Black Trap Door Spiders....

[MichaelH]

Anyone have one of these little beasts? I'm kicking around the idea of getting one sometime, seems like they would be really cool watching them spring outof their little hidey-hole to nab a cricket. I've read that they're venom is more potent than many T's, but on a plus side supposedly they cannot climb glass of plastic tanks walls. Anyone have experience with these?
Sorry if this post is considered off-topic since they are not a Tarantula.

[Wade]

Most of the ones imported are from Africa. I've heard stories about them being a little "hotter" than most T's, but I'm not sure if there's any truth to it. Probably not a good idea to get bit anyway!

IME, once they burrow down, I rarely, if ever see them again. Yes, they will pounce and eat crickets, but in about 6 years of owning various specimens I've witnessed this a whopping ONE time. They are very shy, mearly opening the cage to drop in a cricket is enough to ensure that the spider won't open the door anytime soon. Unless you want to stand and wait for the spider to feel safe enough to surface (may take hours), you're just feeding a jar of dirt.

Wade

[MichaelH]

Thanks for the info Wade, If they are THAT shy I think I'll pass on them then.

[Aviculariinae]

Heres an African trapdoor!Gorgyrella sp
http://volcano.photobucket.com/albums/v11/Aviculariinae2/Trapdoor_spider-1B.jpg