Beginner Australian Arachnids

[RxExNx]

Firstly G'Day all,
I'm an Aussie, just very new to keeping. Started off my small collection with a fringed jumping spider (Portia fimbriata). Then I purchased 2 huntsman and an orb weaver. They have been super easy to care for.
I then got my T's and a trapdoor. (All Australian native, obviously) All purchased as slings, and I'm freaking out. Substrate consistancy, humidity, ventilation, irrigation, food, size of food, molting.... yadda yadda yadda. Its all so much! I live in Victoria and our climate is not always hot like up north so for the first time in years I have had our ducted heating on 24/7!
I really want to make sure I do everything right but I am also worried I am overthinking it. I have already dug up my poor little trapdoor 2 times to make sure it was still alive! <----- see very new. I have placed pics here for opinion. Please remember I have researched but I am NEW to this so please be kind, and constructive with your advice. Much appreciated.
PS You will notice I put moss in each enclosure to help with moisture and humidity. Although I don't know if this is a good idea.

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Semi-social Pygmy Tarantula
Coremiocnemis sp

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Australian Tarantula
Phlogius sp. – Kuranda

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Australian Featherleg Tarantula
Selenotypus 2

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Regal Golden Trapdoor
Euoplos Regalis

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[Edan bandoot]

@RezonantVoid oy your mate here needs some help

I can tell you it's best to leave trapdoors in their burrow though, they've fairly slow metabolisms and you don't see em much.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Hi mate, welcome to the forum! Your tarantula setups look fine, but the info on the side of the regalis setup definitely needs to be corrected. Regalis are MASSIVE, I'm not joking when I say they literally reach the size of some of our T's, I actually have one with me around 9.3cm in legspan. They are a QLD species, most definitely tolerate warmer temperatures than 25°c and humidity is irrelevant to them as they maintain a stable amount of humidity inside the burrow once the lid is closed. However, none of that matters for the moment, your setup is looking good! Id thoroughly recommend sloping it sharply for the little sling as most Euoplos burrow horizontally or diagonally into the side of a clay wall in the wild. Moss is a great addition for regalis too, as the larger ones will attach it to the lid! The T's probably won't benefit much from it though as they will likely web over it, and Selenotypus tend to prefer things on the drier side, so the moss may die out in their ideal conditions.

Also, is that clay substrate I'm seeing? If so, congratulations, you're already years ahead in trapdoor husbandry progress, no joke. I always recommend clay for these types of spiders.

 

[RxExNx]

Thank you so much for that. I really appreciate it. The only reason I have that substrate for my Regalis was that I purchased it with my sling as it was recommended. Otherwise I wouldn't have known. Haha. So I can't really take credit for being smart about it. I also mixed it with cocopeat (also for humidity).
I love your plants! I like a bit of green and wasn't sure whether I should put fake green in. I don't like fake but then real, creates more layers of anxiety. Haha. You have been really helpful. I will deffo re look at my info panel on my Regalis, I think I got that from a website. Can't trust the internet ey.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Thank you so much for that. I really appreciate it. The only reason I have that substrate for my Regalis was that I purchased it with my sling as it was recommended. Otherwise I wouldn't have known. Haha. So I can't really take credit for being smart about it. I also mixed it with cocopeat (also for humidity).
I love your plants! I like a bit of green and wasn't sure whether I should put fake green in. I don't like fake but then real, creates more layers of anxiety. Haha. You have been really helpful. I will deffo re look at my info panel on my Regalis, I think I got that from a website. Can't trust the internet ey.

I use natural clay from my area, with a but with a bit of peat and sand mixed in to make it less sticky. I just put a few patches of moss in and sit the enclosure next to the window, and bam! 5-8 weeks later it looks like those one, no fertilizers, secret recipes or fancy lighting needed! In fact, most of the plants in my enclosures come up entirely on their own, as they were already in the clay. I waited almost 3 years before experimenting with natural substrate, wish I'd started much sooner. Trapdoors are a great and thoroughly underrated group of spooders, fortunately Australia has an unparalleled variety of these types!

For your first year or so, I'd stick with Phlogius tarantula slings and get a couple of adult Selenotypus or (preferably afterwards due to the feisty temperament) Selenotholus. Arbanitis trapdoors are another great beginner species as they are incredibly hardy and have very nice metallic colouration. These will give you a good understanding of the 3 main behaviour types (bolty, shy and super defensive) which is a great stepping stone into the more unusual primitive species like larger Idiopidae, Anamidae, and eventually Atracidae and other medically significant stuff in the future if you so wish

 

[RxExNx]

I use natural clay from my area, with a but with a bit of peat and sand mixed in to make it less sticky. I just put a few patches of moss in and sit the enclosure next to the window, and bam! 5-8 weeks later it looks like those one, no fertilizers, secret recipes or fancy lighting needed! In fact, most of the plants in my enclosures come up entirely on their own, as they were already in the clay. I waited almost 3 years before experimenting with natural substrate, wish I'd started much sooner. Trapdoors are a great and thoroughly underrated group of spooders, fortunately Australia has an unparalleled variety of these types!

For your first year or so, I'd stick with Phlogius tarantula slings and get a couple of adult Selenotypus or (preferably afterwards due to the feisty temperament) Selenotholus. Arbanitis trapdoors are another great beginner species as they are incredibly hardy and have very nice metallic colouration. These will give you a good understanding of the 3 main behaviour types (bolty, shy and super defensive) which is a great stepping stone into the more unusual primitive species like larger Idiopidae, Anamidae, and eventually Atracidae and other medically significant stuff in the future if you so wish

I live on the peninsula.. I'll have to work out where I should source my natural substrate... I have 8 spiders currently. I might hold off on getting any new ones for a while. You are very knowledgeable! Thank you so much.