Theraphosa stirmi

[Tortoise Tom]

I was talking about her on another thread and thought I'd take some pics just for fun. I'm still new to the species, so tips or advice for improvement is welcome. I tried to house her in a 10 gallon tank, but she wouldn't stay on the floor and leave the screen top alone, so I had to move her into this:

Here is the beautiful lady:

 

[Whitelightning777]

They climb when they are cold. Set up a hot side / cold side. Instead of going for height and light, the T will go left and right instead.

All my cages for all my tarantulas, even the slings, have screens. None of my terrestrials, not even once, has ever walked upon a screen. As a precaution, all my screens are fully bonded and can't snag any claws or fangs.

Jamie's tarantulas sells a wonderful acrylic enclosure that lacks a screen and doesn't sacrifice visibility. The whole point of having a tarantula is to see it.

You can also use a lower profile glass enclosure like this one I currently have mine in.

Cold can be dangerous because it can lead to falls. The price for this unit is pretty reasonable. Terra blue makes one. So does ZooMed.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

They climb when they are cold.

Pretty sure this wasn't the case for me. My reptile room is set to 78-80 degrees 24/7. Daytime ambient usually climbs to 84-86 with all the heat lamps in the room, and as high as 92 on a super hot summer day. Maybe in my case she was attempting to escape the heat and find a cooler retreat?

 

[Whitelightning777]

For cold, they go down and dark. In fact, they do that even if the heat source is under them. Are there any excess feeders or mites in the substrate?

Did you mix vermaculite or sand into the substrate or something else that the T stirmi doesn't like?

The higher temps also raise metabolism. Are you feeding it enough? Try giving it a really big hissing roach or maybe a big earthworm. See if the behavior stops. The wandering could simply be hunting behavior.

T stirmi has a rapid metabolism anyway, even with temps in the 80s. They require much more food then the typical tarantula does.

Ventilation is also an issue. They need excellent ventilation and mold could creates issues, some fatal.

The heat gradient in my enclosure keeps it fresh all the time.

There are arboreal tarantulas and even some terrestrials like E sp red that naturally like to climb but T stirmi generally doesn't act that way. They have fossoral tendencies, or should, kinda like a baboon tarantula except with urticating hairs and 4 times as large.

 

[WolfSpider]

Awesome pics and an awesome tarantula Tom! Another Tom (Moran) talks about custom enclosures from an acrylic manufacturer.
I don’t have the link, but it is the vid where he is rehousing his juvie balfouri colony into their forever enclosure.

BUT......Your set-up already rocks!

 

[Whitelightning777]

I was talking about her on another thread and thought I'd take some pics just for fun. I'm still new to the species, so tips or advice for improvement is welcome. I tried to house her in a 10 gallon tank, but she wouldn't stay on the floor and leave the screen top alone, so I had to move her into this:
View attachment 33866

View attachment 33867

Here is the beautiful lady:
View attachment 33868

View attachment 33869

View attachment 33870

I like how you cut the windows in the sides!!

 

[Whitelightning777]

Awesome pics and an awesome tarantula Tom! Another Tom (Moran) talks about custom enclosures from an acrylic manufacturer.
I don’t have the link, but it is the vid where he is rehousing his juvie balfouri colony into their forever enclosure.

BUT......Your set-up already rocks!

Do you mean these?


https://jamiestarantulas.com/enclosures/large-adult-enclosures/

 

[Arachnoclown]

Man...
Theres alot of bad and misleading info about T. Stirmi's in this thread.
Dont know if I can touch this one without being really blunt.
Think I'll just move on.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Pretty sure this wasn't the case for me. My reptile room is set to 78-80 degrees 24/7. Daytime ambient usually climbs to 84-86 with all the heat lamps in the room, and as high as 92 on a super hot summer day. Maybe in my case she was attempting to escape the heat and find a cooler retreat?

I'll leave this...your right. T. Stirmi's hate the heat. Give her much deeper substrate in your 10 gallon tank and she wont climb around.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

Man...
Theres alot of bad and misleading info about T. Stirmi's in this thread.
Dont know if I can touch this one without being really blunt.
Think I'll just move on.

How is anybody going to learn if you keep it to yourself? Please share. I'm eager to learn whatever you are teaching! If you don't want to do it here, please send me a message.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

For cold, they go down and dark. In fact, they do that even if the heat source is under them. Are there any excess feeders or mites in the substrate?

Did you mix vermaculite or sand into the substrate or something else that the T stirmi doesn't like?

The higher temps also raise metabolism. Are you feeding it enough? Try giving it a really big hissing roach or maybe a big earthworm. See if the behavior stops. The wandering could simply be hunting behavior.

T stirmi has a rapid metabolism anyway, even with temps in the 80s. They require much more food then the typical tarantula does.

Ventilation is also an issue. They need excellent ventilation and mold could creates issues, some fatal.

The heat gradient in my enclosure keeps it fresh all the time.

There are arboreal tarantulas and even some terrestrials like E sp red that naturally like to climb but T stirmi generally doesn't act that way. They have fossoral tendencies, or should, kinda like a baboon tarantula except with urticating hairs and 4 times as large.

No mites. Brand new set up with freshly rehydrated coco coir. No other stuff added.

The whole top is open, so lots of ventilation.

I feed her an adult male dubia every three or four days. I tried giving it two the day it was up on the screen, but it was right back up there the next day. The abdomen is and was quite plump. Here is what the original set up looked like:

 

[WolfSpider]

Curious...why is @Tortoise Tom’s substrate not deep enough @Arachnoclown ? Correct me please....i thought juvies, sub-adults, and adults don’t burrow. Thanks, Bro.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

I like how you cut the windows in the sides!!

I bought those at Home Depot. They come that way. I was going to use them for a baby snake, but I was worried that the seal wasn't tight enough for a little tiny baby snake, so I bought something a little different for the snake that seals better around the top.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Theraphosa stirmis first off are not active when they are cold...no spider is. Stirmi's are never seen in the heat of the day in the wild. During the day they live underground or in logs ect...to escape the heat of the day. They do not like heat. When they are found in the wild during the day it's usually always a wondering Male. At night when the temps hit in the mid to low 70s they emerge to hunt. All my stirmis are under ground all day everyday. I have to tease them out with a blade of grass during the day to get them to come out. As soon as evening hits they start coming out to hunt and breathe the cool air. They are by far most active between 70-75 degrees.
A stirmi running around trying to climb tells me one of two things. First thing is temperature. If theres not enough substrate or deep enough burrow they can't escape the heat. 4-6" of substrate should be fine in most enclosures. I also have found that the 12" exoterra reptile caves work great buried to help maintain the under ground environment. Second... if theres not enough moisture in the soil or lack of water to drink they will search for it.
Soil types they dont care about, topsoil, coco fiber, vermiculite, sand, rock they dont care what you use...its all personal preference only. Just keep it moist.
Fungus and mold is not a problem as most people think. Fungus and mold are much worse in the wild and this species has survived millions of years. Just remove it if you wish.
They dont have a rapid metabolism either...they just require a larger meal. Hissers, house geckos, pinkie mice or alot of red runners and crickets are all good meals for stirmis. Ill occasionally give them a large exotic feeder but hissers are the usual go to. Earthworms....no. Earthworms are low in all nutrients and full of dry matter. Not worth the effort to feed a captive T.

 

[Tortoise Tom]

Theraphosa stirmis first off are not active when they are cold...no spider is. Stirmi's are never seen in the heat of the day in the wild. During the day they live underground or in logs ect...to escape the heat of the day. They do not like heat. When they are found in the wild during the day it's usually always a wondering Male. At night when the temps hit in the mid to low 70s they emerge to hunt. All my stirmis are under ground all day everyday. I have to tease them out with a blade of grass during the day to get them to come out. As soon as evening hits they start coming out to hunt and breathe the cool air. They are by far most active between 70-75 degrees.
A stirmi running around trying to climb tells me one of two things. First thing is temperature. If theres not enough substrate or deep enough burrow they can't escape the heat. 4-6" of substrate should be fine in most enclosures. I also have found that the 12" exoterra reptile caves work great buried to help maintain the under ground environment. Second... if theres not enough moisture in the soil or lack of water to drink they will search for it.
Soil types they dont care about, topsoil, coco fiber, vermiculite, sand, rock they dont care what you use...its all personal preference only. Just keep it moist.
Fungus and mold is not a problem as most people think. Fungus and mold are much worse in the wild and this species has survived millions of years. Just remove it if you wish.
They dont have a rapid metabolism either...they just require a larger meal. Hissers, house geckos, pinkie mice or alot of red runners and crickets are all good meals for stirmis. Ill occasionally give them a large exotic feeder but hissers are the usual go to. Earthworms....no. Earthworms are low in all nutrients and full of dry matter. Not worth the effort to feed a captive T.

Thank you.

 

[Whitelightning777]

The metabolism thing is strange.

Why in the world do they eat so much, out of proportion to their size?

They do like it in the 70s. According to my infrared thermometer, she's always either 77 or 78 degrees & does spend most of her time in the burrow.

One must make sure she can't grab the lanyard cord or she'll run off with it & it's an ordeal to get it back!!

The supplies to complete her new cage for transfer are still in the mail. Amazon is backed up.