Newbie here, probably worrying over nothing, but...

[Racer Jess]

Hi all, my first post here, so hope I'm doing it right.
I got my first tarantula on Saturday, (female Costa Rican Zebra) and was told she's in pre-molt. I understand that they can be lethargic, dull colours, shiny abdomen etc, and that they prefer to be left alone during this time, which is what I'm doing. I make sure her water dish is full, but other than peeking in occasionally, I leave her be. I know not to feed til about 2 weeks after she molts, once her fangs have hardened. She has been in the burrow she made since Saturday evening, and hasn't made any webs or anything. I expect I'm going to be told just to leave her be and she'll do her thing in her own time, but I just want to check seeing that I'm a newbie I've attached a pic of her I took when I first got her, and one of her enclosure, any tips or constructive advice would be gratefully appreciated

 

[Brewser]

Congrats...
Your Right On. Leave Her Be.
Wishing You Both the Best.

 

[Racer Jess]

Congrats...
Your Right On. Leve Her Be.
Wishing You Both the Best.

Thank you! I'm just worried as I know stress isn't good for them during the molting process. I just hope that the stress of her moving from the shop to my home, wouldn't be detrimental to her. I've heard horror stories of them getting stuck and dying during a bad molt?!

 

[Brewser]

Thank you! I'm just worried as I know stress isn't good for them during the molting process. I just hope that the stress of her moving from the shop to my home, wouldn't be detrimental to her. I've heard horror stories of them getting stuck and dying during a bad molt?!

Relax
She looks fine.

 

[Racer Jess]

Relax
She looks fine.

Awesome, thank you

 

[darkness975]

Hi all, my first post here, so hope I'm doing it right.
I got my first tarantula on Saturday, (female Costa Rican Zebra) and was told she's in pre-molt. I understand that they can be lethargic, dull colours, shiny abdomen etc, and that they prefer to be left alone during this time, which is what I'm doing. I make sure her water dish is full, but other than peeking in occasionally, I leave her be. I know not to feed til about 2 weeks after she molts, once her fangs have hardened. She has been in the burrow she made since Saturday evening, and hasn't made any webs or anything. I expect I'm going to be told just to leave her be and she'll do her thing in her own time, but I just want to check seeing that I'm a newbie I've attached a pic of her I took when I first got her, and one of her enclosure, any tips or constructive advice would be gratefully appreciated

There's a major fall risk in that enclosure.

 

[Racer Jess]

There's a major fall risk in that enclosure.

Oh... There's 5 maybe 6 inches between the top and the substrate, and I can't get more in because of the vents/doors...

 

[darkness975]

Oh... There's 5 maybe 6 inches between the top and the substrate, and I can't get more in because of the vents/doors...

Yes I can tell you have one of those exo terras. They're really suited for arboreals not heavy bodied terrestrials. You should change the enclosure when you can and repurpose your current one for an arboreal.

 

[Racer Jess]

Yes I can tell you have one of those exo terras. They're really suited for arboreals not heavy bodied terrestrials. You should change the enclosure when you can and repurpose your current one for an arboreal.

Yeah, it's a 30x30x30, it was recommended to me by the shop I bought my tarantula from... They do arboreal ones that are a bit taller and thinner than the one I have

 

[viper69]

Hi all, my first post here, so hope I'm doing it right.
I got my first tarantula on Saturday, (female Costa Rican Zebra) and was told she's in pre-molt. I understand that they can be lethargic, dull colours, shiny abdomen etc, and that they prefer to be left alone during this time, which is what I'm doing. I make sure her water dish is full, but other than peeking in occasionally, I leave her be. I know not to feed til about 2 weeks after she molts, once her fangs have hardened. She has been in the burrow she made since Saturday evening, and hasn't made any webs or anything. I expect I'm going to be told just to leave her be and she'll do her thing in her own time, but I just want to check seeing that I'm a newbie I've attached a pic of her I took when I first got her, and one of her enclosure, any tips or constructive advice would be gratefully appreciated

Ok leave it be

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

One thing you can do is ramp up the substrate towards the back. General rule of thumb is 1.5x the diagonal leg span of your T for distance from sub to lid. The T definitely looks to be in premolt.

 

[dman13760]

Oh... There's 5 maybe 6 inches between the top and the substrate, and I can't get more in because of the vents/doors...

I have a few terrestrials in these type of enclosures and you can heap the substrate in the back, sloping it to the front. This will give the T more room to burrow, if it wants, and reduce fall risks. However, for the time being you are doing the right thing and leaving your T alone

 

[Racer Jess]

One thing you can do is ramp up the substrate towards the back. General rule of thumb is 1.5x the diagonal leg span of your T for distance from sub to lid. The T definitely looks to be in premolt.

Thanks! I've already done that. I don't want to mess about with stuff too much, seeing as she is in pre-molt. Once she's molted I'll try and build it up even more

I have a few terrestrials in these type of enclosures and you can heap the substrate in the back, sloping it to the front. This will give the T more room to burrow, if it wants, and reduce fall risks. However, for the time being you are doing the right thing and leaving your T alone

Thank you I've got it sloped up towards the back, and will add more once she has molted

 

[cold blood]

There's a major fall risk in that enclosure.

Totally agree

There's 5 maybe 6 inches between the top and the substrate, and I can't get more in because of the vents/doors.

This is precisely what makes it inappropriate for this t.

Yeah, it's a 30x30x30, it was recommended to me by the shop I bought my tarantula from

of course they did...cha ching...its an overly expensive enclosure.... probably the most expensive thing in the store they could have sold you....it was recommended for one reason...profit....they make way more selling that than they do selling you the t.

One thing you can do is ramp up the substrate towards the back.

I have a few terrestrials in these type of enclosures and you can heap the substrate in the back, sloping it to the front.

IMO this is a terrible idea and not something that fixes the fall risk in any way...the front will still have the same risk, and now a fall to the back will just result in a fall and tumble to the front.....sloping it is a "feel good" remedy that does nothing to actually remedy the enclosures issues.

Also keep in mind, this species is both fossorial and moisture dependent, so it will need lots of room to burrow and the sub should be kept damp, especially the deeper parts of the sub,

 

[fcat]

That screen lid likely needs to be replaced or covered with drilled acrylic, so she doesn't get stuck.

Should you keep her in this enclosure, why not do the lid thing and then rotate the enclosure so it's a top open? She could be living like a queen with all the added substrate, and you could achieve some cross ventilation with the vents now being on the top (and one side, so plan ahead if you convert the lid to a wall, don't drill holes all the way to where the sub will be leaking out.

I did use one of these tanks for a Pamphobeteus, a particular specimen who has never ever burrowed, so I wasn't too worried about skimping on the volume (just what moisture more sub would've held). I basically used a lot of cork bark to simulate an underground experience but also delete fall space. What the wood costs plus the tank wouldn't have been worth it but I got the tank for next to nothing so I proceeded. And my pampho will grow out of of it, so it's merely an experiment with lots of monitoring.

If it were any other species I would say pad the voids with lots of robust plants to act as a cushion, but if yours is anything like my seemani I am not allowed to put ANYTHING in her enclosure. The only that ever survived was one fake plant but she still tangoes with it regularly. Yours may tear up all that cushion and negate the effort.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hi all, my first post here, so hope I'm doing it right.
I got my first tarantula on Saturday, (female Costa Rican Zebra) and was told she's in pre-molt. I understand that they can be lethargic, dull colours, shiny abdomen etc, and that they prefer to be left alone during this time, which is what I'm doing. I make sure her water dish is full, but other than peeking in occasionally, I leave her be. I know not to feed til about 2 weeks after she molts, once her fangs have hardened. She has been in the burrow she made since Saturday evening, and hasn't made any webs or anything. I expect I'm going to be told just to leave her be and she'll do her thing in her own time, but I just want to check seeing that I'm a newbie I've attached a pic of her I took when I first got her, and one of her enclosure, any tips or constructive advice would be gratefully appreciated

How big is the tarantula? Did they suggest that trees spider enclosure?

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

IMO this is a terrible idea and not something that fixes the fall risk in any way...the front will still have the same risk, and now a fall to the back will just result in a fall and tumble to the front.....sloping it is a "feel good" remedy that does nothing to actually remedy the enclosures issues.

I agree this is not a fix, but a bandaid until a more appropriate enclosure can be set up. OP mentioned not wanting to mess with the T too much in premolt.

 

[Spinnenfritzi]

Please note one thing. I highly suggest letting her molt and harden up again before making some of the suggestet changes.