Sofulglid @ reptile show

[SkyeSpider]

I went to the FIRE show in Orlando, today. Lots of dealers had "Camel spiders" (I *hate* that name), and I was rather suprised to see them. One was an old buddy of mine from the local herp club. He made it a point to show them to me. Thinking I didn't know anything about them, he told me what his dealer told him:

"These things are as fast as a racecar, and scream when they run! They're highly venomous, and grow to three feet in length! In the wild, they kill adult camels!"

Thankfully, I knew enough to set him straight on almost all those facts. He also asked me the lifespan. I told him it was terribly short, but I couldn't pin it down to a number (my guess is 2 years?).

In return for helping him out, mainly so he could yell at his supplier, he gave me a nice discount on one, so I took him up on the offer. $10 for one doesn't seem to bad, eh? It's about 3" long, so it has some growing left to do.

I have a couple of questions, though. I don't have much knowledge of these guys I know they're faster than roaches, but can they climb glass or plastic? I want to know the answer on that before I transfer it to another container. I've watched it eat a superworm, and boy are those fangs scary-big! Are they prone to biting at their keepers? I assume sand is the ideal substrate for them, but is dry peat fine? Does it require a water dish?

Well, that's it for now I'm sure I'll find more questions as this little beasty grows up. I'll leave you with a simple one, though: Does anyone have a guess as to this one's genus and species?

-Bryan

 

[NYbirdEater]

I went to the FIRE show in Orlando, today. Lots of dealers had "Camel spiders" (I *hate* that name), and I was rather suprised to see them. One was an old buddy of mine from the local herp club. He made it a point to show them to me. Thinking I didn't know
I have a couple of questions, though. I don't have much knowledge of these guys I know they're faster than roaches, but can they climb glass or plastic? I want to know the answer on that before I transfer it to another container. I've watched it eat a superworm, and boy are those fangs scary-big! Are they prone to biting at their keepers? I assume sand is the ideal substrate for them, but is dry peat fine? Does it require a water dish?
-Bryan

Check out Todd gearhart's website for care and info http://www.tarantulaspiders.com/pages/solifugid.htm

I'm hoping they will have some at the reptile show I am going to. I know they don't have venom but they can do some damage with their 4 fangs. I am not sure if they can climb glass or not. I think I read that they only live a year and eat voraciously because they have a high metabolism and a short life cycle. Cool little beats though, there was a video posted on this forum showing one kill a scorpion.

 

[biznacho]

A local shop had one for sale, no price and I didn't ask 'cus I had no interest in buying one. Looked very fat, possible gravid. I was wondering about care, thanks for the link.

biznacho

 

[SkyeSpider]

Check out Todd gearhart's website for care and info

Awesome! Thank you

-Bryan

 

[J Morningstar]

Bryan,
I don't know much about them but get this..
I heard from a very reputable collector that they are prone to attack anything! He told me he had one for a month or two and that when he went to change the water bowl it lightning fast lunged across the tank clamped onto his hand and bit so hard blood squirted and then as he wildily flailed around trying to get it off it continued to bite him till he had no other recourse than to kill it!!!!!!!!
Be VERY careful!!!
And yes I have actually heard only 6 months to 1 year lifespan.
On the other hand they are supposed to be facinating to watch take down prey and are in a monster class all their own.

 

[NYbirdEater]

Awesome! Thank you

-Bryan

Your welcome. Listen to J though. Those things don't bite like a Tarantula would. It looks more like they keep digging all of their fangs over and over again into prey tearing it appart. Pretty greusome for the faint of heart, just imagine what it would do to your hand! I once found a video online of one eating a cricket. I'll try and find it and I will post the link. You may not realize how fast these things are as well and should see it for yourself. I'd say it's definitely the cheetah of arachnids

 

[NYbirdEater]

Here's one video

http://www.damnfunnypictures.com/movies/camel_spider.mov

 

[skinheaddave]

Depending on the species, it may be fully grown. Certainly the one we caught in Carlsbad last year was about that size. This year we found a couple but they were even smaller. Anyhow, didn't actually keep any since they don't really do well in captivity and have a very short lifespan.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[Goliath]

Very nice addition. I have kept a couple different species before. It looks like Eremobates gladiolus from Africa, but identification from a picture is not always reliable. If it is, life span is short, max two years. Body size is about 4 inches when full grown. They are voracious eaters and will not hesitate to bite the hand that feeds them. Feed everyday and it really does not matter what you feed them, they will take down prey larger than themselves. Keep them on a mix of sand and peat but keep them dry. A water dish is good to have, but keep humidity <50%. If it is too wet, the substrate can bind aound their feet and cause rot. They like to dig so keep a piece of bark of other object they can dig a burrow under. They like to be kept hot, 85 to 95 with a drop off into the 70's during the night. They are fast, so watch your hands, there have been times they make my P. irminia look slow. They are cool inverts though, real intersting to watch and hunt. Amazing in their own right.

Mike

 

[biznacho]

Anyone see them on Leno the other night? They had 2 in a bowl with sand. They were fighting. Inpressive. At one point they got out and onto Lenos desk and he had to use a stick yo push 'em back into the bowl. Only made me want them more.

biznacho

 

[SkyeSpider]

A water dish is good to have, but keep humidity <50%. If it is too wet, the substrate can bind aound their feet and cause rot.

I live in Florida. The ambient humidity here is around 70%+ most of the year. I can't get it any lower than that. Is that a serious problem?

-Bryan

 

[Cooper]

We actually have a small species of solfugid here in the Okanagan, I jhave never seen one, but I know several people who have. There is a book called bugs of british columbia, and they are in it, so I guess it is true!

 

[Goliath]

Bryan,
It is not a serious problem, it is just something to keep an eye on. If it is Eremobates gladiolus I would then make substrate straight sand with a little bentonite for stability. If it was not so humid you could use peat moss to add stability to the sand. If it is not Eremobates gladiolus, the humidity levels will not bother it. Just keep an eye on the feet and make sure the substrate does not bind around them, but with just sand you should not have that problem. As they get old, there feet also tend to rot naturally, it just becomes a sign that there time is near.
Again great find .

Mike

 

[wsimms]

I live in Florida. The ambient humidity here is around 70%+ most of the year. I can't get it any lower than that. Is that a serious problem?

-Bryan

I bought one at the FIRE show this weekend and am keeping it on straight sand. It's already dug a burrow in the dry sand...I think it's used "saliva" to stabilize the dry sand because where it's digging it looks like mud. It's already killed a dozen crickets, but hasn't necessarily eaten them all. I've not been too impressed with it's speed, however. I have heard that air circulation may play a large part in their captive husbandry...it's certainly a rather constant factor in North African deserts. Good luck.

W

 

[Goliath]

wsimms,
You are right on the need for good air circulation. A screen top for these is a must, anything that may help to restrict air flow should be avoided. The addition of some heating source on one end of the tank will help produce enough convection currents to help increase air flow also. I have also found they like relatively large tanks, they tend to get stressed in tanks too small, 10 to 15 gallon tanks work good.
Mike

 

[Wade]

Annother stress factor for them is a lack of surface cover. Be sure to provide a selection of hiding spots, such as pieces of cork bark, flower pot shards, etc for them to hide under. If it's constantly runnong around the tank, it's too stressed. Fred Punzo (author of "The Biology of Camel Spiders") says they will litterally run themselves to death. It may not be a bad idea to cover three sides of the tank to make it feel more secure.

I've kept NA species before, to what I think was at least the end of their natural life span.

Wade

 

[Alex S.]

The species pictured is of the family Galeodidae, perhaps Galeodes arabs, Galeodes granti, or Galeodes citrinus, all common large north African species, which is where most of the Galeodes species are imported from for the pet trade. It is very important to satisfy the metabolism of a captive solifugid to keep them in their usual, healthy, hunt and destroy mode. Feeding a single specimen 2-3 crickets a day and maybe an occassional pinky mouse is a good schedule.

Alex S.

 

[jwb121377]

The king of Solifugids returns! Nice to see you back Alex.

 

[SkyeSpider]

The species pictured is of the family Galeodidae, perhaps Galeodes arabs, Galeodes granti, or Galeodes citrinus, all common large north African species, which is where most of the Galeodes species are imported from for the pet trade. It is very important to satisfy the metabolism of a captive solifugid to keep them in their usual, healthy, hunt and destroy mode. Feeding a single specimen 2-3 crickets a day and maybe an occassional pinky mouse is a good schedule.

Thanks for the expert advice!!

-Bryan

 

[Alex S.]

Hi Jeremy and Bryan! Yeah, I took a break from posting for a while, which was stupid of me as I forgot how great the Arachnopets boards were! Hope you enjoy your solifugid, Bryan

Alex S.