Haplopelma Lividum questions

Jlw13194

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
41
Hey guys it's been a while since my young cobalt blue came out to feed, about 3 weeks or so, (her burrow was all webbed up). I threw in a super worm and killed it and left it on her burrow since she's opened it. Do you guys think that is ok? or should I grab her some crickets? She's not much bigger than an inch DLS. This is how I found her. So I'm not sure if she'll eat it or not. her abdomen is kind of small, but I've been keeping her water topped off everyday. Any information would be awesome guys.
Cheers!
(Sorry if the photos aren't clear, but her fangs aren't in the worm and she's now gone back to her burrow)
 

Attachments

Last edited:

Hellblazer

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
134
I'm not sure what you're asking, but it's ok to feed it superworms if that's what you mean.
 

Jlw13194

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
41
I'm not sure what you're asking, but it's ok to feed it superworms if that's what you mean.
Sorry, what I was asking was if it was okay to leave a dead worm that died less than 20 hours ago on top of her burrow if I expect her to be hungry? Recently I cut another worm in half and threw half down the burrow and left the rest on top since she decided not to eat the dead worm. The new worm that was wiggling a little bit that was in the burrow is now gone so I'm assuming she ate.
 

Hellblazer

Arachnosquire
Joined
May 13, 2016
Messages
134
I wouldn't put anything down it's burrow in case it doesn't eat it. I mostly use roaches, but I use crickets to feed my H. vonwirthi because it seems to prefer them.
 
Last edited:

Jlw13194

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
41
I wouldn't put anything down it's burrow in case it doesn't eat it.
ahh, well too late on the down the hole (hopefully she ate).. I definitely won't do that again though in the future. I was just so worried because when she came out her abdomen was really small. she's back up with her feet poking out of the burrow now , maybe she'll eat the rest of the dead worm. I usually try to feed when there's no webbing over her burrow entrance and leave her be when there is.
You've been really helpful, thanks for taking the time to help me out!
(just a little paranoid when it comes to this sort of thing since I'm still a novice keeper)
 

Goodlukwitthat

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
178
How big of an enclosure do you have it in? From the pictures, it looks quite large. Def a big no no of putting prey inside the burrow.
 

Jlw13194

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
41
It's undoubtedly too big, but it's all I had. the container I got her in was WAY too small with a quarter of an inch of sub and no room to add any sub for a good burrow. I went to 4 different stores and couldn't find any 32 oz deli cups at all. So i got her a Kritter Keeper for the meantime while I ordered some, but when they arrived she had already burrowed and I didn't want to disturb her. Do you think I should transfer her? If yes should I use the flooding method? or do any of you have a better way? Honestly feeding has never been an issue even with how big the enclosure is, I was just wondering if any of you guys thought it'd be ok for me to leave a dead super worm on her burrow entrance for her to eat since I have no crickets right now.
(Last molt was 1/4/2017)
 

Spidermolt

Arachnoknight
Joined
May 29, 2015
Messages
203
At that size you can simply put her in one of these Sterilite containers that you can get from walmart. (I drilled 40 1/8" holes all around.)

St cage.jpg

St cage 2.jpg

I just rehoused my 1" C. sp electric blue in here 2 days ago.
 

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
666
I used the flooding technique "once", but prefer digging them out now. Flooded a 3" juvenile lividum, she flew out enraged and covered at least 8' before I could grab the catch cup. Since then I do all the rehousings inside a 55 gl. aquarium for containment purposes. I use either a 10" or 14" spoon, depending on enclosure size, and slowly remove the sub. Takes longer but I feel I've better control using this method. There are exceptions/possibilities that might arise w/h ANY rehouse attempt. When a rehouse is needed I feed heavy the night before and wait until 7-8AM and do the transfer. Best time, since they are "tired" from eating and moving about, they are nocturnal. ;)

Unless the burrow opening isn't webbed up, I'll drop live prey in, never into the burrow. Crickets and lats eventually enter the burrow and are eaten. After 48 hours, I'll remove prey and offer again after a few days, this rarely happens. EVERYDAY I have something that needs food, only drawback of having a large collection. :)

I err on larger enclosures w/h the fossorial species, less rehousings. Their speed, when agitated, surprises first time keepers. They can be extremely fast when they want to be. :anxious: Basically why they aren't recommend for a beginner to deal with. Not to mention their venom potency, but needs to be considered, since most times they "wet" bite.

Some make starter burrows, others place a hide and allow them to dig beneath it. I've had some that dig center mass and only see them near the opening. :banghead: Even when they burrow along the side, preferred for viewing, eventually they silk to the point you can't see any movement. ;)

Unless you live in an area that has high humidity, no holes are needed in the top, defeats the micro climate. Vent holes 1"-2" above the substrate surface is all thats needed for Asian species. Except when using aquariums, then an acrylic top w/h holes are needed for air exchange purposes. Pic is my AF C. lividum, topsoil has settled a bit and need to add 2"-3" more. Just opened her entrance today after a 6 week seclusion, probably molted. Only Asian kept this way, rest are in Sterilite tubs, shot of AF C. paganus's home. C.lividum.jpg Female C.paganus.jpg

Hope this helps you and enjoy the lividum, they are gorgeous when seen!
 

Jlw13194

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
41
@Red Eunice Wow. thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed bit on re-housing Lividums! This has helped me tremendously and I have since Re-housed her in to a much deeper enclosure where she's already taken to the burrow I've made for her.
Here's a picture of her when she decided to take a stroll on my carpet instead of going in her new home. She's a little bigger than a quarter. Do males and females posses this kind of coloring until maturity or is it possible to tell if M/F now?
 

Attachments

TownesVanZandt

Arachnoprince
Joined
May 12, 2015
Messages
1,041
I used the flooding technique "once", but prefer digging them out now. Flooded a 3" juvenile lividum, she flew out enraged and covered at least 8' before I could grab the catch cup.
Haha, yes, they are certainly not happy at all when they do come out! There´s a specific technique to flooding out a T. You need to keep the catch cup in the other hand and keep it close to the entrance of the burrow. But I agree with you, it´s generally better to dig out T´s, and I do that with all my non-Asian OW fossorials.
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Aug 31, 2012
Messages
5,610
If those are rocks in the water dish take them out. All they do is harbor bacteria.
 

Red Eunice

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 2, 2014
Messages
666
@Red Eunice Wow. thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed bit on re-housing Lividums! This has helped me tremendously and I have since Re-housed her in to a much deeper enclosure where she's already taken to the burrow I've made for her.
Here's a picture of her when she decided to take a stroll on my carpet instead of going in her new home. She's a little bigger than a quarter. Do males and females posses this kind of coloring until maturity or is it possible to tell if M/F now?
No problem, glad it helped you. Undoubtedly the longest post I've made thus far. Lol!
Give it a molt or two to darken in color.
As far as sexing goes, check out z32upgrader's video in Tarantulas Chat, its a "stickie". I highly recommend its viewing, best one I've seen.
 

Rob1985

This user has no status.
Joined
Feb 14, 2005
Messages
866
I used the flooding technique "once", but prefer digging them out now. Flooded a 3" juvenile lividum, she flew out enraged and covered at least 8' before I could grab the catch cup. Since then I do all the rehousings inside a 55 gl. aquarium for containment purposes. I use either a 10" or 14" spoon, depending on enclosure size, and slowly remove the sub. Takes longer but I feel I've better control using this method. There are exceptions/possibilities that might arise w/h ANY rehouse attempt. When a rehouse is needed I feed heavy the night before and wait until 7-8AM and do the transfer. Best time, since they are "tired" from eating and moving about, they are nocturnal. ;)

Unless the burrow opening isn't webbed up, I'll drop live prey in, never into the burrow. Crickets and lats eventually enter the burrow and are eaten. After 48 hours, I'll remove prey and offer again after a few days, this rarely happens. EVERYDAY I have something that needs food, only drawback of having a large collection. :)

I err on larger enclosures w/h the fossorial species, less rehousings. Their speed, when agitated, surprises first time keepers. They can be extremely fast when they want to be. :anxious: Basically why they aren't recommend for a beginner to deal with. Not to mention their venom potency, but needs to be considered, since most times they "wet" bite.

Some make starter burrows, others place a hide and allow them to dig beneath it. I've had some that dig center mass and only see them near the opening. :banghead: Even when they burrow along the side, preferred for viewing, eventually they silk to the point you can't see any movement. ;)

Unless you live in an area that has high humidity, no holes are needed in the top, defeats the micro climate. Vent holes 1"-2" above the substrate surface is all thats needed for Asian species. Except when using aquariums, then an acrylic top w/h holes are needed for air exchange purposes. Pic is my AF C. lividum, topsoil has settled a bit and need to add 2"-3" more. Just opened her entrance today after a 6 week seclusion, probably molted. Only Asian kept this way, rest are in Sterilite tubs, shot of AF C. paganus's home. View attachment 234030 View attachment 234032

Hope this helps you and enjoy the lividum, they are gorgeous when seen!
That is one gorgeous pet hole you've got there! :D
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Messages
890
@Red Eunice Wow. thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed bit on re-housing Lividums! This has helped me tremendously and I have since Re-housed her in to a much deeper enclosure where she's already taken to the burrow I've made for her.
Here's a picture of her when she decided to take a stroll on my carpet instead of going in her new home. She's a little bigger than a quarter. Do males and females posses this kind of coloring until maturity or is it possible to tell if M/F now?
It's "best" to wait for a molt. My lividum is about 6" now and presumably female based on a view of her "belly" when I first got her. She's since shredded every molt to oblivion... if you see a molt grab it quick!
 
Top