Are Curly Hair Tarantulas (Tliltocatl albopilosus formerly Brachypelma albopilosum) often visible at the surface of their enclosure?

[DrippingPopsicle]

Im getting my first tarantula soon and I have researched that Curly Hairs are a good beginner friendly tarantula, but I was wondering if they tend to burrow or if they are visible at the surface. If they are not usually visible at the surface could someone point me in the direction of a species that is? Thank you all so much for the help!

 

[Poonjab]

As slings and juvenile they will tend to burrow more. As them mature, they tend to be out in the open more. That’s my experience. Mines always out on display, that’s even with the burrows it has made.

 

[Sarkhan42]

While they do tend to be heavy burrowers, I often find them out on the surface or moving dirt until their enclosure is disturbed. They're in my experience one of the absolute most active species, and a personal favorite of mine. More often than any other species I find them moving earth or decor around. They're a species that I will always have in my collection regardless how much I grow or downsize, I can't recommend them enough!

 

[viper69]

mine is out 24/7, never used a hide or burrow her entire life so far.

 

[Chebe6886]

I have a sling that currently likes to burrow but is very active. As long as you don’t keep it in an oversized enclosure you can see it in the burrow doing its thing. They def spend a lot more time in the open as they grow from all I hear/read.
I like the personality mine seems to have and think it would be a better intro to the hobby than some of the “pet rocks” out there

 

[fried rice]

They are a great species. Some adults like to burrow, but you should still see them out a lot.

 

[Smotzer]

You will definitely see them out as adults, slings burrow a little more. Don’t give them an oversized and enclosure as slings and juveniles and you will likely see them out more. I have found mine to be fairly “active”.

what size are you getting? That’s makes a difference!

 

[Iesnoth]

My sling is out all the time, and likes to hang out at the top of their enclosure. Makes me wonder if I got a different species by mistake?

 

[Chebe6886]

Most important thing is to put it in an enclosure that’s the right size. Slings do better in small enclosures where they seem to feel secure and tuned in to all that goes on. Also, if it’s the right size it’ll dig down where you can still see it.
This isn’t a species that is hard to manage and work with so don’t have to worry too much about relatively frequent rehousing

 

[DrippingPopsicle]

You will definitely see them out as adults, slings burrow a little more. Don’t give them an oversized and enclosure as slings and juveniles and you will likely see them out more. I have found mine to be fairly “active”.

what size are you getting? That’s makes a difference!

Im getting a 3-4" and i plan on keeping them in a modified 10 gallon tank, Thank you for your help Btw!

 

[Smotzer]

Im getting a 3-4" and i plan on keeping them in a modified 10 gallon tank, Thank you for your help Btw!

You’re welcome! As a heads up a 10 gallon is a little big for a 3-4in spider. That would be better for it when it is a mature adult or sub adult . Especially if you receive it on the smaller size range it’ll be too big. That’s just my experience and knowing that your goal is to see it more.

 

[cold blood]

depends on housing....adults typically dont hide....slings hide if in an over sized enclosure.

 

[Thekla]

My 0.1 T. albo never hid, not even when she was a tiny sling when I kept her in a small deli cup. My 1.0 T. albo, on the other hand, buried himself away for months when he was little because I put him in a too bigger enclosure. As others have said already, it really depends on the right size of enclosures.

 

[DrippingPopsicle]

You’re welcome! As a heads up a 10 gallon is a little big for a 3-4in spider. That would be better for it when it is a mature adult or sub adult . Especially if you receive it on the smaller size range it’ll be too big. That’s just my experience and knowing that your goal is to see it more.

Okay! I found one that is listed as an adult/subadult. Thanks for your advice! You Rock!

 

[Smotzer]

Okay! I found one that is listed as an adult/subadult. Thanks for your advice! You Rock!

Yeah no problem! Is it’s sex listed, where ever you are looking at that one?

 

[DrippingPopsicle]

Yeah no problem! Is it’s sex listed, where ever you are looking at that one?

no it isnt,

 

[Thekla]

no it isnt, heres the spider i was looking at: https://fangztv.com/shop/ols/products/tliltocatl-albopilosum-subadult-adult-honduran-curly-hair

A T that size should be sexed. I'd assume they're selling a male there, especially for that rather low price. If you don't have a problem with getting a male that rarely eats, wanders around all the time and will die in a couple of years, go for it.

But honestly, I would get a sling or a small juvenile. T. albos grow fairly fast until they reach about 3". They're easy to keep, even as slings, and IMO it's so much fun watching them grow, rather than having an adult that doesn't do much of anything anymore. You even should slow down feeding to 1-3 times a month, so, it won't get too big which could cause a whole new set of problems.

I got my T. albo (Nicaragua) exactly two years ago as a 2nd instar sling that had just started eating:


One year later she had grown up to a beautiful 3 1/2" juvenile:


Then she slowed down and her next moult was in April this year, so 10 months after her last moult.

Ball of Fluff ♥

• Thekla
• Apr 5, 2020
• 3
• albopilosus brachypelma albopilosum curlyhair tarantula female freshly molted tliltocatl tliltocatl albopilosus

My 0.1 T. albopilosus (Nicaragua) moulted 6 days ago, still a bit shy, but look at that fluff! I...

Of course, she's a beauty and one of my favourite Ts but she's not that active anymore, well, a bit of a pet rock if you will. So, if you get a subadult/adult T, be prepared to get bored to death.

 

[Kulticose]

From my experience, my T. albopilosus started coming out of her burrow when she became got a 1 inch diagonal legspan. Since then, she doesn't really use hide and stays out quite often. While she sometimes scuttles over to her wooden hide when I open the enclosure, she usually come out pretty soon after.