Substrate for Liphistius ornatus

Fins

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
129
This is my first experience with these guys. I have read they do better with a clay mix that mimics their environment. I would appreciate any tips or products suggestions to get set up. I have one coming next week. Super excited.
 

Philth

N.Y.H.C.
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 4, 2003
Messages
2,719
I never had a problem just using the same peat moss that I use for all my spiders. Set it up in a tall container filled with dirt, take a picture of it, and say good bye to it as your likely to never see it again.

Later,Tom
 

Ambly

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
328
Go with clay mixed with a bit of peat with much room (horizontal and vertical) and at a slope. It will be very happy. You will see it burrow, throw dirt, change its local environment, and occasionally move locations. People who say they're a pet hole are wrong. They didn't take the seconds it takes to read about their natural habitat and biology. These are active and interesting spiders
 

Ambly

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
328
Good luck, too. How's this guy doing? Sounds like you're asking the right questions
 

Toff202

Arachnoknight
Joined
Feb 10, 2016
Messages
201
Go with clay mixed with a bit of peat with much room (horizontal and vertical) and at a slope. It will be very happy. You will see it burrow, throw dirt, change its local environment, and occasionally move locations. People who say they're a pet hole are wrong. They didn't take the seconds it takes to read about their natural habitat and biology. These are active and interesting spiders
If it's constanly burrowing/moving location, I'd see that as a bad sign.
 

klawfran3

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
645
If it's constanly burrowing/moving location, I'd see that as a bad sign.
I agree, unless it's outgrown its burrow I don't see a reason it would keep moving around. Restless behavior tends to mean it's uncomfortable with it's surroundings.
 

Ambly

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
328
Definitely didn't say constantly. When I say "occasionally," take into consideration I am talking about an animal that, as an adult, may go dormant for periods of several months... I'm also talking about "they," not an individual. I've only ever seen this behavior in adults, and only once or twice per individual over a period of a few years. I've seen it in 4 spiders: 2 adult females, 2 spiders which matured into males.


Female 1: this spider is huge and I suspect old. It has come out twice to my knowledge. After years of having this spider, it showed more activity than it ever had shortly prior to the male emerging, then plenty of digging after mating, then no activity until shortly before babies.

Female 2: I believe this one is now mature, and it's come out once or twice.

Male 1: fast growth rate, rapidly assumed adult coloration, long lines and high feeding response most of life, eventually barely any lines and very long period of dormancy before maturing into a male. When mature, it made a temporary retreat and waited months to emerge. No emergence prior to maturing.

Male 2: this one I received as a spiderling and followed the same as above. No emergence prior to emerging. This one just popped up yesterday, about the same time of year as my previous male.

I keep them in 10 gallon tanks, but the females burrow extensively. I think you're both right about the adult females - that ten gallons for 2 isn't enough and they considered other holes. Last time one popped out, I put it in it's own ten gallon - so we'll see if it ever surfaces like that again. I think it will.

I'm no arachnologist and I respect your suggestions, but between the observations of those who've seen them in the wild, kept and bred other species of Liphistiids, and my own observations, I do believe these spiders are more active than they are given credit for and a spider rehoming itself may not be attributed to poor keeping/poor setup/not enough space alone. They are in my bedroom, the enclosures are very easy to peer into, and I wake up very easily. I have woken up to one walking around the enclosure as it passes over some dried willow oak leaves. My observations lead me to believe that this behavior occurs in the wild as well - and not just when a burrow is intruded upon or is outgrown. I do not think I have caught them every time they have moved around. However, I do believe that only the adult females move around. I am curious to see if they, now in their own 10 gallons, continue to move. I would not be surprised if, in the wild, the occasional move-and-build-a-new-burrow occurs. I do expect as some of the babies in the adult female enclosure grow, she will rehome herself along with some of the babies in the enclosure. I do think some of the perceptions regarding the inactivity of these spiders is based on a lack of regular observation, but I cannot speak for the whole of trapdoor keepers. I can tell you people who are passionate about them and keep them agree that they are more active than most give credit for in this hobby, but to varying degrees.

While a whole different family, I have found native Ummidia females outside of burrows simply seeking cover before - and not after heavy rains alone.

That being said, my observations also lead me to believe the best way to keep these spiders (Liphistids) is in a small group with maximum space available. A 55-gallon filled with a clay-based substrate with the front of the enclosure dug out to form a slope bottom to top would be great. Regardless of adults moving, the babies build several inch long lines and, throughout their lives, they clearly leave their burrows to grab leaves and other things up to 6 inches or more away from their holes. So they do stuff.
 

Tigrosa

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 6, 2016
Messages
105
Most trapdoor spiders are found in riparian zones, so a mixture of soil and moss would be ideal to imitate natural conditions and to facilitate the building of a strong, sturdy burrow.
 

Ambly

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
328
Tigrosa has it right. Definitely worth including leaf litter and stuff they can use to build on. They also span their lines over terrain, moss, any leaf litter, etc. which is awesome
 

Fins

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
129
Thanks so much for all of the input. He/She is doing well but I am thinking seriously about rehousing. After reading your thoughts and other research I feel the enclosure is just not large enough.
I had read elsewhere to try and rehouse the entire burrow for the best results. Haven't quite figure out how to do that yet. I want lots of room for this little guy to spread out.
 

Ambly

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 20, 2012
Messages
328
Thanks so much for all of the input. He/She is doing well but I am thinking seriously about rehousing. After reading your thoughts and other research I feel the enclosure is just not large enough.
I had read elsewhere to try and rehouse the entire burrow for the best results. Haven't quite figure out how to do that yet. I want lots of room for this little guy to spread out.
Any followup with this? I've been trying new stuff out
 

Nacnac

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 4, 2021
Messages
17
Thoughts for liphistus repti soil says has peat moss soil sand and carbon on bag this ok ?
 

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