I want a H. Lividum

[Skeri]

I agree with having more of an interest in the more defensive Ts than the less defensive. I also agree with everyone telling him to get a different tarantula. I have followed a good bit of tarantulalover9's posts and although I enjoy his enthusiasm, he isn't very knowledgable about them and has practiced some bad keeping habits by accident, such as handling a T that was not yet fully hardened. I suggest he starts looking to learn more about Ts before buying any more of them.

Also to the OP you told me you already owned a H. lividum...

 

[Aviara]

As an additional word of advice to the OP - once you are comfortable with raising slings, it is often better to purchase your first few Old World tarantulas as slings. This gives you a chance to experience their speed and general habits without the full adult size and aggression. I know some have also hinted that a bite from a sling is less severe, but I do not know for sure how true that is. While I chose a P. murinus for my 3rd tarantula, it was a .75 inch sling. I would not have felt as comfortable purchasing an adult OBT. I also will say that I feel I have a good deal of maturity and patience, in addition to a lot of experience keeping reptiles and other animals, so I felt confident purchasing an OBT even though I have not been in the hobby that long. It all depends on the individual - there are people who could get away with an Old World as their first tarantula and have few problems, and then there are hobbyists who have been keeping for a long time and still don't have the confidence and ability to own them.

 

[tarantulalover9]

Also to the OP you told me you already owned a H. lividum...

that's why I planed on getting one at the time I didn't physicaly own one

---------- Post added 07-15-2012 at 10:10 AM ----------

once you are comfortable with raising slings

thats good because the E. Cyanognathus from ken that i'm getting is a .75 inch sling

 

[vickywild]

Glad you changed your mind Too often you see people getting H.lividum due to their colour and then realising what a handful they are. Recently mines burrow collapsed and I had to painstakingly remove the substrate with a tea spoon. I was pooping myself lol!

 

[DeidraDisaster]

Glad you changed your mind Too often you see people getting H.lividum due to their colour and then realising what a handful they are.

That is exactly how I came into possession of my h. lividum. A co worker of mine bought my rosea and h. lividum at the same time from some crappy pet store. He had no idea what he was getting into, especially with the cobalt. She had barely any substrate and the enclosure was filthy and smelly becasue he threw several crickets in at once and was too afraid to clean it. He ended up giving them to me for FREE, enclosures and everything, just to get rid of them. I had to rehouse her in a smaller enclosure with way more substrate and now she is my little pet hole. I never see her but she is content, I am sure. Rehousing her was the most fun, I about peed myself!

 

[spiderengineer]

yeah I am not looking forward to cleaning mine H. Lividum tank. luckily she is a pretty clean spider and leaves nothing left when it eats so just spot cleaning so far.

 

[Tweak]

Maybe it's just bc I dont have any haplos yet, but I figured the half a soda bottle technique would work well since their more inclined to rush for the confined dark top of it

 

[freedumbdclxvi]

yeah I am not looking forward to cleaning mine H. Lividum tank. luckily she is a pretty clean spider and leaves nothing left when it eats so just spot cleaning so far.

My H lividum is one of my most defensive T's, if not the worst. That said, the cleanup isn't too terrible. Take care to know where she is at all times and, if she comes out of her burrow, cup her. May have to let her calm down a bit before you can do that, just to be safe. But take your time, be vigilant, and you should be OK. That said, she is the one T that always gets my heart racing! Lol

 

[wesker12]

If you want to get a spider that will prepare you for an H. lividum, check out E. cyanognathus and E. uatuman. They are both NW, lack urticating hairs on their abdomen (they have them on their pedipalps), burrow, are extremely fast, and are fight instead of flight. They have all the characteristics of an OW minus the venom. I have an E. cyanognathus sling right now and it is quick. One of my favorites.

Fastest tarantula I have (own pokies, tappies, psalmos, baboons, haplo, ect)

 

[Tweak]

Fastest tarantula I have (own pokies, tappies, psalmos, baboons, haplo, ect)

Agree!!!! Fastest of my bunch! From the mouth of its burrow to the very bottom faster than a blink of an eye

 

[wesker12]

Agree!!!! Fastest of my bunch! From the mouth of its burrow to the very bottom faster than a blink of an eye

Yes!! Exactly dude! It moves faster then your eye registers movement!
Grabs the dubia and it's all the way at the bottom in a blink of eye, pretty cute in it's anger - I got a threat display at 4i hahaha..

 

[Formerphobe]

If you want a H. liv, get one. I would suggest starting with a sling, or two, or three. Unpacking a sling is a far cry from unpacking a large disturbed adult.

My H. liv are now ~4.0 inch DLS. They started turning noticeably blue at about 2". Even now, they are not the full classic blue that one sees in pictures.
I still don't know their sex since they quit pitching out their well-chewed exuvia at about 1".

They've been rehoused twice without incident at ~1" and ~3". In fact, rehousing them turned out to be ridiculously easy. They went at lightning speed to the depths of their labyrinths where they remained crouched until I dug down to them. I used a large serving spoon to scoop spider and tunnel remnants into the new abode. Two bolted right down their new pre-made burrows. The third stayed huddled topside until I picked apart its tube web to expose it. After a few pics, I shooed it down its new burrow.

I've never had even a single threat pose from any of my H. liv. (Perhaps my H. liv and extremely defensive LPs read the wrong chapters in The Book...) Nor do I ever clean their enclosures, the isopods do that.

I would much rather rehouse an existing H. liv than unpack an adult that has been uprooted, packed, shipped and in major defensive mode upon arrival.

Recently mines burrow collapsed and I had to painstakingly remove the substrate with a tea spoon.

They are obligate burrowers. It would have dug itself out. Mine have deliberately collapsed part of their burrow system when constructing new or additional 'hallways'.

H. lividum do not need to be kept as damp as true 'swampies' like Theraphosa sp, E. murinus, E. cyanognathus, etc. A lot of people keep their H. liv relatively dry.

I LOVE my E. murinus'! Can't sing their praises enough. Gorgeous, great eaters, moderate/fast growth rate, great webbers and burrowers, like to pose for the camera (on their terms...), will throw the occasional threat pose if inadvertently surprised.

My E. cyanognathus are pretty, but, to date, have been pet rocks. I'm sure they can be fast when they so choose, as can all spiders, mine are just lumps. LOL One webs, the other not so much.

Fastest spiders in my collection are the baboons. Most defensive, the LPs.

 

[vickywild]

She wasn't going to be getting herself out of this mess...it had properly collapsed. I wouldn't have purposefully disturbed her.

 

[tarantulalover9]

hey guys what if I get a Chilobrachys Guangxiensis

 

[Tweak]

Yes!! Exactly dude! It moves faster then your eye registers movement!
Grabs the dubia and it's all the way at the bottom in a blink of eye, pretty cute in it's anger - I got a threat display at 4i hahaha..

Mine does seem to prefer "flight" instead of "fight" but I know better than to test that theory

 

[tarantulalover9]

kiding I'm not getting that one it's to "plain" for me I mean just tan brown yeah no thanks

 

[spiderengineer]

I think on average if they have a the safety of their burrow to go to they will most likely flee to its safety, but if it has nothing to hide or feels like its back in a corner then they will become aggressive. Of course their are always exception I know somebody who has one and just walking past its cage will trigger aggression. I am just glad mine choose flight instead of fight. In fact that picture is the only time mine has ever shown any threat display and that's why I had to take the picture.

 

[Formerphobe]

it's to "plain" for me I mean just tan brown yeah no thanks

Some of the 'plain' ones are the most fascinating. If you're just looking for color, get a GBB.

 

[le-thomas]

My C. guangxiensis are awesome spiders but very fast and definitely not colorful.
I recommend you stick to NW for now.

 

[grayzone]

No. No. No. It's NOT a good idea to use gloves while working with tarantulas. For your safety and the tarantulas.

.. exactly.. false sense of "security" PLUS heavier gloves = restricted movements which could cause a LOT of problems

thanks, can you hold them

i personally WOULDNT recommend handling a GBB.. as a sling MAYBE. As adults they tend to be pretty skittish and MAJOR kickers

thanks but I think I'll go with everyone else I'm going to try to get a GBB I'll try a H. Lividum after that when I mature into the hobby a bit more

hey guys what if I get a Chilobrachys Guangxiensis

kiding I'm not getting that one it's to "plain" for me I mean just tan brown yeah no thanks

DUDE.. remember what we spoke about? STOP with the controversial posts.. it seems you LIKE being flamed, or at least like to set yourself up for it..
Im pretty sure that all the people that OG have been backing you up now start to regret it.
You want ONE ow, decide against it .. want a GBB .. ASK about a Chilo (another OW) then say youre just kidding just STOP POSTING PLEASE all these random threads arent necessary