More Questions about my G. pulchripes

[CakeLore]

Hey all!

So it's been 10 days now since her molt and she is still hanging around in the sealed burrow. Lately she's taken to adopting some new stances and I was wondering if they meant anything. Here you can see she's put her legs against the opening, it kind of reminds me of a hermit crab retracted into its shell. Is she expecting a meal to drop by or just hanging out? And a new one today her opisthosoma is against the ceiling of her burrow and she looks like a cat arching its back and hissing. Her IV legs are fully extended and almost look like stilts! She's facing the exuvium in this position but I can't see if she's doing anything with it she's been like that for about an hour now. Maybe just stretching?

I don't know if she's ready to eat and I have not tried feeding her yet. Should I wait until she unbarricades herself?

This Friday I'm going home for a month and she's going to have to come with me. In the event she hasn't come out yet I'm going to have to lift up her rock and pack her for the car ride. Should I be worried about doing this or would it be safe at what will be the 2 week mark post molt?

I was thinking when she's fully grown she'd eventually be housed in a 10 or 15 gallon terrarium. Can I move her into one at her current size or will it be too much space? ~3.5"

Finally, and this might be fatuous, but I'm vaguely worried that she's going to try to use that opening as an entrance to her burrow. In which case she'd almost certainly get stuck between the rock and the enclosure wall on the way out. The opposite end of the burrow (leading to the waterbowl and open area) is barricaded with substrate. Will she dig herself out?

 

[spiderengineer]

when she unseal is when she is ready to eat, two weeks is a average time for T to harden up and ready to eat, but it varies with alot of them and most often when they get older that time period becomes longer three weeks to upto a month. so I would not try to feed her until she come out on her own. patients is the key here

 

[PeaceBee]

I think that like many of us, you are overthinking things. It's okay, relax, she knows what she's doing! Ts do random things for unknown reasons, and it's more fun to sit back and enjoy their antics. Ts have honed their mad spidery skills for many, many years without human intervention. Like Spiderengineer said, she'll come out when she's ready to eat.

As for the enclosure, I can only see the corner so it's hard to tell what size it is.
And as to the transportation, I would think 2 weeks would be okay(?), but maybe someone else could chime in. I haven't had to transport any of mine yet so I'm not sure

 

[CakeLore]

I think that like many of us, you are overthinking things. It's okay, relax, she knows what she's doing! Ts do random things for unknown reasons, and it's more fun to sit back and enjoy their antics. Ts have honed their mad spidery skills for many, many years without human intervention. Like Spiderengineer said, she'll come out when she's ready to eat.

As for the enclosure, I can only see the corner so it's hard to tell what size it is.
And as to the transportation, I would think 2 weeks would be okay(?), but maybe someone else could chime in. I haven't had to transport any of mine yet so I'm not sure

Believe me I'm enjoying all the goofy stuff she does. The current enclosure is a medium sized critter keeper which is about 3 gallons if I'm not mistaken. I would describe it as cozy for her but certainly not roomy.

Edit here http://i.imgur.com/s2f08QN.jpeg is her entire enclosure. Like I said cozy but definitely not roomy. Plus I scratched the hell out of the sides putting that rock in and I'd like to switch to a nice glass one anyway but if I'm buying a nice aquarium I'd like to only have to buy one.

 

[lancej]

Post molt tarantulas in general will go through periods of stretching in various positions while their exo is still hardening. She come out very hungry when she is ready.
As for taking her home with you, she should be fine as long as you pack her in a secure container (like you would ship her in). You should know how bumpy the route is and pad the container accordingly. Also, if she hasn't come out yet, be very gentle coaxing her out - place the container in the cage and gently herd her into it.
And for your final question, she won't try to go out of an opening that she would get stuck in.

 

[spiderengineer]

if its in a critter keeper then you should not have to take her out just don't get in a car accident

 

[Alexisd]

i have an juvie G. pulchripes and a sling.
my juvie burried herself in to and one day i was just being nosy so i peaked in and saw a molt but wasnt for sure so about a month later she still hasnt come out but every once in a while she would stick her
legs out through the dirt to get fresh air im guessing and anyways i took her webbing and dirt down she was mad at first but i put a piece of wood in the with leaves stick off of it and she doesnt web it or nothing. and she is the nicest and calmest spider i own she never does threat poses never i can poke at her and do anything and she is the sweetest thing now.

 

[CakeLore]

Post molt tarantulas in general will go through periods of stretching in various positions while their exo is still hardening. She come out very hungry when she is ready.
As for taking her home with you, she should be fine as long as you pack her in a secure container (like you would ship her in). You should know how bumpy the route is and pad the container accordingly. Also, if she hasn't come out yet, be very gentle coaxing her out - place the container in the cage and gently herd her into it.
And for your final question, she won't try to go out of an opening that she would get stuck in.

Excellent, thank you for the helpful answers! I've never shipped one before but I remember how she came to me and will try to mimic that.

---------- Post added 08-04-2013 at 09:00 PM ----------

if its in a critter keeper then you should not have to take her out just don't get in a car accident

I'm more worried about going around a curve and something in her enclosure shifting and crushing her. I'd feel much safer if she were packed in a nice container.

 

[Spidergrrl]

...and she is the nicest and calmest spider i own she never does threat poses never i can poke at her and do anything and she is the sweetest thing now.

I have a half inch G. pulchripes. She is so funny. She thinks she's the fiercest thing in the world, she's constantly going into threat pose even if I put a tiny pin head cricket in her enclosure. She takes a step then rears up all fierce, then takes another step and rears up all fierce.

I can't wait for her to get a bit bigger. She has lots of personality.

Cheers,

Spidergrrl.

 

[JAG1708]

I'm more worried about going around a curve and something in her enclosure shifting and crushing her. I'd feel much safer if she were packed in a nice container.

You could just take out anything that is loose in her enclosure that would have the potential to shift and crush her that could be easier than packing her in a shipping container.

 

[lancej]

You could just take out anything that is loose in her enclosure that would have the potential to shift and crush her that could be easier than packing her in a shipping container.

This works well as long as you aren't travelling down really crappy roads. Put her in a quiet spot in the car and make sure she won't be exposed to direct sunlight at any point during the trip. Also secure the cage so that it won't go flying if you have to slam on your brakes. You can place it between luggage or even use the seat belt. I have done this on many occasions with great success. If you can do this, it would eliminate the stress of being taken out of her environment.

 

[CakeLore]

If she comes out before Friday I'll probably pack her. If not I'll likely leave her in her enclosure like suggested. I'm going to have to destroy her burrow, though. :/ I guess she'll be busy in the coming weeks remaking it (sorry, tarantula). The roads aren't bumpy but they go through the mountains so they can get pretty windy. I'll put a towel over the enclosure so she won't be exposed to direct sunlight.

Since I'm considering putting her in a bigger enclosure anyway maybe it'd be best to get it ready and just put her in the new one when I'm home. Is a 15gallon alright for a T this size or would it be wiser to stick with the 10 gallon?

 

[lancej]

10 gallon would be the max that I would consider for this species. They are not highly active, so I think the extra space would just be wasted.

 

[CakeLore]

10 gallon would be the max that I would consider for this species. They are not highly active, so I think the extra space would just be wasted.

10 gal it is; thanks for the advice.