Handling a tarantula that isn't used to being handled to clean a cage.

[MCTCBIO]

Hello,

I recently started a position as a college lab assistant. Part of my job is taking care of a Chilean Rose Hair that has been around for several years (at least two molts). I don't think the cage has ever been cleaned and I am worried about the possibility of mites. I would like to take her out to put in a temporary cage so that I can clean her current one but when I try to move her abdomen with a straw, she won't budge. She seems fairly relaxed but I want to make sure I handle her with the least amount of stress because I know she will be stressed when I put her back in a clean cage.

Any suggestions?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

They don't need their enclosures regularly deep cleaned like other animals (some keepers have had their tarantulas on the same substrate for years/decades without issue) as rehouses can stress them out, all you really need to do is pick out boluses (uneaten prey remains).
Also, mites shouldn't be an issue with this species as they require a moist environment to survive and this species should be kept bone dry except for a water dish.

Edit: If it's actually really minging in there and you have to rehouse then coax the tarantula into a catch up (any container the tarantula can fit in that shuts securely) and leave it in that until you've cleaned/set up the enclosure.
Try touching the back legs rather than the abdomen, if it's stubborn and won't move then you might have to give it a bit of a push but don't be too rough on it.

 

[cold blood]

I don't think the cage has ever been cleaned

And it shouldn't need to be. All you should ever need to do is spot cleaning, which can be done with a tongs, or a long tweezers.

This is simply the removal of any uneaten prey, or and bolus you may find (the remains after a meal).

Aside from this, substrate doesn't just go bad over time and there's no reason to ever do a more thorough cleaning than the spot cleaning. In fact, doing so would be quite disruptive to the t.

I am worried about the possibility of mites

Why?

1. mites are of little consequence and are basically harmless cleaners, you need to have a bad infestation before you would need to act on it.

2. The home of a rose hair should be completely inhospitable to mites any way, as they require bone dry substrate. The only draw would be uncleaned boli or dead crickets everywhere...which is a sign of a poorly taken care of t...but easy enough to clean with the aforementioned tongs.

I would like to take her out to put in a temporary cage so that I can clean her current one but when I try to move her abdomen with a straw, she won't budge. She seems fairly relaxed but I want to make sure I handle her with the least amount of stress because I know she will be stressed when I put her back in a clean cage.

You don't need to ever handle a t, not to clean things, not for any reason...makes me curious what you think people with large Old World ts do.

Its really as simple as a catch cup...put it over or in front of the t, and usher it into the cup...done...super easy and works for all ts (as long as your cup is large enough).

 

[Mirandarachnid]

If it really doesn't wan't to move, the old, 'cup over the tarantula, cardboard under the tarantula' will always work.

Also, feel free to post pictures of the set-up, people here will be more than happy to let you know if anything needs to be done to make the spider more comfortable

 

[MCTCBIO]

Hi,

I have attached a front and side view of her cage. I noticed in the cricket's cage that small bugs were crawling around. I think they were springtails but when I cleaned out the cage I couldn't find any.

I have also noticed that the tarantula's cage is getting a bit malodorous so I think it should get cleaned eventually but I read in a book that the best time to do it is late winter or early spring. Would it be best to wait until then?

Finally, I saw that the humidity in way higher than it should be at 80% but that might be because the water dish is right next to the sensor the cage stays at room temperature.

 

[Billeh]

After viewing your pictures, my primary concern is honestly the height of the enclosure. It looks like it could be a pretty long fall if the T goes off exploring for any reason. Everything else has already been said by some pretty senior members.
Next time, I'd recommend using way more substrate, to reduce the height of any falls. It may also encourage burrowing, but it's not too common in captivity for this species.

 

[cold blood]

I have attached a front and side view of her cage

Based on that, it doesn't need to be cleaned, but rather a complete makeover. There is not enough sub, which makes the distance to the top way too high...the enclosure as it sits now is one big fall risk. Also it doesn't need things to climb, like that wood, in fact everything should be done to discourage climbing. A ground hide would be a better choice (the tall boxes you have are pointless)...but this species rarely even hides in captivity.

I think it should get cleaned eventually but I read in a book that the best time to do it is late winter or early spring. Would it be best to wait until then?

The best time is now....always now.

Finally, I saw that the humidity in way higher than it should be at 80%

Humidity is completely irrelevant...stop measuring it...its literally as simple as keeping the enclosure dry.

 

[MCTCBIO]

Thanks, I'll remove that log and put in a smaller half log she can hide in.

 

[AnimalNewbie]

Thanks, I'll remove that log and put in a smaller half log she can hide in.

You need to add more substrate dude

 

[viper69]

Thanks, I'll remove that log and put in a smaller half log she can hide in.

This is not sufficient. The setup she's in is a disaster. The distance that no one has mentioned I believe, is for terrestrials the distance between substrate and the lid is recommended at 1.5X the diagonal leg span of the T.

To give you an idea, I keep many of adult New Word Ts in ExoTerra Breeder Boxes, size LARGE. There is no fall damage in these at all.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

To give you an idea, I keep many of adult New Word Ts in ExoTerra Breeder Boxes, size LARGE. There is no fall damage in these at all.

I keep my LP in one and I honestly hate it, they allow almost no substrate depth and the feeding hatches are flimsy as heck/break really easily. Exo Terra flat faunariums are much better imo.

 

[viper69]

I keep my LP in one and I honestly hate it, they allow almost no substrate depth and the feeding hatches are flimsy as heck/break really easily. Exo Terra flat faunariums are much better imo.

Don't get me wrong, the depth is non-existent esp for larger Ts, but for some species not necessary. I wish they were taller though. I haven't had an issue with the doors until recently. The U shaped region on the door snapped, and I'm not rough w/my T containers.

I haven't checked out those flat ones, but I will. Are they stackable like Breeders?

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Don't get me wrong, the depth is non-existent esp for larger Ts, but for some species not necessary. I wish they were taller though. I haven't had an issue with the doors until recently. The U shaped region on the door snapped, and I'm not rough w/my T containers.

I haven't checked out those flat ones, but I will. Are they stackable like Breeders?

I use the medium flat ones for my Brachys and Grammos, they're only about an inch taller than the breeder boxes but you can fill them up to the side vents and still have a good bit of headroom.

Edit: Yeah, I think they're stackable as well

 

[viper69]

I use the medium flat ones for my Brachys and Grammos, they're only about an inch taller than the breeder boxes but you can fill them up to the side vents and still have a good bit of headroom.

Edit: Yeah, I think they're stackable as well

Oh they are slightly deeper? I never checked! I will look for sure now.

How are top doors, are they super hard to open like the cheapo KKs from China lately where opening the lid induces an 8.0 earthquake into the container? The older KKs from decades ago were much nice to open.

I do like the doors on Breeder box, they stay closed but are easy to open, for humans.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Oh they are slightly deeper? I never checked! I will look for sure now.

Yeah, not by much but it counts, you can bang a good 3" of sub in them and still have plenty of headroom.

How are top doors, are they super hard to open like the cheapo KKs from China lately where opening the lid induces an 8.0 earthquake into the container? The older KKs from decades ago were much nice to open.

Not that bad to open, if you have a really skittish T then it'll shit them up a bit but they're not heinously stiff.

I do like the doors on Breeder box, they stay closed but are easy to open, for humans.

I broke the hatches on 2 of the small ones and I don't use the hatches on my large for fear of a repeat.

 

[viper69]

Yeah, not by much but it counts, you can bang a good 3" of sub in them and still have plenty of headroom.



Not that bad to open, if you have a really skittish T then it'll shit them up a bit but they're not heinously stiff.



I broke the hatches on 2 of the small ones and I don't use the hatches on my large for fear of a repeat.

Thanks for the info. The doors, only one side feeding door snapped a bit. The top doors in the lids, never an issue, those are solid in my experience.

 

[StampFan]

What I'll add to the Exo Terra Breeding boxes discussion is to make sure you buy the *real* ones. I tried the Ebay Chinese knock-off versions and the latches are *much* more brittle and difficult to open.

How many Large Breeding boxes can you stack before they become wobbly/unstable?

 

[viper69]

What I'll add to the Exo Terra Breeding boxes discussion is to make sure you buy the *real* ones. I tried the Ebay Chinese knock-off versions and the latches are *much* more brittle and difficult to open.

How many Large Breeding boxes can you stack before they become wobbly/unstable?

What I'll add to the Exo Terra Breeding boxes discussion is to make sure you buy the *real* ones. I tried the Ebay Chinese knock-off versions and the latches are *much* more brittle and difficult to open.

How many Large Breeding boxes can you stack before they become wobbly/unstable?

Didn't know there knock offs, of course they are crap out.

For the large, I can easily stack 3 large, no problem, and no fear of tipping. I bet you could do five. They are quite sturdy in how they sit on top of each other.

 

[MCTCBIO]

I'm cleaning her cage right now and will add over half of it with Exo Terra Dry Coconut Substrate. I realize she will be stressed but hopefully I won't have to do that again. When I looked closer at her current substrate, I realized it was potting soil. I have no idea why we spent more on a bigger cage just to skip out on decent substrate.