Tarantulas dying after molting.

[DomGom TheFather]

I think the last exotics thread i saw on here, the guy rehoused an obt on a high counter with one hand. He knew better and did it anyway. Surprise surprise, it bolted and took a fall. Don't listen to <edit> who sprays baboons and then puts them in an icu when they go downhill.

Also, stop misting.

 

[Craig73]

Sorry to hear about your losses. I’ll add to the conversation which has been solid advice and members I continue to learn from.

Corkbark
I get mine from Biodude, Amazon or big box pet store. I cut them to size/shape and may hot glue pieces together and use moss or substraight on top of the hot glue to cover the glue and make it look natural.

Water Dish
For small enclosures I use bottle caps. Soda or juice bottle caps are better than water bottle caps which tend to leak on me. You will have to clean them every so often, substraight, moss and webbing will wick the water fast...so if they are appearing empty faster than expected that’s when I clean them.

Psalmopoeus
My favorite and hardy. I keep six different species. As slings your tall enclosures are fine, but need to drill or solder more air vent holes (smaller than their carapace). I have mine with ventilation at the top, middle, and just above the substraight.

For slings I keep a water dish and slightly moisten part of the sub, but not damp or swampy by any means. They get a tall piece of cork bark leaned at an angle, and I use some green moss sparingly. Keep it simple, slings you want to be able to keep an eye on, but also give them security. When they get to the juvenile stage they get more elaborate builds.

They are fast growing, so rule of thumb on these guys for me is three total rehoused from sling to adult...that will mean their enclosures would be bigger than you may keep other types of arboreal T’s of similar size in. They have an unpleasant bite unlike other new worlds, so if you’re not in the know just be cautious.

 

[xXTristinaXx]

This thread shredded my face with beautiful info, what do you guys think of Tarantula Kat? Just wondering, I never knew that stuff about Exotics lair and the dark den (I hate exotics lair anyway, his voice is so pesky)

 

[Smotzer]

A lot of that is for entertainment value, of course, and isn't a representation on their ideas about correct husbandry (not endorsing it, fyi). I'm looking for things that pertain to bad advice about actually caring for the animals.

Yeah I just gave you mutplie reasons besides misting........his care is awful and nothing he does represents any ideals about correct husbandry LOL....... I really urge you to start to search and read here on Arachnoboards and not resist what we are saying we are here cause we care about correct husbandry, hes there to make money off of views, two very big differences, dont google either a lot of time youll get outdated caresheets, and I'll quote Viper69 here and say "caresheets kill tarantulas".

 

[Schiem]

IMO the exception to the "don't get your information from Youtube" is Tom Moran. His videos are basically just care advice without much fluff, and his channel / blog is usually one of the first places I check when I'm starting research into a new species.

 

[Smotzer]

This thread shredded my face with beautiful info

hahaha yeah glad to hear that its a wakeup call when you realize the common place of bad practices that exist on fringe clickbait keepers on stupidtube.

what do you guys think of Tarantula Kat?

I do not know, I have never watched her, but I wouldn't put my eggs into any basket that she is 100% doing all good for the hobby, as she is there to get views, and I do not think she has ever been a member here so I dont know where she gets her info from, maybe she was a member or lurks but noone has ever said so. . But I really do not know for sure if she has any glaring bad practices.



@PalWalken read these threads in here fully https://arachnoboards.com/threads/tarantula-information-for-beginners-and-more.318718/

 

[Sterls]

This thread shredded my face with beautiful info, what do you guys think of Tarantula Kat? Just wondering, I never knew that stuff about Exotics lair and the dark den (I hate exotics lair anyway, his voice is so pesky)

I watch her videos from time to time. She's OK but still not a solid source of care information.

I do not think she has ever been a member here so I dont know where she gets her info from, maybe she was a member or lurks but noone has ever said so. . But I really do not know for sure if she has any glaring bad practices.

Dunno if she made an account, but IIRC I've heard her say we're too "negative" so she doesn't come on here. Tom's said the same thing before. Some people can definitely be pricks, but it's usually only when newbies post that have obviously done no research or refuse to take our advice. Most of the time we're direct and to the point; some people interpret that as rude for whatever reason.

 

[viper69]

So I have a lot of slings of varying sizes and they keep dying after molting.
The majority were under 2 inches so I think you'd expect them to be more fragile. I didn't think too much of it.
But most recently, I had an incredibly healthy, active, 5 inch (guessing), psalmopoeus cambridgei die right after molting.
I need to know if I'm doing something wrong or if it's just nature being a cruel bitch.
Tarantulas were fed often, kept in room temp, kept on coco-fiber, and misted every few days.
This is the 4th or 5th tarantula I lost following a molt.

Thanks!

By what I read on first page of this thread it seems quite likely you are killing them all. Fix your husbandry.

Misting by itself is not wrong, but one doesn't need a rainforest to kill a T easily with too much misting. I don't mist my own Ts, but I do add water drop-wise to their webbing. And even when I do that, they are not always going to drinking. Knowing when a T is thirsty, provided it isn't visibly dehydrated, is purely a guess.

BTW, the T that seems to be a GBB in an AMAC...The box is TOO DAMN SMALL and the WRONG CONFIGURATION. Geez house your damn animals in an appropriate setup for christ sake.

You know these animals don't have a choice in how they are kept, their LIVES are dictated by what YOU do, by HOW MUCH YOU RESEARCH ETC. DO THE RIGHT THING, and REHOUSE THAT T. Or give up those animals. Looking at that poor T subjected to substandard conditions is really disgusting. Hopefully you'll improve, otherwise the sooner they die the better off those animals are.

YouTube is nothing but STUPIDTUBE

Dark Den just lightly mists every once in a while for smaller T's

We've seen plenty of lightly misted Ts die due to light misting. Such a subjective term.

 

[Smotzer]

but it's usually only when newbies post that have obviously done no research or refuse to take our advice. Most of the time we're direct and to the point; some people interpret that as rude for whatever reason.

Exactly!!!

 

[mack1855]

Wheee...ok,i have raised plenty of slings with no water dishes until the juvie stage.But,and this is I think a big deal,IMHO.
Don't mist heavily,to the point of saturating the sub.Twice a week will be fine.IME.
Use a pipette,or syringe to apply water,not soaking everything down.
Ensure enough ventilation so you don't create a sauna,and steam to death the sling.
So,im not so sure your water/moisture supply would be the issue.

 

[Frogdaddy]

They sound like genuine guys who care about doing things right. Do you assume that since they are YouTubers, they must be idiots who don't know anything or is there something they said that you disagree with in particular? Just wondering.

I'm sure they are genuine guys who in their minds think they are doing it right. I'm sure you're genuine and trying to do the right thing as well.
I don't think it took me but a couple of videos to figure out that EL and DD are all about clicks and views. The real proof to me comes in the form of people like you who emulate their husbandry methods and have T's die. They mist and don't use water dishes. So you misted and didn't use water dishes and lost by your own admission 4 or 5 T's.
I don't watch EL or DD, I get A LOT of information here. I never mist, I always use water dishes and I've never lost a T.
If you want to watch some good info on stupid tube please check out Tom Moran.

 

[Smotzer]

comes in the form of people like you who emulate their husbandry methods and have T's die.

This is it exactly.........

 

[DomGom TheFather]

There are better ways to add water. Misting is just inaccurate. In a small sling enclosure, this can quickly become an issue. Use a dropper, pipette or syringe and you can add a little at a time exactly where you want it. If you truly can't fit a dish, no biggie. A few well placed drops every couple of days will give a sling plenty to drink without really adding to the substrate. Then you can add the the sub only when needed. I'm sure people with larger collections can pull it off with a pump or hand sprayer to save time but it's always better to add small amounts in desired locations with small enclosures.

 

[Scp682]

They sound like genuine guys who care about doing things right. Do you assume that since they are YouTubers, they must be idiots who don't know anything or is there something they said that you disagree with in particular? Just wondering.



What would you say they get so wrong?
And as for healthy, I mean all the live ones. They have fat abdomens, movement is good, and they eat regularly. There is one I know for a fact, something is wrong. I will post on here. I've been looking for answers, but haven't found anything helpful.

How many unexplained deaths does he have regularly? Dark den especially he lost multiple moisture dependent species in the course of a month. Guess what no water dishes. Humidity is irrelevant they have something called an exoskeleton with a pretty effective moisture barrier. Internal hydration is what's important. Your set ups look like greenhouses so why not just keep them in a steamer while you're at it.

 

[8 legged]

Google your species or search the forum to find the right conditions for the spiders.
It works without a water dispenser, but that's stupid. Don't just think about the animal, but also about yourself. If you don't want constant paranoia about whether your animals are drying up. You know, in an emergency there is still the offered water!
If you then have the necessary experience, then you can watch corresponding videos, simply because it is interesting how the animals react in extreme situations. Nowhere do tarantulas show more of their potential than in bad YouTube videos - learn from the mistakes of others, but don't imitate them!

 

[BoyFromLA]

The majority were under 2 inches so I think you'd expect them to be more fragile.

I have to disagree on this.

Majority of mine (65+) bought as 1/8” - 1 1/2” size, and they are pretty tough.

 

[Ian14]

OMG.

Sorry, but you really need to rethink.
If you are losing slings like this then YOU are the issue.
Of course, deaths occur.
I have about 30 tarantulas, after joining this amazing hobby just over a year ago.
I lost 4 in a single transaction, which to me screams out that the dealer was at fault.
Other than that, none. I say again, NO DEATHS.
So with your track record, you need to take a serious look at your husbandry. That death rate is simply off the wall.
Whatever you are doing, you are killing these animals.

 

[Jess S]

I keep slings in vials without water dishes until they are large enough for a rehouse where they then get a dish.

I squirt water into the substrate with a pipette. Whether the sling drinks or not from the substrate or moisture that reaches the walls, the moisture in the substrate itself helps the sling to not lose so much water from its bookings by evaporation that they become dehydrated. Slings gain a lot of moisture from their meals too, but they still need moisture collecting in the lower levels of the substrate that they can dig down to reach.

So moist substrate is very important and that's why misting alone doesn't work. It dries more often than not, before the sling had a chance to drink. And it only reaches the top layer of substrate, not the important lower levels.

Tarantulas often need a good drink before (and after) moulting. Especially more so when the substrate is dry. Without this opportunity, they get dehydrated and die.

Everyone has given sound advice and as posted earlier in this thread, Tom's Big Spiders YouTube channel is a really good place to research husbandry and rehouse techniques.

EDIT: just looked at your photos and going from the size of your t's and their enclosures you can definitely fit water dishes in them . I would certainly be doing so.

 

[Neonblizzard]

Yeah. That's the problem right there.
They are killing your tarantulas. Please read a lot on this forum. Much better information.

Exotics lair is a total joke. Do not take his advice on anything. Did anyone see his OBT rehouse? You wouldn't even upload it because it was embarrassing how bad it went. There are some decent youtubers out there, (i personally rate tom moran highly) but there's so many that really aren't that clued up and are just in it for the clicks and the views. Pathetic

 

[xXTristinaXx]

I think your containers are big enough to house a water dish, especially because your teams are at quite a large size and I don't think a few droplets will do (Sorry if someone said this already, too lazy to read over the thread to make sure I'm not stealing). Also, I see that you are using hornworms, I'm not sure whether or not if those are like a good primary feeder so maybe can somebody say? I'm interested myself.