Singapore Blue Experience?

Colbymgeek

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
85
Hey guys. So I recently got an adult, female Lampropelma Violaceopes, but I'm not sure if her behavior is normal. We have her in a sixteen-inch-tall cage with a few inches substrate and a bark decorative piece that reaches all the way up, along with a little log hideaway and a water dish. After we first prodded her in, she just sat right where we had nudged her in and didn't make a move for awhile. The next day, she had moved behind the bark, all scrunched up. We gave her a cricket, but she just ignored it and stayed scrunched together. The thing that's confusing me is I heard they're aggressive species, but she's been extremely calm and shy. Also, I haven't seen much to hint she's arboreal or a burrower; she just stays mostly on the ground, sometimes with her legs going up the side of the bark. Is this normal? Is it just that she needs time to get adjusted to the cage before she'll exhibit her real personality? Do we need to be worried about anything or change anything? I'm looking for first-hand experience, please!

Also, as a side note, we have her in an acrylic cage, and we're not sure how to heat it. People say the heating pad I got for it might melt the wall. Any ideas?
 

Bigboy

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Messages
1,234
Having raised this species for more than 2 years my advice is give her time, that sounds like all she needs. I've kept well over 800 tarantulas over the years and more often than not, the worst thing you can do once you have put a newly bought spider into its new home is keep pestering it. Shipping and rehousing is traumatic and the animal just needs some good peace and quiet to get used to its new environment. The set-up you described sounds ideal, though don't get mixed up with the terms arboreal or terrestrial for this species. They will make the best of whatever they have. As for heating, get a rheostat and a good digital thermometer so you can control the heat output of the pad and monitor the results.
 
Last edited:

micheldied

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2009
Messages
1,327
They are a very shy species, even when they've settled in.
Mine will scrunch up in it's burrow during maintenance as well, but eats like a horse.
 

Colbymgeek

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
85
Yeah? Mine has had a cricket in there for awhile but won't touch it... I guess I'll have to take it out soon. But she's settling in. I see her all over the cage now!
 
Top