Heterothele villosella (Tanzanian Chestnut)

[Storm76]

I've searched the threads on here, but couldn't find information about their temperament. Considering these are native to East Africa, I'm kinda wondering if they are as defensive as the Baboon species?

I'm getting an adult female next week actually and all that I know so far, is the fact that they -seem- to be very easily spooked which results in running (sorry: teleporting) all over the place. Obviously they don't show any whatsoever threat-poses, nor bite (couldn't find any bitereport on them either)? So, if someone has experience with these, please shed some light on them if you don't mind.

Any useful information on them would be highly appreciated in terms of preparing correctly for her

Thanks,
Jan



PS: What I -DO- know (and please feel free to correct this if wrong):
* Small species (dwarf even)
* Super-fast!
* Webbing like crazy (even more than GBB)
* Can be kept in communal setups (read quite some about that fact, not gonna do so, though) if given enough space!
* Spiderlings feed together on single prey item (that mum usually kills beforehand)
* mixture between webber / burrower (offer 2-3" deep substrate)
* often out in the web on display, behaving like a Diplurid almost (which is why I bought her)
* humidity 60-70%, substrate dry with single corner kept wet (or misting their webbing every 3-4 days once)
* ideal tank size 20x20x20 (most say so...)
* setup should contain branches, leafs, a hide and maybe a prepared tunnel they accept either and extend a huge web around the hideout

 

[Bill S]

I've got several colonies of these set up. They've become one of my favorites. I've never seen any threat displays, and they run for cover if threatened at all. When I'm working with them, such as removing extras from the colony, I put the cage on a counter top and place a few small towels around it. If one of the spiders makes a break for it (which commonly happens) when the top is open, they usually run for the first hiding place available. With a towel in place, they're easy to recapture. I've had them run up my arms and all over my hands, but never had one try to bite. They are a very small tarantula, so even if they did bite there probably would not be much venom delivered.

When your female arrives you can set her up in a cage with lots of hiding places. A Kritter Keeper with a hide and a small branch would work. She'll build a complex web from which she'll dart out and grab crickets. If you start her off in a big enough cage, you can add the male to it later when you get one. I leave egg sacs with the mother (it's close to impossible to remove it from the web complex anyway) and the mother and babies get along fine. When using a Kritter Keeper with a breeding female I put a piece of mosquito netting between the cage and the lid to prevent babies from wandering.

Basically, the information you listed is good.


Good luck!

 

[Storm76]

Thanks, man! Much appreciated information!

I was aware of the towel trick


OH! Forgot to ask one question: What about their climbing skills? Was thinking about doing the transfer in the bathroom (with towels around) hence the question...

 

[hamhock 74]

I've had so many tarantulas zip around my tub that I've given up on using it as a place to do my transfers, now I just find a wide empty space with not alot space for them to hide under, like a living room, kitchen etc. and usually they run for the container they came in into the I've got set up. If I know the tarantula is a fast moving/ skittish species then I'll put a couple of towels down for it to hide under as well.

 

[Storm76]

Alrighty, thanks for the information. Much appreciated.

 

[Bill S]

I haven't chased Heterothele around a tub yet, but they climb the glass walls of their tank pretty easily. If what you are transferring them from is small enough, you might put that container in a ten gallon aquarium. I do this with a lot of small spiders being transfered from or into small Kritter Keepers. If they run, it's still contained. I do somewhat the same thing for breeding - put the containers with the breeders next to each other in a larger aquarium. Allows for visitation and retreat, and it's easy to recapture the spiders afterwards.

 

[Storm76]

I actually often use a bigger enclosure to put their enclosure into, just in case they go for a run so they're still "contained" and easy to recapture. I have some quite skittish T's curently and even when opening their enclosure, they sometimes tend to take a run. So that's one method I already use

For example my Euathlus pulcherimaklaasi sling is like super-fast, close to teleporting if he wants to...and that one is just about 1.25 - 1,5"...