Hapalopus sp. Colombia large & small

Which one do you like more?

  • Hapalopus sp. Colombia large

    Votes: 13 65.0%
  • Hapalopus sp. Colombia small

    Votes: 7 35.0%

  • Total voters
    20

BoyFromLA

Spoon feeder
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Oct 26, 2017
Messages
2,488
I recently fell in love with dwarf tarantulas, and I am very interested in Hapalopus sp. Colombia large & small, and I would like to get some more info before I choose either one.

1. What would be the main differences beside it’s size?

2. Why the usual price different between these two?

2. Do they share similar temperament?

3. Which one do you like more? You can answer this by poll voting.
 

Theneil

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
1,292
I have only had the large species. Voracious and fast growing. Readily available and inexpensive as slings. the small sp. seems less available.
 

sasker

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2016
Messages
1,091
A side by side picture of the two species will show you exactly the differences between the two. I only have the larger one of the two, so I can only comment on that. They look a bit like a wolf spider with racing strips, which is appropriate because these spiders are fast!

Personally I am a bit disappointed with mine. In my experience - and I've heard from others, too - this species is rarely visible. It is a pet hole that I sometimes don't see for months. The only reason why I keep her is because she does not take up too much space, but it is good to be aware of this before you purchase one. If you are okay with a box of dirt with not much going on, seek no further. But if you like an active tarantula that is webbing a lot, beautifully coloured and a dwarf, I would suggest a Neoholothele incei. That one is so much more fun, but that's just my opinion.
 

moonstarfc

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 30, 2018
Messages
20
Personally I am a bit disappointed with mine. In my experience - and I've heard from others, too - this species is rarely visible. It is a pet hole that I sometimes don't see for months. The only reason why I keep her is because she does not take up too much space, but it is good to be aware of this before you purchase one. If you are okay with a box of dirt with not much going on, seek no further. But if you like an active tarantula that is webbing a lot, beautifully coloured and a dwarf, I would suggest a Neoholothele incei. That one is so much more fun, but that's just my opinion.
Mine is the exact same way (a large), I set mine up in a KK with deep substrate, and a hide as well, hoping to avoid mine bolting out the top constantly as people report they are prone to do. But it worked too well I guess because I never see her, she's always in her hide whenever I look.
 

Theneil

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
1,292
A side by side picture of the two species will show you exactly the differences between the two. I only have the larger one of the two, so I can only comment on that. They look a bit like a wolf spider with racing strips, which is appropriate because these spiders are fast!

Personally I am a bit disappointed with mine. In my experience - and I've heard from others, too - this species is rarely visible. It is a pet hole that I sometimes don't see for months. The only reason why I keep her is because she does not take up too much space, but it is good to be aware of this before you purchase one. If you are okay with a box of dirt with not much going on, seek no further. But if you like an active tarantula that is webbing a lot, beautifully coloured and a dwarf, I would suggest a Neoholothele incei. That one is so much more fun, but that's just my opinion.
It sounds like ours are exact opposites LOL. Once mine put on a little size it decided to be out ALL the time. My incei on the otherhand (all 12 if my count is right) are holes.
 

ErinM31

Arachnogoddess
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Feb 25, 2016
Messages
1,217
A side by side picture of the two species will show you exactly the differences between the two. I only have the larger one of the two, so I can only comment on that. They look a bit like a wolf spider with racing strips, which is appropriate because these spiders are fast!

Personally I am a bit disappointed with mine. In my experience - and I've heard from others, too - this species is rarely visible. It is a pet hole that I sometimes don't see for months. The only reason why I keep her is because she does not take up too much space, but it is good to be aware of this before you purchase one. If you are okay with a box of dirt with not much going on, seek no further. But if you like an active tarantula that is webbing a lot, beautifully coloured and a dwarf, I would suggest a Neoholothele incei. That one is so much more fun, but that's just my opinion.
That is my experience as well, once she matured. As a sling, she was out a lot, a good eater and fast growing. She is still a beautiful little tarantula and very low defensive behavior, but very reclusive.
 

sasker

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2016
Messages
1,091
My incei on the otherhand (all 12 if my count is right) are holes.
I placed a slab of cork bark against one side of the enclosure under which it now resides. I can see him (I think it is a male) perfectly from there through the side of the enclosure. In the evening I sometimes spot him out, laying down web like there is no tomorrow.
 

draconisj4

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 11, 2017
Messages
455
I only have the large, but mine has never burrowed and is always visible. I gave it deep substrate, a hide and a bunch of anchor points and it chose to build a maze of webbing. Ever since it was a tiny sling it has hung out right at the top of its enclosure so feeding has been a real pain,lol. Fast little thing and not shy at all.
 

SavageCritter

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 11, 2019
Messages
20
I too have only kept the large, but it was one of my favorites! Great eater, had a burrow but was visible most of the time. Really beautiful little spiders.
 

PidderPeets

Arachnoprince
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Joined
May 27, 2017
Messages
1,336
I only have experience with the small species, but it's easily one of my favorites. I've got two subadult/adult females with very unique and charming personalities. They've burrowed and webbed with gusto. Great eaters, out daily, and just adorable. They're on the fast side compared to some other NWs, but they're still nothing too difficult to deal with. Plus they take up almost no space.

The toughest things about them are finding small enough feeders (that won't leave them fat after one meal), and sexing the horribly tiny molts. I couldn't sex mine until they were basically full sized and sexually mature.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
I recently fell in love with dwarf tarantulas, and I am very interested in Hapalopus sp. Colombia large & small, and I would like to get some more info before I choose either one.

1. What would be the main differences beside it’s size?

2. Why the usual price different between these two?

2. Do they share similar temperament?

3. Which one do you like more? You can answer this by poll voting.
I've owned both localities. No difference in behavior. Only difference is size, and of course their markings. You can visually identify one from the other.

The one thing that is good about both, they will take down prey items several times larger than itself. There aren't many Ts I've owned that are willing to do this, even at 1/8". They are ferocious killers.
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
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Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
715
I've only had the small, which was a surprise freebie. It's cute. Eats baby dubias quite enthusiastically. This one is currently 1" DLS.

 

spookyvibes

Arachnobaron
Joined
Nov 28, 2017
Messages
366
I've only had the small, which was a surprise freebie. It's cute. Eats baby dubias quite enthusiastically. This one is currently 1" DLS.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought only the large sp. had the connected orange spots in the abdomen?


I’ve only owned large, but as of right now, my girl is skittish and a heavy webber. Her feeding response isn’t terribly great, but she rarely fasts. She’s always out, hasn’t shown any interest in burrowing. I think she’s about 1.5” dls. This is one of the few ts that I’ve had dart out of their enclosure. Definitely one of my favorite in terms of looks, the black/orange combo is breathtakingly beautiful :D I believe I paid $10 for mine, I got her as a .25” sling, if that. She was so tiny that I couldn’t find her in the 2oz deli cup she came in. It took me a good 30 minutes to find her :rolleyes:
 

Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
Joined
Mar 12, 2016
Messages
2,423
I only have the large and I have only seen the small being sold once in Canada in the last few years. I wasn't really interested in this species at all, but I was offered a pair for an extremely good price - lower than what a female alone would go for. They are pretty little things, but, like pretty much every single dwarf I have ever had, mine are extremely reclusive and I rarely see them. My male matured at 12 months and is still doing well 10 months into maturity. That has surprised me more than a bit. I very rarely see my female at all.
Mature male Hapalopus sp. Colombia Large
DSC09315-2.jpg

Adult Female
DSC01124-2.jpg
 

nicodimus22

Arachnomancer
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Joined
Sep 26, 2013
Messages
715
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought only the large sp. had the connected orange spots in the abdomen?
That's possible...I don't know enough about the differences between the two to tell you for sure. The vial it came in was labeled H. sp Columbia small, but breeders are human too...maybe they mislabeled it.
 
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