First tarantula in years.. Haplopelma Lividum....

A little background and a few questions.. I hope this is in the right place. Sorry so long.

So I am not new to tarantulas but consider myself so because it has been years and years since I have dealt with them. I definitely was not planning on getting a Haplopelma Lividum for quite a while but did want one at some point. I am well aware of their defensive behavior and lightning speed. But didnt know too much about the husbandry. Just that they are feisty, quick, OW and scary lmao!

I was checking out a local reptile store and they had a few slings, baboons, birdeaters, a green bottle blue and a female h. Lividum. So the crazy person I am couldn't let myself leave without the h. Lividum lol... Partly due to it being in a tiny deli cup, the "tarantula" guy said 3in of substrate (really? For a burrower?), saying it wasn't dangerous to my pets and didn't seem to care who it was sold too. So I told myself I better get this thing so it doesn't go home with someone who will think they have a nice blue tarantula for their kids or something.. So I ended up with a poorly set up first tank. 10 gallons with about 5 inches of substrate. I partly buried a volcano hidy log for her to hide and burrow through. Had a hidey log on the side pushed into the sub against the glass. Also a water dish. Oh yeah and a rock....dumb. After nearly having a heart attack getting her out of the deli cup (kidding) but she did almost escape, she seemed fine and started checking out her home. I think she was in the deli cup for quite a while and her abdomen was a little famished looking.

The reptile store said to put all 12 crickets in with her. Of course I didn't but did put a few in to see if she would take. Within a few hours they were gone lol. I managed to get a nice video of her eating some. She ate 8 of them within 2 days! Then she wanted nothing to do with them and webbed up a corner in the hidey volcano thing. She came out at night a lot. I got some good videos and decent pics of her.

I realized my errors and went and got her a bigger and deeper tank the next week. I used a mix of coco fiber and peat moss. I covered the bottom with about an inch. I packed it down and put her hidey volcano in the corner since it has a bigger base and an opening on the side so hopefully I can see. I thought that would give her a roomy home without being too big or really small. I buried the volcano but left it hollow inside except I did put some substrate inside it for her to push around to her liking. I kept the top opening open for her to find it. I packed the substrate down and one side of the tank has about 9 inches of substrate and it tapers down to 5 at the other end. I made a false burrow start on both sides down the glass and one in the middle using her half log as the roof.

Transferring her was fun..lol! I prepared for the worst and did everything in a sealed bathroom. She is fierce! She threat postured, walked pretty much on back legs, striked and grabbed what I was using to get her in the cup and tried climbing. I did a quick flick down and she let go and flattened herself ( no harm and she wasn't at risk of falling). I tried cupping her and she bolted to the side. I'm just thankful she didn't fly at my face or up my arm lol! I managed to cup her and transfer her successfully without injury to her or myself except I think we both needed Valium after that haha! I just told myself that no matter what happens, stay calm and don't make any sudden movements should she get on me. Experience with more defensive and fast tarantulas would have come in handy but it is what it is. All was well. Phew...

She climbed the corner when she finally left the catch cup. Within 3 hours after the transfer she was webbing the main volcano burrow and I haven't seen her since. She is in there somewhere being happy I hope lol!

My questions are..
1) if I don't see any more webbing around the burrow entrance should I be worried? I know some can take a while to burrow. Both transfers, she seemed to bounce back quick and immediately (within hours) start at least webbing. Got a video of that too

2) I feel like she might molt so I don't know if I should feed her. I tried before the transfer and she wasn't interested. How long should I wait to drop a cricket in there? The reptile store does not know the age or when she last molted.

3) I keep the tank in a China hutch thing that is built into my wall. It has glass doors so my cats and anyone else can't "let her out" The lid is locked with 4 clamps also. It is getting close to winter and is cold. I got a flukers red 60watt basking light that is not pointed on her but is in the corner of the hutch to raise ambient heat. Is that ok? There is no uva or uvb that I am aware of unless they forgot to mention it. She is staying around 70 to 75 Fahrenheit and anywhere from 70% to 80% humidity. What is the lowest and highest temp range and humidity? I keep seeing conflicting answers.

Sorry so long and yes I am a responsible adult willing to learn everything I can. I don't need people telling me I shouldn't have got that one or that I am stupid and don't have the experience for this species yet. I have and had my reasons and I like to jump in the deep end if that makes sense lol. This picture was taken before her new, better and safer home.

To answer your questions...
1) if I don't see any more webbing around the burrow entrance should I be worried? I know some can take a while to burrow. Both transfers, she seemed to bounce back quick and immediately (within hours) start at least webbing. Got a video of that too
No, you should not. Tarantulas take time like any animal to settle in.

2) I feel like she might molt so I don't know if I should feed her. I tried before the transfer and she wasn't interested. How long should I wait to drop a cricket in there? The reptile store does not know the age or when she last molted.
I would not have offered food on the first day personally, I rather let them settle in. A tarantula that size, I would wait another week and offer a cricket. If she doesn't accept it, remove, and try again in another week. I don't freak out about them not eating, she could be about to molt. Her abdomen looks very healthy to me.


3) I keep the tank in a China hutch thing that is built into my wall. It has glass doors so my cats and anyone else can't "let her out" The lid is locked with 4 clamps also. It is getting close to winter and is cold. I got a flukers red 60watt basking light that is not pointed on her but is in the corner of the hutch to raise ambient heat. Is that ok? There is no uva or uvb that I am aware of unless they forgot to mention it. She is staying around 70 to 75 Fahrenheit and anywhere from 70% to 80% humidity. What is the lowest and highest temp range and humidity? I keep seeing conflicting answers.
Ditch the light. They do not neat supplemental heat. There is no reason to fret over temps and humidity so much. She will be fine around room temp, no need to mist or anything of the sort.

Congrats on the new tarantula!

Just had a very similar thread..... lol
1.Haplos and other burrowers use webbing to reinforce burrows, so you really wont se much, nothing to worry about.
2. IMO i keep feeding until a cricket lasts over 12 hours, then i remove and assume premolt.
3.Id try to raise ambient temp with a different method, i believe the basking lamp would be too extremem and dry it out too quickly.
Now my questions: How big is the spider and what are ypu using a substrate?

I was a 50 watt heat lamp only at night and only when it starts getting cold for my t's . (maybe in a few weeks). This is because it drops down to low 60's to high 50's at night in the house. The heat lamp never directly hits the enclosures but it does give a little extra heat (there are thermometers and it never gets warmer than 80 in the enclosures.). If your situation is somewhat similar I might use the heat lamp just don't aim it directly at the enclosure.

Hope this helped

Thanks for the replies! My house, especially where she is at, by my sliding glass door in my dining room can get a little cold. I only turn on the heating lamp when it gets a little below 70 and turn it off after an hour or so. I dont keep it on. Her abdomen looks good in the pic, it was after she ate 8 crickets lol. It was a little wrinkly before but not too much. In my post I stated I was using peat moss and coconut fiber. She is about 4 to 5 inches so I'm thinking she won't get much bigger if at all.

One question I forgot to ask was about the wood louse you can buy at the pet store. Is that ok to house with a h. Lividum? Just wondering because I would rather have them to help with cage maintenance if needed instead of having to rehouse if for some reason there was mites or anything.

I don't have as much experience as some of the other AB members, but I would think that she would just demolish them lol. Or at least annoy her.

Yes any isopod is fine and the only downside is the spider might kill them. Sorry about not seeing the sunstrate info in your post as im a bit inebriated lol.... i would add more sub, as much as you can fit... i have haplo slings with about a foot ob substrate and they utilize it all

Small abdomens are normal after any t molts. For a spider the size of lividium, you are feeding it a lot...slow down. Feed the t a cricket when you see it hunting. If its sealed in, don't bother. You've fed it a lot and the more you feed in a short time will simply fill it up faster and cause it to hide away preparing for a molt for a significant amount of time. The more you feed, the less you'll see it. Eventually it will emerge, or at least its feet will, I'd wait till them to offer food, even if it was several weeks.....after its last few days and a dozen crickets, it will be good for a while....that's about 2 months or more worth of crickets.

Do not use a heat lamp, they are dangerous...yes, even if the lamp is not directly on it. They excessively dry the air, and for a moisture dependent species such as this, that could get critical quickly. I would use a space heater to heat the room, its the best way. You likely don't need much, just a few degrees....if its placed where it gets cold draft, consider moving it to a place that doesn't.

Keep it at 70 or more and it should have slightly moist substrate. Humidity and temp numbers can fluctuate and there isn't specific numbers to worry about despite what worthless care sheets would like you to believe. Aside from the slightly moist substrate, you need good cross ventilation. Venting from the top will simply allow moisture to float out of the top, but you need enough cross ventilation to prevent mold and such from taking hold in the habitat you need to create. Their husbandry is as much what makes them an "advanced" species as their attitude.

Adding more sub to burrow was a good idea, they will use every bit of it in time.

cold blood said:

Small abdomens are normal after any t molts. For a spider the size of lividium, you are feeding it a lot...slow down. Feed the t a cricket when you see it hunting. If its sealed in, don't bother. You've fed it a lot and the more you feed in a short time will simply fill it up faster and cause it to hide away preparing for a molt for a significant amount of time. The more you feed, the less you'll see it. Eventually it will emerge, or at least its feet will, I'd wait till them to offer food, even if it was several weeks.....after its last few days and a dozen crickets, it will be good for a while....that's about 2 months or more worth of crickets.

Do not use a heat lamp, they are dangerous...yes, even if the lamp is not directly on it. They excessively dry the air, and for a moisture dependent species such as this, that could get critical quickly. I would use a space heater to heat the room, its the best way. You likely don't need much, just a few degrees....if its placed where it gets cold draft, consider moving it to a place that doesn't.

Keep it at 70 or more and it should have slightly moist substrate. Humidity and temp numbers can fluctuate and there isn't specific numbers to worry about despite what worthless care sheets would like you to believe. Aside from the slightly moist substrate, you need good cross ventilation. Venting from the top will simply allow moisture to float out of the top, but you need enough cross ventilation to prevent mold and such from taking hold in the habitat you need to create. Their husbandry is as much what makes them an "advanced" species as their attitude.

Adding more sub to burrow was a good idea, they will use every bit of it in time.

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Looks like I'll be tossing my heat lamp too!

---------- Post added 11-22-2015 at 10:05 PM ----------

For the OP's benefit and my own, would something like this work?

http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyH...1448258545&sr=8-2&keywords=small+space+heater

Thanks for the info! I was using a space heater when I first got her. I guess I'll go back to that and just use the lamp if I need to see. It is pretty dark in the cabinet. I don't have side ventilation on the tank but the top is fairly ventilated. She isn't enclosed in the cabinet and I frequently open it up all the way to refresh the air. I have worried more about the humidity then the temps. I do worry about mold, i work in microbiology and know how easy it is for some molds to take hold and be a pain to deal with. I suppose if she stayed deep in her burrow, a good uv light for 15 minutes over the substrate would kill fungus and bacteriaI :idea: Not advocating that anyone and no I won't do that lol! But it is what we use to deep sanitize our hoods (bio safety cabinet) at work. We use a pretty powerful one though. I planned to not feed her a lot or gorge her I should say but I figured she was pretty hungry with the quickness she ate the other ones.

Is it okay to put more substrate on top of the already packed substrate? If I do should I leave it loose? I would hate to crush her or an on going burrow project. Or get bit by Satan herself lol.

Just use a red light if you want something to use for looking into the enclosure. Tarantulas can't see red. Using a heat lamp is likely going to just stress the poor thing out. They like dark spaces and are not fond of light being shined on them.

Best thing to do is just to remove the tarantula before adding the substrate in. This is not going to be an easy task due to the nature of the species you chose to acquire.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk

That's one of the prettier Blue Devil Hell Spawns I've seen in a while. Too bad they burrow, you're lucky if you see it at all, except for rehousing. SO pretty and SO secretive.

3. Raising ambient temps that way should be OK. a space heater might be a good alternative as well.

If you want to see your T at night, instead of using a red lght, which is hard for humans to see, get some blue LED lights. In the herp world there are bulbs called MoonLight bulbs for nocturnal herps, they'd work just as well for Ts too. I've seen quite a few blue LEDs T setups.

In case you aren't aware, for rehousing an effective method is to SLOWLY flood their burrow, they will definitely come out. Though I can't guarantee at what speed yours will leave hah.

Thanks for the help everyone!!! I know they like the dark and can't see red.. I have the moonlight bulb one too and it sucks. It is nice and dark in her enclosure I just looked at the bottom of the tank from underneath and she has reached it through the volcano thing and found the side entrance out. She has started working across the bottom towards the glass side. Yay!! I am not going to mess with her and take her out again unless necessary. I think the 10 inches on one side and the 5-6 inches on the other side (tapered) is fine. I know the deeper the better but I'm just gonna not stress her and let her do her spidey things I think being rehoused 3 times in 2 weeks would be stressful and I feel like she may molt soon.

ireleana said:

Thanks for the help everyone!!! I know they like the dark and can't see red.. I have the moonlight bulb one too and it sucks. It is nice and dark in her enclosure I just looked at the bottom of the tank from underneath and she has reached it through the volcano thing and found the side entrance out. She has started working across the bottom towards the glass side. Yay!! I am not going to mess with her and take her out again unless necessary. I think the 10 inches on one side and the 5-6 inches on the other side (tapered) is fine. I know the deeper the better but I'm just gonna not stress her and let her do her spidey things I think being rehoused 3 times in 2 weeks would be stressful and I feel like she may molt soon.

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Nice sounds like it'll be smooth sailing from here! What are you looking at getting next? (If you aren't looking, trust me you will be! :laugh: )

BobBarley said:

Nice sounds like it'll be smooth sailing from here! What are you looking at getting next? (If you aren't looking, trust me you will be! :laugh: )

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Oh definitely!! Lol! I want an a. Versicolor and a gbb for my next 2. They have a little sling at the reptile store. I really want a Euathalus sp. Red really bad but can't find any. The downside is how long they take to grow but I don't mind

ireleana said:

Oh definitely!! Lol! I want an a. Versicolor and a gbb for my next 2. They have a little sling at the reptile store. I really want a Euathalus sp. Red really bad but can't find any. The downside is how long they take to grow but I don't mind

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Nice! All of those should be a breeze compared to this H lividum! Good luck!

ireleana said:

Oh definitely!! Lol! I want an a. Versicolor and a gbb for my next 2. They have a little sling at the reptile store. I really want a Euathalus sp. Red really bad but can't find any. The downside is how long they take to grow but I don't mind

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They don't take as long to grow as one may think. I have 3, and they can grow quite fast for a dwarf terrestrial species.

Ireleana, thanks for sharing, you got a beautiful lividum, congrats!

From my experience, I don't feed too much my lividum: then she'll stand at the entrance of her burrow every night when light is getting low. I have opportunities to see her ready to hunt very often. And when I switch off all the lights at night for about one hour, I'm pretty sure to find her out of the burrow when I come back. Anyway, it's easy to see if she needs food or not: if you don't see her at all even after dark, or if the entrance of the burrow is closed, don't bother giving her a cricket. You can wait until you see her hunting again. Or if you worry: put the cricket in the enclosure and take it out the next day; they most likely won't go down the burrow, at least not before being very hungry.

I was worried about the leftovers of her food, because my lividum has the bad habit to put them deep inside her burrow (yes, where it's moist... and impossible to catch!). But I haven't had problems with mites until now with her: I put some isopods in the enclosure, don't know if they do the job, but everything seems to be fine, even without the possibility to take away the leftovers. Same with the molts.

It seems the Haplopelma can be fragile if they are constantly changed from enclosures. It takes time for them to settle down, and once they are comfortable, it's better to leave them alone as long as possible. Mine has been in her last terrarium since two years now, without any issues. And I'm not planning to change her unless there's a major problem. If you have to change yours once again (could happen), it's very important to check everything about the new enclosure (just like you did until now), to be sure that it's fine before putting her inside (it's specially important for Haplopelma spp.).

Well, enjoy your new critter: they are fascinating, beautiful, making splendid burrow entrances with silk, rarely seen maybe but when they show it's a treat!

viper69 said:

They don't take as long to grow as one may think. I have 3, and they can grow quite fast for a dwarf terrestrial species.

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That is reassuring! I want one so bad lol. Gonna look into other dwarf species too.

---------- Post added 11-27-2015 at 11:01 PM ----------

Nicolas C said:

Ireleana, thanks for sharing, you got a beautiful lividum, congrats!

From my experience, I don't feed too much my lividum: then she'll stand at the entrance of her burrow every night when light is getting low. I have opportunities to see her ready to hunt very often. And when I switch off all the lights at night for about one hour, I'm pretty sure to find her out of the burrow when I come back. Anyway, it's easy to see if she needs food or not: if you don't see her at all even after dark, or if the entrance of the burrow is closed, don't bother giving her a cricket. You can wait until you see her hunting again. Or if you worry: put the cricket in the enclosure and take it out the next day; they most likely won't go down the burrow, at least not before being very hungry.

I was worried about the leftovers of her food, because my lividum has the bad habit to put them deep inside her burrow (yes, where it's moist... and impossible to catch!). But I haven't had problems with mites until now with her: I put some isopods in the enclosure, don't know if they do the job, but everything seems to be fine, even without the possibility to take away the leftovers. Same with the molts.

It seems the Haplopelma can be fragile if they are constantly changed from enclosures. It takes time for them to settle down, and once they are comfortable, it's better to leave them alone as long as possible. Mine has been in her last terrarium since two years now, without any issues. And I'm not planning to change her unless there's a major problem. If you have to change yours once again (could happen), it's very important to check everything about the new enclosure (just like you did until now), to be sure that it's fine before putting her inside (it's specially important for Haplopelma spp.).

Well, enjoy your new critter: they are fascinating, beautiful, making splendid burrow entrances with silk, rarely seen maybe but when they show it's a treat!

Click to expand...

Yeah I've been worried about mites or mold. There is no cross ventilation on the enclosure, it is an aquarium. I can see her through the glass underneath and she has dug a little and some minor webbing but other than that, she hasn't really moved from her spot. I noticed that some moss had fallen from the side over the front of the burrow entrance. It has been 2 1/2 weeks since eating and 1 week since the last transfer. I offered my last cricket ( I fed some house spiders lol) and it was still in there the next day. I went to remove it and it was on the moss right on the side of her burrow. I decided to wait for it to move instead of me messing around her burrow entrance lol. Well I checked later and that is when I noticed to moss, no cricket so I'm not sure if she ate it and pulled the moss over, the cricket fell in and knocked it over or it just fell. I haven't seen the cricket so I hope she ate it, I don't want it to die in there and rot. I checked this evening and her legs moved so she is alive and I have not seen the cricket. Hoping she ate it lol!

---------- Post added 11-27-2015 at 11:03 PM ----------

Should I remove the moss over her entrance? It is not webbed and I feel like it fell off the side over the entrance vs her doing it but I can't say for sure. If she did it I would hate to remove it but am a little worried about stagnant air now..

In my opinion, you don't have to remove the moss: the spider will do it herself if needed. As it hasn't been so long before she's in her new enclosure, you can just leave her alone. Either she'll molt in a few weeks, or she'll build the burrow of her dreams anytime soon. As for the cricket, you can continue watching if you see him emerge again. If yes, take him away. If no, nevermind. There are lots of chances that your lividum will clean her burrow if needed.

The enclosure in which I keep my lividum hasn't exactly cross ventilation too: I have holes on the front (up) and on the top, but nothing at the bottom of the terrarium. No problems at all for now...