Thinking about fossorials

aphono

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Thinking of trying a fossorial species. I understand they can be pet holes.

Is there a fossorial that is willing to pop out to capture prey dropped by their burrow? A quick pop up and back down would be delightful but if the only way to feed is leaving prey in overnight.. hmm...

Can a juvenile or adult stay in a permanent enclosure, with no rehousing/substrate changes? I notice some of you pretty much do this for terrestrials, I am asking this as it would make keeping those species much easier, especially if prone to being very defensive.

Good for beginner/intermediate hobbyist.

Confession time: almost impulse bought a H. lividium, maybe 5 yrs ago at a LPS. I had a local WC Aphonopelma for while many years ago, assumed Ts were pretty much all the same in care and temperament.. o_O did not help it was probably a juvie female(gorgeous blue) and the shop employee was all sure, they are easy and were perfectly willing to sell it to me just like that.. Really glad I did not get it after all.
 

cold blood

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C. marshalli/darlingi or...

A. ezendami

Substrate doesn't just go bad, you don't need to change it unless you have some sort of infestation...which on dry sub just won't happen...just pick out the boli.
 

KezyGLA

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Now I could right a list here...


But that would take too long.

Most fossorials will pop up for snack. I would avoid Asian fossorial species though. You tend to see Baboon species out more.

I would start with Ceratogyrus species.

And to everyone that knows me I am not being biased :p
 

Venom1080

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C. marshalli/darlingi or...

A. ezendami

Substrate doesn't just go bad, you don't need to change it unless you have some sort of infestation...which on dry sub just won't happen...just pick out the boli.
beginner / intermediate species?
 

Chris LXXIX

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Can a juvenile or adult stay in a permanent enclosure, with no rehousing/substrate changes?
Yes. The sooner in the final enclosures, the better. Just a suggestion... if you aren't interested in breeding projects, go (whatever you will choose) for a confirmed sexed female. To see MM hardcore burrowers searching for females is IMO painful.
 

KezyGLA

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Another good genus for beginner/intermediate is Cyrtopholis.

These are new world burrowing species from Central America/Dominican Republic.

Although I dont know how available they are these days. I am sure there are still some Cyrtopholis cursor for sale around and about.
 

Nightstalker47

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eh, i consider all OW for the more experienced/advanced keepers.
It's not about OW or NW there are some that fit in both categories, most of my OW Ts are super easy other then rehousings. For example, T. Gigas is one of the hardest Ts to deal with. Mine are anyway
 

Venom1080

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It's not about OW or NW there are some that fit in both categories, most of my OW Ts are super easy other then rehousings. For example, T. Gigas is one of the hardest Ts to deal with. Mine are anyway
anything that has the potential to put you in a hospital and is usually very defensive should be left to experienced keepers. i think people are crazy to think any other way.
 

creepa

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i used to have a lot of Asian burrowers allmost the whole Haplopelma genus (except doriae) with multiple specimens. And imo. the are pretty easy to keep and not even hard to rehouse.
All of them were visible in the night sitting in there burrow entrance.

As for defensiveness, they were all pretty much pussycats running down there burrow instead of being an ass...
As long as they have settled in they will always rather flee down there burrow than fight.
 
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Nightstalker47

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anything that has the potential to put you in a hospital and is usually very defensive should be left to experienced keepers. i think people are crazy to think any other way.
For sure, you don't want someone in over their head with a T they can't control. But as far as bites are concerned they are easily avoidable and I have plenty of "hot" Ts that don't give me any trouble and others that are considered beginner that are impossible. Individuals vary so you can't base wether or not they should own it on venom potency alone, especially with the lack of information we have on this subject.
 

Venom1080

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For sure, you don't want someone in over their head with a T they can't control. But as far as bites are concerned they are easily avoidable and I have plenty of "hot" Ts that don't give me any trouble and others that are considered beginner that are impossible. Individuals vary so you can't base wether or not they should own it on venom potency alone, especially with the lack of information we have on this subject.
but theres not really any big issues with having a flighty NW that might run up your arm compared to any OW. the worst thing that can happen is you have to spend a hour or two trying to catch it, compared to a hospital visit.. ( or not, but it still hurts like hell, for a good while too.) check out my instagram link, most recent is a vid of my marshalli when her lid comes off and she doesnt want to be disturbed.. not very beginner friendly...
 
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boina

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There are some good suggestions in this thread... I've always liked the look of baboon spiders but shied away from them because fossorial - and my M. robustum was such a disappointment, completely invisible.
The C. meridionalis looks nice... sigh... another one.
 

Nightstalker47

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but theres not really any big issues with having a flighty NW that might run up your arm compared to any OW.



the worst thing that can happen is you have to spend a hour or two trying to catch it, compared to a hospital visit.. ( or not, but it still hurts like hell, for a good while too.) check out my instagram link, most recent is a vid of my marshalli when her lid comes off and she doesnt want to be disturbed.. not very beginner friendly...

What your saying may apply to terrestrial species when comparing NW to OW but as far as arboreals go I wouldn't agree. First off I think a T. Gigas or almost any tapinauchenieus species is much more prone to the kind of risky scenarios you are referring to then say a C. darlingi, so there are feisty Ts be it NW or OW, that was the point I tried to make on your first post.

Heres the thing about that, yes we do think that generally OW species possess a more potent venom but there is no information proving that a bite from a NW T could not be medically significant. Especially a species like the one I mentioned earlier, they have no urticating bristles meaning the only means of defense they possess is to run away or bite. I take extra care with all my Ts be it NW or OW and I think there are many NW species that should only be kept by experienced enthusiasts. And of course same applies to OW...
 
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Venom1080

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What your saying may apply to terrestrial species when comparing NW to OW but as far as arboreals go I wouldn't agree. First off I think a T. Gigas or almost any tapinauchenieus species is much more prone to the kind of risky scenarios you are referring to then say a C. darlingi, so there are feisty Ts be it NW or OW, that was the point I tried to make on your first post.

Heres the thing about that, yes we do think that generally OW species possess a more potent venom but there is no information proving that a bite from a NW T could not be medically significant. Especially a species like the one I mentioned earlier, they have no urticating bristles meaning the only means of defense they possess is to run away or bite. I take extra care with all my Ts be it NW or OW and I think there are many NW species that should only be kept by experienced enthusiasts. And of course same applies to OW...
um, ever kept Lampropelma? or Omothymus? they are tappies with extreme attitude. Tapinauchinius are fast, but thats about it. more a intermediate spider for sure.
risky scenarios? i said chasing down a escapee is better than dealing with OW venom.
i agree, theres plenty of feisty NWs.
well, generally, a spider whose only options are to run or bite are going to be more flighty and have worse venom. thats just common sense. i dont know much about Psalmo venom, but ive heard its worse than the average OW. if it were Poecilotheria level or something, im sure some one would of said something about it to warn other keepers. and yes again, Theraphosa and other tropical giants should probably be left to the more experienced.
 
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