Haplopelma sp. and Lasidora Kulgi

[wade]

I just ordered two T's,
The first, Haplopelma sp Vietnam
The second, L. Kulgi

Now i have had a few LP's before so im sure care os about the same. This one is a .5 sling

As for the Haplopelma, this will be my first. Its 1" unsexed. I have a A. Seemanni, would the care be about the same just a bit more humid?

 

[swimbait]

I think H. sp Vietnams are terrestrial correct? Provide it with several inches of dirt!!

 

[wade]

Yea i have read that they are obligate borrowers, i have an A. Seenanni that stays in a burrow most of the time

 

[micheldied]

As far as I have heard (I haven't had A. seemanni), many people keep them dry or only damp on one side of the enclosure. Haplopelma, however, are true tropical Ts and require pretty moist substrate, although they are very hardy compared to many other humidity-loving tropicals.

 

[Nicolas C]

Yeah, Haplopelma are obligate burrowers, more - so to say - than A seemani. You should give your Haplo a great depth of substrate (at least 15 cm = 6 inches) for her/him to dig a deep and cosy burrow. You can pre-start a burrow in digging a little hole of some centimeters (like with a spoon): it'll help her/him to settle down. I keep the substrate moist (not damp) by pouring once a week some water in a corner and always giving a full waterdish. As micheldied has said, they are rather hardy, then don't worry too much about humidity, but avoid keeping them on completely dry substrate.

Haplo spend all their time inside their hole, but if you don't overfeed them, you'll see yours waiting for a prey at the entrance of the burrow when night is falling.

I kind of smile when I read your Haplopelma is named "sp. Vietnam". It really means the seller has no idea at all where she/he could come from. Sp. Vietnam is so vague it's funny (at least, it could have been a sp. with a more precise location name): like Aphonopelma sp USA or Acanthoscurria sp Brazil! Yours would have been a lot more rare if her/his name was "sp. not from Vietnam"!

That being said, she/he could be a beautiful and interesting T all the way. Try posting pictures when possible (and when she/he's bigger), maybe someone here could help identify her/him.

 

[micheldied]

I feel like Haplopelma (actually Cyriapagopus now) feel more secure when given very deep substrate to burrow in, at least twice as deep as their legspan. In my experience they'll actually spend more time fully outside when they're able to make very deep burrows. I usually just used really tall jars that aren't very wide at all.