Info and Pic's on Cobalt blue Plss!
- Thread starter paolo_28
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2003
- Messages
- 4,918
I keep my lividium pretty much the same as all the others, maybe a little wetter. 1/2 vermiculite, 1/2 peat, 3" deep, misted weekly, about 75F (the current temp here in CA) PVC hidey hole, weekly checks with the Radio Shack Digital Hygrometer/Thermometer.
She is my favorite of all the species I have. (which has grown to 13!) I hitnk EVERYONE should have one if experienced enough to deal with an aggressive species, although some on this website are fortunate enough to have individuals that they can actually HANDLE!!
Buy one.
Now The sooner the better.
See my H. lividium on the thread MY NEW PICS.
She is my favorite of all the species I have. (which has grown to 13!) I hitnk EVERYONE should have one if experienced enough to deal with an aggressive species, although some on this website are fortunate enough to have individuals that they can actually HANDLE!!
Buy one.
Now The sooner the better. See my H. lividium on the thread MY NEW PICS.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
our Smurfette is a real stinker. She is bouncing off the walls tonight because I dared to mist her tank. She happened to be out and about when I did it, so now she is having a hissy fit. I had to share.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
another
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
and another
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
And then she tried to make a break for it. LOL but I am too fast for her.
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2003
- Messages
- 947
Luci's quite the wimp. She cowers alot when I'm misting her tank in the morning. All in all she's a pretty laid back Cobalt Blue, barring that a cat hasn't knocked down her Pet Pal. Right now she's devouring the crickets I've placed in her enclosure.
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2003
- Messages
- 778
damn you need to raise that substrate alot!!!!!
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
No, It just looks like it. That pic with the low substrate is the shallow end. We keep one end shallow with her water dish, otherwise if she spills it, her peat gets all wet (all the way through) and she wont burrow.
So, her substrate is shallow on that end, and deep on the other with a grade. She prefers this setup, so we keep it that way. She is VERY picky about water, she wont touch moist substrate. So, this is the best way. She also doesn't tend to build her burrow very deep, so 4-5 inches of substrate in the deep end is enough for her, and is what she has.
Ali
So, her substrate is shallow on that end, and deep on the other with a grade. She prefers this setup, so we keep it that way. She is VERY picky about water, she wont touch moist substrate. So, this is the best way. She also doesn't tend to build her burrow very deep, so 4-5 inches of substrate in the deep end is enough for her, and is what she has.
Ali
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2002
- Messages
- 902
H. lividums are obligate burrowers, meaning they tend not to thrive unless permitted to burrow.Originally posted by paolo_28
I'm thinking of buying a cobalt blue, before I do, I'd like to get as much info as I get, (temp, humidity, type of soil and amount, temperment)
Thanks everyone.
Paolo
I keep mine on well-packed peat with some sphagnum mixed in to give it structure. I make sure the bottom layer has some moisture in it. This is generally listed as a high-humidity species, and I wouldn't argue with that, but a lot of people make the mistake of putting a humidity gauge in the vivarium and trying to keep it at 80% or so. Assuming the spider has a burrow, the humidity in it will naturally run higher than the air outside.
I keep mine at a slightly elevated temp--75 to 80 degrees. They all have water dishes. It's helpful to provide a hide for the spider starting out, or to make a starter burrow in the substrate before introducing the spider. Generally obligate burrowers will not eat until they have made a burrow, so it's important to get them established as soon as possible.
Temperament on these can vary from very defensive to surprisingly tolerant, but it's generally safest to assume your spider is the former until it has proved itself the latter. Even then I would recommend caution in dealing with it. Long forceps and a long-handled spoon are invaluable adjuncts when dealing with this or any other Asian species.
Joy
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
Bridget,
Yes, I mist, and no, not alot. Her substrate looks dry, because It is dry. If not, she will not touch it with a ten foot pole. She will only tolerate bone dry substrate. I do mist, but only lightly, otherwise she hangs from the ceiling all the time. She definately has her own personality. LOL When I mist, I mostly mist the walls, not the substrate, and I do keep a water dish in there, and it keeps the humidity up a little, she just hates anything wet. She is even well known for filling her water dish up with dirt, some of which you can see in the pics I posted.
(and yes, before anyone says it, I do clean her dish out and give her fresh water, just not when she on the warpath like she is tonight)
And I explained the low substrate thing in my post right before this.
Ali
Yes, I mist, and no, not alot. Her substrate looks dry, because It is dry. If not, she will not touch it with a ten foot pole. She will only tolerate bone dry substrate. I do mist, but only lightly, otherwise she hangs from the ceiling all the time. She definately has her own personality. LOL When I mist, I mostly mist the walls, not the substrate, and I do keep a water dish in there, and it keeps the humidity up a little, she just hates anything wet. She is even well known for filling her water dish up with dirt, some of which you can see in the pics I posted.
(and yes, before anyone says it, I do clean her dish out and give her fresh water, just not when she on the warpath like she is tonight)
And I explained the low substrate thing in my post right before this.
Ali
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2002
- Messages
- 1,055
alidpayne,
In the future, you should do research or at least ask around about the best setup. Cobalts are DEFINITELY burrowers. She may not throw those fits as much if you give her substrate and keep it much damper than the desert you've got her now!
paolo_28 (and alidpayne),
Here are some caresheets for H. lividium:
http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/H-lividum.html
http://www.arachnopets.com/tarantulas/tcaresheets/hlividumc.htm
http://arachnophiliac.com/burrow/caresheets/haplopelma_lividum.htm
Hope this helps
kellygirl
In the future, you should do research or at least ask around about the best setup. Cobalts are DEFINITELY burrowers. She may not throw those fits as much if you give her substrate and keep it much damper than the desert you've got her now!
paolo_28 (and alidpayne
),Here are some caresheets for H. lividium:
http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/H-lividum.html
http://www.arachnopets.com/tarantulas/tcaresheets/hlividumc.htm
http://arachnophiliac.com/burrow/caresheets/haplopelma_lividum.htm
Hope this helps
kellygirl
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2002
- Messages
- 1,055
If your Cobalt is a climber, then you really need to raise that substrate. Man, if she fell, she could badly injure herself! What size aquarium is that?
And since she doesn't like wet substrate, you could pour cups of water between the substrate and glass so that you could keep the humidity up.
But really, please raise that substrate. She's no arboreal and I'd really hate to come on here and read a thread about how your Cobalt's abdomen burst from a fall.
kellygirl
And since she doesn't like wet substrate, you could pour cups of water between the substrate and glass so that you could keep the humidity up.
But really, please raise that substrate. She's no arboreal and I'd really hate to come on here and read a thread about how your Cobalt's abdomen burst from a fall.
kellygirl
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
KellyGirl:
Ok, First of all, I do know how to care for my t. When we got her we gave her the suggested setup. She HATED IT! She hung from the cieling or the wall at the top constantly. We experimented A LOT before we found a setup that she would tolerate.
Second SHE HAS 5 INCHES OF SUBSTRATE ON THE DEEP SIDE OF HER TANK! She has a burrow, she stays in it 90% of the time, so it must not be too bad.
She only throws fits WHEN IT IS TOO DAMP for her liking.
In the future, you should not assume that a person has not done their research just because they aren't doing things the way you expect them to. I have changed this particular T's enclosure many, many times because she was unhappy with it. We found that this setup (bone dry substrate, shallow end for the water dish so that her burrow doesnt get wet if she spills it, misting of mainly the walls and very little on the ground, deep end of about 5 inches for her burrow) is the the one that works best for this particular T.
You need to realise that not every individual of a species will conform to what you think "normal" behavior is. She likes this setup, and I won't be changing anything. Untill you come live with her and see how she acts in different setups I don't think you should jump my case.
Ali
Ok, First of all, I do know how to care for my t. When we got her we gave her the suggested setup. She HATED IT! She hung from the cieling or the wall at the top constantly. We experimented A LOT before we found a setup that she would tolerate.
Second SHE HAS 5 INCHES OF SUBSTRATE ON THE DEEP SIDE OF HER TANK! She has a burrow, she stays in it 90% of the time, so it must not be too bad.
She only throws fits WHEN IT IS TOO DAMP for her liking.
In the future, you should not assume that a person has not done their research just because they aren't doing things the way you expect them to. I have changed this particular T's enclosure many, many times because she was unhappy with it. We found that this setup (bone dry substrate, shallow end for the water dish so that her burrow doesnt get wet if she spills it, misting of mainly the walls and very little on the ground, deep end of about 5 inches for her burrow) is the the one that works best for this particular T.
You need to realise that not every individual of a species will conform to what you think "normal" behavior is. She likes this setup, and I won't be changing anything. Untill you come live with her and see how she acts in different setups I don't think you should jump my case.
Ali
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
She was only climbing because I was misting while she was out and about. She rarely ever is out and about, so I am not concerned about her falling. She doesn't climb now that we found a substrate she likes, she was just in escape mode because I misted.
I do understand your concern, and believe me, If I thought there was any danger to her I would correct the situation imediately.
It just really irked me that you had that little "In the future, you should do research or at least ask around about the best setup." comment. We did our research, and we had to modify our findings to make her happy. She just didnt go for the "recomended setup"
Ali
I do understand your concern, and believe me, If I thought there was any danger to her I would correct the situation imediately.
It just really irked me that you had that little "In the future, you should do research or at least ask around about the best setup." comment. We did our research, and we had to modify our findings to make her happy. She just didnt go for the "recomended setup"
Ali
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2003
- Messages
- 274
i dont think anyone should judge another persons tarantula setup, tarantulas are "individual" in personality just as dogs, cats, and birds. so do you people go to other people's houses and bitch about the catbed, or doghouse they have for thier animal. I thought this was a board for information and sharing of experiences, not a place to judge each others abilities to care for tarantulas. the only things we know are what we are told, that is the only norm. apathy people.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2003
- Messages
- 152
Well, I dont totally agree with spiderfood (although I appreciate the support)
I am glad that there are people here who care enough to try to educate the uneducated. I am glad that Kellygirl and others cared enough to make a suggestion of a better environment. They didn't know the whole story and I can appreciate that.
The point is there are better ways of doing it than saying "you should have done some research or asked someone".
Don't assume that anyone is just an idiot blindly doing whatever they want. There is a right way and a wrong way of "HELPING" and she did it the wrong way, so did bodc21.
Kudos to Bridget for approaching this in the right way and ASKING me, instead of assuming I am stupid. Thanks Bridget!!
Ali
I am glad that there are people here who care enough to try to educate the uneducated. I am glad that Kellygirl and others cared enough to make a suggestion of a better environment. They didn't know the whole story and I can appreciate that.
The point is there are better ways of doing it than saying "you should have done some research or asked someone".
Don't assume that anyone is just an idiot blindly doing whatever they want. There is a right way and a wrong way of "HELPING" and she did it the wrong way, so did bodc21.
Kudos to Bridget for approaching this in the right way and ASKING me, instead of assuming I am stupid. Thanks Bridget!!
Ali
- Joined
- Sep 1, 2002
- Messages
- 1,055
I'm not calling anyone stupid neither am I assuming that anyone is so. People don't automatically know things about tarantulas, just as SpiderFood said. I agree that tarantulas have their own personalities but it's also a matter of safety. I don't think I was out of line either but perhaps you read something into it that wasnt there. Perhaps I could have worded my thoughts more gently but I still stand by what I said. If you won't raise the substrate, then you should get a shallower aquarium. It only takes one time.
kellygirl
kellygirl
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2003
- Messages
- 274
i dont like when people agree with me