My Silver Spiders - Calisoga longitarsus

Calisoga longitarsus (technically known as Brachythele longitarsus due to a taxonomy error long in the past) are members of the family Nemesiidae, which is not too distantly related to Theraphosidae, the tarantula family.

Adult females range from about 3-4" (8-10cm) diagonal legspan. Adult males can approach this legspan, but are a much lighter build. Some adult males are considerably smaller than females, around 1/8 their weight. In salubrious conditoins in captivity males can mature in under 2 years (and die well under 3 years) and females can mature in under 3 years and live to around 10 years. In nature all these times are probably doubled (with long lifespans to lucky females).

Adult females and near adults of both sexes are typically very quick to present a threat display. They will bite a careless owner, but one (nice) functional difference between these spiders and tarantulas is that these spiders do not have enough sticky pads on their feet to climb vertical smooth surfaces, like glass. This makes managing sometimes crabby spiders much easier!

The coloration of these spiders is particularly interesting. In most light conditions they are essentially brown, with only hints of their metallic colors. In the right kinds of bright light, like a camera flash and some natural and room lighting they show off much more dramatic effects. They become silver with baby blue highlights and rainbow iridescense. The babies start out a sort of translucent white color and do not gain this adult coloration until they are around half grown. Even then, the enhanced coloration is most apparent in adults. Mature females and males display full enhancement, contrary to a lot of other "fancy" mygalomorph/tarantula species.

Thanks for watching.

the male in this video was provided by www.kenthebugguy.com

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Calisoga
• longitarsus
• silver
• spider
• tarantula
• cousin
• Brachythele
• metallic
• iridescent
• Nemesiidae
• mating
• pretty
• colors
• SCABIES
• angry

[Phar2Rekliss]

i just caught a young one. Around 2+inches while walking. I dont know what to do for a home for it. Its in small plastic jar type container right now. i need ideas if im going to keep it or let it go as a ambassador for me to enjoy for these 7 days and free it.

[cacoseraph]

@Phar2Rekliss very cool! they are quite easy to take care of, once you get past their anger issues. you just need one small and one large tupperware. cut a hole big enough for the spider to climb thru in the small tupperware's bottom. pack an inch of substrate (dirt will work in a pinch, compressed coconut from a petstore is probably better) into the large tup. flip the small tup over and bury it so the hole is now a door and the small tup is where the spider will live. msg me with any q's

[VenusianEvolution]

I want some!!!  Trade?

[cacoseraph]

@VenusianEvolution i got an eggsac but my cooling system failed in the middle of an Arizona summer and the eggsac was destroyed :/ you can check kenthebugguy website (hint, it's a COMmercial website) and he might have adults or at least babies to buy. that is who i got my male from

[Sillilesshells]

they are beautiful :)

[cacoseraph]

@Sillilesshells i would say thank you, but i did not have anything to do with it :) they are one of the most striking spiders (in more than one way) that i have ever had the pleasure of finding, though, to be sure :)

[zacharge13]

It is quite interesting that Calisoga's are popular with arachnid hobbyists. I find these quite often while field herping (searching for and photographing reptiles and amphibians) under both natural (rocks, logs, etc) and artificial (wooden boards, tin, objects used to attract snakes) cover and mgith I say, these things are fierce!

[BaileysShopofScales]

@cacoseraph Those are awesome! I love how spirited the female is. May I ask you to upload a "collection video", showing off all the inverts that you keep/breed?

[VaatiTheWindDemon]

What a lovely sterling silver color, cute aggression too.

[Godsendx117]

awesome! i love spiders as long as i dont find them in my house lol. unless i had a tarantuala