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Aphonopelma sp. Guatemala

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  • Aphonopelma sp. Guatemala

    Hi every one.

    I have a few questions for any one that can help.

    I have finally I dentified my second T as a Aphonopelma sp. Guatemala. When i brough her all i was told is that she was a Seemanni Gemacincta (stripe Knee) wich didnt relly help as i could find NOTHING on that name.

    So now i know what she is!!

    When i first got her every night you would hear her crashing around the tank and so after about a month to see if she would settle in to the half a flower pot i had put in there i changed her tank set up. I used about 4 inches of eco earth a massive peice of cork bark wich i sank into one end of the tank at an angle so it had a perfect retreat!! It looks perfect!

    After putting her back into her new home she took to her new hole with in a few hours!!Happy T and a big smile for my self .

    It's been 7 months now since i changed her and all of a sudden shes off again! Crashing about like you wouldnt believe but only at night. During the day shes quite happy in her hole and shes eating fine.

    Iv read a few posts on other sites and just around the web that they are very good escape artists. Is this what she is trying to do??

    I have a Red Knee & a White Knee and both of them are fine, quite happy sitting out all day long even if the room is a little light. I thought it may be something to do with the warmer weather being finally here.??

    Also can any body please let me know a care sheet on this T??

    Thanks
    Laurance.

  • #2
    how warm is she? might be a temperature thing. i don't bother heating mine (or most of my T's) beyond room temp, and they do just fine. higher nighttime temps could account for a burst of energy.

    glad you got her Id'ed as far as you could...Seemanni gemacincta..that's a new one on me! there are a few similar looking spiders that may or may not be the same species from what i'm told, but they're all attractive and alot of fun

    i'm not aware of any specific care sheets, but your set up does sound ok. my two are housed entirely differently and both seem happy enough...so i expect they are quite adaptable and will take what's offered and put it to good use.

    these are energetic spiders, so while it's good to want to look into why she's darting about alot at night, i wouldn't worry too much as long as she's eating and moulting fine. keep an eye out and maybe try a lower temp if possible and see what happens.
    Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
    -Martin Luther King Jr.

    <-Black Metal Contra Mundum->
    My Collection: - Support captive breeding

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    • #3
      oh and welcome to the forum
      Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
      -Martin Luther King Jr.

      <-Black Metal Contra Mundum->
      My Collection: - Support captive breeding

      Comment


      • #4
        So, James, do you think there is no need to heat T's in general or would you say there are exceptions? Because I always worry a bit when temperatures go down in the night especially. And what do you think about humidity? Cheers





        My Collection: - Support captive breeding

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        • #5
          Thanks James.

          I keep the heaters on all day and night. It never rises above 85f and theres a water bowl in all my tanks.
          Im more than happy with her going for a little stroll now you have said they are very energetic, that could answer to her extream speed!!!lol.

          If shes more active does that mean i can feed her a bit more??
          Is it true that they are more of an escape artist than other T's?

          Also what sort of humidity would you keep her at?

          Thanks again.

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          • #6
            spiders are hardy beasts. i try to keep my place roughly mid 20's, so that's generally an ok temperature for a spider.
            if one starts to act a little weak or lose appetite i may try raising the temp a bit (though i rarely bother with thermometers...probably not a good idea lol). temp does go down at night but i've noticed no detriment.

            the theory i go by is that a spider spends much of its time below ground during the day, hiding from the heat. the burrow stays cooler than the surface, but is more constant during the night as well within a few degrees (if anyone knows exceptions to this, please post and correct me). so chances are, nighttime temps in a reasonably heated house would be sufficient. but this should be monitored of course. on average i try to keep my temps between 20-25 but sometimes with the hot weather it's gone higher than 27...at which point i will open windows and such!

            humidity...well for adults and bigger juves i water the wetter species weekly but even the drier ones will get a bit now and then, especially if they're fasting. the spiderlings get watered weekly and are checked quite often. i am surrounded by my collection so i can usually see if there's an issue.

            A sp guatemala...i water when i think about it. i did find something on ATS http://atshq.org/articles/stop_who_goes_there.pdf that i think mentions the habitat. hope it helps. it's written by one of our mods here, Eddy Hijmensen

            btw my care works for me, and it's led me to believe that many tarantula species don't need much in the way of heat, and that usually (if they aren't too skinny) they don't need a huge deal of food, though water is importent to varying degrees. but your environment may require you to tweak any advice you get til you're sure your happy that the spiders are happy!
            Last edited by James Box; 07-07-11, 11:06 AM.
            Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars... Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.
            -Martin Luther King Jr.

            <-Black Metal Contra Mundum->
            My Collection: - Support captive breeding

            Comment


            • #7
              Ditto James. I dont use the heat mats at all really as my Ts are in the warmest room in the house and the temp is always 25 and over in the day and down to 21 at night. All depends whats best for you and for your Ts.
              When I first started keeping spiders i was constantly watching the thermometers and hygrometers setting timers etc, and it did me no good and doubt if the Ts actually benefited from the attention. I do exactly the same as James said with regards to humidity. My spiders are thriving so i think iv found what works for me.
              David Attenborough:
              ‘It seems to me that the issue of conservation of the natural world is something that can unite humanity if people know enough about it. Persuade them to change the way in which they behave, to change the view that gross materialism and the search for material wealth is not the only thing in life.’

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