Tarantula played dead and nearly bit me!

Timj

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Mar 24, 2018
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Last wednesday i got a chilobrachys kaeng krachan and today i found him or her in a semi death curl. One side was completely under it how you would expect a death curl to look. I have already seen it clean itself but this was different as in it was completely frozen. Anyway i panicked slightly and took the lid off to drop some water down the side where she was lying and before i even sprayed the bottle she ran up the side and tagged the spray bottle all in under a second.

It is on moist sub in a humid tank and is starting to build its home from web. Fed 2 superworms yesterday and since i got her it has been trying to eacape and push the lid off with her legs. This is by far the most defensive and intelligent tarantula i have ever seen, if i even scratch the side of the enclosure she will go to rear up. Is this sort of behavior common in old world tarantulas and will she eventually settle in and calm down a bit?
She is a solid 6"+ btw and not the kinda spider you want to lose.
 
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AnObeseHippo

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What do you mean, moist sub in a humid tank? Do you mist? Moist sub is all you need when species require higher “humidity”
 

Zaire

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Throw out the hygrometer. Those things are notoriously innacurate and you can kill the tarantula making the enclosure too stuffy trying to chase a number on it. What kind of enclosure is it in and what kind of ventilation do you have? A picture if you can get one would be helpful for the more experienced keepers when they come along.

Old worlds are generally very fast and very defensive, so the behavior is probably normal. How long has it been in the enclosure? It MIGHT settle down a bit once it gets comfortable and establishes a bolt hole, but it might not. And even if it seems to you will always need to be cautious when opening the enclosure.
 

KezyGLA

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Its all good Mr Brookes.

They can even withstand dry spells too. A fairly hardy species.
 

Timj

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Mar 24, 2018
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L
Throw out the hygrometer. Those things are notoriously innacurate and you can kill the tarantula making the enclosure too stuffy trying to chase a number on it. What kind of enclosure is it in and what kind of ventilation do you have? A picture if you can get one would be helpful for the more experienced keepers when they come along.

Old worlds are generally very fast and very defensive, so the behavior is probably normal. How long has it been in the enclosure? It MIGHT settle down a bit once it gets comfortable and establishes a bolt hole, but it might not. And even if it seems to you will always need to be cautious when opening the enclosure.
So the enclosure is a 12×12" fish tank and the gaps in the top have been taped over but there is a cm wide gap on top like in the picture. The two sides have been taped down completely because she popped it off and i was watching so i had to seal it down just incase. There are 2 plastic enclosures on top of it but air does still get through. I feel like it is enough ventilation and i always still refill water or at least mist it lightly. I did not put a hide in initially as i read they burrow and make a lot of web so i put half with a deeper layer of substrate about 5". I think now i maybe should have used a hide so it feels more comfortable and i have thought about adding one but i dont think i can get close enough tbh.
It is has only been in the enclosure for 6 days and i am only opening it when completely necessary. These are the best pictures i have/can get.
 

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Nightstalker47

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Death curl? Sounds more like you disturbed it in a resting position.

Not a great beginner choice. Fast advanced species with potent venom, hope you know what your doing.
 

Timj

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Mar 24, 2018
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Death curl? Sounds more like you disturbed it in a resting position.

Not a great beginner choice. Fast advanced species with potent venom, hope you know what your doing.
Wow nice photo! And yeah i suppose that is possible.
I will be fine im sure, i know they are no joke and i dont mess around with any of my tarantulas. Im prepared for the worse which is probably it bolting on me but i dont intend to be within biting distance of it especially after today.
Any advice please?
 

Nightstalker47

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Wow nice photo! And yeah i suppose that is possible.
I will be fine im sure, i know they are no joke and i dont mess around with any of my tarantulas. Im prepared for the worse which is probably it bolting on me but i dont intend to be within biting distance of it especially after today.
Any advice please?
Keep your distance and always use tongs. Expect the unexpected.

Good luck lol.
 

Teal

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I agree that disturbed the T while it was resting/grooming. There is no "semi death curl" in regards to one side being curled and one side not... the death curl happens because dying spiders lose the hydrolic-like function of their limbs. This cannot happen only on one side.

It sounds like you have a very stressed T in an inappropriate enclosure.
 

Venom1080

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I agree that disturbed the T while it was resting/grooming. There is no "semi death curl" in regards to one side being curled and one side not... the death curl happens because dying spiders lose the hydrolic-like function of their limbs. This cannot happen only on one side.

It sounds like you have a very stressed T in an inappropriate enclosure.
Agree with every word..


If the only ventilation you have for the tank are those holes in the sides, you need a new lid. A new cage wouldn't hurt either

You should not have to ever rely on tape to keep a spider in a tank. You do not want a large Chilobrachys to get stuck on it and force you to peel it off.

Tarantulas will sit in place while grooming sometimes...
 

Greasylake

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Make that substrate as deep as you can and give it a starter burrow. My Chilobrachys are a lot calmer when they have room to burrow and a place to retreat. I've only seen a threat posture from my fimbriatus once, and that was when I was moving her from her old, shallow enclosure into an enclosure with much more burrow room. After that she calmed down a lot.
 

Ultum4Spiderz

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Last wednesday i got a chilobrachys kaeng krachan and today i found him or her in a semi death curl. One side was completely under it how you would expect a death curl to look. I have already seen it clean itself but this was different as in it was completely frozen. Anyway i panicked slightly and took the lid off to drop some water down the side where she was lying and before i even sprayed the bottle she ran up the side and tagged the spray bottle all in under a second.
Safe to say i shit myself.
It is on moist sub in a humid tank and is starting to build its home from web. Fed 2 superworms yesterday and since i got her it has been trying to eacape and push the lid off with her legs. This is by far the most defensive and intelligent tarantula i have ever seen, if i even scratch the side of the enclosure she will go to rear up. Is this sort of behavior common in old world tarantulas and will she eventually settle in and calm down a bit?
She is a solid 6"+ btw and not the kinda spider you want to lose.
Some times they are slumping over in a sleep state or something. I nearly got bitten by a p striata poking it thinking it was dead . Around the time I lost a few Ts to dks. Either there resting or waiting to pounce on prey.
Chilobraxbys do bad dry mine got suck in molt R.I.P. cuz I think it was too dry . But it was half dry Rest wet so maybe not .
 

SonsofArachne

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Make that substrate as deep as you can and give it a starter burrow. My Chilobrachys are a lot calmer when they have room to burrow and a place to retreat. I've only seen a threat posture from my fimbriatus once, and that was when I was moving her from her old, shallow enclosure into an enclosure with much more burrow room. After that she calmed down a lot.
Can't agree more. Every burrower I have is pretty calm and I'm sure that's due to giving them enough substrate to where they can disappear completely if they want to. I have a lot of the "bad rep" ow's and don't get threat displays because no matter if they're burrowers or arboreals I alway give them enough a hide to "disappear".
 
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Timj

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Mar 24, 2018
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I agree that disturbed the T while it was resting/grooming. There is no "semi death curl" in regards to one side being curled and one side not... the death curl happens because dying spiders lose the hydrolic-like function of their limbs. This cannot happen only on one side.

It sounds like you have a very stressed T in an inappropriate enclosure.
The thing is she does not looked stressed at all it is drinking, eating doing a lot more webbing and i never see it with its legs tucked over itself just chilling like any T would. Im gonna rehouse her with more substrate and a hide just because it is probably better in the long run for both of us.
 

Ultum4Spiderz

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Can't agree more. Every burrower I have is pretty calm and I'm sure that's due to giving them enough substrate to where they can disappear completely if they want to. I have a lot of the "bad rep" ow's and don't get threat displays because no matter if they're burrowers or arboreals I alway give them enough a hide to "disappear".
Shame lasiodora don’t burrow would be easier to avoid angering them or getting haired .
I mostly see aboreals playing dead tho .
 
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