T. seladonia not using trapdoor is okay

[A guy]

So as the title suggests T. seladonia not using a trapdoor is fine if it's continuing to feed and thrive.

I always see on Facebook groups where if an OP says that his/her T. seladonia has a trapdoor but is out all the time, people in the comments automatically assume that there is something wrong or if the specimen continues to not use its trapdoor; it will eventually die.

I have a female that I've raised from a 1/3" sling to now an adult. She has a trapdoor and at one time had multiple trapdoors on a single piece of cork bark but she is out 90% of the time. The only time she uses her trapdoor is when it's her time to molt. Anything after that, she is out. She takes prey like any other tarantula, actively drink from the droplets after I have misted and for the most part...thriving.

I have also asked Martin Gamache from Tarantula Canada about this situation and he has said the same thing. He has witnessed it with a couple of his specimens before, although not very common but it does happen. As long as they continue to feed, drink and thrive, they are fine.

Just to ease the mind of T. seladonia keepers out there who are experiencing the same thing.



My female in question. Taking prey outside of its trapdoor.

 

[spiderpilot]

So as the title suggests T. seladonia not using a trapdoor is fine if it's continuing to feed and thrive.

I always see on Facebook groups where if an OP says that his/her T. seladonia has a trapdoor but is out all the time, people in the comments automatically assume that there is something wrong or if the specimen continues to not use its trapdoor; it will eventually die.

I have a female that I've raised from a 1/3" sling to now an adult. She has a trapdoor and at one time had multiple trapdoors on a single piece of cork bark but she is out 90% of the time. The only time she uses her trapdoor is when it's her time to molt. Anything after that, she is out. She takes prey like any other tarantula, actively drink from the droplets after I have misted and for the most part...thriving.

I have also asked Martin Gamache from Tarantula Canada about this situation and he has said the same thing. He has witnessed it with a couple of his specimens before, although not very common but it does happen. As long as they continue to feed, drink and thrive, they are fine.

Just to ease the mind of T. seladonia keepers out there who are experiencing the same thing.



My female in question. Taking prey outside of its trapdoor.
View attachment 430966

Possibly this is a genetic trait. I would breed her if possible. Would be great to get that but I doubt its in the genetics. Cool if it was though.

 

[A guy]

Possibly this is a genetic trait. I would breed her if possible. Would be great to get that but I doubt its in the genetics. Cool if it was though.

I was actually thinking that it could be a trait that's developing with captive bred specimens. Although I don't think they have been bred that much in captivity for them to discard a vital instinct or behavior that plays a big part in their survival in the wild.

 

[spiderpilot]

I was actually thinking that it could be a trait that's developing with captive bred specimens. Although I don't think they have been bred that much in captivity for them to discard a vital instinct or behavior that plays a big part in their survival in the wild.

Don't have this species but one of the downfalls to some in getting it as a keeper is mainly it's reluctance to leave the trap often or be on display for the world to see that wonderfully colored body and abdomen. The other one being reports of them being really small as slings and fragile to husbandry mistakes. Curious, what was your experience with growth rate of yours? I know they only max out to like 3 inches, just wondering if it took long to get to over an inch. Which would be an established size for a T. seldonia.

 

[A guy]

Don't have this species but one of the downfalls to some in getting it as a keeper is mainly it's reluctance to leave the trap often or be on display for the world to see that wonderfully colored body and abdomen. The other one being rumors of them being really small as slings and fragile to husbandry mistakes. Curious, what was your experience with growth rate of yours? I know they only max out to like 3 inches, just wondering if it took long to get to over an inch. Which would be an established size for a T. seldonia.

3 inches? I know they only reach 2" at most. My specimens have quite consistent growth rates. I'd say from 1/3", mine are on their way to mature in under a year and a half.

The greatest con with this species is that they don't live long, even the females. Martin Gamache, the guy who was the first to breed them in Canada and is still consistently getting sacs say that females can reach the end of their lifespans at only 2 years. His breeder females are kept at a constant lower 70s°F to attempt slower their metabolisms and prolong their life

 

[spiderpilot]

O wow, didn't know that about them. I knew they were little to start but 1/3 of an inch? But just ran across a picture of one from a reputable breeder that is actually not far from me, on there instagram. It looked like a tick that spider did, abdomen was silly wide. Probably was gravid though or breeder conditioning. Ive seen them listed a few places but they are always are pretty pricey for such a small sling. So 3/4 of an inch is probably Juvi. That sucks about the females lifespan, that is what the wow is for. They don't live long at all and most vendors don't mention any of the such in regards to life span. Have you pre drilled any of your cork for trapdoor construction "encouragement" I will say? Do you stay with very dry substrate?

 

[A guy]

O wow, didn't know that about them. I knew they were little to start but 1/3 of an inch? But just ran across a picture of one from a reputable breeder that is actually not far from me, on there instagram. It looked like a tick that spider did, abdomen was silly wide. Probably was gravid though or breeder conditioning. Ive seen them listed a few places but they are always are pretty pricey for such a small sling. So 3/4 of an inch is probably Juvi. That sucks about the females lifespan, that is what the wow is for. They don't live long at all and most vendors don't mention any of the such in regards to life span. Have you pre drilled any of your cork for trapdoor construction "encouragement" I will say? Do you stay with very dry substrate?

I actually have a thread on how I raised mine. https://arachnoboards.com/threads/typhochlaena-seladonia-from-sling-to-subadult.356880/

 

[viper69]

Very interesting- thanks

2 years? Wow that was veery unexpected! Was thinking 5-8 what a shame

take alot of pics videos!

 

[A guy]

Very interesting- thanks

2 years? Wow that was veery unexpected! Was thinking 5-8 what a shame

take alot of pics videos!

Same here! I thought at least 5 years.

Also, it could be just a great coincidence but Martin is currently sitting on 15 mature females with no males. He has taken all of his T. seladonia stock out of availability to hopefully find a male but to still no success. He has 6 molt out female in addition to the 15 since then. With this predicament, he says that by the time he finds a male and by the time it matures out; most of his females will probably be dead by then.

 

[jonprasil]

Hello! Thank you for all of the great info on Seladonia tarantulas. In your experience, with the ones you raised, have you noticed the lifespans of females being 2 years?

 

[A guy]

Hello! Thank you for all of the great info on Seladonia tarantulas. In your experience, with the ones you raised, have you noticed the lifespans of females being 2 years?

Unfortunately yes, one of my females, the biggest and the one ahead of the others has died. She had molted, looked perfect! But I noticed that she has slowed down drastically. Ate well still but I needed to offer her prekilled prey as she cannot catch them anymore. Until one day, I just saw her dead.

 

[jonprasil]

Thank you for the quick response. I am sorry for your loss.

 

[SpookySpooder]

That is a shame, they are quite beautiful spiders.

Do you have an exact record of her lifespan from hatchling to death?

 

[A guy]

That is a shame, they are quite beautiful spiders.

Do you have an exact record of her lifespan from hatchling to death?

Just a bit above 2 years

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Just a bit above 2 years

I wonder how it’s possible for a t to live so Short ? Small bloodlines ? Etc interbed ??
Sorry for your losses ..

 

[viper69]

to discard a vital instinct or behavior that plays a big part in their survival in the wild.

Correct

I wonder how it’s possible for a t to live so Short ? Small bloodlines ? Etc interbed ??
Sorry for your losses ..

this is their natural life cycle to the best of our knowledge

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I was actually thinking that it could be a trait that's developing with captive bred specimens. Although I don't think they have been bred that much in captivity for them to discard a vital instinct or behavior that plays a big part in their survival in the wild.

Looks like I'm really late to this party, but the instances of this species not building a dirt blanket (I don't consider them trapdoors) can easily be explained by the conditions of captivity and not by a newly developing behavioral trait unique amongst captive bred/ born specimens. So I agree with you on that they wouldn't be discarding a vital instinct used in the wild.

This isn't too dissimilar to how a Grammostola rosea which in the native habitat in Chile are fossorial and dig their own burrows but don't do so in captivity. Same with any other species considered a "display species" which in the wild would be reclusive. I would assume that since Typhochlaena seladonia is so new to captivity and knowledge on their ecology is known, which is different from the vast majority of tarantulas species, everyone thinks they "operate" differently from all other tarantulas. It is odd though how some would think a Typhochlaena seladonia that doesn't build a dirt blanket in captivity is a sign of trouble, but a G. rosea that doesn't burrow is considered normal.

 

[Dementeddoll]

Dang I didn’t know their lifespan was so short. Beautiful arachnids.

 

[Dilbert Sundance]

So as the title suggests T. seladonia not using a trapdoor is fine if it's continuing to feed and thrive.

I always see on Facebook groups where if an OP says that his/her T. seladonia has a trapdoor but is out all the time, people in the comments automatically assume that there is something wrong or if the specimen continues to not use its trapdoor; it will eventually die.

I have a female that I've raised from a 1/3" sling to now an adult. She has a trapdoor and at one time had multiple trapdoors on a single piece of cork bark but she is out 90% of the time. The only time she uses her trapdoor is when it's her time to molt. Anything after that, she is out. She takes prey like any other tarantula, actively drink from the droplets after I have misted and for the most part...thriving.

I have also asked Martin Gamache from Tarantula Canada about this situation and he has said the same thing. He has witnessed it with a couple of his specimens before, although not very common but it does happen. As long as they continue to feed, drink and thrive, they are fine.

Just to ease the mind of T. seladonia keepers out there who are experiencing the same thing.



My female in question. Taking prey outside of its trapdoor.
View attachment 430966

Maybe the main reason she leaved the trapdoor was because she dont live in a high tree so feeders have more options to move, on the trees, on their habitat, they probably have a buffet and on their trapdoor they are safe from predators and can ambush, she done multiple times his trapdoor till she determinated it was unsuccessfull