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Honduran Curly Hair

DewDrop

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3 Year Member
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131
Location
United States
It sounds like a tarantula that would be perfect for my living room in a habitat that I have already picked out. The Brachy Albo burrows, likes some humidity, likes to stay warm and there is a spot that a habitat would look great in. I have been thinking about this one studying it for at least 4 months off and on during this year. Give me your best questions. This is what I do know please correct me if I am wrong.

Brachypelma albopilosum is a terrestrial spider who requires humidity from 60 to 80 percent. The burrowing nature of this tarantula requires that it have a substrate that it can burrow. Peat moss microwaved prior for 5 to 8 minutes let to cool is a cheap alternative that can work. A hide is not necessary for a spiderling because it will burrow. As the Brachy Albo, (Honduran Curly Hair) grows it will need a hide as well as a water dish. This tarantula continues to grow with age. It's lifespan as a female is roughly up to about 15 years in captivity. CITES lists this tarantula as endangered in the wild. It is still a common captive raised tarantula in the pet trade.

The substrate can be in slight excess of 5 inches but 3 is suggested for adults. A spiderling can be comfortable in 2 inches. Length not height for the terrestrial spider enclosure. It's native location is in the ATlantic side of Honduras, north eastern Costa Rica and it can be found within the Atlantic coastline in Central America. Tropical climate is what the Brachy Palmo is used to in nature. They can be found near rivers and close to trees in clear areas of the rain forest.

The Honduran Curly Hair is an ambush predator. Their diet consists of invertebrates and vertebrates in the wild. In captivity roaches, crickets and perhaps feeder mice of various juvenile ages. Feeding mice and other vertebrates is a huge risk. Not one I am inclined to take.

Anything I am missing?


Study comes first before purchase of any new spider. If I don't feel like I know enough, I do not buy. So far it looks like I have all the basics down. As this will be my last spider, after three there will be no more room for quaint display. So, the Brachy albo has a non medically significant bite is docile and just a big old friendly seeming tarantula, that will be a display pet as I will not handle more than an occasional pat with a make up brush. They remove their waste from their burrow so cleaning should be easy.

There has to be something I am missing.
 
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Enn49

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Malton, UK
B. albo is an great T to have. My love of them began with a freebie, I'd don't think I'd have bought one from choice, but I soon fell for the busy little T and bought 2 more. As slings they do burrow but you can see them at work down below and they are constantly shoveling substrate around. They prefer dry substrate, I use coco fibre for mine and as long as they have a water bowl, slings can manage with a bottle top, they'll be fine. Once they reach 1-1.5" they spend more and more time on the surface, 2 of mine no longer hide away at all although the smallest still has a bolt hole.
 

DewDrop

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
131
Location
United States
Thanks Scoolman. Honduran Curly Hair tarantulas can live it says on another site in excess of twenty years. I like to make sure I know all I can even if it is bare basics before I purchase such a large and welcomed commitment. I have the habitat set up and awaiting, I like the way it looks even without the spider in it. It was a decision made based on the longevity, aesthetics of the environment, education the tarantula provides as it is still one of those that have not been fully researched in the wild. The keeping of it could also potentially help the spider to recover from it's lower numbers in the wild in the event it has to ever be reintroduced into the wild. Tarantula keeping as a hobby is a valuable resource for that possibility in the event hobbyists actually have way or choice to be a part of that reintroduction because of the availability of the Curly Hair in the pet trade. Habitat loss has been credited with the diminishing numbers not just importation. Importation and exportation from the wild requires a legal permit. Captive raised spiderlings in the pet trade have helped lower the numbers of importation along with the good judgement of CITES.

That was the biggest issue, the spiders being housing challenged in the wild. I decided that a way to help increase the numbers is to buy captive raised and at least enjoy such a precious tarantula while they are still around. There may come a day where all the captive raising has to be focused on reintroducing numbers into the wild. But not today! Today I get to have one as a display pet. As I wait for shipping I am reading what I can on the environment that pertains for fun. The hobby has been a valuable way to teach my child about nature, conservation and the importance of habitats. Not just the spiders but the environment. With the tarantulas we already have it is clear exactly how important the environment is. Gardening didn't work and crochet was plain boring as a youth activity that was at most interesting to us parents. The fact that the responsibility gets to be handed down, is another reminder about how important the education about ecology is. In order for future generations to have, the ones now have to share the knowledge about how to save what we have all got when it comes to nature, it has to be nurtured.

We won't be importing or exporting and have already made a purchase with Jamie's Tarantulas and are awaiting shipping after the holidays. For now we don't have a worry at all about the spider, it's in great capable hands, we know it'll be taken care of in shipping and make it, then, it gets to have a little piece of nature in a habitat all it's own when it gets here.
 

DewDrop

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
131
Location
United States
Cloud forests and montane forests (mountain) are the type of forests where these Tarantulas can be found. They have a slow growth pattern. Five to ten gallons is what the adults require in enclosure size. The temperature can range from 70f to 85f. Humidity for this tarantula also called the Wooly Tarantula is 70 to 80 percent. These tarantulas do have urticating hairs on their abdomen.

One last point to make. These tarantulas inhabit areas that tribal people do live in. Whether right in the same location or merely in the same country, the spiders do share origin. With that known it can only be assumed that there may be folk relevance or relevance to their tribal way of life in regards to the spiders. With the tarantulas we keep as pets, we really must realize that some of these spiders might be part of Anthropology as well as Entomology and Ecology. There is so much folklore in general, just at first glance, it will take me awhile with the company of the Curly Hair to explore the world through Anthropology study just online alone. It is just amazing to me that we keep these pets and yet there is hardly any talk about the anthropology associated with the areas of their native origins. You know why that is? Maybe because people are too busy studying it to have a piece of the world's culture to themselves through education.

It is a long blog of a post. The info is there if anyone wants to respond or correct.
 
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MassExodus

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Outside San Antonio, TX
Just one thing DewDrop, never worry about exact humidity levels, they vary in the wild, and they will vary in enclosures. Just a water dish is required for this species. Although occasionally making it rain doesn't hurt any spider ;)
 

Chubbs

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Just one thing DewDrop, never worry about exact humidity levels, they vary in the wild, and they will vary in enclosures. Just a water dish is required for this species. Although occasionally making it rain doesn't hurt any spider ;)
This. I cannot stress this enough. Exact humidity is more of a concern with amphibians and certain reptiles. Even carnivorous plants sometimes have pretty specific humidity requirements and need to be kept continuously moist. Scorpions, while still rather lenient about humidity for the most part, can require a bit more of it as well. I would almost argue that most species of tarantulas that come from tropical environments, are more tolerant of dry conditions than tropical scorpions. What matters is that there is some level of humidity (ie. Water dish) in the enclosure.
 

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