I'm questioning my setup

[Venom1080]

How often is it necessary to clean the poop off the leaves and walls of the enclosure? Also how often to you change out the substrate. The guy at the LPS said every 2-3 months, but I want to be sure that is accurate. He has 7 Ts himself, so I would hope he knew what he was talking about, but you never know.

Literally never. Cleaning poop is only good for a better view and Sub only had to be changed if there's a ton of mold or mites.

 

[BobBarley]

Literally never. Cleaning poop is only good for a better view and Sub only had to be changed if there's a ton of mold or mites.

Agreed. I have personally never cleaned poop, and have only rehoused once the specimen got too big for the enclosure it was in. I don't feel mold is a cause to rehouse in itself, however, I rarely ever get it. However, OP, you're going to want to pick out any boluses you find in the enclosure.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

However, OP, you're going to want to pick out any boluses you find in the enclosure.

I havent found any bolus remains yet and she's eaten several crickets, so there should be some. I think she hides them in her log.

 

[BobBarley]

I havent found any bolus remains yet and she's eaten several crickets, so there should be some. I think she hides them in her log.

Yeah, that should be fine. I don't think it would be in the log, the t's tend to place the bolus far away from themselves and/or in a water source (your waterdish for example). Many times boluses blend in with the sub and are small and hard to see.

 

[Ungoliant]

How often is it necessary to clean the poop off the leaves and walls of the enclosure?

I clean poop when it is accessible and easy to clean without disturbing the tarantula -- and this is just for my view, not because the tarantula cares.

However, if I can find the boluses, I remove them.

Also how often to you change out the substrate. The guy at the LPS said every 2-3 months, but I want to be sure that is accurate.

Other than normal rehousing (cage upgrades), the only time I've changed the substrate is when it developed mold around the water dish due to the area being constantly damp. Since then, I've started rotating where the water dish is located so that a previously damp area has time to dry. Problem solved.

 

[viper69]

How often is it necessary to clean the poop off the leaves and walls of the enclosure? Also how often to you change out the substrate. The guy at the LPS said every 2-3 months, but I want to be sure that is accurate. He has 7 Ts himself, so I would hope he knew what he was talking about, but you never know.

You'd think someone with 7 Ts would know what they are talking about. Don't let that fool you. Number is not an indication of knowledge. As an example, I know plenty of people with a lot more reptiles than I have currently, and they keep their animals in the worst conditions.

Just be mindful that's all.

How busy do you want to be in cleaning hah?

I don't recommend leaving till the walls are more white than not, poops gives off an odor.

Also, and I have no scientific data for this, but only observational data over the years: I think mites, so called grain mites, are attracted to T poop. It's well known by science they are attracted to moisture.

But when I have found them in my NW containers, they are exclusively in heaviest concentration around vent holes that have the most poop by it. They are in greatest number in the Avic containers with the most poop!! I can't explain it, but it's something I have always noticed for my Avics.

Sub change out when it gets dirty from poop, spot cleaning mostly, but not always. No science behind it.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

I added even more clutter to her enclosure today. This little avic is extremely docile. She never lifts a leg, kicks a hair or even shakes her rump at me when I scoot her from her enclosure into a kk so I can mess around with her enclosure. Though she did try to make a break for it today after I scooted her back into her enclosure. She decided she would rather be on the outside. That's what I get for trying to take a pic of her enclosure from the top view with her inside. Here is a pic of her mid escape attempt.

I successfully scooted her back in and shut the lid. She's a content little girl. I have noticed since adding in more clutter to her enclosure that she hangs out more on the outside of her log. I imagine that's because she doesn't feel quite as exposed anymore now that there is more stuff to hide her.

I'm attaching more pics of her cluttered up enclosure. Please take a look and let me know what you think.

 

[Trenor]

I added even more clutter to her enclosure today. This little avic is extremely docile. She never lifts a leg, kicks a hair or even shakes her rump at me when I scoot her from her enclosure into a kk so I can mess around with her enclosure. Though she did try to make a break for it today after I scooted her back into her enclosure. She decided she would rather be on the outside. That's what I get for trying to take a pic of her enclosure from the top view with her inside. Here is a pic of her mid escape attempt.
View attachment 229157
I successfully scooted her back in and shut the lid. She's a content little girl. I have noticed since adding in more clutter to her enclosure that she hangs out more on the outside of her log. I imagine that's because she doesn't feel quite as exposed anymore now that there is more stuff to hide her.

I'm attaching more pics of her cluttered up enclosure. Please take a look and let me know what you think.

That's a good looking Avic setup. Lots of nice webbing anchors for your T.

IME they don't really seem to kick hairs as much as they rub them on you if you get close.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

That's a good looking Avic setup. Lots of nice webbing anchors for your T.

IME they don't really seem to kick hairs as much as they rub them on you if you get close.

Yesterday she threw up a threat pose at a cricket. It was hilarious. I didnt even know she was capable of such behavior. I had to laugh. She refused to eat it and basically tried to scare it off, I think.

 

[Trenor]

Yesterday she threw up a threat pose at a cricket. It was hilarious. I didnt even know she was capable of such behavior. I had to laugh. She refused to eat it and basically tried to scare it off, I think.

With all the moving around she did I wouldn't blame her for being moody.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

With all the moving around she did I wouldn't blame her for being moody.

Yeah twice in one week. That's a lot on her. I hope to leave her be for a good long time.

 

[Trenor]

Once she webs up a home and you give her enough gifts of food and water I'm sure she will overlook these latest transgressions.

 

[MarksTs]

I always have ghost dwarf woodlice in my enclosure there my cleaners check out my enclosure setups you might be able to take something from the videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLtBciuH9_jYP-EJR57hDgA

 

[viper69]

I didnt even know she was capable of such behavior.

Even E. sp Yellow and E sp Red will do it.

 

[AmberDawnDays]

Once she webs up a home and you give her enough gifts of food and water I'm sure she will overlook these latest transgressions.

I'm really hoping she webs it up nice.