Brachypelma boehmei the adventurer

[Jonas0]

Hey everyone, I have a specific question about my adventurous B. boehmei. She keeps climbing around her enclosure, she barely ever sits in the same spot for longer than 5 minutes (except when sleeping). I find her on the glass or upside down quite often and sometimes she even loses grip and falls. Is this normal behavior or is something wrong? It's currently 22°C in her enclosure and she sits on cocopeat in a 45X45X45 exo terra enclosure with 20cm of cocopeat, a hide, some plants, a water bowl and a skull.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[cold blood]

pics help.

But exo terras, due to front doors, are simply not appropriate for housing terrestrials....major fall risk.

 

[PhilMcWonder]

She keeps climbing around her enclosure, she barely ever sits in the same spot for longer than 5 minutes (except when sleeping). I find her on the glass or upside down quite often and sometimes she even loses grip and falls. Is this normal behavior or is something wrong?

Is she new? how long have you had her?
My Avic climbed her enclosure none stop when I got her. Keep in mind that Tarantulas explore their new homes when housing/re-housing.
Also they are terrestrial/burrowing. They like to have at lease 4 inches of substrate so they can burrow. Make sure the substrate isn't too loose, pack it down a little so that it is a little firm.

ALSO... pics. Let us see the enclosure.

 

[Jonas0]

I've had her for about five months now and she only began doing this walking 2 days ago.

pics help.

But exo terras, due to front doors, are simply not appropriate for housing terrestrials....major fall risk.

I bought her in a pet shop and the guy that sold her to me said that it was the ideal terra for her and that it was secondhand so cheap and I trusted he was giving me propper info. Afterwards that didn't seem as such a good idea, he told me 2cm of substrate was enough and he gave me some kind of bark. Luckily I looked for help on a forum.

Yes, as you can see in the pic she's missing a leg, the day I bought her, on the way home I noticed one of her legs was twisted to the wrong side in the middle and she lost it next molt.

Anyways, here is the enclosure.

 

[The Seraph]

I've had her for about five months now and she only began doing this walking 2 days ago.




I bought her in a pet shop and the guy that sold her to me said that it was the ideal terra for her and that it was secondhand so cheap and I trusted he was giving me propper info. Afterwards that didn't seem as such a good idea, he told me 2cm of substrate was enough and he gave me some kind of bark. Luckily I looked for help on a forum.

Yes, as you can see in the pic she's missing a leg, the day I bought her, on the way home I noticed one of her legs was twisted to the wrong side in the middle and she lost it next molt.

Anyways, here is the enclosure.

Okay, so about that enclosure. The height from the substrate should always be 1.5 times the diagonal legspan of the tarantula from top to substrate. They can hurt themselves easily if they fall more then that. Also, that sub is very loose. Tarantulas do not like moving on loose substrate, so pack it down. You do not need those plants or skulls. Make sure that that lamp does not give off heat.

 

[Jonas0]

Okay, so about that enclosure. The height from the substrate should always be 1.5 times the diagonal legspan of the tarantula from top to substrate. They can hurt themselves easily if they fall more then that. Also, that sub is very loose. Tarantulas do not like moving on loose substrate, so pack it down. You do not need those plants or skulls. Make sure that that lamp does not give off heat.

I had put the plants there mostly because she kept falling and I thought it'd be softer as I can't put more substrate at the front. Extra substrate is on the way for at the back and the lamp gives some heat but not too much, doesn't really get too hot underneath there.

I'll pack down the substrate, hope that keeps her from climbing, everytime she falls my heart stops for a second. :/

 

[Moakmeister]

I had put the plants there mostly because she kept falling and I thought it'd be softer as I can't put more substrate at the front. Extra substrate is on the way for at the back and the lamp gives some heat but not too much, doesn't really get too hot underneath there.

I'll pack down the substrate, hope that keeps her from climbing, everytime she falls my heart stops for a second. :/

Remove the heat lamp entirely, it’s completely unnecessary and can lead to your spider burning to death.

 

[cold blood]

I've had her for about five months now and she only began doing this walking 2 days ago.




I bought her in a pet shop and the guy that sold her to me said that it was the ideal terra for her and that it was secondhand so cheap and I trusted he was giving me propper info. Afterwards that didn't seem as such a good idea, he told me 2cm of substrate was enough and he gave me some kind of bark. Luckily I looked for help on a forum.

Yes, as you can see in the pic she's missing a leg, the day I bought her, on the way home I noticed one of her legs was twisted to the wrong side in the middle and she lost it next molt.

Anyways, here is the enclosure.

Never, and I can't stress this enough...NEVER listen to pet store advice.....they are typically clueless.

A missing leg is pretty inconsequential....it will grow back.

 

[Jonas0]

So no heat lamp? ok, guess room temperature is going up than.

Yeah, I've read that, wasn't too worried about the leg, more about her falling, I really don't understand why she climbs, falls and than just climbs up again.

 

[Moakmeister]

So no heat lamp? ok, guess room temperature is going up than.

Yeah, I've read that, wasn't too worried about the leg, more about her falling, I really don't understand why she climbs, falls and than just climbs up again.

The temperature of the room usually doesn't even matter. They're pretty much comfortable whenever you're comfortable. This time of year, my bedroom is in the low 60's Fahrenheit, which is around 16-17 Celsius. During the summer, it's in the low eighties, which is 28ish. My tarantula is fine with it.

 

[Mirandarachnid]

If you put the plants in there to make it softer when she falls, why didn't you take out the skulls? If she falls on one of those, it would be very bad. I would take those out ASAP, especially considering you've seen her fall multiple times. Having a living spider is better than a pretty enclosure.

 

[Andrea82]

I would rehouse the sling in something a lot smaller. Like, half of the enclosure you now have it in. Get a plastic tub from a household wares store (there's a Hema in Belgium too if I remember correctly, they have good tupperware), poke some holes in it with a heated fork, some substrate, a piece of cork to hide under, add a waterdish and you're done
www.theraphosidae.be has some good info by the way if you're looking for advice in Dutch/Flemish

 

[Potatatas]

So no heat lamp? ok, guess room temperature is going up than. Yeah, I've read that, wasn't too worried about the leg, more about her falling, I really don't understand why she climbs, falls and than just climbs up again.

Room temp is fine. No need for any heating. Anywhere between 18c to 28c is fine for them. And can tolerate a little higher/lower for a time.

If its climbing you really need to decrease the height at which it can fall from ASAP. Ts have big heavy butts which can rupture from a fall which has been game over for many Ts

Your enclosure looks awesome but just not suitable for a terrestrial unfoetunately. Couldnt see how big your T is but Id go with a cheapy plastic tub for now and then get a more display type enclosure when you can. For terrestrials top opening enclosures usually allow for more substrate which is what you need

 

[Jonas0]

If you put the plants in there to make it softer when she falls, why didn't you take out the skulls? If she falls on one of those, it would be very bad. I would take those out ASAP, especially considering you've seen her fall multiple times. Having a living spider is better than a pretty enclosure.

yeah, I thought they increase the height but I suppose I'll take them out.

She has an 8cm legspan now (about 3') I should rehouse her untill she's bigger than?

 

[SteveIDDQD]

Look for "braplast" tubs. I've just put an 8cm brachypelma in the large flat version and it's a perfect size for now. I'm sure you'd get one for less than 4 euros.
Or, just any old plastic tub with the ventilation holes drilled or melted into the sides.
Make sure she has a decent hide (not a skull, something dark inside with substrate for the floor), and make sure the substrate isn't too loose or wet, that should stop the wandering.

 

[Jonas0]

Look for "braplast" tubs. I've just put an 8cm brachypelma in the large flat version and it's a perfect size for now. I'm sure you'd get one for less than 4 euros.
Or, just any old plastic tub with the ventilation holes drilled or melted into the sides.
Make sure she has a decent hide (not a skull, something dark inside with substrate for the floor), and make sure the substrate isn't too loose or wet, that should stop the wandering.

Wet... I think you discovered why she was wandering I had put new cocopeat in there (from a brick) and that's the top layer now, so it's not really dry, didn't really think of that. Is this 45X45X45 fine when she gets het adult size or will it still be a bit too big?

 

[Potatatas]

Is this 45X45X45 fine when she gets het adult size or will it still be a bit too big?

It's a front opening enclosure isn't it? Front openers don't allow you to add enough substrate for terrestrials. It would be great for an arboreal if you get one in the future though.

 

[SteveIDDQD]

Wet... I think you discovered why she was wandering I had put new cocopeat in there (from a brick) and that's the top layer now, so it's not really dry, didn't really think of that. Is this 45X45X45 fine when she gets het adult size or will it still be a bit too big?

If she cuts out the climbing, it'll be ok. Just slope the substrate up towards the back to reduce the fall height for most of enclosure.

 

[Jonas0]

It's a front opening enclosure isn't it? Front openers don't allow you to add enough substrate for terrestrials. It would be great for an arboreal if you get one in the future though.

I have an L. violaceopes sling, I'll use this one for her when she gets bigger.

 

[SteveIDDQD]

L. violaceopes... Wow, that's a step up from a boehmei !