Red baboon

titan tarantula

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 15, 2002
Messages
25
can anyone please give me some info. on this species of tarantula(h. gigas). and if possible maybe some pictures.
 

Wade

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2002
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2,929
H. gigas is a large African tarantula. They are some of the most serious earth movers I've ever kept. Most keepers like to keep them on the moist side, many on the VERY moist side. This species has even been known to dive after fish in captivity (I think it was Martin H. who posted about that?).

They will burrow deeply if given enough substrate, and will rarely be seen. Not giving them deep substrate MAY be stressful to the spider, but many have reported success with only a few inches of substrate. In this situation, the spider makes itself a sort of trench along the side and hunkers down in that.

They have a reputation for being fiesty, but I've found them to be much less so than, say, P. murinus. I've seen this spider refered to as the poor mans' king baboon!

All-in-all, I'd say it's well worth having.

Wade
 

Joy

Priestess of Pulchra-tude
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 12, 2002
Messages
902
Originally posted by titan tarantula
can anyone please give me some info. on this species of tarantula(h. gigas). and if possible maybe some pictures.
I'd agree with everything Wade says. Serious diggers, and though they have the reputation of being fairly defensive, my own experience has been they're pretty laid-back for Old World tarantulas.

Joy
 
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galeogirl

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Aug 15, 2002
Messages
1,198
I'm going to have to try out the feeder fish once Mondo is a little larger, sounds pretty cool.

I only have one right now, but I'd like to buy several more, they're my favorite species by far! I just love their understated looks and their attitude, though Joy is right, so far as OW ts go, they're not as fierce as many of the others.
 

Hamadryad

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 2, 2002
Messages
151
H.gigas temperment.....

My mature female H.gigas actually has a rather nasty temperment....she threat displays and attempts to bite at the least provocation...I am keeping her in deep substrate and she has made an elaborate network of tunnels - I am keeping her very moist per Joys advice....from what Joy told me they can die rapidly if they are allowed to dry out even briefly....so I mist my female heavily....

The Spider Hunter
 
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