P. irminia stopped eating and hid herself

[Paagrill]

Hello,

three weeks ago I got a subadult/adult P. irminia and put her into fairly big plastic box. The first week I had no problem feeding her with two medium sized grasshoppers, but few days later, she made a tent (sort of) in the corner without any entrance and didn't even try to eat anything moving outside of her hide. I moved her into a normal glass vivarium suited for the arboreal species, but she did the hide again with no entrance and Gods knows why I even tried to feed her :< . I highly suggest that she might be molting but I'm not sure...

Do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you

 

[darkness975]

Hello,

three weeks ago I got a subadult/adult P. irminia and put her into fairly big plastic box. The first week I had no problem feeding her with two medium sized grasshoppers, but few days later, she made a tent (sort of) in the corner without any entrance and didn't even try to eat anything moving outside of her hide. I moved her into a normal glass vivarium suited for the arboreal species, but she did the hide again with no entrance and Gods knows why I even tried to feed her :< . I highly suggest that she might be molting but I'm not sure...

Do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you

Can you post some images of the set up it is currently residing in? Do you have any of the spider?

As long as the abdomen is a good size and not shriveled they can go for a long time without food. You need not be too concerned just yet.

 

[N1ghtFire]

Don't worry, as long as she doesn't look amazingly skinny or dehydrated then she is likely fine and she will eat when she is hungry. She could be in premolt. If she shows no interest in food then I would stop trying to feed her for awhile, until she molts or shows signs of being hungry, such as opening an enterance to her web and sticking her legs out or wandering around the enclosure. My P. Irminia stayed hidden pretty often as well, that's pretty common for this species.

 

[Venom1080]

Irminia are known to be ghosts. They, like many other spiders, hide when in premolt.

Post pics of the set up.

 

[14pokies]

Most likely premolt.. Could be stress from being moved and rehoused etc...

Contrary to popular belief IME this species isn't as secretive as it's made out to be.. Mine have always only hidden for extended periods of time when in premolt.. I have noticed however that males tend to be more of the typical pet hole than females..

I litterally see both of my girls every evening or early morning.. Except when in premolt.. Same with the last four females I have had in the past decade..

 

[Arachnophoric]

Either premolt or she's just settling in. Mine spends a lot of time in her little dirt curtain hide, but I notice she comes out every so often and it's possible that yours is just coming out when you aren't looking/there.

If your P. irminia is hungry, she'll eat. These guys are beasts when it comes to eating, so I don't think you gotta worry about yours starving herself. If someone doesn't eat for me, I give them a week before attempting to feed again, seeing that constantly disturbing the enclosure and putting in/pulling out food could cause more harm than good. Just make sure she has an adequate water source at all times.

 

[cold blood]

You are just describing normal irminia behavior.

P.irminia is one of the most reclusive ts available n the hobby...possibly the most reclusive NW. Going months without showing themselves is quite normal. If they are hungry though, they will find food, especially a hopper.

Also while they are indeed arboreal, they tend to not be arboreal in the classic sense, generally living on the ground, under things.

 

[14pokies]

You are just describing normal irminia behavior.

P.irminia is one of the most reclusive ts available n the hobby...possibly the most reclusive NW. Going months without showing themselves is quite normal. If they are hungry though, they will find food, especially a hopper.

Also while they are indeed arboreal, they tend to not be arboreal in the classic sense, generally living on the ground, under things.

Respectfully and all ,That's just flat out not true.. Yes they heavily utilize a burrow.. Yes they do sometimes "hide" for weeks on end or a month or two while in premolt.. That's the key though.. While in premolt

I and a few keepers I know see our girls almost daily... The one thing we have noticed is that males tend to be the typical ghost you hear about.. The females are another story..

Most reclusive NW Whaaat! Set up with deep sub you never see A.seemani, most Ephebopus sp etc...Hell I had a C.versicolor hold up in ber web tube for 3 months once.. She wouldn't even come out to drink.. I had to drip water in her retreat ( which she completely covered in crap ) with a syringe just so the little hermit could drink...

Secretive yes they are or can be.. One of the most no way not by a long shot..

 

[cold blood]

Respectfully and all ,That's just flat out not true.. Yes they heavily utilize a burrow.. Yes they do sometimes "hide" for weeks on end or a month or two while in premolt.. That's the key though.. While in premolt

I and a few keepers I know see our girls almost daily... The one thing we have noticed is that males tend to be the typical ghost you hear about.. The females are another story..

Most reclusive NW Whaaat! Set up with deep sub you never see A.seemani, most Ephebopus sp etc...Hell I had a C.versicolor hold up in ber web tube for 3 months once.. She wouldn't even come out to drink.. I had to drip water in her retreat ( which she completely covered in crap ) with a syringe just so the little hermit could drink...

Secretive yes they are or can be.. One of the most no way not by a long shot..

Hey, every female I have, while they do go through periods of visibility, will inevitably disappear for 4-10 months at a time. I should have said most reclusive arboreals...of course fossorials are inherently reclusive...lol. IME though, irminia can be on another level when it comes to being reclusive.

The bigger and older they get, the more reclusive they get. When mine were young, I saw them all the time...lol.


Mine tend to climb when actively hunting, otherwise they are on the ground, under something.

 

[14pokies]

Mine tend to climb when actively hunting, otherwise they are on the ground, under something.

Maybe they just don't like you.. I wouldn't like someone that calls me a ghost .


I agree for a NW arboreal they are bit reclusive.. They deffinately act more like an Asian ir African arboreal..

I have also noticed the older they get the more they hide but still I have never had one hide for more than a few months (4-5) and usually they come out with a new set of bright orange swooshes..
Those legs alone poking out of the dirt make keeping them worth the " down time"..

Regardless I still I feel I see them more than I don't.I guess one could aslo say my opinion is a bit skewed by some of the species I keep.. I have Tarantulas that I haven't seen in three years aside drom digging them up to pack them for a move and then re housing them..

At this point I would catch a heart attack if I saw my P.muticus out for a stroll or my albostriatum... Hell even my H.sp columbia is four inches below the ground 11 months out of the year...

 

[bryverine]

Clearly your irminia is broken... poor thing... you should have it serviced so it knows only to show its feet.

I'll weight in and say my girl is only out right after molt, eats a couple times, and then it's very rare to see her again until the next molt.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Pre-moult, just leave it alone and make sure to keep a full water dish.

Irminia are known to be ghosts.

P.irminia is one of the most reclusive ts available n the hobby...possibly the most reclusive NW.

Mine rarely completely hides, and that's usually only when disturbed or when in premoult.

My cambridgei is by far the most reclusive out of the 4 Psalmopoeus species I own, never left his cork tube/burrow except to throw boluses or substrate at/in the water dish or pebble-dash the front door of the enclosure, he only comes out of his web tube/moss curtain in his new setup to drink... Or to pebble-dash the front door of the enclosure.

My 3" male P. pulcher is the most visible, he just sits out in plain view pretty much all the time.

 

[Venom1080]

Pre-moult, just leave it alone and make sure to keep a full water dish.




Mine rarely completely hides, and that's usually only when disturbed or when in premoult.

My cambridgei is by far the most reclusive out of the 4 Psalmopoeus species I own, never left his cork tube/burrow except to throw boluses or substrate at/in the water dish or pebble-dash the front door of the enclosure, he only comes out of his web tube/moss curtain in his new setup to drink... Or to pebble-dash the front door of the enclosure.

My 3" male P. pulcher is the most visible, he just sits out in plain view pretty much all the time.

I agree. My girls broken.

 

[cold blood]

My cambridgei is by far the most reclusive out of the 4 Psalmopoeus species I own, never left his cork tube/burrow except to throw boluses or substrate at/in the water dish or pebble-dash the front door of the enclosure, he only comes out of his web tube/moss curtain in his new setup to drink... Or to pebble-dash the front door of the enclosure.

My 3" male P. pulcher is the most visible, he just sits out in plain view pretty much all the time.

Thats funny, I have had exactly one P. cam over 3" that hid much at all ( @Ungoliant )...that's out of over 100...lol. My iriminias may be broken, but if they are, then so are your cams.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Thats funny, I have had exactly one P. cam over 3" that hid much at all ( @Ungoliant )...that's out of over 100...lol. My iriminias may be broken, but if they are, then so are your cams.

Yeah, that's my luck for ya, not only do I end up with a male but said male's reclusiveness is exceeded only by my obligate burrowers and H. mac sling

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, that's my luck for ya, not only do I end up with a male but said male's reclusiveness is exceeded only by my obligate burrowers and H. mac sling

stupid tarantulas

 

[14pokies]

Thats funny, I have had exactly one P. cam over 3" that hid much at all ( @Ungoliant )...that's out of over 100...lol. My iriminias may be broken, but if they are, then so are your cams.

My female P.cam is allways visible also. Most are.. Not the most colourful species but deffinately one of the most rewarding to keep behavior wise.. They are allways visible and moving..

 

[cold blood]

My female P.cam is allways visible also. Most are.. Not the most colourful species but deffinately one of the most rewarding to keep behavior wise.. They are allways visible and moving..

I agree...but what do people have against green? I love their coloration. With all the brown species, I would think green would appeal to more people.

 

[14pokies]

I agree...but what do people have against green? I love their coloration. With all the brown species, I would think green would appeal to more people.

They are have a slight green hue but overall they appear brownish to me..

 

[cold blood]

They are have a slight green hue but overall they appear brownish to me..

There's absolutely no brown on them...are you sure you have cambridgei?

Psalmopoeus cambridgei

• cold blood
• Mar 11, 2017
• 7
• cambridgei psalmopoeus psalmopoeus cambridgei trinidad chevron tarantula

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