P. cancerides burrowing habits

Code Monkey

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
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Jul 22, 2002
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3,783
So how much of a burrower are these guys?

My very first T was a Haitian brown (going back to about 1981). I didn't really know beans about Ts at that point and I never did give it any opportunity to burrow. It died on me about two years after I got it, moulting once in my care. I've always assumed that it must have matured out into a male, but, to be honest given my age and environment I was keeping it in (had it in a screened cage for while with about half an inch of walanut shell for substrate :eek: ), I might very well have just killed it. I was always too freaked by its very quick nature to be doing any sort of close up examination for tibial hooks ;)

For nostalgic reasons, I've been thinking of getting another one but I really don't care for obligate burrowers. So, I was wondering are they're burrowers, or are they BURROWERS (c.f. H. lividium or the like)?
 

Lasiodora

Arachnoangel
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Oct 11, 2002
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852
I have two 4 inch P. cancerides. They move a lot of dirt around under the cork bark I provide for them. They haven't made burrows like H. lividums. The both come out from under their hiding spots at night. Even in the wild I never saw any P. cancerides in burrows they made. i found a couple of mature males wandering around at night and I always found slings under rocks, logs or between tree roots. I even found one under a cover board I put outside (This was in the Dominican Republic).
Mike

_______________________
"QUESTION:
WHEN WILL THERE BE PEACE ON EARTH?
ANSWER: WHEN THE EARTH FALLS TO PIECES!!"
Tupac Shakur
 
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petitegreeneyes

Arachnoprince
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Sep 26, 2002
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Hi and the one I have doesn't seem to want to burrow much. She has a PVC pipe to hide in. She likes to stay out a lot. She is quite aggressive and has a hearty appetite.
 

Joy

Priestess of Pulchra-tude
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Oct 12, 2002
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I don't keep mine in a burrowing set-up, so I can't say what she would do given the opportunity, but I've never noticed her doing much earth moving. She seems quite content to sit out in the open most of the time, rarely using her hide. For what it's worth, mine doesn't seem too jumpy in temperament, either. She's quick enough to jump on her food, but thankfully has thus far had no difficulty in distingishing it from my hand ;)

Joy
 
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galeogirl

Arachnoprince
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Aug 15, 2002
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1,197
I just got my first P. cancerides a few weeks ago and it doesn't seem to show any inclination to burrow. It rarely uses the piece of cork bark I put in the enclosure for it. However, the ATS care guide that I have does claim that it's a burrowing species.
 
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