Tarantula moving his substrate?

[DomGom TheFather]

It's not a lot of dirt in a small space where it never rains. They can make a mess moving things around.

 

[Brewser]

It's not a lot of dirt in a small space where it never rains. They can make a mess moving things around.

The Hysterocrates Sp. "Niger Delta" (H.Gigas) I'm keeping likes to use the water bowl and make Mud Digs. Of course They've been known to go Swimming.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

Also is there a way to find out how old tarantulas are? He’s only shed once in the two years I’ve had him so I don’t know if that was his last?

There's no real way to determine an age without knowing it, but if it is indeed a male, you'll be able to know when it's about to be done aging.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Maybe... Building a Wall to Keep Out Alien Lifeforms.

Centipedes, rats and scorpions are pretty alien !!! Precisely why they do it. Often they’re fasting or in pre-molt.

 

[mady long legs]

My a.chalcodes did this after I added more substrate, she then borrowed in for a month and a half. I guess she was pissed off (or scared) that I messed with her home, I didn't see her in that time but I kept the water fresh. She then created a new exit and has finally been eating again.

 

[viper69]

how old

No

They do this-most do- have you ever in your life arranged your room apt etc?

 

[Liquifin]

Also is there a way to find out how old tarantulas are?

Nope, there are a lot of factors that affect growth, so figuring out a tarantulas age is almost impossible, unless the person who produced it has a date as to when they were hatched.

 

[sarahbaggott]

looks like it put up privacy curtains, do not disturb until it opens an exit again

if it has a second exit it may also have decided to block this one

kind of like this:
View attachment 469378

I woke up this morning and he’s completely sealed up the entrance to his largest hide. BUT he’s not in it? He’s sealed it up and just not gone in there again?

Centipedes, rats and scorpions are pretty alien !!! Precisely why they do it. Often they’re fasting or in pre-molt.

I did wonder if he was fasting coz he hasn’t eaten in quite a while. Pre-molt is interesting, he’s only molted once in the two years I’ve had him so that could be it. But does that explain why he’s not IN the hide while he’s covering it up?

 

[Wolfram1]

I woke up this morning and he’s completely sealed up the entrance to his largest hide. BUT he’s not in it? He’s sealed it up and just not gone in there again?

it happens, sometimes they dont use hides like we expect them too, one of my larger spiders (L. parahybana) pushed all the leaflitter and some of its boluses into the hide i provided, took a dump in there a few times and then shoveled the entrance shut with any leaf-litter that was still left and some loose substrate, no idea why, she doesnt really hide at all

seems like it is just doing its thing, nothing to worry about

 

[Glorfindel]

Invert is an Introvert.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

it happens, sometimes they dont use hides like we expect them too, one of my larger spiders (L. parahybana) pushed all the leaflitter and some of its boluses into the hide i provided, took a dump in there a few times and then shoveled the entrance shut with any leaf-litter that was still left and some loose substrate, no idea why, she doesnt really hide at all

seems like it is just doing its thing, nothing to worry about

My H pulchripes does something similar. Makes gorgeous turrets, covered in web, uses them for a couple of molts, then seals them up with several layers of web and hangs out on top. I’m convinced she’s used it as a garbage can.

 

[sarahbaggott]

‘Privacy Curtains’

He’s been in his blocked off hide since I posted last. He hasn’t come out once. Does this typically last long? I turn the tank round every so often so I can see him to make sure he’s okay. But does anybody know how long this usually lasts? He spent around a day blocking up the hide and then just slipped round the back of it. I misted his tank today and he hasn’t even come out for that. This is normal, right?

 

[cold blood]

I am shocked there are still people out there that mist enclosures for husbandry....just baffling.

Ts hide away, there is no timeframe as to how long they do so...its perfectly normal and shouldn't be of any concern.

 

[viper69]

You need to seriously read up on the animal you own. It's life depends on your interest in doing that. If you have read up, you'd know the answer to your question is "no one can tell you" We know very very little about the physiology/behavior of these animals in captivity and in wild. They are black boxes w/8 legs. It's not like owning mammals or even snakes.

They do cover up like this.

 

[sarahbaggott]

I am shocked there are still people out there that mist enclosures for husbandry....just baffling.

Ts hide away, there is no timeframe as to how long they do so...its perfectly normal and shouldn't be of any concern.

I’m sorry, am I not supposed to mist his tank?

You need to seriously read up on the animal you own. It's life depends on your interest in doing that. If you have read up, you'd know the answer to your question is "no one can tell you" We know very very little about the physiology/behavior of these animals in captivity and in wild. They are black boxes w/8 legs. It's not like owning mammals or even snakes.

They do cover up like this.

I know a little about him and I’ve read up on a few things but I don’t know anybody else that owns a tarantula so I can’t go to them for advice. That’s why I use this forum - nobody else can tell me if I should be worried about certain things, and often times I’ve found reading up on things to be contradictory so I like to go to actual people for advice. I’m utterly enamoured with tarantulas and have read up on certain things but I only ask on here in case people have noticed the same things in theirs. That’s all

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Hello and welcome to the hobby! What they were alluding to is the extensive amount of information available on this site. I find the best way to search is via Google by typing in site:arachnoboards.com then your topic. Here’s a great place to start.

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

When a T blocks off his burrow, ya just have to wait. Ensure the water dish is full and clean, and don’t mist.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I am shocked there are still people out there that mist enclosures for husbandry....just baffling.

Ts hide away, there is no timeframe as to how long they do so...its perfectly normal and shouldn't be of any concern.

Did misting come from the reptile /frog hobby?

 

[sarahbaggott]

Hello and welcome to the hobby! What they were alluding to is the extensive amount of information available on this site. I find the best way to search is via Google by typing in site:arachnoboards.com then your topic. Here’s a great place to start.

Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)

Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...

arachnoboards.com

When a T blocks off his burrow, ya just have to wait. Ensure the water dish is full and clean, and don’t mist.

Thank you! I’ve had him for a couple of years now but sometimes he does something I’ve never seen and just feel it best to ask other people about it as sometimes online stuff doesn’t give me the answers I need

Did misting come from the reptile /frog hobby?

I’ve never had a frog or a snake but my sister has both. Gomez had a water dish in with him for the first six months that I had him a I emptied it and refilled it as needed, but he just wouldn’t go near it. If he did go near it or touch it he’d just run away from it and hide in a corner until I removed it. I was told misting it would be better, and some people on here have suggested watering his substrate? For some reason he seemed to like this method better.

 

[cold blood]

Did misting come from the reptile /frog hobby?

Maybe...but its simply really really old, dated info that used to be commonplace in the hobby and is still perpetuated by many "care sheets".

I’m sorry, am I not supposed to mist his tank?

Not as part of husbandry....its utterly useless for that. You can do it, but only a little spritz on the wall or web for a drinking opportunity...but yours is barricaded away, so its not going to be drinking.

I was told misting it would be better, and some people on here have suggested watering his substrate? For some reason he seemed to like this method better.

he is working with severly dated info. Misting evaporates quickly, and its effects are only felt for about 20 min.....pouring water on the sub is a far superior method as it gets the deeper sub damp, which is what is FAR more important as it holds its moisture and also puts it where it is actually needed.

Not even sure if its needed as it would only be needed for a moisture dependent species, and we really dont even know what species you have....so its entirely possible that it would be fine just kept dry.

Gomez had a water dish in with him for the first six months that I had him a I emptied it and refilled it as needed, but he just wouldn’t go near it

Just because you have never seen him drink, doesn't mean he hasn't...ts drink very infrequently and its something very hard to catch.

 

[sarahbaggott]

Maybe...but its simply really really old, dated info that used to be commonplace in the hobby and is still perpetuated by many "care sheets".


Not as part of husbandry....its utterly useless for that. You can do it, but only a little spritz on the wall or web for a drinking opportunity...but yours is barricaded away, so its not going to be drinking.




he is working with severly dated info. Misting evaporates quickly, and its effects are only felt for about 20 min.....pouring water on the sub is a far superior method as it gets the deeper sub damp, which is what is FAR more important as it holds its moisture and also puts it where it is actually needed.

Not even sure if its needed as it would only be needed for a moisture dependent species, and we really dont even know what species you have....so its entirely possible that it would be fine just kept dry.


Just because you have never seen him drink, doesn't mean he hasn't...ts drink very infrequently and its something very hard to catch.

I suppose I understand the thing about the drinking, whenever I see he’s covered his tank in web I make sure to mist it a little. Also - Gomez is a curly hair