thanks Eric I will check out that site. I have them in a 10 gallon tank but Iam making two smaller terriums still not sure about soiltype they have all three gone underground plan on keeping the biggest in 10 gallon tank I think it might be female and put other two in smaller terrioms

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Well, I figured out the gender of the first two spiders. I would've said this one was a juvenile female (shadowy stripes on adbomen, robust legs) but it doesn't feel right to contradict Eric. :)

Also, Tony: I know that you've had lots of experience with tarantulas, and I've been wanting to make sure that you know that these Myrmekiaphila spiders are going to be underground practically their entire life. They might not make the best pets. Since you've mentioned hibernation a few times, it made me wonder if you new they are underground dwellers. The male will come above ground to find a mate...and they will partially expose themselves when they catch prey...but other than that, underground is where its at. (I apologize if you already knew that. To tell ya the truth, I would keep them too if I caught one. Watching it pop out to eat a cricket would be fun enough!)

thanks I will try sifting the soil Iam aware they stay pretymuch under ground what concerns me is they show no signs of building an entrance to their burrows witch they will need before they catch prey I know they can go quite a while without eating but I would feel better knowing their preparing to eat I cant wait to see one go after a cricket

I'm not sure how long it takes them to make a trap door. I wish I could tell you why they haven't yet. I read some things from another person who found this genus of spider, and he mentioned that the door they make has to do with the age of the spider and what sort of terrain it lives in. There are some other Myrmekiaphila photos on Bug Guide...and none of the ones with burrows seem to have a lid either. Strange. Here are a couple photos, in case you haven't seen them yet. And you can click on them to enlarge.



And be sure to click on this one and read what Brett Tyler wrote:


I bet they will still be able to capture prey even without a lid or door, though. I'm going to try and contact a few people that are familiar with this spider and see if they have any tips for keeping one captive (as a pet).

I bought a 20 pound bag of potting soil from family dollar store cheap with no extras no feterlizer and no pestisides then sifted all fine stuff for soil put large female in she went right to work she dug down could see her spining her lining a little while later she was spining liner outside entrance she reached out and pulled outside liner into hole until you couldnt even tell there was even a hole. today can almost make out a resembelense of a door will try to get picture also dug up another today couldnt leve it out in the cold with no home I install irrigation systems so there might be more homeles spiders to bring home you all have been very helpfull thanks alot

I am excited to hear that they are burrowing better in the new soil! Just remember that they need to be kept separate or else they will attack or kill each other. I am like you; I like to bring in the spiders I find and watch them feed and stuff, too. You may already know this but, spiders have a type of 'anti-freeze' in them and they can survive out in the cold just fine. :) So don't rescue too many or else your house will look like mine, haha. Bugs in jars in the kitchen, in my bedroom, in the bathroom, etc... ah, too many. :)