Help! Is my Brachypelma hamorii okay?

[Angela Bucciarelli]

I am new to the hobby, but I have spent the last two years reading and ejucating myself about tarantula keeping so I know the basics very well. So, about 3 to 4 weeks ago I went and bought my first ever tarantula. She is a large unsexed sling and for the first two weeks she seemed to be alright. She was mainly in her hide and accepted food twise a week, but I didn't really like the way her hide looked (I probably shouldn't have done the following) so I lifted up her hide gently and set her a side in a small catch cup. I only changed her hide to a smaller and darker one and added some small decorative plants. I let her in and she went to her hide. I also moved her terrarium to a new shelf that I got. Soon after she started refusing food and now she doesn't use her hide anymore, she is constantly trying to escape and sits on the glass all the time. She does have everything she needs tho. I am really worried for her wellbeing. Please tell me how I can help her.

 

[KezyGLA]

Please post pictures of the full enclosure and clear photos of the specimen.

Its hard for us to give advice when we cant see the subject or environment.

 

[Angela Bucciarelli]

Yes, my apologies. Here is the enclosure that she is currently in. Note that this picture was taken before I got her. All is the same exept that now she has a smaller hide and few more decorative fake plants.

A second ago I fed her a small criket. And she actually took it down!
I think that when I get back home in few hours that I could snap a picture of her current sitcuasion.

 

[Venomgland]

Looks fine to me.. Can't wait to see it with the plants and everything.

 

[Ryunss]

What is the stuff in the (what I'm presuming) water dish? I'd remove it and just use water with no sponge etc. she won't drown don't worry! other than that it all looks pretty good is the sub packed down or not? if it's not then she might not like the feel of it and so could be why she is on the side of the enclosure a lot, I'd recommend packing it down a bit if it is not already and keeping it dry.

 

[Trenor]

Yes, my apologies. Here is the enclosure that she is currently in. Note that this picture was taken before I got her. All is the same exept that now she has a smaller hide and few more decorative fake plants.

A second ago I fed her a small criket. And she actually took it down!
I think that when I get back home in few hours that I could snap a picture of her current sitcuasion.

You can take the rocks out of the water dish. They are not needed since Ts can't drown and it's easier for them to drink without those in the way. Other than that it looks ok to me too. Post a photo of the final setup once you got the plants when you can. I photo of the tarantula would be good too if you can.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Yes, my apologies. Here is the enclosure that she is currently in. Note that this picture was taken before I got her. All is the same exept that now she has a smaller hide and few more decorative fake plants.

A second ago I fed her a small criket. And she actually took it down!
I think that when I get back home in few hours that I could snap a picture of her current sitcuasion.

I thought she was a sling? That's quite a large enclosure if that's the case. It also looks to have far too much height. Add in some substrate or show us the size of your spider. You don't want the height of her enclosure exceeding 1.5 DLS. And as previously mentioned no need for rocks in the water dish.

 

[Trenor]

I am new to the hobby, but I have spent the last two years reading and ejucating myself about tarantula keeping so I know the basics very well. So, about 3 to 4 weeks ago I went and bought my first ever tarantula. She is a large unsexed sling and for the first two weeks she seemed to be alright. She was mainly in her hide and accepted food twise a week, but I didn't really like the way her hide looked (I probably shouldn't have done the following) so I lifted up her hide gently and set her a side in a small catch cup. I only changed her hide to a smaller and darker one and added some small decorative plants. I let her in and she went to her hide. I also moved her terrarium to a new shelf that I got. Soon after she started refusing food and now she doesn't use her hide anymore, she is constantly trying to escape and sits on the glass all the time. She does have everything she needs tho. I am really worried for her wellbeing. Please tell me how I can help her.

When you moved her to a different shelf make sure that the enclosure is not in direct sunlight and there are no vents blowing on the enclosure. Temps can change rapidly when the enclosure is in direct sunlight or near vents.

As far as the hide goes it needs to get resettled in since you move things around. I recently moved a T to a new enclosure. It took about 2 weeks for it to settle in and start building it's home again.

 

[Angela Bucciarelli]

Here are the pictures of her enclosure and the spider itself. I took most of the stones out, but left just a few because the waterdish is really deep. I saw the comment about adding more substrate and umm, as you can see I actually took some off some time ago, but I can add more later when she has calmed down. I can also try and pack down the substrate once I add it.

 

[Angela Bucciarelli]

The last picture has all the stones still in the waterdish.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Don't worry for that... remove the stones. The set up is ok to me. Personally I would had used a more little enclosure and more inches of substrate (if nothing, for reduce the risks of a 'climb and fall' scenario) but ok.

 

[mconnachan]

Here are the pictures of her enclosure and the spider itself. I took most of the stones out, but left just a few because the waterdish is really deep. I saw the comment about adding more substrate and umm, as you can see I actually took some off some time ago, but I can add more later when she has calmed down. I can also try and pack down the substrate once I add it.

The amount of substrate can be doubled easily, she looks about 2-3 inches so you would want to leave a gap of no more than 4.5" if she is in fact 3", really, there's no need for the stones/pebbles in the water dish, try to submerge the dish so it's level with the substrate, it makes it much easier for them to drink, please be sure to correct the amount of substrate, that's the most important factor I can see. Well all I can say now is - Welcome to AB and enjoy your 8 legged wonder, they're an awesome creature to care for.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

@Angela Bucciarelli

Btw, sorry for asking this, don't get me wrong... but your nickname has written Italian all over

So, if you are Italian, if you can speak Italian, and, if you want... feel free to PM me for an advice in Italian, if needed.

 

[Angela Bucciarelli]

Np. I actually wish I could speak italian. My mother and all my relatives from her fathers side are italian and live in Italy, but me and my mom live in Finland and talk finnish. It's a bit complicated and I wish to start taking lessons of italian once I get to college. ^^

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Here are the pictures of her enclosure and the spider itself. I took most of the stones out, but left just a few because the waterdish is really deep. I saw the comment about adding more substrate and umm, as you can see I actually took some off some time ago, but I can add more later when she has calmed down. I can also try and pack down the substrate once I add it.

As already stated, the stones in the water dish are unnecessary, you would need to fully submerge your Tarantula and hold it under the water for at least half an hour for it to drown.
Ideally you need at least double the amount of substrate that you currently have in the enclosure, packing it down tightly is a good idea as these animals don't particularly like walking of loose substrate/moss/etc.

Tarantulas will sometimes tend to wander, climb the walls or even refuse food if you change up things in the enclosure, they usually settle in within a week but it can take longer.

Other than that, you're good, welcome to the hobby.

 

[Angela Bucciarelli]

Yeah, I did add more substrate, pack it down and remove the stones. She is still wandering around quite a bit but it seems that she is calming down. She doesn't move from place to place all the time, instead she seems to stay in one spot for longer perioids of time. She also isn't on the glass constantly and explores the bottom of her enclosure.

I want to thank you for all the tips I have gotten in the last few days. They have been very useful.