pokies

[chris king]

what do you use for setting a home for
Haplopelma lividum,
Poecilotheria formosa,
Poecilotheria regalis

[mary walters]

Large cereal boxes Chris. Substrate for lividum 2/3rds full, for pokies about 2 inches. For pokies a piece of bark or cork tile...

[chris king]

thanks mary
the 5 litre ones, 11 x 9 size,
would you also put holes around the bottom and top,how damp does the soil need to be to the touch,

[Nicola Dolby]

If you use a 5L cereal container, putting a ring of small holes near the bottom helps with drainage. As a BTS member you might want to have a look at vol 21 no 4. It should be available either on this site or Ray H. should be able to get you a copy. There's an excellent article in it by R. Gabriel on housing Pokies and a bite report by G. Wright which should put a little perspective on Poecilotheria venom (in a positive way, in other words although strong its not as bad as hyped up to be).

[chris king]

thanks nicola,yup will have a look at vol 21 no 4. ,
was hoping people may post pic's of there setups too

[chris king]

that was good reading,just gotta get some fine mesh tommrow,

[Nicola Dolby]

Here's some pics for you Chris. Sorry about the quality though.

First Pokie juvenile setup



And from the outside



Adult Haplopelma setup, spider has just blocked up her burrow to moult ( bottom-left as you look at the pic.



And the little madam herself



I don't have any pics left of when she was smaller, sorry. Hope this helps.

[Sonny Howdle]

ello chris, aunti mary's pokes are all got homes in the cereal containers, they work perfect. I have some in cereal containers but I also have some in the kiddi fish tanks to. My mate andy hood came down to day to rehouse some pokes for me cos mum wont let me do it anymore cos of my ilness.
I will try and take pics later of the kiddi tanks. They only cost 4 pound each and they are really good.

oh & nicola, watch that wood cos its very wet and it could cause moldy stuff to grow.

[Nicola Dolby]

Thanks Sonny,
The container was watered this morning so it still hasn't dried yet, there won't be any mould, don't worry.

[chris king]

thank you for showing them nicola,
hi sonny,yes seen mary s tubs in her pic's

[chris king]

so after the soil is watered right through, and is it just left to be drained off ,
so it will be queit soggie

[Nicola Dolby]

Sorry Chris, what I meant though was that by lightly spraying the sides of the container this provides not only humidity but drinking water for the spiders. In the wild a lot of arborials will drink water droplets off of the foliage after rain. The purpose of the water spray is to simulate this, though the trick is not to overdoo the problem or as Sonny says there is the danger of mould.

[chris king]

so when setting up the tub, the substrate not completly soaked, and aloud to drain out the bottom holes ?

[Nicola Dolby]

for pokies I try to keep the soil dry. With Haplopelma and other tropical burrowers they require high humidity as well as deep soil. So its best to have drainage holes near the bottom of the container just in case (though things should never be allowed really to get that damp). Moist is better than wet and with arborials try to keep the substrate dry.

[chris king]

With Haplopelma and other tropical burrowers they require high humidity as well as deep soil

sorry that what i meant ,when stting up for them