Double checking how long to wait

[Veribug]

Hey all!

So about a month ago or so I got my first T, a juvenile B. albopilosum which was sold to me as 5-6cm DLS by TSS in the UK. They rarely left their burrow so I haven't had a chance to measure myself but it seems pretty accurate.

Anyway, just over two weeks ago they blocked their burrow off. They're definitely not in pre-molt; the top of the abdomen has a sort of mottled-black patch on it but the rest of it is a sort of light brown. No shiny-ness. They also left a convenient little gap between the burrow and the plastic - almost like a letterbox - so I'm able to peer in to check they're still moving, which they are.

I know this is common, normal, and so on. Being as I can see into the burrow and know they're still alive, will intervening ever be necessary? I know some say a month without sighting and you should perhaps start to worry but if I can see them, is that different?
I was just worrying about removing boluses and things more than anything.

Oh and I've not put any crickets in since they blocked it up. That's the right thing to do yeah? Leave 'em alone?

Cheers for any advice or info!

 

[Flexzone]

As long as there is a source of water in the setup (waterdish) they'll be fine without intervention. The black patch your seeing is there urticating hair. Consider the dirt filled entrance as a "Do not disturb" sign. If there abdomen still hasn't entirely started turning dark and you still want to feed I would prekill the cricket and leave it in front of the entrance and check the next day if its been eaten..if not take it out and try again a week later.

 

[Veribug]

As long as there is a source of water in the setup (waterdish) they'll be fine. The black patch your seeing is there urticating hair. Consider the dirt filled entrance as a "Do not disturb" sign. If there abdomen still hasn't entirely started turning dark I would prekill the cricket and leave it in front of the entrance and check the next day if its been eaten..if not take it out and try again a week later.

Ahh, thank you! Yep there is a water dish in there although I've never seen her use it. Not that she hasn't but even when she used to sit outside her hide she wouldn't really leave the entrance. She seems to really love digging more than anything else in her life, haha.
Pre-killed! Silly me, what a good idea. I will try that!

Edit: I realise I flipped between they and she. I think you may have been one of the people to say they might be female but I'm trying to stick to they before a molt... 'scuse my pronouns

 

[Flexzone]

Ahh, thank you! Yep there is a water dish in there although I've never seen her use it. Not that she hasn't but even when she used to sit outside her hide she wouldn't really leave the entrance. She seems to really love digging more than anything else in her life, haha.
Pre-killed! Silly me, what a good idea. I will try that!

Yup, Mine have an affinity to dig as-well , Great sp. btw with there bed head look

 

[Veribug]

Yup, Mine have an affinity to dig as-well , Great sp. btw with there bed head look

Yes!! Kinda annoyed I didn't get one of the true curly hairs they've got over at The Spider Shop now. But seriously eyeing them up for my birthday should they still have any later in summer! (Then again they were slings and didn't wanna risk one for my first)

 

[Trenor]

I agree with Tarantula1995, they will come out when they are hungry/ready. I have a lot that have closed off the hide. Good luck with the wait.

 

[bryverine]

My little B. albiceps buried herself (found out last molt, wahoo!) for about a month after eating twice when I first got her. No sign of premolt until about the week before.

If they put up the shroud of dirt, I don't even bother offering food until they take it down. Just keep that bowl full and you'll be fine.

 

[Veribug]

Thank you all for your responses! I really appreciate information. She didn't take the pre killed so she may be fasting for whatever reason but I'm not worried. Regardless she's adorable and I appreciate the advice and information - puts my mind at ease

 

[beaker41]

This is where you need one of those mission impossible hair thin night vision spy cameras they're always poking through a ceiling or under a door

 

[Oreo]

As mentioned above it's generally a good idea to leave them undisturbed. If you have a sling or a thin looking T and it's been a while, you can open up the entrance to present food/water. Minimal disturbance is better than finding a dried up spider carcass two months later.

 

[Haksilence]

Hey all!

So about a month ago or so I got my first T, a juvenile B. albopilosum which was sold to me as 5-6cm DLS by TSS in the UK. They rarely left their burrow so I haven't had a chance to measure myself but it seems pretty accurate.

Anyway, just over two weeks ago they blocked their burrow off. They're definitely not in pre-molt; the top of the abdomen has a sort of mottled-black patch on it but the rest of it is a sort of light brown. No shiny-ness. They also left a convenient little gap between the burrow and the plastic - almost like a letterbox - so I'm able to peer in to check they're still moving, which they are.

I know this is common, normal, and so on. Being as I can see into the burrow and know they're still alive, will intervening ever be necessary? I know some say a month without sighting and you should perhaps start to worry but if I can see them, is that different?
I was just worrying about removing boluses and things more than anything.

Oh and I've not put any crickets in since they blocked it up. That's the right thing to do yeah? Leave 'em alone?

Cheers for any advice or info!

i pretty much never disturb my specimens when they do this, ive had my b. smithi spiderling stay sealed up for two entire molt cycles. (talk about frustrating). the spider knows what its doing so there is no need to stop it. only time i would advocate disturbing it is MAYBE after 3 months or so or if the enclosure starts to stink (dead tarantulas do in fact stink like hell)

 

[Veribug]

Thanks! I'm pretty thankful that I can see inside their burrow to see them moving... Otherwise I'd probably be a little more concerned. It'd be nice if they did molt though! Would love to see them bigger

 

[Sana]

Not bothering a tarantula with a sealed burrow for an extended period of time is extremely difficult. I always think that there is something wrong or something I should be doing. Fortunately everyone here has helped keep me from going off the deep end and potentially harming my tarantulas while they were just doing tarantula things. I'm getting better at it but it's still not easy, especially because I'm not a patient person. Tarantula ownership is improving that though.

 

[Abyss]

As long as there is a source of water in the setup (waterdish) they'll be fine without intervention. The black patch your seeing is there urticating hair. Consider the dirt filled entrance as a "Do not disturb" sign. If there abdomen still hasn't entirely started turning dark and you still want to feed I would prekill the cricket and leave it in front of the entrance and check the next day if its been eaten..if not take it out and try again a week later.

Agree fully and its one of the many things i find excessivly interesting about T's.
They cant see for crap and hunt almost entirely by vibrations from LIVE prey yet will somehow scavage from time to time. I just think is very cool that they have the ability to find motionless prey and distinguish it from leaf litter etc

 

[Haksilence]

Not bothering a tarantula with a sealed burrow for an extended period of time is extremely difficult. I always think that there is something wrong or something I should be doing. Fortunately everyone here has helped keep me from going off the deep end and potentially harming my tarantulas while they were just doing tarantula things. I'm getting better at it but it's still not easy, especially because I'm not a patient person. Tarantula ownership is improving that though.

ive found that this urge and pain is alleviated by simply buying more tarantulas
more tarantulas meens youre less concerned about one little guy taking a vacation underground, more to look at

 

[Flexzone]

ive found that this urge and pain is alleviated by simply buying more tarantulas
more tarantulas meens youre less concerned about one little guy taking a vacation underground, more to look at

Haha, Ive been doing the exact same. 1 turned into 50

 

[Sana]

ive found that this urge and pain is alleviated by simply buying more tarantulas
more tarantulas meens youre less concerned about one little guy taking a vacation underground, more to look at

I have plenty to watch. 38 plus 1 here on loan. It still makes me periodically crazy when they seal up long term.

 

[Veribug]

ive found that this urge and pain is alleviated by simply buying more tarantulas
more tarantulas meens youre less concerned about one little guy taking a vacation underground, more to look at

I can confirm that more tarantulas for my birthday are 100% on the table. I'm especially keen on an L. parahybana...

 

[Haksilence]

I can confirm that more tarantulas for my birthday are 100% on the table. I'm especially keen on an L. parahybana...

Lps are great, good feeding response, faster growth rate, not bad looking when they are freshly molted, but I've found that both of mine essentially spend 100% of their time underground. But they are roughly 3" juveniles. Get an acanthoscuria geniculata or bronchlehursti. They've got a ton of personality and energy and have debatable the best feeding response in the hobby.

 

[Veribug]

Lps are great, good feeding response, faster growth rate, not bad looking when they are freshly molted, but I've found that both of mine essentially spend 100% of their time underground. But they are roughly 3" juveniles. Get an acanthoscuria geniculata or bronchlehursti. They've got a ton of personality and energy and have debatable the best feeding response in the hobby.

I'm actually considering some other species also. I've been looking at C. pentalore and G. pulcheripes alongside the L. parahybana! I'm in the UK and on a budget (as are my housemates for the birthday present) but The Spider Shop has some L. parahybana slings at 3-4cm in size which are tempting and not ridiculously small. They have A. geniculata juveniles as well though so maybe I could add one to the L. parahybana sling... saves me getting tiny slings and dealing with the possibility of deaths