- Joined
- Jan 21, 2010
- Messages
- 53
Hi everyone,
My collection of about 20 Ts is thriving, for the most part. However, I'm a bit concerned about my Singapore blue, Lampropelma violaceopes. I've had it since January, received it as a 2.75" sling. It's about doubled in size since then.
I'm hoping someone with experience with these Ts can answer my questions. My other spiders are mostly New World, with the exceptions of the Singapore blue, an OBT, H mac and P miranda. So I don't have experience with any other Lampropelma.
I have the T in a terrarium in my office, 12 x 12 x 24" ZooMed enclosure. Fluorescent fixture is on during my work hours, and I have a window, so there is some natural light. (I do know these are nocturnal.) About 1 inch potting soil in the tank. I mist every couple days to keep humidity up, and have a water dish for the T. I have not blocked off the screen top, so humidity is not super-high. Temperatures are in the 70s most of the time. In the terrarium, I have some branches, a bromeliad in a pot and half coconut shell. When the T was smaller, it hid in the leaves of the bromelian. Now it spends most of its time in the coconut shell.
Please read below and let me know what you think:
The spider seems stressed - what is normal behavior for this species? I don't mess with the T often, but if I pick up the coconut shell to look at it, it has that stressed looking hunch. And it moves slow. No defensive posture at all. Abdomen was looking a bit small. Recently, however, it killed and ate an adult female hissing roach. Looked better, abdomen fuller. It rolled up the remains of the roach into a ball with webbing and moved it to the far end (front) of the terrrarium. The remains look like an owl pellet and seem to have waste mixed in(??). Now it has blocked off the entrance to the coconut shell with soil and webbing. I won't open up the shell, and assume maybe a molt is coming?
Do you think the lethargic behavior was a long pre-molt?
What's with the bolus of dead roach?
Should I add a heating pad to the back of the terrarium?
Should I increase humidity by blocking off part or all of the screen top?
What might provide a better hide/home than the half-coconut shell?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Lisa
My collection of about 20 Ts is thriving, for the most part. However, I'm a bit concerned about my Singapore blue, Lampropelma violaceopes. I've had it since January, received it as a 2.75" sling. It's about doubled in size since then.
I'm hoping someone with experience with these Ts can answer my questions. My other spiders are mostly New World, with the exceptions of the Singapore blue, an OBT, H mac and P miranda. So I don't have experience with any other Lampropelma.
I have the T in a terrarium in my office, 12 x 12 x 24" ZooMed enclosure. Fluorescent fixture is on during my work hours, and I have a window, so there is some natural light. (I do know these are nocturnal.) About 1 inch potting soil in the tank. I mist every couple days to keep humidity up, and have a water dish for the T. I have not blocked off the screen top, so humidity is not super-high. Temperatures are in the 70s most of the time. In the terrarium, I have some branches, a bromeliad in a pot and half coconut shell. When the T was smaller, it hid in the leaves of the bromelian. Now it spends most of its time in the coconut shell.
Please read below and let me know what you think:
The spider seems stressed - what is normal behavior for this species? I don't mess with the T often, but if I pick up the coconut shell to look at it, it has that stressed looking hunch. And it moves slow. No defensive posture at all. Abdomen was looking a bit small. Recently, however, it killed and ate an adult female hissing roach. Looked better, abdomen fuller. It rolled up the remains of the roach into a ball with webbing and moved it to the far end (front) of the terrrarium. The remains look like an owl pellet and seem to have waste mixed in(??). Now it has blocked off the entrance to the coconut shell with soil and webbing. I won't open up the shell, and assume maybe a molt is coming?
Do you think the lethargic behavior was a long pre-molt?
What's with the bolus of dead roach?
Should I add a heating pad to the back of the terrarium?
Should I increase humidity by blocking off part or all of the screen top?
What might provide a better hide/home than the half-coconut shell?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!
Lisa