I need some camel spider help.

Edan bandoot

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Sep 5, 2019
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Solfuges live longest when they are in a very claustrophobic environment, in the wild this is their burrow, In captivity this can be replicated by either giving them an extremely small enclosure (to the point where it seems inhumane) OR by giving them ample space to make their own burrows.

A starter burrow is recommended because solfuges have been noted to quite literally "run until they die" if they feel they are too out in the open.
If you're aiming for the ladder enclosure (I'm assuming you are) you want it to be 6x the length of your solfuge and 4x the width.

When they are in premolt they look dead; they pose with their legs above their head in a reverse death curl sort of position. Never dispose of a "dead" solpuge before it starts to smell like it's dead.

Some solpuges have been noted to need a hibernation/overwintering period, this is necessary for the long term survival of your solfuge. I'm personally unsure if your specific species needs one, I'll let someone else tell you that.

Overfeeding has also been attributed to the premature deaths of solpuges.



I suggest you read through both these threads in their entirity, the second one contains specific info about substrate consistency and references to useful scientific literature


Sorry if this is sounds like rambling, it's midnight and this is all off the top of my head
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
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703
You got your work cut out for you homie. You got weeks of reading you NEED to do.
 

sandijade

Arachnopeon
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See it is hard when some people say huge enclosure and some say small. It's like there is no actual agreement.
 

schmiggle

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See it is hard when some people say huge enclosure and some say small. It's like there is no actual agreement.
Not sure if this is helpful, but if I understand @Edan bandoot correctly it's sort of like how people keep large pythons in very small enclosures relative to the python that they take them out of to feed. The python treats the enclosure as a hide, and since they like claustrophobic spaces that doesn't stress them out. Zoos, however, tend to keep pythons and similar in a very large space, because they can afford it and it gives plenty of space to feed. They never remove the snake from that space, and they provide a hide within it about the size of what an individual hobbyist might have as their entire enclosure. The result of all this is that they're both suitable enclosures, and each accomplishes a somewhat different purpose, not so much from the snake's perspective as from the keeper's.

You definitely don't need an enclosure 5' on a side, though if you plan on trying to breed these something pretty large will be in order. Off the top of my head, the biggest killers are essentially metabolic--solifuges in the wild are active for a couple months each year, in environments with a low density of nutritionally poor food; they spend the rest of their time estivating. People often overfeed them and don't let them estivate, so they pretty quickly eat and run themselves to death. However, you should definitely read those threads. If you can get it, the "solifuge bible" (lol) is The Biology of Camel Spiders by Fred Punzo, which used to be much cheaper than it is now. When I read it I was able to get it out of my college library, and I recommend doing something similar if you aren't an oil magnate or the queen of Denmark.
 

sandijade

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I'm trying to keep a little diary because they are difficult to get info on, so I feel like anythign I find out will help
 

Matts inverts

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Try to find which type because the big ones are usually from Asia of Africa in dry regions. get a 20 or 40 gallon tank with jungle mix mixed with sand and have rocks, succulents, bark and have tons of shade. These animals hate shade. There are videos of people being chased because they are trying to be in a person’s shadow to avoid the sun. It is best for the tank to be crowded for this spider
 

Matts inverts

Arachnoangel
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The heat is good but he isn’t coming out of the hide because he is scared. Just chill and he will probably come out and be normal.
 

sandijade

Arachnopeon
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Try to find which type because the big ones are usually from Asia of Africa in dry regions. get a 20 or 40 gallon tank with jungle mix mixed with sand and have rocks, succulents, bark and have tons of shade. These animals hate shade. There are videos of people being chased because they are trying to be in a person’s shadow to avoid the sun. It is best for the tank to be crowded for this spider
 

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sandijade

Arachnopeon
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This has been such a journey because I've had tarantulas and scorpions and this is neither
 

Matts inverts

Arachnoangel
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Yea it’s a bit of both. That one looks like a middle eastern species. Keep it like I said any it should do good.
 

Ian14

Arachnobaron
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Nov 27, 2019
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I would suggest looking up Marks Tarantulas on YouTube. He did a very informative video on these, with a lot of detail on husbandry, day and night temperature differences etc.
 

sandijade

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THNKS SO MUCH!
I would suggest looking up Marks Tarantulas on YouTube. He did a very informative video on these, with a lot of detail on husbandry, day and night temperature differences etc.
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
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I would suggest looking up Marks Tarantulas on YouTube. He did a very informative video on these, with a lot of detail on husbandry, day and night temperature differences etc.
They are harmless. I love this dude's message though. His hesitation on holding them is a bit weird. Look man. They are virtually harmless. They look creepy but they are awesome. Let them scare the dumb dumbs. But always be sure to educate anyone that is curious. They are a very beneficial species to their environment and deserve the respect they very well should have. Not the disgust they have gained. We need a graphics major to develop a shirt design that makes them look cute. People are starting to love skunks! Let them know the cuteness of Solifugae!
 

Ian14

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They are great looking animals. I believe that someone in Europe has managed to breed them. Can't recall where I saw that though unfortunately
 
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