A seemanni husbandry

Ellenantula · Mar 1, 2015

In another thread, it was commented that my substrate looked dry (and it is - sahara dry) so I read some old threads here.
I didn't find a consensus re: moisture required.
Maybe they are hardy enough that moisture isn't a biggie.

I, perhaps wrongfully, believed Aphonopelma were kept similarly to Grammastola, hence my husbandry so far.

That said, some threads recommend a light misting of substrate, some recommend very damp substrate like a swamp-dweller might require, and some recommend dry.
Some simply say a water dish is enough (as I have done) but others suggest deliberately overfilling dish to dampen substrate to outright making substrate wet.

Could some experienced Aphonopelma keepers advise. (not just on moisture requirements -- but any sort of help, based on past successes with these).
I love her aggressive feeding response - wow!
I am new to this T, mine is a sub-adult female (4.5" maybe less) - not sure how big they ultimately get.
Here's my girl:

Poec54 · Mar 1, 2015

They're from Central America, and appreciate slightly moist substrate, unlike most of the genus which lives in dry regions in the SW US and NW Mexico. Misting adult/subadult T's is pretty much pointless. The humidity sources should be the water bowl & substrate, with the ventilation adjusted accordingly. I don't overfill water bowls as it keeps that area moist and promotes mites and mold. It's better to sprinkle a little water randomly throughout the cage.

Adults get 5 to 6". Males are scarce.

The cage does look dry, and the substrate too shallow.

There's no such thing as a 'swamp dweller' in the tarantula world. Let's put that term to rest, permanently.

Ellenantula · Mar 1, 2015

Thank you.
Looks like I get to play in some dirt today,
If I can make mud pies, I'll assume I went too damp.

awiec · Mar 1, 2015

Ellenantula said:
Thank you.
Looks like I get to play in some dirt today,
If I can make mud pies, I'll assume I went too damp.

I keep a full water bowl and then will wet about 1/3 of the cage, let it dry and choose a new spot. Could also sprinkle a little water down the burrow. These really do appreciate lots of soil, mine has about 8 inches of sub in a 10 gallon and has dug a huge complex over 3 feet long, just to give you an idea of how much they like to dig.

Ellenantula · Mar 1, 2015

awiec said:
I keep a full water bowl and then will wet about 1/3 of the cage, let it dry and choose a new spot. Could also sprinkle a little water down the burrow. These really do appreciate lots of soil, mine has about 8 inches of sub in a 10 gallon and has dug a huge complex over 3 feet long, just to give you an idea of how much they like to dig.

Thanks!
Mine hasn't tried to burrow, but the substrate was so dry, it probably would have collapsed anyway. Hope she enjoys some damp areas.

If she won't top out over 6" then I messed up with such a large hide. A medium size hide would be better; but maybe she can bulldoze some substrate into it and burrow that way. Her call.

(It just occurred to me; she likes to eat inside her hide, and when she stands up tall on her tippy-toes -- that hide is perfect height for her afterall).,

Poec54 · Mar 1, 2015

Ellenantula said:
If she won't top out over 6" then I messed up with such a large hide. A medium size hide would be better; but maybe she can bulldoze some substrate into it and burrow that way.

That hide looks like it might be too big for an adult Theraphosa. How big did you think seemani get?

Ellenantula · Mar 1, 2015

Poec54 said:
That hide looks like it might be too big for an adult Theraphosa. How big did you think seemani get?

It was just a hide I happened to have on hand -- when it was time to house her, I didn't have a medium size but figured she might grow into it. Guess not.

I originally purchased the large hide for my communal blue OBT swamp-dwellers but the survivors died of DKS and SADS after I put a fogger in their tank. What T should I get next?

ASAP TARANTULA · Mar 2, 2015

I know this isn't advise but that's a nice looking girl. I heard that they get around 5 inches, I had a female when I was younger and she was around 4.5 inches.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 2, 2015

Poec, why are male's so scarce? This species seems to be very sought-after.

Poec54 · Mar 2, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
Poec, why are male's so scarce? This species seems to be very sought-after.

It's a great spider. But that's the way the sex ratio for the species is. Evidently in the wild one male can service multiple females. Some combination of females in close proximity, ample vegetative cover, predation not too intense, and females are probably tolerant of courting males.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 2, 2015

Thanks so much Poec! I have a WC girl with a massive sac. Eventually we will have some males.

edgeofthefreak · Mar 2, 2015

Ellenantula said:
I originally purchased the large hide for my communal blue OBT swamp-dwellers but the survivors died of DKS and SADS after I put a fogger in their tank. What T should I get next?

I think this is my new favourite snappy comeback comment of late. Near fell outta me chair readin' tha.

To answer you question, you need the other colour forms of P. murinus to complete your Rainbow Box of Fangs and Hugs. They'll love your fogger, and Europe ensures they have their DKS/SADS shots.

Poec54 · Mar 2, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
Thanks so much Poec! I have a WC girl with a massive sac. Eventually we will have some males.

Wow. That's great!

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 2, 2015

Thanks. I knew she was gravid, but I didn't think a day later she would drop a sac. Can seemani double clutch? I tried doing some research, but I couldn't find any. Also this is my first terrestrial with a sac and I've been worried since she drops her sac daily.

---------- Post added 03-02-2015 at 03:02 PM ----------

To be honest I never thought I would like seemani, but they're s beautiful and docile.

Poec54 · Mar 2, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
Thanks. I knew she was gravid, but I didn't think a day later she would drop a sac. Can seemani double clutch? I tried doing some research, but I couldn't find any. Also this is my first terrestrial with a sac and I've been worried since she drops her sac daily.

---------- Post added 03-02-2015 at 03:02 PM ----------

To be honest I never thought I would like seemani, but they're s beautiful and docile.

I remove the water bowls of all of my spiders with ball sacs, as they sometimes toss them in there, even if some slings are still alive.

fuzzyavics72 · Mar 2, 2015

I've heard that happens a lot, so I didn't even put one in her enclosure.

Also I meant first terrestrial with a ball sac. I've produced obt before.

Medusa · Mar 2, 2015

Ellenantula said:
I originally purchased the large hide for my communal blue OBT swamp-dwellers but the survivors died of DKS and SADS after I put a fogger in their tank. What T should I get next?

Zaaa-zing! [emoji38]

dementedlullaby · Mar 2, 2015

fuzzyavics72 said:
I've heard that happens a lot, so I didn't even put one in her enclosure.

I don't bother with a water dish for my seemani period. She decides to bury it all the time anyway /shrug. I just keep 1/2 the substrate moist at this point. I thought my B. albiceps was bad with the water dish....But the A. seemani is on a whole new level.

Anyone else have an A. seemani that despises their water dish lol? Mine is also quite skittish.

Poec54 · Mar 2, 2015

dementedlullaby said:
Anyone else have an A. seemani that despises their water dish lol? Mine is also quite skittish.

No tarantulas 'despise' their water bowls. In the wild they need to have a smooth runway back to their retreat, in case a predator comes by when they're out. They can't be stumbling over holes and obstacles. You job as keeper is to find a place in the cage where the spider won't fill it with substrate.

Seemani are skittish by nature, as are almost all tropical tarantulas.

awiec · Mar 2, 2015

dementedlullaby said:
I don't bother with a water dish for my seemani period. She decides to bury it all the time anyway /shrug. I just keep 1/2 the substrate moist at this point. I thought my B. albiceps was bad with the water dish....But the A. seemani is on a whole new level.

Anyone else have an A. seemani that despises their water dish lol? Mine is also quite skittish.

I found a good place for my female's water bowl, it's near her dirt mound where she decided she wanted to make her wood hide "level" with the rest of the enclosure. I had partially buried it and she decided to scrape all the dirt off of it and web it all down to make a very naturalistic hole+mound. Mine usually only comes out at night but usually just non-nonchalantly strolls back into her tunnel when I bother her and usually comes back out. Though she is the only spider I have with a bald butt, I think she lined her tunnels with her hairs ala avics are notorious for.

A seemanni husbandry

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