Megaphobema Mesomelas In Hobby Still?

[Thistles]

Just keep them in the basement. I used to do that with my salamanders.

 

[lalberts9310]

Because people can't provide the needed conditions. Most mesomelas die before they reach adulthood. Do you sometimes wonder why you rarely see adults of this species? They need very low temps, which most people cannot provide, but still get the species, dooming it to a gruesome fate.

Doesn't mean everyone would be incapable of caring for them. Just like a lot of people can't take care of Avicularia spp or Theraposa spp. doesn't mean they shouldn't be in the hobby.

 

[Angel Minkov]

Doesn't mean everyone would be incapable of caring for them. Just like a lot of people can't take care of Avicularia spp or Theraposa spp. doesn't mean they shouldn't be in the hobby.

The problem with those genera is due to a lack of knowledge, this is simply due to not being able to provide the needed conditions. If a person can keep 16-18C, he could keep them, but 99% cant, so the spiders just die. Its not only my opinion, Tom shares it as well, or rather I share his opinion. He made me realize they're mostly suffering in the hobby.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Can we just reach a consensus that this CAN be a difficult species to rear and that only experienced keepers should have it? Angel, it's actually very easy to get colder temperatures, maybe not in Bulgaria, but I live in GEORGIA, where it's in the 60's (F) in the bloody winter! I keep cold temp animals, it's not that difficult. Please all of you, quit bickering, as it's obvious that Angel won't change, and nor will you guys. just reach the consensus that it CAN be difficult, and that's all. Personally, I believe if a spider can be kept in the hobby, and as long as there ARE people who can care for it, then who cares? There are people who can, and they can educate others. It's all a matter of sharing information, and teaching people how to use the information properly.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I can keep those temps in the winter as well, but late spring, summer and early fall its 24c+ in my apartment. Ive considered adapting shelves to keep a stable 20-22C at all times. If I cant, then I simply wont keep them. Im not saying its impossible to keep them, its just the fact that a lot of them die off. If you want, I can rephrase - whoever can provide the conditions can keep them if he wants, but if he cant, then its obvious he shouldn't.

 

[Toxoderidae]

That's very different from your past statements. Before, you were saying NO ONE should keep them, and that they shouldn't be in the hobby, rather than you saying personally you couldn't.

 

[Angel Minkov]

That's very different from your past statements. Before, you were saying NO ONE should keep them, and that they shouldn't be in the hobby, rather than you saying personally you couldn't.

Because people of all levels will buy them and a big part of them will continue to die. I could keep them, doesnt mean I should. Im not buying one until I can provide it with all its needs.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Because people of all levels will buy them and a big part of them will continue to die. I could keep them, doesnt mean I should. Im not buying one until I can provide it with all its needs.

I'm still fairly new, yet I could easily care for one of these spiders. Just because personally YOU can't do it doesn't mean you should be so negative towards people. Lower temperatures are incredibly easy if you actually take the time to fiddle with air conditioning, or use other methods (Basement keeping, etc) Please quit being so toxic towards the keeping of these spiders, as you're just making it seem much harder than it is.

 

[Angel Minkov]

Not everyone has a spare room to put 2-3 tanks in it and keep it cooler, you know. Im not being toxic, your jimmies seem flustered for some reason. These spiders die in the hands.of people with decades of experience, and you, who is a new guy by your words, are saying you can keep them easily? I like the self-esteem

 

[Toxoderidae]

I'm saying that because I know I can. I keep delicate creatures all the time, it's not that hard if you do the proper research and have things pre-setup. I keep my room personally in more tropical temperatures and humidity for my pets, but I have another colder room for other creatures like this spider if I decided to keep this species. Take it with a grain of salt if you will. I just don't think you should be so aggresive as to believing that if some can't care for it that no one should keep it, and it should be removed from the hobby.

 

[Angel Minkov]

I like these creatures and hate seeing them.suffer in the wrong hands, its that simple. Most people dont have a cooler room like you. What do they do? I have mainly Poecilotheria, Cyriopagopus, Cyriocosmus, Monocentropus, Brachypelma... I have only 1 room to keep them in. How do I keep my current species and M. mesomelas comfortable? I cant, and I wont buy 1, but some people do, and thats how most spiders meet their fate.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Because people of all levels will buy them

I understand your concern but that's not what happened so far. Due to their high prices (at least here, for 0.1 specimens but also juvenile ones), due to the 'not so easy to breed' issue leading obviously to not common availability like 'OBTs', plus they are somewhat pet holes (not like a P.muticus would of course) etc

They aren't, in general, first choice T's hobby. People tend to buy 'stunning' looking T's like the 'blue ones', or the cheap & easy to care, rather than, for instance, buy a (IMO) more beauty but hard to keep Brachypelma Boehmei (somewhat similar in colours i mean) like a M.robustum.

Btw... 16° ? I keep my female in a range between 20° to 23° and she's fine, eat like an horse, always active at night out of her "fake leaves everywhere" burrow.

Here this last July hell doors opened and for almost 12 days we had the highest level temperatures ever in Lombardy (even 35° at night, night man!) and my M.robustum wasn't annoyed a bit, she molted, btw

 

[Toxoderidae]

Personally I believe Angel is taking a personal experience and warping it, as nobody else is reporting any issues that he is stating about temperatures, and as Chris said, expensive spider means noobies won't buy them.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Personally I believe Angel is taking a personal experience and warping it, as nobody else is reporting any issues that he is stating about temperatures, and as Chris said, expensive spider means noobies won't buy them.

Well, let's say that, due to the mix of 'not so often' availability & higher prices; the 'legend' behind those T's of 'difficult to own T's; a lot of people doesn't even know their existence... well, those aren't the first choice for beginners. Numbers law say/said that.

Even if i received my 0.1 for free, purchased here by a total beginner (not even aware of what a 'molt' is, pure madness). But that was a single case (he told me what he payed for her, something like Euro 250, so i think the seller probably suggested an high priced T on purpose to a rich guillable one, instead of a cheaper one

Also (but this is only my point of view now) that genus, Megaphobema in general, isn't so 'present' (owned) nor discussed (now) too much even here, i noticed, among collectors/breeders. And here is N°1, biggest worldwide famous, Arachnids site.

I mean, at least if compared to genus like Poecilotheria, Haplopelma, Theraphosa, Chilobrachys, 'Baboons' in general etc check only how many Monocentropus balfouri, compared to M.robustum, for give the idea.

Angel is right about the temperature issue... just that another important thing (IMO more than the temperature) is to provide those T's, always, lots of inches of always moist substrate. Yeah they love the cooler side, but they wouldn't die for that, if you have two/three degree more, eh

 

[Angel Minkov]

My M. robustum was fine at 26C as well, but M. mesomelas is going to have a hard time at those temps. They live at a much higher altitude from what I've heard. Not completely sure about the elevation, but I think more than 3500? I'm not taking my personal experience and warping it, I'm sharing what I've seen. Actually, I just saw a M. mesomelas female die a few days ago from the US, previously owned by Austin S. (who had to sell his female due to high temperatures where he lived) and the owner was doing a splendid job (from his description) with providing adequate conditions.

PS: They're 80 EU a piece. Not that expensive for most people.

 

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

Keep them dry for one day and you'll see how quickly that this species will parish. Like I stated before temperature has not been an issue for me. But it has been an issue for others. Maybe just maybe I have or maybe others have had better success of this species do to where you live, for example: I live above sea level higher elevation. Could this be a big factor?

 

[Chris LXXIX]

I never owned a M.mesomelas so i can't be sure but i have a 0.1 M.robustum. Same genus. Both need high humidity, and inches of substrate. Lots of inches for make a safe haven burrow/retreat, not ther average poor 3/4/5 inches btw.

People i know here, and i trust btw -- some were breeding friends of the past -- who own/owned a M.mesomelas, told me they aren't SO different, when it comes to temperatures, from M.robustum ones.

 

[johnny quango]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but aren't M mesomelas found in the same area of Costa Rica as the S hoffmanni therefore wouldn't the care be similar in a lot of ways. I remember someone that's kept these saying at 24-26 it just sat there in a ball but the minute it was moved to a cooler part of the house under 23 it started to thrive.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but aren't M mesomelas found in the same area of Costa Rica as the S hoffmanni therefore wouldn't the care be similar in a lot of ways. I remember someone that's kept these saying at 24-26 it just sat there in a ball but the minute it was moved to a cooler part of the house under 23 it started to thrive.

Tup. They love the 'cooler' side with humidity, but aren't hard to keep one moment

In UK M.robustum is very appreciated for that (cooler temperature).

 

[johnny quango]

Tup. They love the 'cooler' side with humidity, but aren't hard to keep one moment

In UK M.robustum is very appreciated for that (cooler temperature).

This species is a perfect example for my philosophy of sometimes studying the environment before the spider, I was told by someone who as been dealing in tarantulas for over 30 years that E sp red prefer slightly cooler temperature also so I tried it and it seems to work she's a little more active than she was