I have decided what to get....

[Trey]

Ok, after some looking around and doing some research I think im going to get a l. parahybana. I think for what I would like from a T. this would be one of my best options. Im going to be setting up her tank tonight so if anyone wants to give me some pointers on how to set it up or any other caresheets or anything for that matter that I should need before getting her I would be greatful. I have found some caresheets on the net but I would feel more secure if I heard it from you guys that have had hands on experience. Also I think im going to be getting a singapore blue sling in the deal also so I think it should be a pretty fair trade. Thanks for all your help and if you have anything to add feel free to do so.

 

[mikeymo]

Trey,

while i'm currently too inexperienced with Ts to give you any REAL advice, i did want to say that the l. parahybana is a handsome looking creature. Good choice!

 

[PinkLady]

Make sure you give the L.parahybana enough substrate to burrow. Ours would do that when it was getting ready to molt. They're pretty easy to care for. Mist once a week and they can be eating machines if you let them. Ours molted in no time into a male :wall: Awesome T's though. I have a sling now and it's already trying to kick hairs at me. That is one thing with those T's to be careful of. I got hit once and looked like I had chicken pox....it's awful!!!

 

[GartenSpinnen]

Great choice, they are excellent eaters and grow very quickly. Mine is small but i keep it on about 3"-4" coco fiber with a water dish. I always make sure the water dish is full but i dont really worry about misting. I feed about once every week or two. If i feed every other week i make sure i give 2 crickets instead of just one. Ive heard this species was defensive and was very worried about that when i first got it cause it was one of my first Ts, but its actually not shown any defensive behaviors. However, i would say its fairly skittish. Other than that it stays out in the open most of the time but ive noticed mine does like to dig, but doesnt really try to create a burrow or anything like that. They are an awesome species good luck

 

[Trey]

Thanks for the heads up about the hairs. Im getting excited about it but I think he only has 5 1/2- 6 inch ones so I don't know how thats going to be in my 20?

 

[cheetah13mo]

My parahybana is still a sling so it does bulldoze the substrate a lot. It won't do it as much as an adult. Give it a good sized hide and lay some cork bark flat on the substrate for it to walk on and around. They feel comfortable with some structure and will be more likely to stay out in the open. There's no need to mist but what you should do is keep the water dish full and let it overflow into the substrate a little. once it drys out you can overflow it again. Letting it dry out keeps the possibility of mites to a minimum. Congradulations on the choice. Enjoy.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Thanks for the heads up about the hairs. Im getting excited about it but I think he only has 5 1/2- 6 inch ones so I don't know how thats going to be in my 20?

You'll have to use an awful lot of substrate to get it to where there's only 6-7" between the dirt and the ceiling, in a 20, but otherwise I think you could manage it. You'd just have to make sure you didn't put in too many things for crickets to hide in (like plants), and always dump the food near the T. Otherwise the crickets might never get in sensory range, and they'd just die in a corner somewhere instead of getting eaten.

 

[mikeymo]

You'd just have to make sure you didn't put in too many things for crickets to hide in (like plants), and always dump the food near the T. Otherwise the crickets might never get in sensory range, and they'd just die in a corner somewhere instead of getting eaten.

I think this is very good advice to everyone new to the hobby. While my tank is much smaller, the crickets i use as food have a tendency to hide behind the "half coconut shell" i've provided for my Tto hide in.

A bit frustrating but funny nonetheless

 

[Trey]

Thanks for the advice.....Are they pretty avid burrowers or do they tend to stay out more? Keep in mind it will be about in the 5-6 inch range

 

[cheetah13mo]

At that size it won't want to do a whole lot of burrowing so you should see a lot of it.

 

[Trey]

YES!!!!! I'll have something other than a pet burrow

 

[Jasonic]

Excellent choice!!

Parahybana rock. My 9" female is a docile doll. Doesn't burrow at all, and excellent display animal. Though not requested...I have one word of advice, I would definitly caution against thinner screen tops with a larger T like this. They will eventally break their fangs trying to bend the little metal square openings around. Go Tupperware or XL critter keeper with jumbo T's.

-j

 

[cheetah13mo]

Excellent choice!!

Parahybana rock. My 9" female is a docile doll. Doesn't burrow at all, and excellent display animal. Though not requested...I have one word of advice, I would definitly caution against thinner screen tops with a larger T like this. They will eventally break their fangs trying to bend the little metal square openings around. Go Tupperware or XL critter keeper with jumbo T's.

-j

I would say, since you want to use the existing tank, get 1/8th inche plexyglass and drill holes in the top for air and use that for the top. It'll sink down onto the tank lip nice and snug and then you can latch or clamp it tight.

 

[green_bottle_04]

You'll have to use an awful lot of substrate to get it to where there's only 6-7" between the dirt and the ceiling, in a 20, but otherwise I think you could manage it. You'd just have to make sure you didn't put in too many things for crickets to hide in (like plants), and always dump the food near the T. Otherwise the crickets might never get in sensory range, and they'd just die in a corner somewhere instead of getting eaten.

probly good advice. though ive never filled my substrate to the top of the enclosure. i have all my bigger T's in 10 gal. tanks. with 3-4" of substrate and have never had a single problem. but then again i also dont leave much in there for them to fall on...

 

[Mushroom Spore]

but then again i also dont leave much in there for them to fall on...

They don't have to fall on anything in particular to die. A human can die by landing on *water* if they fall far enough, after all.

 

[green_bottle_04]

They don't have to fall on anything in particular to die. A human can die by landing on *water* if they fall far enough, after all.

thats true...and as i stated ive not had any problems with it in MY EXPERIENCE. and usually when T's DO fall and injure themselves its because they have fallen on some kind of cage decoration. not always...but usually. and thats very true that humans CAN die from falling and landing in water...but only if they are over 220 ft. high. (give or take depending on the person and conditions, of course) but that is the average for a person to reach terminal velocity and send a big enough shock ripple through the body to break bones and rupture internal organs ( this information comes from the airborne soldiers manual and we were tought this info during jump school)