I just got my first female Aphonopelma from Ken the bug guy yesterday. This is she:
She's camera shy. She comes out of her burrow often, but the first vibration from anything sends her right back down in a flash. So far, she spends her time endlessly cleaning herself, but I'm sure once she gets settled in, I'll see more roaming. The cleaning is interesting, though. My Rosie might sit down and clean once every couple of weeks at most. This Aphonopelma literally spends every spare moment cleaning herself. It might be because her substrate is still a little moist and sticking to her. Or maybe it's an Aphonopelma thing. The MM A. iodius I had did the same thing.
More about that burrow:
I use the 12"X8" Lee's Critter Keepers for both my spiders. I also intend to keep using that container because they're relatively cheap, durable and they're stackable. I'm sure that I'll change my pitch up when I start adding critters other than 4" terrestrial tarantulas, but for now they're my favorite.
Anyway, I laid down about an inch or two of packed coconut husk, then placed in a 4" half log hide and a cracked 4" pot. Then, I finished laying in another 3" of substrate. The result is an 8" burrow and a fairly clean aboveground space. I actually lowered my phone down and got an interior shot (minus spider).
If this enclosure setup keeps working well for my aphonopelma, I will probably adopt it as my goto setup for any desert species I purchase.
She's camera shy. She comes out of her burrow often, but the first vibration from anything sends her right back down in a flash. So far, she spends her time endlessly cleaning herself, but I'm sure once she gets settled in, I'll see more roaming. The cleaning is interesting, though. My Rosie might sit down and clean once every couple of weeks at most. This Aphonopelma literally spends every spare moment cleaning herself. It might be because her substrate is still a little moist and sticking to her. Or maybe it's an Aphonopelma thing. The MM A. iodius I had did the same thing.
More about that burrow:
I use the 12"X8" Lee's Critter Keepers for both my spiders. I also intend to keep using that container because they're relatively cheap, durable and they're stackable. I'm sure that I'll change my pitch up when I start adding critters other than 4" terrestrial tarantulas, but for now they're my favorite.
Anyway, I laid down about an inch or two of packed coconut husk, then placed in a 4" half log hide and a cracked 4" pot. Then, I finished laying in another 3" of substrate. The result is an 8" burrow and a fairly clean aboveground space. I actually lowered my phone down and got an interior shot (minus spider).
If this enclosure setup keeps working well for my aphonopelma, I will probably adopt it as my goto setup for any desert species I purchase.
