Halloween Hisser Elliptorhina javanica Care

Stacy737

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 2, 2021
Messages
15
Hello all,

My 8 yr old son is expecting 4 hissers this week, I plan on putting them into a small exo terra glass enclosure.

I saw a video of someone using packaging tape as a rim to prevent escapees, but that was a Dubia Roach colony with one Madagascar hisser. Thoughts?

If I need to heat the enclosure I'll be using an adjustable heat mat on one side. Temp and humidity tips? Do they need a calcium supplement like eggshells as well?

My main question is how often should this be cleaned out? Is there going to be any smells and feces mess like crickets for instance?

Thank you!
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
703
They can easily climb packing tape. Your best defense is petroleum jelly mixed with talcum powder. The tape is mainly for when you are cleaning and need to strip the layer or jelly off easily. 4 adults don't need to be cleaned pretty much ever with a cleaner crew. They will breed though. Once you start gathering nymphs then you are in for a wild ride. Let the people the grocery store know you are feeding animals. Get use to being the weirdo they see weekly buying 20-200 pounds of fruit a week. Holler at me for dialogue. They are going to ask you...
 

Stacy737

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 2, 2021
Messages
15
Thanks for your tips, I appreciate it. Feel free to share crazy stories, I don't mind being the creepy weirdo in the store. I asked my son if he minds we keep the roach population down by feeding our tarantulas or scorpions some nymphs if it gets out of control. I don't feel much for feeder crickets because they're ruthless cannibals, so maybe the tune will change after the hissers move in and we become one big happy family.
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
703
Be very cautious feeding off any "hisser" species. They are very, very strong and can pull limbs off some insects. Even with head crushed.
 

antinous

Pamphopharaoh
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 28, 2013
Messages
1,668
Don’t mean to bump up an old thread but have you (@Stacy737 or @RoachCoach or anyone else) had success with them breeding at room temp (high 60s during the night, 70s during the day)?
 

Stacy737

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 2, 2021
Messages
15
High 60s at least.. My thermostat is set to 69, however the tarantula enclosures are located in a warmer room closest to the basement furnace. I have a heating pad taped vertically to the side of a dubia colony because they need it super hot to procreate and it works for me. I've had Halloween Hissers chew through window screening I have as a top and a female survived fine for maybe 3 weeks in the wilderness of the house, she came out because she smelled carnitas cooking from my kitchen- so back in with the fam. So if in doubt, a simple heating pad set on minimum temp taped to a side is good enough. I feed them organic salad mixes, organic chicken pellets for protein, sweet potatoes and apples. High humidity results in an excess of springtails so they generally get their liquids from food sources and I haven't had a death in maybe a month, the colony has tripled since June of 2021 since purchased on ebay. Good luck!
 
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