questions about my pinktoes habbits

[smackie]

i tried to read everything before posting this to make sure something simmilar wasnt already done. im sorry if i missed something or put this in the wrong place.


i need some info about the following things:
-why she seems restless sometimes
-about the infared heat lamp i keep on her. how many hours to run it, if its safe for her. if she may not like it
-how to keep enough moisture in her tank & make the proper humidity
-why she might have stopped eating



anyways, my boyfriend just bought me a cute little pinktoe tarantula. ive never had one before so i did a lot of research to try and learn everything about her as i could. but i still have some questions that cant be answered anywhere i look. so im hoping someone can help me

rosie (what i named her) likes to eat a lot, well the first day i got her the people at the pet store said she already ate 7 crickets and when i got home she ate about 3 more, then some more that night.
now shes barely eating and its been a few days, i doubt shes eaten in a couple days, which i read is normal but i dont think she might not be comfortable in her tank.

the petshop gave her to me in a 10 gallon tank with red woodchips, a shallow water dish, and a long spongey like cave that goes along the bottom against the glass so i can see inside.
now, she never was very active. just 'sleeping' like all of the time.
i usually have my air conditioner on, so i bought her infared heat bulb because im afraid shes cold. (and i like to view her at nightime)
less than an hour after i put it on, she came out of her little cave and went up to the top to soak up some warmth. i was exciteddd it seemed like she loved it, and i was happy.
then a few hours later, i was in bed watching her. she moved all about the cage. stopping for a minute, then moving again. she did this for hours
and i thought, 'oh yayy shes being lively and looking for foods and stuff'
so then i gave her a few crickets cause she only had a few left and she ate none. even with them all around her getting close to her n stuff.
then my boyfriend told me he heard that means theyre not comfortable when theyre restless.
then he said maybe shes looking around for moisture. maybe thats right cause i saw her go in her water dish a few times last night too.
but how do i know for sure?

how do i get more moisture in there? i pour a little water in thier every few days but i have no clue how to make it good, or even if im doing it right (i dont have a spray bottle at the moment to mist her). i thought the light would help with humidity but what do i know. im probably making everything worse

and i dont think the stupid woodchips are helping. i have peatmoss but i have to wait a few days for my boyfriend to come over and put it in there (im afraid of crickets) i know its retarded. those little things freak me out


i know this might be pretty stupid and typical of a girl who just got a tarantula, but i just need some straight up info and some reasurrance.
i fell inlove with my little rosie. and im worried im not doing it right

 

[ctsoth]

I will try an answer your questions to the best of my ability. I have enjoyed a fair amount of port this evening.

First, the wood chips have to go. I recommend peat moss as a good substrate. You should be able to find peat moss at any local garden center, and there are plenty of peat based potting "soils" that you should be able to find at Walmart or a Farm and Fleet. Fertilizers should not matter, but be sure that the soil you purchase does not contain pesticides. Wood chips will not hold humidity, all in all, they absolutely completely suck for Ts.

Second: The red light can go. It will dry the enclosure and can fry your little pink toed friend. If your room is comfortable to you all is good.

Third: Ventilation, make sure that whatever enclosure your new friend lives in is plenty ventilated.

Fourth: Water dish/high humidity. Most people will claim that a water dish and high humidity coupled with good ventilation is a must for a pink toe. I keep my Versicolor dry with no water. I have had it for two years, seems to work for me. I must say that I do provide water on occasion, but I must emphasize "occasion." I must say that this is a point of contention. I must also say, that you basically can not go wrong having a CLEAN water dish in your container.

Fifth: Your happy spider doesn't need to eat much. I don't bother keeping track of when I feed my collection. I track the size of the abdomen and feed accordingly. If the abdomen is the same size or larger than the carapace your friend is most likely well fed. If the abdomen is grossly larger than the carapace you should consider a celebrity diet. Tarantulas can go months to years [not certain what record is] without eating. If it doesn't eat for several weeks don't worry about it unless the abdomen is shriveling up. Your new pet isn't like me and you. It is a very different creature with a very different and amazing metabolism.

I hope I helped some. Also, there is a sticky for new owners. Read it.

Peace

Chris

 

[Aurelia]

-You don't need a heat lamp.

-Peat moss is definitely a superior substrate, it holds moisture a lot better than wood chips.

-You can keep humidity up by wetting the substrate, but you don't have to keep it up all the time, otherwise mold can start to grow. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation. Humidity doesn't mean condensation on the side, that's actually bad and means there isn't enough ventilation.

-She may be fasting because she is getting ready to molt, or just because she doesn't feel like eating. They can go for months without eating, you should only start to worry if their abdomen becomes shrunken and shriveled. You should only be feeding 3-4 large crickets once a week if she's an adult. If the crickets aren't eaten within 24 hours, they should be taken out.

Welcome to AB! How funny you named her Rosie, that's the most common pet name for the Chilean Rose Hair.

 

[gvfarns]

"She" is probably restless just because she's getting used to her new home. It's not really normal for tarantulas to move around a lot. The other alternative is that she is a he and wants to get out and find a pretty little lady.

Heat lamp not necessary unless your house is really cold. If it does get cold cold (like below 60 for significant time) use it to offset that cold. You don't need to heat it significantly, and heat will tend to dry things out.

Mist her cage (not her) occastionally. Moisten the substrate (which should be potting soil, peat, or coco fiber) from time to time. Make sure there's adequate ventilation, though, so she doesn't mold.

She may have stopped eating because she's full, because she's scared, because she's just ornery, or because she's going to molt some time soon. Tarantulas don't really eat that frequently so don't expect it too much. She has already eaten a lot of freaking crickets. Think of one or two every week or two as normal.

You are funny to name her rosie since the most common tarantula people own is a rose hair and everyone names theirs rosie. And you don't have a rose hair.

If she really is a pink toe she should be climbing up on the walls, not down on the ground...that would be rather unusual. If she is not, consider the possibility that you may be wrong in your species identification.

 

[gvfarns]

crap. I thought I was the first poster. Darn you fast people!

 

[kyrga]

Can you post a picture of your set-up? It sounds like the pet store might not have advised ideal conditions (which happens quite often). For a pinktoe, you usually want an enclosure that's more tall than wide. Also, bark chips are a no-no. Peat moss is one of the best substrates for pinktoes, as it holds moisture well. You could also use vermiculite or coco fiber. Keeping a shallow water dish full should be enough for moisture (no sponge or cotton in the dish). If you like, you can lightly mist one side of the tank 1-2 times a week, especially if you live in a dry area. Also, if sounds like there isn't really anything for her to climb on. Pinktoes are arboreal, meaning they like to climb a lot.

The heat lamp isn't really necessary... but that seems to be a matter of opinion... some people use them, some don't care for them, and some people think they're the devil. What is your AC set at? I can't imagine it being lower than 65, which is fine for a tarantula, mine spend most of the winter between 60-65 with no problems. If you choose to use the lamp, limit the time that it's on, you don't want to accidentally cook your T.

You should only have to feed your T once or twice a week, and they can go quite a while with out eating.

As for behavior, pinktoes seem a bit more active than other Ts, in my limited experience at least. Mine usually hides up in her web during the day, but usually walks around at least a little at night. If you just got yours, she might still be settling in; it can take a couple days to a few weeks for her to settle in, try not to bug her too much during that time.

Also, don't leave crickets in there. Put in one at a time, and take it out within a day or so if she doesn't eat it. You don't want a bunch in there if she molts.

Welcome to the hobby!

 

[Tokendog]

Not sure if this is real or not, but here goes:

First, please get rid of the wood chips and go with Cocofiber or 100% peat moss as you said. Ts do not like wood chips.

Also Ts eat about a cricket a week, some times less. You can go a couple of weeks with out feeding a T and have no problems. Heck, you can go a couple of months and have no problems.

Its a good idea to remove the cave. Pinktoes do not need a cave. They are arboreal (which means they like to climb) and she will probably spend most of her time up on the top of the aquarium. A good idea would be to remove her from the aquarium, turn it on its side, and put a little bit (an inch) of the peat moss on the bottom. This will give her more room to climb as she prefers that over walking horizontally.

Post a picture of your setup after that and people will give you advice to make it more suitable.

Also remove the heat lamp. Tarantulas tend to get dehydrated when under a heat source. A good rule of thumb is if you are comfortable, they probably are as well. You may want to invest in a water bottle capable of misting and sprits (very lightly) the side of her tank every week or so. If/when she webs a corner, you should spritz that as she will drink from the webbing.

She was wandering around and around the tank because she is probably uncomfortable because of the wood chips also because she is looking for her hide (a webbed up area usually located in the top of the tank) to go inside and feel safe in.

So to sum it up:
*Get rid of the woodchips.
*Stop feeding her crickets for a week or so. If she gets fat, stop for a longer period.
*Put a small water dish (no need for it to be bigger than her) in the tank and fill it up every day.
*Turn the tank on its side and fill with peat moss. You may want to cook it in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees to make sure there are no bugs or such in it.
*Go find her a piece of cork bark at the pet store, bake it in the oven same as above, and hot glue(keep her out of the tank while you do this, and let it air for about 30 minutes before putting her back in) it to a corner of the tank in the top area so she can make it her hide.
*Get rid of the sponge cave.
*Get rid of the heat lamp.

Do these things and she should be a lot happier It will take her a day or two to adjust, maybe longer, but eventually she will web up a corner and go in to her normal routine.

Also please do not forget to post a pic as soon as you can so we can better help you.

 

[kyrga]

crap. I thought I was the first poster. Darn you fast people!

Same here lol... guess I need to learn to type faster.

 

[gvfarns]

Haha, I guess this is a popular time and topic for the boards.

Or maybe it just requires long answers so we all post the same stuff not knowing it's already been posted. Well she has a range of answers now.

 

[Tokendog]

Haha, I guess this is a popular time and topic for the boards.

Or maybe it just requires long answers so we all post the same stuff not knowing it's already been posted. Well she has a range of answers now.

You can check the times of the post to see that they were all typed within the same ten minutes or so =P

 

[smackie]

wow thankyou so much. i feel much better already.

i have peatmoss but im waiting for my boyfriend to put in her tank for me.
shes definatly a pinktoe ive looked up pictures and shes always climbing all over the tank, i just thought she was hungry when she went on the ground and started touching the crickets making them jump all over n stuff

ill also keep the heatlamp off, i thought it would help. but i keep my ac on 68 and i only put it on for about an hour every few hours, and for 30 minutes before i go to sleep.
im only gonna use the lamp when i wanna watch her at night now

she has branches as u can see, but she never climbs on them, she only climbs on the sides of the glass sometimes

and i dont want to remove the cave thing on the bottom cause thats where she always sleeps, and she made a web all over there, and shes laying right in the middle of it, but you cant see it in the picture. i think she really loves that spot

i guess i really need to take some of the crickets out, theyre all over her cave thing and even in the picture u can see one 'bugging' her
im too afriad to do it myself tho so im gonna have to wait for my boyfriend

this look like a good place tho?


*my bf named her rosie, and i thought it was an adorably odd name for a tarantula lol

 

[kyrga]

As long as the cave isn't causing any harm (ie no sharp edges, no danger of it molding, etc) then leave it.

Are you afraid of the crickets or the T?

 

[smackie]

im afriad of the crickets

the cave is spongey, ill have to watch it for mold tho

 

[kyrga]

im afriad of the crickets

the cave is spongey, ill have to watch it for mold tho

So... you're afraid of the bugs that can't bite you? Try putting a small cup in the enclosure and "herd" the crickets into it with tongs or chopsticks, that way you don't have to touch them.

 

[Aurelia]

So... you're afraid of the bugs that can't bite you? Try putting a small cup in the enclosure and "herd" the crickets into it with tongs or chopsticks, that way you don't have to touch them.

Actually crickets can bite, so can superworms.

 

[kyrga]

Actually crickets can bite, so can superworms.

To the extent that a human would feel anything though?

 

[Aurelia]

To the extent that a human would feel anything though?

Yeah you could feel it, a cricket might not necessarily hurt but I've read that superworms pack a punch.

 

[kyrga]

Yeah you could feel it, a cricket might not necessarily hurt but I've read that superworms pack a punch.

I've never used superworms... but anyways, I was encouraging her to get the crickets out lol! Now she has more of a reason not to!

 

[Aurelia]

Haha, well if it helps, I used to be terrified of crickets but they've never hurt me personally. I've handled them with my hands but I usually just grab them with tweezers.

 

[Tokendog]

Smackie,

I understand your concern about crickets and your new T. I would never encourage any one to do any thing they were uncomfortable with, but I ask you this: Would you want some thing you love to be miserable, especially if you knew it could eventually die from its conditions?

Your T is probably fine, but you do not want things to start to go down hill for it. You are going to have to over come your fears at some point in time or your relationship with your new found friend, the Pinktoe, is going to be a rough and possibly short one.

You are going to have to learn to take care of your T on your own, its inevitable, so I hope you can find a way to start over coming some of your fears/concerns and help your T out.

The crickets need to go as soon as possible, so do the bark chips. The cave should be fine but its unusual (at least to me) for a Pinktoe to go under ground but it may be that its the only comfortable spot it can find at the moment so it uses it. However, I do believe that as soon as you make the conditions proper for this type of Tarantula, it will relocate to a higher hide-out. I do like the cave though as it provides a cool view of a fake burrow and shows the T in its "home".

I really believe you need to do what you can with out your boyfriend and I think you'll be amazed at what you are capable of over coming once you try it.

I used to be terrified of spiders, and I still hold a bit of fear for the more dangerous types (for obvious reasons), but I no longer freak out over every spider I see and this is mainly because I forced my self to over come these fears. Crickets can not harm you any more than a pebble can bother you when its in your shoe, so that is the extent of their danger to you - its actually far less than that.

If you are still nervous about your new T, then wait til it is in the cave and make your move. Use deli container or some thing else suitable in size, lure it inside, and close the lid (with air holes) and then make the adjustments to its enclosure. I promise once every thing is fixed and you put the T back in, she'll be a lot less stressed out and you will fill great about being the one who took care of it :>

P.S.
Here is a link to a picture that will show you the basic idea of an arboreal setup. http://insectgeeks.com/user/gallery/view/id_3575/name_Tarantula101/ (thanks to user Tarantula101 or Tarantula08 for the pic.)

You do not have to copy this, but follow the guide lines. A little substrate (peat moss or coco fiber) on the ground, a couple of branches (cleaned and safe for the T, double check on here to make sure its a safe type of wood -> even pet stores sell wood that is unsafe for Ts such as cedar), and a water dish. The basic idea is maximize the vertical space while keeping a small amount of horizontal space. Remember, these guys/gals are climbers.