A question frequently asked about OBTs.

[Enn49]

There has long been discussion as to whether OBTs are terrestrial or arboreal or just semi-arboreal.
My first OBT came to me as a juvie and began her home at the bottom of a 12x12x18" ExoTerra and gradually built her web tunnel upwards to a platform at the top where she displayed herself regularly.
2 days ago I rehoused my current OBT RCF juvie into an 8x8x10" arboreal container and guess what it began with a small doorway at the bottom but then changed its mind and moved to the top of the wood and has built itself a web cave.
So in answer to the question I will definitely say given the right conditions they choose to be arboreal.

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[Tarantulafeets]

In my experience, my two 1.5 inch obts have about 3-4 inches of sub and both nearly dug to the bottom, maybe it just varies by the individual.

 

[Enn49]

In my experience, my two 1.5 inch obts have about 3-4 inches of sub and both nearly dug to the bottom, maybe it just varies by the individual.

My current one I've had from a tiny sling and in the small container it webbed to the top and sat on top until it was disturbed. It is now around 2" dls.
The secret is not to give them too much substrate to burrow in then they will go upwards instead.

 

[ilovebrachys]

All of ours are housed as arboreal and they all make full use of it - even when they've had the option to burrow down

 

[m0lsx]

I find ours, largely like to burrow as slings, but with some webbing & height & then largely like some height as they grow. Our 2 OBT juvi's which are probably around 2.5 inches DLS, are both webbed up behind some bark, with the bottom of the webbing slightly below surface level. They both also spend time out in the open running for the bottom of their webbing at the first sign of movement.

Our last adult was 100% out at height in her webbing. She was much more laid back than our current slings.

 

[I just need all the T's]

What the heck have I just read?
Finally! Finally! Yes yes and yes!
This is exactly how I ended up housing mine and it worked out perfectly. I say that and I'm talking about as adults or even my sub adults. I'm not at all suggesting they are more aborial,but they will if giving the chance ime go to the top of the hide and sit.

I'm also after tons of hours of research doing the same thing with chilobrachys hunina because in the wild they show the same behavior and honestly I've been trying to figure out a proper way to house them. We have eight two aren't mine .none of them have dug as much as an inch. They web up and any disturbing will draw them out and it's not from hey you has cheese burger?
I feel like because yes in the wild they do behave with aborial activity so if I give them the option to do either dig or go up and web up a half round and feel secure. I won't have half the battle trying to totally simple maintenance and have a huge chilobrachys zooming across her tank.

 

[SullivanC]

I think best way to find out is prepare the enclosure with lots of substrate to burrow and keep cork barks and some height so the obt would have option to act as terrestrial, fossorial or semi-arboreal whichever style it prefers in the next rehousing prepare the enclosure in a way obt prefers instead

 

[VaporRyder]

My two were both climbers. I think they often prefer height, as seen in Guy Tansley’s Bugs & Stuff video in Tanzania. At the very least, they’re highly adaptive.

 

[Lawrence b]

My OBT lives in Cork bark tube in 30x30c30 exo ,but suppose the only way to find out is to give them the option , also might be down to the individual,

 

[arachbiodude]

Mine got out of cage and for a month was lost. Found it on bathroom window shelf eating flies and it had no web.

 

[arachbiodude]

I guess arboreal because it was living on window ledge. LOL