L. violaceopes: Need any advice/wisdom

[LauraMI]

Husband brought me home a L. violaceopes sling from the reptile expo Saturday. It's about 1 1/2" and in a a large deli now.
It's my first OW & while I'm comfortable owning it, I'm not finding a ton of first-hand experience on them.
Fast. Potent-venom. Fast growers. May act more terrestrial then arboreal.
What is your experience? What humidity levels? What kind of enclosure? What life-span?
I have a 24"H x 24"L x 12"D vivarium sitting empty I'll move it to once its bigger so I'm geeked about that...

 

[MatthewM1]

I would use a 32oz deli cup for its home for now. Lampropelma need slightly moist substrate, deep enough to burrow a bit but also enough height and some bark to extend their retreats upwards. Water dish of course. Beautiful sp. they've been slowly and steadily climbing my wish list.

 

[LauraMI]

I would use a 32oz deli cup for its home for now. Lampropelma need slightly moist substrate, deep enough to burrow a bit but also enough height and some bark to extend their retreats upwards. Water dish of course. Beauriful sp. they've been slowly and steadily climbing my wish list.

Already done. . Trust me, I'm not moving it anytime soon and will do so once.

 

[MatthewM1]

Yeah they're said to be pretty feisty so that's probably a good idea Not as fast or as potent as Poecilotheria but a bit more defensive.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Hello
I have a female and male,not defensive but aggressive. Since defensive would mean standing it's ground,whereas mine would actually come forward to strike that's an attack and aggressive behaviour. As for venom potency,the Lampropelma Sp. Borneo black which is family,exhibited the same results as a Stromatopelma Calceatums bite meaning the after effects. So I would guess that rates higher than a pokie,but again no worry since you aren't going to hold it. I have to add,the Sp. Borneo Black bite reports can be Googled under orange fringed tarantula it also changed genus to Lampropelma used to be in another genus.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

My Lampropelma Violaceopes male

My Lampropelma Violaceopes female

My female Lampropelma Sp. Borneo Black

 

[LauraMI]

Hello
I have a female and male,not defensive but aggressive. Since defensive would mean standing it's ground,whereas mine would actually come forward to strike that's an attack and aggressive behaviour.

Haaa! Great! But thank you for this; good warning.
What is the life expectancy on them, and substrate humidity? As said above, it's currently in a 32 oz deli w/ 4" of coir. How often should I wet that down? Frankly not too interested in a water bowl in a 4" space when I don't have tongs to reach in w/ just yet. $$ is tight and we traded for a Bearded Dragon hatchling. I only agreed because T's eat far less than that lizard does.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

I keep my Lampropelmas in a temperature of 22-26 degrees Celsius,as for humidity from 70% upwards. I mist them every 3 days,I mist onto the substrate but leaving an area dry so he or she may choose where it wants to be. This is not a rule,but what I've found to work for me. From earlier experience,females 12 years maybe more and males 4-5 years. As for enclosure, I work on 7-8 times the T's size in height and 3 times width again that's just me not a rule.

 

[LauraMI]

IAs for enclosure, I work on 7-8 times the T's size in height and 3 times width again that's just me not a rule.

Thanks for that info.
And yeah, I'm notorious for breaking the size rule. Everybody I have is in "too large" of an enclosure. So far, no problems since I switched from crickets. Worms are easy to feed as they don' t get too far. The Ts eat, web, molt... I've noticed they don't stray too far from their holes/webs, so why not have something that's pretty on my mantle then a deli cup. . I can't bring myself to put them in the closet.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Thanks for that info.
And yeah, I'm notorious for breaking the size rule. Everybody I have is in "too large" of an enclosure. So far, no problems since I switched from crickets. Worms are easy to feed as they don' t get too far. The Ts eat, web, molt... I've noticed they don't stray too far from their holes/webs, so why not have something that's pretty on my mantle then a deli cup. . I can't bring myself to put them in the closet.

I can only say this, if the T is healthy that's all that matters. As long as you make sure you feed closely to the hide,that eliminates the size issue. The only time I do differently,is when it comes to my Avicularia I use snug enclosures and haven't lost one to any reason not even Sudden avic death syndrome.

 

[Chubbs]

To me, aggressive is an animal that goes out of its way to attack humans and other animals. Humans are aggressive, wolves are aggressive, chimpanzees are aggressive. I'd consider many tarantulas to be highly defensive, but I don't consider any to be what I'd label as aggressive.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

To me, aggressive is an animal that goes out of its way to attack humans and other animals. Humans are aggressive, wolves are aggressive, chimpanzees are aggressive. I'd consider many tarantulas to be highly defensive, but I don't consider any to be what I'd label as aggressive.

Exactly what I explained,since my Lampropelma will attack not defend. Since they'd move forward,and not stand their ground only meaning defend or being defensive. Another good example of a tarantula that will actually advance to attack,Stromatopelma Calceatum. Something I've been arguing with a lot of people that say my T is defensive, it may start as a defensive behaviour but as soon as their is retaliation meaning a bite that turns into an attack meaning the aggressor has now switched. We could easily analyse this in a human fight,when I hit I'm aggressive but when I dodge or use a move to deflect an attack its defensive but as soon as I throw a punch or move to hurt the aggressor I'm now attacking and showing aggression. Sorry,but I have always loved debating this haha.

 

[Chubbs]

Tarantulas don't go out of their way to attack humans. They will only bite if they feel threatened. If you think otherwise then I think you've watched Arachnophobia (great movie btw) Too many times.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Tarantulas don't go out of their way to attack humans. They will only bite if they feel threatened. If you think otherwise then I think you've watched Arachnophobia (great movie btw) Too many times.

No I have rehoused T's a lot,with witnesses. As simple as you have your opinion,I have mine and let's leave it at that and enjoy the forum.

 

[Chubbs]

So have I, that doesn't prove a thing. But sure let's just let it rest.

 

[Denny Dee]

Tarantulas don't go out of their way to attack humans. They will only bite if they feel threatened. If you think otherwise then I think you've watched Arachnophobia (great movie btw) Too many times.

Years ago, I had an unidentified bird eating spider from South America (guessing it was related to T. blondi but was solid black (black as in EVIL). This was long before there was good info available in the hobby. That spider would attack ANYTHING. Even people simply walking past the tank caused the spider to go into a defensive stand. Nastiest animal I have ever owned. Got it from a pet shop wholesaler so was wild caught most likely but probably abused for quite some time before I ever owned it. Sad. So, I believe T's are like people. They do experience common behaviors by species but there are extreme examples of personality within the group. So, I always error in caution.

 

[Morgan94]

in the words of my boyfriend 14pokies from Arachnoboards "When left unmolested all Ts are peaceful creatures" "I've never heard of a T committing a drive by or mass genocide"

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

in the words of my boyfriend 14pokies from Arachnoboards "When left unmolested all Ts are peaceful creatures" "I've never heard of a T committing a drive by or mass genocide"

Oh I fully agree haha,but one has to rehouse or remove molts etc. There is where the fun starts,but there are sometimes exceptions to the rule who act unusually docile.

 

[Morgan94]

Oh I fully agree haha,but one has to rehouse or remove molts etc. There is where the fun starts,but there are sometimes exceptions to the rule who act unusually docile.

i totally understand that u cant let a ts natural instinct to want to be left alone get in the way of proper care and husbandry but theres no need to excesively bother them.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

i totally understand that u cant let a ts natural instinct to want to be left alone get in the way of proper care and husbandry but theres no need to excesively bother them.

I don't understand the statement about excessive bothering,who said it was okay ? or mentioned excessively bothering ? Or was it just your point of view ? The point was they are not docile,nor defensive they are aggressive. I never condone handling,prodding or continuous bothering of any specimen so we do agree on that fully. This Tarantula will move forward even if the cage door is just opened,someone on another forum then said that is defensive but was proved otherwise by the meaning of the word aggressive.