ... :embarrassed:

Debby
 

Stan Schultz

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 16, 2004
Messages
1,677
Hi Stan,

Tarantula spiders, tarantulas of the USA and Mexico
Andrew M. Smith 1994
page 112,172, 146

Cheers
Eddy
Thanks! When I get back to our storage locker in Calgary I'll have to find my copy and give it a good, careful read.
 

metallica

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
Messages
2,512
if there is a specific species your looking for, or an area, just let me know and i will scan you the pages.

Eddy
 
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