Now you've done it

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
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I can't take it anymore! I need a Cobalt Blue! It's wearing on my mind, so I'm starting to work everything out in my head. I had a few questions on your perferred housing ideas, though.

I heard a vicious rumor, probably around here :D , that H. lividum is less defensive when given more depth to burrow in. Comments?

Also, what do you usually keep yours in? I was thinking about getting the deepest damn thing I could find (transparent, of course!) and worry less about a spacious surface. Comments?

Thankies,
N.



BTW- anyone been bitten by one? Just thought I'd ask! Murphy's Law, and all...
 

Weapon-X

Arachnodemon
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re

yeah cobalts are pretty nice looking t's keep it in a tank(10 gallon) or you can keep them in a large deep container, make sure the soil is around 8" deep(because they are deep burrowing sp.), humidity around 75-80%, simplest thing to do is just make it a pre-burrow and then place a piece of cork bark leaning over it(that way the spider will feel secure), it will finish the burrow itself with dirt and webs, i did see a cool idea with balloons though!, well they are like any other t when they are in there burrow feeling safe and secure, some have a tendecy to rush out of there burrows in defese. Be careful though they are extremly fast and can actualy leap out of the container, i've seen and had it happen(scared the hell outta me,lol), yeah theres a bite report from some people dealing with H. lividum, oh yeah don't expect to see it very much they spend around 90% of the time in there burrow and come out at night to wait for prey.--Jeff
 

jwb121377

Arachnoangel
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Aug 20, 2002
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Mine webed up it's encloser pretty good. The webbing looks real cool and I wish I had put it in a glass tank. I also have noticed that it is not very deffensive once it builds it's burrow. When I get home(at work now) I will post some pics of my encloser for you.
 

Godzilla2000

Arachnoangel
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Mar 14, 2003
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947
Originally posted by nocturnalpulsem
I can't take it anymore! I need a Cobalt Blue! It's wearing on my mind, so I'm starting to work everything out in my head. I had a few questions on your perferred housing ideas, though.

I heard a vicious rumor, probably around here :D , that H. lividum is less defensive when given more depth to burrow in. Comments?

Also, what do you usually keep yours in? I was thinking about getting the deepest damn thing I could find (transparent, of course!) and worry less about a spacious surface. Comments?

Thankies,
N.



BTW- anyone been bitten by one? Just thought I'd ask! Murphy's Law, and all...
For starters, I think you've all read my story about my Cobalt scrambling up onto her tank's lid and throwing up a threat posture under extenuating circumstances. If anything, most of the time she just spends most opf her time in her burrow unless something has terrified the living daylights out of her. Like say her neighbor a Skeleton Tarantula. Then she scrambles to the nearest corner and acts like an arboreal. Luci's such a chicken! As far as the enclose, Petbugs.com states that floor space is as important as height. AndI know what they mean. Luci loves to bounce around her Pet Pal (I have witnessed her leap from one side of her Pet Pal to the other in a split second.), every once in a great while. So you may want to get one that is both deep and wide.
 

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
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Re: Re: Now you've done it

Originally posted by Godzilla2000
you may want to get one that is both deep and wide.
Actually, the one I was looking at was slightly larger the the coolers people take with them to cook-outs LoL It's friggin huge. I'd say it's over a foot and a half deep, and as long as a 10 gallon tank.


N.




PS- THEY JUMP???????
 

alidpayne

Arachnoknight
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Apr 12, 2003
Messages
152
Yes, they jump! LOL our little Smurfette loves to run and jump. She is really a sight. We keep her in a 10 gallon tank, and I must say that a ten gallon is the bare minimum of space. Unlike our other burrowing spiders she needs a wide space as well as deep.

One particular thing you should know in advance is that they do climb, jump, and run. She is a speed demon. Very easy for one of these to escape if you give them a split second while feeding or the like.

Just a heads up, if you do get one, and she seems to think she is a climber instead of a digger, change the substrate. We tried every kind of substrate we could get our hands on. She clung to the top of the tank like something down there was going to bite her. We finally just used bone dry Sp. Moss and now she stays burried like she is supposed to. So, Smurfette is a substrate snob, big time.

They are fast, they jump, and they are picky. But man she sure is beautiful.

Good luck!

A.D. Payne
 

paolo_28

Arachnopeon
Joined
Apr 11, 2003
Messages
20
Thanks for the info everyone.

I've learned alot just by reading this post. Was thinking of buying a Cobalt Blue as well. And maybe after that, a Goliath Bird Eater.

Thanks for the info everyone. That was really fascinating that CB's run and jump!

Paolo
 

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
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Ok, in light of the recent info I have another question.

When they get defensive, are they more prone to run around and try to escape, or are they more likely to "stand their ground" and try and scare you off?

Also, if you need to get in the tank can you scare it into its burrow to prevent it from getting out? I often to this with my seemanni, just to be careful. She, also, is quite fast.

One last question.

If you were to pick a burrower other than a H. lividum and A. seemanni (which I mentioned having already), what would it be? I may not be able to get a lividum just yet.

Thanx,
N.
 

Weapon-X

Arachnodemon
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well, if given the oppurtunity they will run to their burrow BUT they are'nt afraid to stand thier ground and bite, they'll sit there in strike pose for quite a long time also and it is'nt a bluff either, if your hand is near them and they mean buisness chances are you may have a cobalt laching onto your hand, or giving multiple bites,lol....
If i had to choose between burrowers if i was confident of myself and knew the basic tell tale signs of a defensive t then i woul go for the cobalt, but an A. seemani is a cool t too...
--Jeff
 

Weapon-X

Arachnodemon
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re

also if you wanna see some awesome haplopema setups there is a thread here with Volker Von Wirths stuff, anyone remeber what the thread was named?, the setups are simply amazing!--Jeff
 

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
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Funny thing you should mention tell tale signs of a defensive t....I've never had one. Matter of fact, I've only gotten haired 3 times, tops. Two of which were from my B. smithi I got in Jan. this year.

Is there anything to know other than threat posture? That's a pretty obvious sign of an angry spider!


N.
 

Weapon-X

Arachnodemon
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raised front legs, quick movements, baring fangs, thumping the ground,hugging the ground,hissing,lol,you can basically tell just by looking if its irratated, with cobalts thats about 95% of the time....
 

Godzilla2000

Arachnoangel
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Originally posted by nocturnalpulsem
Ok, in light of the recent info I have another question.

When they get defensive, are they more prone to run around and try to escape, or are they more likely to "stand their ground" and try and scare you off?

Also, if you need to get in the tank can you scare it into its burrow to prevent it from getting out? I often to this with my seemanni, just to be careful. She, also, is quite fast.

One last question.

If you were to pick a burrower other than a H. lividum and A. seemanni (which I mentioned having already), what would it be? I may not be able to get a lividum just yet.

Thanx,
N.
I have to say a qualified yes to that question. If they've been put through enough stress they will rocket out of their tank and try to attack. As I have told many times, Luci bolted out of the little plastic trap door of the Pet Pal as I was trying to scoop her into a deli dish. She threw up a threat posture and lunged at me stopping just shy of my face. But most of the time given that she's been left alone and everything is copacetic, Luci will most likely either hang out inside her numerous burrows she's constructed or the wall of her pet pal. The best time to do anything like give a Cobalt water is when they are tucked away in their burrow sleeping since certain taranmtulas tend to be nocturnal.
My best suggestion if you'd be worried about the Cobalt escaping, is to utilize a deli cup as a sort of dome over the cobalt if ut is running around. Nine times oput of ten though if it's in its burrow, it won't disturb you unlesss you are physically messing around with its burrow which I highly do not recommend you do.
As far as alternate burrowers, I'd say you should get a Rio Grand Gold if you can. I own a little tiny one and even as a baby it has nice peach-ish tan markings.
 

Godzilla2000

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Re: Thanks for the info everyone.

Originally posted by paolo_28
I've learned alot just by reading this post. Was thinking of buying a Cobalt Blue as well. And maybe after that, a Goliath Bird Eater.

Thanks for the info everyone. That was really fascinating that CB's run and jump!

Paolo
You haven't seen anything until you've witnessed a Cobalt Blue Happy Dance after being fed crickets.
 

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
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Originally posted by Godzilla2000
As far as alternate burrowers, I'd say you should get a Rio Grand Gold if you can. I own a little tiny one and even as a baby it has nice peach-ish tan markings.
Rio Grande Gold is a burrower? I was not aware of that. How much of a burrower, though? I was hoping for something that would create some elaborate tunnels.


N.
 

Weapon-X

Arachnodemon
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Originally posted by nocturnalpulsem
Rio Grande Gold is a burrower? I was not aware of that. How much of a burrower, though? I was hoping for something that would create some elaborate tunnels.


N.
i don't know much about rio grande golds, but another t that makes very elaborate tunnels is H. gigas, Camaroon Red, they get big too arond 8'', and they pretty cheap to buy, also a very defensive t though--Jeff
 

vulpina

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If you want nice, elaborate tunnels my H. hercules looks like a damn ant farm. It has a large central room excavated where it sits most of the time, but it also has 6 openings to the surface and multiple tunnels connecting all of the openings. A C. crawshayi will do some nice burrows also. My cobalt usually runs into it's burrow at the least disturbance, spiders would rather run and hide than stand and fight something as large as a human, just don't get between the spider and it's burrow. I have had more problems with my H. maculata being defensive than with my cobalt. Hope this helps.

Andy
 

nocturnalpulsem

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What the bloody hell is an H. hercules? I swear I've heard at least 3 or 4 Haps mentioned on this board in the last few weeks that I've never heard of before. Not that I'm an expert, but I go to look some of these things online and find little or nothing. Good greif...Where are you people finding these things? I have a hell of a time just finding H. lividum around here! Sheesh:?

N.
 

vulpina

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H. hercules is not a Haplopelma. It is Hysterocrates hercules, "Goliath Baboon" from Africa, I purchased mine from John Hoke at e-spiderworld.com. It supposedly grows large up to 10" according to one book I have, I personally have seen nothing to validate that size claim.

Andy
 

nocturnalpulsem

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Originally posted by vulpina
H. hercules is not a Haplopelma. It is Hysterocrates hercules, "Goliath Baboon" from Africa, I purchased mine from John Hoke at e-spiderworld.com. It supposedly grows large up to 10" according to one book I have, I personally have seen nothing to validate that size claim.

Andy
Oh, ok. That makes more sense. I'm not sure I want a baboon of any sort. I find most of them to be ridiculously ugly. That and the fact that people refer to the Usambara as "orage bitey thing" definately doesn't make a baboon of any sort seem like a good T for me. I'm not too sure I have the grapes to keep H. lividum LoL Though it has been on my mind. I have yet to decide.

Back to the original topic, though. I was thinking....since I sold off the Avic. avic. I have that 10 gallon hex laying around. Would that be a good habitat for a mid sized burrower like a Cobalt Blue? It's 16 in. deep, but only 12 in. in diameter (from corner to corner; side to side is about 10 in.).

N.
 
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