Captive Care and Breeding of Holothele incei
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The following article was originally published in the premiere issue of ARACHNOCULTURE in early 2005. It has not been revised for this release.
Holothele incei
Holothele incei (F.O.P.-Cambridge, 1898) is a small species originating from scrub and tropical rainforest areas of Trinidad where it is relatively common. Often called the "Trinidad Olive", it is a fascinating species to rear. I have had specimens in my collection for nearly ten years and have been lucky enough to breed them on several occasions. Similar in colouration to another Trinidad species, Psalmopoeus cambridgei, H. incei is clothed in olive green and brown hairs and the carapace takes on a beautiful golden tinge as the females mature. The abdomen is similarly patterned with chevrons. Males are around half the size of the female when mature and lack the chevron pattern on the abdomen. The carapace takes on a silvery appearance and the legs are grey/brown with the tarsi almost black. Surprisingly large as spiderlings, they have a voracious appetite from day one and grow relatively quickly, attacking prey from the safety of their burrows.
On average, females only reach 60 mm [2 in] in legspan. They are copious web-spinners, filling their containers with thick silken tubes tunneling through the substrate. Housing is a simple affair and any medium to large container will suffice. A deep substrate (peat or peat/vermiculite mix) will allow the spider to burrow but it will do equally well with less, constructing its retreat around the sides of the container. Kept at average temperatures of around 75°F [24°C] with 65-70% relative humidity, I have found them easy to rear, with females living around eight years in captivity.
Easily bred in captivity, courtship for this species is long and involves much leg drumming from the responsive female. Fresh males are under no threat but it is noted that the female may kill the male instantly on a second introduction. Eggsacs are laid some three weeks after mating. Approximately four weeks later the fully formed spiderlings emerge, totaling around 100.