HELP: Theraphosa Stirmi Noob

[Poec54]

Is that spider in the middle of a baseball field? Any reason why there's so much open space?

 

[Cjhickey12]

Is that spider in the middle of a baseball field? Any reason why there's so much open space?

No baseball field. Just what was recommended to me for this species. A 30 Gallon long tank.

 

[Cjhickey12]

She was in her water bowl like this for about 45 minutes, must be thirsty after that molt and the fasting...

 

[Cjhickey12]

Beautiful photos! But... She molted right side up? That's so weird...

Yep she molted right side up and inside of her hide as well. I was a worried tarantula dad all day

 

[Poec54]

No baseball field. Just what was recommended to me for this species. A 30 Gallon long tank.

You ought to have some things in there of interest to the spider. They don't sit out in the open all the time in the wild. Take a look at some of the nice terrariums people have made.

 

[Cjhickey12]

Fun update on Wendy. Her fangs turned black the other day so I wanted to get her a nice big roach since she hasnt eaten in a while. No dubia roaches around. Got a Hisser, about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long big guy... Well acted scared of it and got real skittish then throw hairs about 3 times as I tried to coax the hisser towards her. Trying to film it I had the top off her enclosure.

I am absolutely miserable right now. Hairs in my eyes, nose, neck, arms and chest. Incredibly itchy and stingy. Red bumps starting to show up on my arms. I learned a valuable lesson today. URTICATING HAIRS SUCK

 

[cold blood]

Fun update on Wendy. Her fangs turned black the other day so I wanted to get her a nice big roach since she hasnt eaten in a while. No dubia roaches around. Got a Hisser, about 2 1/2 to 3 inches long big guy... Well acted scared of it and got real skittish then throw hairs about 3 times as I tried to coax the hisser towards her. Trying to film it I had the top off her enclosure.

I am absolutely miserable right now. Hairs in my eyes, nose, neck, arms and chest. Incredibly itchy and stingy. Red bumps starting to show up on my arms. I learned a valuable lesson today. URTICATING HAIRS SUCK

Fangs may be black, but she may not be ready. When its ready, it will crush that roach instantly. I'd try again in a couple days.

yippy, another hair day!!

 

[Cjhickey12]

Fangs may be black, but she may not be ready. When its ready, it will crush that roach instantly. I'd try again in a couple days.

yippy, another hair day!!

I took a look at the video, and she did strike. im guessing she didnt penetrate because she ran away after. I hope she didnt break a fang..

I took the hisser our and am going to get some Dubias tomorrow, about an hour drive north, but she needs to eat!

and yes hairs suck! I think I got lucky though because its now only mildly irritating. and just have a few red bumps on my skin.

---------- Post added 04-06-2015 at 07:37 PM ----------

My spider collection has now tripled since it started back in January. I recently picked up a Honduran Curly hair T about 1.5 inches and a complete sweetie, I also caught a big wolf spider about a month ago that has been fairing very well in captivity.

Im starting to get the bite!

 

[shawno821]

Don't mean to hijack the thread but have a stirmi question. Are people more or agains having a layer of gravel "water balls" underneath the substrate to keep humidity up in the enclosure.

I use a 1" layer of long fibered spaghnum moss under a 3" layer of substrate for all my "moisture dependent" species.It achieves what you're trying to do without the built in swimming pool.It may not be as needed in Fla. where you live,but up here in the bone dry winters,it's almost a must unless you want to water every cage twice a day.

 

[cold blood]

That hisser will be just fine, the t is just not quite ready yet. The big hisser is exactly the kind of big meal you want to feed after molting. No reason to drive that far to get dubia, unless you got a new car you want to drive...or perhaps get your gas for free.

Bigger t's need a lot more time after molting before they are ready to eat...don't freak.

 

[Cjhickey12]

That hisser will be just fine, the t is just not quite ready yet. The big hisser is exactly the kind of big meal you want to feed after molting. No reason to drive that far to get dubia, unless you got a new car you want to drive...or perhaps get your gas for free.

Bigger t's need a lot more time after molting before they are ready to eat...don't freak.

Well. she did strike it and ran away, then started throwing hairs towards it and wouldnt strike again. The reason I thought she was ready and needed to eat is because, fangs black, its been 8 days(premolt lasted almost 2 months with no food) , and also she has been staying close to the water and had her right legs underneath her for a while earlier today, making me think she needed more moisture from food because the enclosure has been fine.

What do you think?

I have no problem going to get a dubia for her.

 

[cold blood]

Well. she did strike it and ran away, then started throwing hairs towards it and wouldnt strike again. The reason I thought she was ready and needed to eat is because, fangs black, its been 8 days(premolt lasted almost 2 months with no food) , and also she has been staying close to the water and had her right legs underneath her for a while earlier today, making me think she needed more moisture from food because the enclosure has been fine.

What do you think?

I have no problem going to get a dubia for her.

Your first line said it all...she's simply not ready to eat yet. I could be as long as 2 weeks before she is, but judging by the reaction, probably 2 or 3 days.

Superworms are another good post molt meal, large and fatty.

Her time off of food should not be of ANY concern, it simply hasn't even been close to long enough, even for a hungry species like this one.

 

[Cjhickey12]

Your first line said it all...she's simply not ready to eat yet. I could be as long as 2 weeks before she is, but judging by the reaction, probably 2 or 3 days.

Superworms are another good post molt meal, large and fatty.

Her time off of food should not be of ANY concern, it simply hasn't even been close to long enough, even for a hungry species like this one.

thanks for the responses. Ill give her til the weekend, do you think the hisser would be ok then? or should I just play it safe with the dubia? what would you do?

she is about 7 1/2 to 8 inches diagonal,(not completely stretched flat legs, just natural) Carapace about the size of those old big dollar coins and shes hearty, the hisser is about 2 1/2 to 3 inches and about an inch or a little less wide.

 

[Nicolas C]

It's not only about the fangs being black: they need more time to be ready to eat, specially when they are that big. My AF T stirmy waits at least four - six weeks after the molt until I give her the first meal.


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[Poec54]

It's not only about the fangs being black: they need more time to be ready to eat, specially when they are that big. My AF T stirmy waits at least four - six weeks after the molt until I give her the first meal.

4 to 6 weeks is a long time for a tropical species. But if yours are kept cool that's possible. My adults are warm (mid 80's) and are eating again in two weeks. In the wild they can't afford a month and a half of downtime. There's a lot going on in their habitat and they have to be ready to take advantage of it. They lose a lot of reserves in molting, and don't regain their strength, stamina, and hardiness again until they resume eating. That also makes them less effective in defending themselves.

 

[Nicolas C]

You are right, Rick: mine are kept between 21-23°C in winter, around 23-26°C in sommer. It might slow down their appetite. Thanks for your details.

 

[Poec54]

You are right, Rick: mine are kept between 21-23°C in winter, around 23-26°C in sommer. It might slow down their appetite. Thanks for your details.

Most of my collection is in a warm room, and almost all seem to be perpetually hungry, especially the stirmi (all sizes). Warmth increases their metabolisms, which increases appetites, and promotes faster growth. I've found that warmth speeds up the recovery time from molts and the time for sacs to hatch out. Heat evenly distributed in a room is good. So is a room fan for air exchange in cages.

The exceptions to heat being high elevation species that need mild days and cooler nights (Poec rufilata, smithi, & subfusca; Megaphobema; etc). As I've found out with my palm collection, palms from 4,000 to 5,000 feet have some cold tolerance, but when you hit 6,000 feet, they have problems with heat, especially our sweltering, rainy Florida summers when highs are 90+ and nighttime lows are in the high 70's and low 80's. High elevation plants can't handle that. High elevation spiders kept too warm don't have as much appetite, and tend to have molting issues; too weak to make it thru.

 

[cold blood]

My adults are warm (mid 80's) and are eating again in two weeks.

There ya go, under near ideal conditions, 2 weeks is still the normal wait time...op, looks like you should try again in 5 or 6 days.



And yeah, you shouldn't have an issue keeping the hisser alive, just keep it happy and fed until feeding day finally comes around.

 

[Teds ts and Inverts]

I actually used this method before. And I changed it soon after. The only thing it did was made me feel like i was hauling 100lbs dumbbells around my room.. When all it was was a stirmi LOL. Exactly. This method of using gravel for Theraphosa, yet not for other moisture dependent T's has become a pretty ODD concept IMO.

I don't use gravel at the bottom of my 1 1/2 inch T. Stirmi enclosure, but rather vermiculite, much lighter and seems to hold in moisture pretty well, then I have a mix of moist coco fiber and vermiculite. It settled in after about a week and is attached to the hide I provided, still eats like a pig