Recently I’ve noticed my first little splotch of tarantula excrement. For those who have never seen it, it looks like a tiny white pinhead/tomato seed. As I had already given fresh water for the night, I didn’t want to disturb the T anymore so I figured I’d get it the next day. Next day rolls around - can’t find it in its spot and it’s either blended with the sub or just rolled in sub so that it’s now unnoticeable. Is this something that regularly happens? A lot of videos I watch have enclosures so minimalist that it would be impossible for the owners to spot clean them due to the sheer lack of size and the decor taking up most space.
Secondly my B. Albo was fed tonight as well. A regular large cricket, but slightly smaller than it was used to. Since the prey was captured near the T’s hide the tarantula did its “happy dance” in the hide. While the cricket was eaten quickly out in the open I didn’t catch the end of the feeding so I don’t know if there was a bolus or not. Given this T’s record of eating the whole meal I’m not too worried. Doesn’t like to leave leftovers. Unless it dragged the bolus into its hide. The hide is a cork slab angled with a burrow that I hand scooped upon recently rehousing and my Albo just started using it in the past couple days. When I came back into the room it wasn’t eating and its abdomen/rear legs were facing outward with its carapace and legs working away inside.
I’m led to believe the tarantula was just making a house a home since it would inch further and further into the hide. But is it possible for the hide to become a boneyard for discarded prey? I really don’t think there is a bolus in there as the T was putting in work in that little burrow for hours afterward. I can’t exactly pull up the hide because I buried the back half for stability and the T solidified the work by webbing around back in addition to the entire substrate everywhere. Even trying to pick what *i think* would be a piece of waste or dirt off of the sub results in the whole thing raising like a piece of carpet.
Also, is it even necessary to completely replace sub every about 6 months? Lots of online guides say to do it but it seems to me like destroying the T’s work just because it’s not to my liking...with disregard of how comfortable the T has made itself. In my research the only sub replacement comes with a rehouse for more space, completely uncontrollable mold, etc.
Secondly my B. Albo was fed tonight as well. A regular large cricket, but slightly smaller than it was used to. Since the prey was captured near the T’s hide the tarantula did its “happy dance” in the hide. While the cricket was eaten quickly out in the open I didn’t catch the end of the feeding so I don’t know if there was a bolus or not. Given this T’s record of eating the whole meal I’m not too worried. Doesn’t like to leave leftovers. Unless it dragged the bolus into its hide. The hide is a cork slab angled with a burrow that I hand scooped upon recently rehousing and my Albo just started using it in the past couple days. When I came back into the room it wasn’t eating and its abdomen/rear legs were facing outward with its carapace and legs working away inside.
I’m led to believe the tarantula was just making a house a home since it would inch further and further into the hide. But is it possible for the hide to become a boneyard for discarded prey? I really don’t think there is a bolus in there as the T was putting in work in that little burrow for hours afterward. I can’t exactly pull up the hide because I buried the back half for stability and the T solidified the work by webbing around back in addition to the entire substrate everywhere. Even trying to pick what *i think* would be a piece of waste or dirt off of the sub results in the whole thing raising like a piece of carpet.
Also, is it even necessary to completely replace sub every about 6 months? Lots of online guides say to do it but it seems to me like destroying the T’s work just because it’s not to my liking...with disregard of how comfortable the T has made itself. In my research the only sub replacement comes with a rehouse for more space, completely uncontrollable mold, etc.
