H lividum

[Red devil]

I have a large h lividum and I'm a little worried. I am having a hard time determining if it's stress or pre molt. She had been out late at night on the sides of her enclosure. Then she holed up a bit in her hide but had a hole to get in and out of. She has yet to burrow. She did start a molt mat but after a few days tore it apart and retreated to her hide. Now her hide is filled top to bottom at the entrance. She has refused food for 3/4 weeks now. Any thoughts? Questions? This is my first high humidity t. I have a small collection of 8 it's but she seems to need much more attention which is fine just want to be sure I'm giving the right attention. Thanks in advance.

Craig

 

[Nicolas C]

Hi Craig. Could you please give us these informations:
- how long has she been in this enclosure?
- what are the temps?
- how moist is the substrate, specially down her hole?
- have you spotted mites?
- is it possible to post pictures of her enclosure?
- not sure I understood: is she in her sealed hide right now?

This could very well be premolt, but it's good to check.


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[Nicolas C]

To be out late at night (hunting) is normal for burrowing spp. like C lividum. But then she shouldn't refuse food...


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[Red devil]

Hi Craig. Could you please give us these informations:
- how long has she been in this enclosure?
- what are the temps?
- how moist is the substrate, specially down her hole?
- have you spotted mites?
- is it possible to post pictures of her enclosure?
- not sure I understood: is she in her sealed hide right now?

This could very well be premolt, but it's good to check.


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She had been in the enclosure for about a month. Her change in behavior is last couple weeks. Substrate is/Was quite damp. Peat/vermic/coco fiber blend with 8 inches. No mited or mold. I've created more vents to "dry out" some of the surface. Temp 75. Humidity was at 85 tho I've let it drop to 70 last couple days again with effort to dry it up a bit. With her size 20 gallon. She is holed up under a half log. Side against glass has web and front is filled up completely and she is in her hide.

 

[Red devil]

To be out late at night (hunting) is normal for burrowing spp. like C lividum. But then she shouldn't refuse food...


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I was having a hard time keeping the humidity up so I was using moss and thought may have been the food issue. Now I use no moss as her enclosure is in a new location where it is so much easier to regulate.

 

[Red devil]

To be out late at night (hunting) is normal for burrowing spp. like C lividum. But then she shouldn't refuse food...


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I fed her a day or two before moving her and she ate fine. But she was in the 2.5 gallon from the store since they were afraid to move her.

 

[Red devil]

She finally came put! Just happened to get crickets today so put a few in for her. Not the best pic, my camera sucks.

 

[MassExodus]

Howdy Craig, Im Waylon. Ive kept a female lividum for about five years now. I keep a very large water dish in her enclosure and use a pvc pipe to inject water at the bottom levels of her substrate. I do let her dry out occasionally, but keep the waterdish full. Is it possible you have a mature male? That will cause wandering. MM lividum are much less brightly colored than females, and are in fact sexually diamorphic from females. Pics would help. That said, I do occasionally catch mine out on the sides of the enclosure.

 

[Red devil]

Howdy Craig, Im Waylon. Ive kept a female lividum for about five years now. I keep a very large water dish in her enclosure and use a pvc pipe to inject water at the bottom levels of her substrate. I do let her dry out occasionally, but keep the waterdish full. Is it possible you have a mature male? That will cause wandering. MM lividum are much less brightly colored than females, and are in fact sexually diamorphic from females. Pics would help. That said, I do occasionally catch mine out on the sides of the enclosure.

From all I've read I believe this to be a female. I'm also a firm believer of having fresh water in all my t's enclosures.

However since she was finally out again and on the ground some what away from her hide i put some crickets in there but she hasn't are any yet. She is out again building a web. It's seems to loom like a burrow web but still to early to tell.

Any thoughts on this type bo behavior? I'm thinking I had the enclosure to moist and humid. Sound about right?

 

[MassExodus]

From all I've read I believe this to be a female. I'm also a firm believer of having fresh water in all my t's enclosures.

However since she was finally out again and on the ground some what away from her hide i put some crickets in there but she hasn't are any yet. She is out again building a web. It's seems to loom like a burrow web but still to early to tell.

Any thoughts on this type bo behavior? I'm thinking I had the enclosure to moist and humid. Sound about right?

That's a male Sorry to be the bearer of bad news..he's probably making a sperm web..

 

[Red devil]

That's a male Sorry to be the bearer of bad news..he's probably making a sperm web..

How can you tell it's a male? I thought they were more brown. Also I don't see the hooks associated with a male. Here is another pic. No molt between pics

 

[MassExodus]

From what I've seen, males all have that exact light blue and silver coloration. Females never turn light blue, they stay dark blue all their lives. I'm not sure if lividum get hooks, I'll check though. But yeah, that's a male, 100%.

 

[Red devil]

From my research you can not tell male from female till the final maturity molt. Is this correct? Any other way to verify sex besides just color?

 

[Red devil]

Since there seems to be a consensus that this is a male and it's not eating, closing off in the hide, eventadently making a sperm web, how much longer is this one going to live?

 

[Pasodama]

H. lividum males do get tibial hooks upon its ultimate molt.
Also, the mature male, after its ultimate molt, turns a gray & brown type color... which make the knee stripes stand out more as well.

 

[MassExodus]

Since there seems to be a consensus that this is a male and it's not eating, closing off in the hide, eventadently making a sperm web, how much longer is this one going to live?

Roughly a year. Some don't make it that long. Some go two years before passing. I had a mm porteri last 2 1/2 years.

 

[Red devil]

H. lividum males do get tibial hooks upon its ultimate molt.
Also, the mature male, after its ultimate molt, turns a gray & brown type color... which make the knee stripes stand out more as well.

Ok. I'm a bit confused then. This one still has a blue color legs and abdomen. I'm not seeing brown. I did not see swollen bulbs or hooks. Although any recommend ways to check this one... . Not exactly an easy task.

 

[Red devil]

What's the time period they are viable for mating? Maybe someone be interested in a good deal for him.

 

[Pasodama]

Ok. I'm a bit confused then. This one still has a blue color legs and abdomen. I'm not seeing brown. I did not see swollen bulbs or hooks. Although any recommend ways to check this one... . Not exactly an easy task.

If your H. lividum happens to be a male, it is certainly not a mature male.

In order to check it's sex, prior to maturity, you could:
1. Post clear ventral shot/s with a request for forum members to sex it.
2. Wait until it molts and examine its exuvia.

 

[Red devil]

Thanks. Any suggestions for how to go about getting the pics?? Very feisty and attacks at the drop of a dime.