Well... there is no way in hell that I will be able make it anywhere near a computer for long enough to type out a profile this week... so I will just post this week's profile tonight a day early
I am a little grumpy today so I think its fitting to profile a species that matches my mood so now for this week's centerfold....
Species: Haplopelma Lividium
Common Names: Cobalt Blue, Burmese birdeater
General Description:
This is an obligate burrowing species that hails from Thailand and Burma. Often found in rice paddis (however the hell that is suposed to be spelled) at the base of the plants. They web more than most species, likely to provide stability to the mushy damp soil they live in.
These are one of the most beautiful of all tarantula species. Photos never quite do them justice, as you need to look at them from different angles to properly admire their shiny metallic blue sheen. From some angles they appear dark black and others they look blue. Males are more drab than the females and appear to be a blackish blue. Whats the catch you ask? Well... as it usually is in nature... if it has striking beauty its usually warning you about something!
These are one of the CRANKIEST species I have worked with... easily I compare their personalities to that of a woman suffering from dementia hopped up on crack and going through menopause while trying to quit smoking... yes they really are that testy!
Housing:
I recommend keeping this species in a deep Kritter Keeper with a small trapdoor lid. When you open the lid to do anything you can rest assured that you will be welcomed with an impressive threat display and repeated fang strikes to try and ward you off. Since humidity is more of an issue with this species than most, what I do is have a slightly higher percentage of peet moss in the soil/moss mixture. I am always sure to keep the water dish full and the soil damp (not wet). Mine adopted a pre-made burrow that I constructed for her by cutting the bottom out of a deli cup and burying it on an angle in the soil.
Temperature and Humidity:
80F and 80% humidity seems to be the key for mine.
Feeding:
I feed mine slightly more often than most species because the higher heat and humidity seems to give them a faster metabolism and they have a bigger appetite. A fat cricket twice a week has done mine well.
Personal Notes:
Most definitely NOT a beginner species... of all the people I know that have been bitten by tarantulas this is the species that has usually done it. I came very close to being tagged myself (I was quick enough that her legs hit me instead of her fangs) this was my closest call to date.
You probably wont see much of yours unfortunately because they pretty much spend all their time in their burrows. Mine seems to be coming out a lot more now that I have had her a while.
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