O. sp. Vietnam as a display tarantula?

[JettysJumpers]

I’ll admit, I prefer having tarantulas I at least see occasionally. My seladonia is my only one I’ll happily wait for glimpses of, but I’m not the most patient of people.

A year ago I got an unsexed Vietnam silver juvenile because I adored their look. The only parts of the spider I ever see are her toes. I’ll even come and spy in the middle of the night to see if I can catch her. Never. I just got her into a catch cup to rehouse and she’s gotten so big, and beautiful, and definitely female after looking at her molt, but my m is do these guys start venturing out more with maturity? If not I may have to consider selling her, because I really like not having pet dirt. I know, I’m horrible. I have a fairly large collection (30+) and definitely have others in mind I’d love to add, so space is at a premium and she’s already in a large enclosure.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Get one of the species in my picture thread if you want a display species . Pet holes aren’t going to be seen much.which species do you own ?

 

[JettysJumpers]

Get one of the species in my picture thread if you want a display species . Pet holes aren’t going to be seen much.which species do you own ?

Oh boy, here’s the list:

Typhochlaena seladonia

Birupes simoraxigorum

Pamphobeteus ultramarinus

Davus sp. panama

Phormictopus sp. full green

Brachypelma klaasi x3

Caribena versicolor x2

Psalmopoeus victori

Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus

Psalmopoeus irminia

Avicularia pupurea

Avicularia sp. kwitara river

Avicularia juruensis m2

Avicularia avicularia m1

Sericopelma sp. santa catalina

Tliltocatl albopilosum

Tliltocatl verdezi

Grammostola pulchra x2

Grammostola pulchripes

Xenesthis intermedia

Harpactira pulchripes

Ornithoctoninae sp. vietnam

Idiothele mira x2

Euathlus truculentis

Davus pentaloris

I’m on the look out for:
1.0.0 Pamphobeteus ultramarinus
1.0.0 Brachypelma klaasi
0.1.0 Idiothele mira
1.0.0 Phormictopus sp. full green
0.1.0 Grammostola pulchra (another one, love them)

 

[viper69]

Oh boy, here’s the list:

Typhochlaena seladonia

Birupes simoraxigorum

Pamphobeteus ultramarinus

Davus sp. panama

Phormictopus sp. full green

Brachypelma klaasi x3

Caribena versicolor x2

Psalmopoeus victori

Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus

Psalmopoeus irminia

Avicularia pupurea

Avicularia sp. kwitara river

Avicularia juruensis m2

Avicularia avicularia m1

Sericopelma sp. santa catalina

Tliltocatl albopilosum

Tliltocatl verdezi

Grammostola pulchra x2

Grammostola pulchripes

Xenesthis intermedia

Harpactira pulchripes

Ornithoctoninae sp. vietnam

Idiothele mira x2

Euathlus truculentis

Davus pentaloris

Size of your Kwitara? I’ve owned them, don’t see them too often. If female and adult would love to see images

 

[NMTs]

t, but my m is do these guys start venturing out more with maturity?

No. Permanent pet holes.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Oh boy, here’s the list:

Typhochlaena seladonia

Birupes simoraxigorum

Pamphobeteus ultramarinus

Davus sp. panama

Phormictopus sp. full green

Brachypelma klaasi x3

Caribena versicolor x2

Psalmopoeus victori

Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus

Psalmopoeus irminia

Avicularia pupurea

Avicularia sp. kwitara river

Avicularia juruensis m2

Avicularia avicularia m1

Sericopelma sp. santa catalina

Tliltocatl albopilosum

Tliltocatl verdezi

Grammostola pulchra x2

Grammostola pulchripes

Xenesthis intermedia

Harpactira pulchripes

Ornithoctoninae sp. vietnam

Idiothele mira x2

Euathlus truculentis

Davus pentaloris

You have to a few display species already why are you worried about one pet hole ??? Try lasiodora none of mine burrow anymore .

 

[l4nsky]

What temps are you keeping your animals at?

 

[JettysJumpers]

Size of your Kwitara? I’ve owned them, don’t see them too often. If female and adult would love to see images

Still a juvie, about 2.5 in. right now and unfortunately looking male.

 

[viper69]

Still a juvie, about 2.5 in. right now and unfortunately looking male.

That was my deal, super slow growers too

 

[JettysJumpers]

What temps are you keeping your animals at?

That was my deal, super slow growers too

Yep!

What temps are you keeping your animals at?

Just room temp, 70-72ish

You have to a few display species already why are you worried about one pet hole ??? Try lasiodora none of mine burrow anymore .

I know, I just like to actually see them occasionally!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I know, I just like to actually see them occasionally!

Pet rock category needs to be studied and listed down lol … someone with a massive collection could write down which ones are always visible. All mine are except one sling .

 

[JettysJumpers]

Pet rock category needs to be studied and listed down lol … someone with a massive collection could write down which ones are always visible. All mine are except one sling .

Agreed. I almost never see my seladonia either but she’s too pretty to not be patient for.

 

[Brewser]

It's the One you never see that Ya gotta watch out for.

 

[l4nsky]

Just room temp, 70-72ish

IMHO, that's a big factor right there. Let's draw a comparison to other animals whose care is much more well known. We're going to compare the care of tarantulas to the care of aquarium fish. Now, can we keep tetras the same way that we can keep goldfish? Only if we want dead tetras, but what's the deal? I mean a fish is a fish is a fish, right? Well, tropical fish like tetras will die when the water temperature gets too low as they simply can't handle it. The tropics are inherently stable environments with a very narrow temperature and humidity range. They need the correct parameters to survive, not just thrive.

Circling back to tarantulas, it's both a blessing and a curse that they are much hardier then aquarium fish. They are able to SURVIVE at much less than ideal parameters, but if you truly want to observe their behaviour and increase their visibility, you need to offer the correct parameters for the species to THRIVE. If they don't have these parameters, then they're going to spend much more time in their burrows where that microclimate provides the closest parameters to what they need.

In short, Ornithoctoninae sp. Vietnam Silver is a tropical species. 70 - 72°F isn't a tropical temperature range.

 

[JettysJumpers]

IMHO, that's a big factor right there. Let's draw a comparison to other animals whose care is much more well known. We're going to compare the care of tarantulas to the care of aquarium fish. Now, can we keep tetras the same way that we can keep goldfish? Only if we want dead tetras, but what's the deal? I mean a fish is a fish is a fish, right? Well, tropical fish like tetras will die when the water temperature gets too low as they simply can't handle it. The tropics are inherently stable environments with a very narrow temperature and humidity range. They need the correct parameters to survive, not just thrive.

Circling back to tarantulas, it's both a blessing and a curse that they are much hardier then aquarium fish. They are able to SURVIVE at much less than ideal parameters, but if you truly want to observe their behaviour and increase their visibility, you need to offer the correct parameters for the species to THRIVE. If they don't have these parameters, then they're going to spend much more time in their burrows where that microclimate provides the closest parameters to what they need.

In short, Ornithoctoninae sp. Vietnam Silver is a tropical species. 70 - 72°F isn't a tropical temperature range.

That’s definitely a variable I hadn’t considered. Can you suggest the best and safest way to provide heat for a tarantula besides increasing the house thermostat?

 

[l4nsky]

That’s definitely a variable I hadn’t considered. Can you suggest the best and safest way to provide heat for a tarantula besides increasing the house thermostat?

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tips-on-keeping-slings-warm.370481/post-3425892

 

[JettysJumpers]

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tips-on-keeping-slings-warm.370481/post-3425892

Thank you!

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

That’s definitely a variable I hadn’t considered. Can you suggest the best and safest way to provide heat for a tarantula besides increasing the house thermostat?

I’m skeptical about extra heat stopping it from being. A pet hole but who knows ? Worth a try . I am stuck with room temperature I don’t pay the heating bill. Tropics are 70-90 or hotter

 

[l4nsky]

I’m skeptical about extra heat stopping it from being. A pet hole but who knows ? Worth a try . I am stuck with room temperature I don’t pay the heating bill. Tropics are 70-90 or hotter

With all due respect, if you're not using supplemental heating for your animals, don't give advice for what temps you think the tropics are and what the animals need. We've already established that 70°F isn't a tropical temperature and a constant 90°F plus will kill a tarantula.

@JettysJumpers, a minimum to aim for with Ornithoctoninae spp IME is a 74°F ambient temperature, but 78°F to 80°F is optimal. You're not attempting to replicate the atmospheric conditions of the tropics as the animal is actually never exposed to those 90°F+ daytime highs. They're in their burrows, insulated against that heat and waiting for dusk. My facility is kept within that 74°F to 80°F range year round and I see my Ornithoctoninae sp Vietnam Silvers more nights than I don't. They will also occasionally be visible during the day, hunting at the entrance to their burrows.

Also keep in mind these are moisture dependent species and raising the temperature will dry out the enclosure a bit faster, requiring more frequent checks and/or watering.


Ornithoctoninae sp Vietnam Silver, female one as of a few minutes ago.


Ornithoctoninae sp Vietnam Silver, female two as of a few minutes ago.


Bonus Ornithoctoninae sp Ho Chi Minh female, as of a few minutes ago.

 

[NMTs]

I guess I should clarify what I meant when I said this species is a permanent pet hole - being fossorial in nature, they will always have a tendency to burrow if kept properly. If they have deep, moist substrate, they will always dig a burrow to live in - it's not like they will eventually decide to become a B. smithi and sit out in the open all the time. But, as @l4nsky points out, keeping them correctly will allow you to enjoy seeing them out frequently. Not often out strolling around, but at least at the mouth of their burrow waiting for a meal to wander by. As he also mentioned, don't underestimate the importance of humidity - heating your room and allowing enclosures to dry out will have the opposite effect as your T retreats deeper into the burrow seeking humidity.

My room is kept at a minimum of 75° with 40-50% humidity using a small, efficient space heater and humidifier (neither of which are expensive or cost much to run) and I see my fossorial species out all the time. Some of them out this evening:

0.1 Ornithoctoninae sp. Hana


O.1 Ornithoctoninae sp. Veronica dwarf


0.0.1 Citharognathus tongmianensis


0.1 Cyriopagopus lividus