Tarantula won't come down from hideaway

ChrisAnderson

Arachnopeon
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Mar 2, 2014
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9
Recently I had to change my tarantula's bedding and clean her tank. I thought it would be interesting to dig a small burrow for her, so I did so near her hideaway. I changed her bedding about three days ago and she has been standing on top of her hideaway for three days without coming down. When I got up this morning she was touching the new bedding a little but still on top of her hideaway. I'm a little worried that the burrow I dug for her is making her afraid that there's a predator or something hiding in there, but I also know both from past experience and related problems others have had that tarantulas won't touch their new bedding right away. Is this something to worry about?

Also a quick side question; my tarantula doesn't eat that often and when crickets walk close to her she usually lifts up her leg to let them pass. Is this normal/typical behavior? Just curious.
 

Venom1080

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no need to ever change the substrate unless theres a very large mite problem or mold infestation.
what species is it? post pics for far more accurate advice. no idea what youre talking about without pics.

it may be premolt, a mature male, or not comfortable and acclimated.
 

Walker253

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Jun 12, 2016
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554
What Venom said and she'll come down and settle when she's ready. I would also say that your tarantula doesn't have the thought process to think there may be a predator lurking. The have no brain, just a nerve bundle. Everything is reactionary and instinct.
 

houston

Arachnopeon
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Feb 18, 2017
Messages
39
What kind of substrate did you replace it with? Are the qualities (texture, grain size, water content) different? A lot of spiders are real particular about how they want their dirt to feel-- a lot of times it's too wet. I wouldn't think that the hole is the reason for her standing on the hide.

Pics and further info would be rad here!
 

Jason B

Arachnosquire
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Sep 10, 2016
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88
Yeah I'm gonna agree we need more info to help you. Best on what you wrote I could very well reply with sounds like the substrate is to wet and the T is using the top of a hide as a kind of boat.

To which you could respond its a T. blondi and I have it housed on dry popcorn kernels.
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
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Apr 18, 2012
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890
My L.P. stayed on its hide for about three weeks after an enclosure upgrade. It might like it better than the substrate right now as they tend to like solid ground. Give it some time. I doubt that it thinks a predator is down there without vibrations from from below.

About the food thing, sounds like typical premolt (or Brachypelma) behavior to me. As long as it's reasonably fat and has a full bowl of water, i wouldn't worry.

Next time include: species, size, substrate, pictures. :)
 

cold blood

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tarantulas won't touch their new bedding right away.
WTH????:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

This is just plain not true....so not true that its really just funny.

Knowing the species is critical...seeing pics of both the t and its enclosure would be wildly helpful....I'm completely baffled at the number of people asking for help and not providing pics.

I also wonder why you felt the substrate needed changing. It doesn't go bad.

If I had to make a NostraDennis guess on everything:astonished:....I'd say you have a rose hair and its on its hide because the sub hasn't dried out. Rose hairs despise moisture...in fact moisture can and often does shut them down from feeding for months.

Rose hairs rarely burrow or even use a hide in captivity...its of no concern that its not burrowing or using the hide.

If it is indeed a rose hair as I have predicted:smug:, then refusal of food is quite normal...they have exceeding low food requirements...feed it, literally, one cricket every 2 weeks....if its not eaten quickly, remove it again and wait 2 weeks. They can go years without food when plump.
 
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ChrisAnderson

Arachnopeon
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Mar 2, 2014
Messages
9
UPDATE: Okay she came down overnight and is currently relaxing in her water bowl so I'm going to agree with those of you who said the soil was too moist. Either that or she was just really scared from the changing. For those of you who asked why I changed it, I was advised to clean the tank at least yearly when I got her. It's a rose hair by the way.
 

cold blood

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UPDATE: For those of you who asked why I changed it, I was advised to clean the tank at least yearly when I got her.
Sounds like pet store advice, they like selling you things, whether you need them or not.

Spot cleaning is all thats needed...ts arent very dirty animals...changing sub just means the will have to re acclimate...which for some species, like yours, can take a while....my rosie is on sub well over a decade old.
 

boina

Lady of the mites
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Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
WTF????:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

This is just plain not true....so not true that its really just funny.

Knowing the species is critical...seeing pics of both the t and its enclosure would be wildly helpful....I'm completely baffled at the number of people asking for help and not providing pics.

I also wonder why you felt the substrate needed changing. It doesn't go bad.

If I had to make a NostraDennis guess on everything:astonished:....I'd say you have a rose hair and its on its hide because the sub hasn't dried out. Rose hairs despise moisture...in fact moisture can and often does shut them down from feeding for months.

Rose hairs rarely burrow or even use a hide in captivity...its of no concern that its not burrowing or using the hide.

If it is indeed a rose hair as I have predicted:smug:, then refusal of food is quite normal...they have exceeding low food requirements...feed it, literally, one cricket every 2 weeks....if its not eaten quickly, remove it again and wait 2 weeks. They can go years without food when plump.
Since you were right can I call you NostraDennis from now on :wideyed:?
 

Venom1080

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Sep 24, 2015
Messages
4,611
??? <-- this one

This is just plain not true....so not true that its really just funny.

Knowing the species is critical...seeing pics of both the t and its enclosure would be wildly helpful....I'm completely baffled at the number of people asking for help and not providing pics.

I also wonder why you felt the substrate needed changing. It doesn't go bad.

If I had to make a NostraDennis guess on everything:astonished:....I'd say you have a rose hair and its on its hide because the sub hasn't dried out. Rose hairs despise moisture...in fact moisture can and often does shut them down from feeding for months.

Rose hairs rarely burrow or even use a hide in captivity...its of no concern that its not burrowing or using the hide.

If it is indeed a rose hair as I have predicted:smug:, then refusal of food is quite normal...they have exceeding low food requirements...feed it, literally, one cricket every 2 weeks....if its not eaten quickly, remove it again and wait 2 weeks. They can go years without food when plump.
i got a little message from a mod once upon a time for using that certain abbreviation fyi.
 
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