Worried about my Chilean rose tarantula

[Jombiej]

at least I think he’s a Chilean rose tarantula. I got him from a friend before she moved. She didn’t have him long before that nor had she ever had a tarantula and neither have I. The day I got him I noticed he had a bald spot on his abdomen. I looked it up and apparently the flicking of hair is normal, but the bald spot has grown very large, almost half his whole abdomen! Apparently they flick when adgitated, so he must be very adgitated and I don’t want him to be! I don’t know what could be bugging him (excuse the pun) but he crawls all over his cage, constantly on the move which worries me as well. I’m worried he is uncomfortable in there. He also spends a good chunk of time tapping at the female pinktoe I also got from the same friend, though I think he just wants to mate with her. She seems happy and content but he just doesn’t and I feel bad. I’m hoping someone can give me some advice. When my friend gave them to me there was a bunch of those little roaches that burrow and hide in their cages and I read that you don’t wanna leave things in there for more than 24 hours so I tried to get them all out as they weren’t interested in eating them (though they love the crickets I give them now) but I might have missed one or two. Could they be what’s causing him stress? Should I change his soil (or whatever it’s called, forgive me I’m new) and completely clean out the cage? I think he’s a fully mature male as well, he has a broken foot from when the previous owner had kept him in a cage too tall for him but they switched him to a shorter one after that, however I was hoping he’d get a chance to molt again to fix it. Nothing so far... I’m rambling now, I’m sorry, if anyone can tell me why he seems so adgitated and what I can do to help him I’d appreciate it!!
Oh and I never handle them, if that helps give any more info on the situation.

 

[Jombiej]

Oh and I’ve had them for about three or four weeks.

 

[Adam96]

can you take a picture of him?

 

[Jombiej]

can you take a picture of him?

Yes if course. Getting him on a lower level to get a good picture, I can see I quite obvious did miss a few of the roaches. Are they the problem? I also have the gators cap in there for water, I only give him a little every few days. As you can see his butt is almost bare!

 

[Adam96]

a good start would be to get them roaches outta there

 

[Jombiej]

a good start would be to get them roaches outta there

I will try but they’re so hard to freaking find! Am I okay to change his whole cage out? Should I avoid doing that? Will it stress him more than digging through and chasing the roaches around?

 

[Adam96]

That is a brachypelma albopilosum.

 

[Adam96]

that won't be necessary just grab the ones you can see and make sure his water dish is clean and always full

 

[Jombiej]

I will do that, thank you. Hopefully he stops flicking. So he’s a brachypelma albopilosum? Good to know! Thank you for your help!

 

[cold blood]

Its a MM B. albopilosum. A bald back half of the abdomen is 100% normal for a MM...as is roaming a lot and tapping and a decreased appetite.

The reason removal of prey is always suggested is because a t is vulnerable after molting and capable of being eaten or killed easily...he will never molt again, burrowed prey is of no consequence whatsoever....catch em if you can, if you can't, its not really a big deal.
MMs are more prone to dehydration (probably all the roaming around), so I would put in a larger water dish and keep part of the substrate damp and not let it dry out for too long.

 

[Jombiej]

Its a MM B. albopilosum. A bald back half of the abdomen is 100% normal for a MM...as is roaming a lot and tapping and a decreased appetite.

The reason removal of prey s always suggested is because a t is vulnerable after molting and capable of being eaten or killed easily...he will never molt again, burrowed prey is of no consequence whatsoever....catch em if you can, f you can't, its not really a big deal.
MMs are more prone to dehydration (probably all the roaming around), so I would put in a larger water dish and keep part of the substrate damp and not let it dry out for too long.

Oh okay so it’s normal to have so much hair loss? I also noticed he gnawed his little broken foot off finally. I’ll fish out these two roaches and that foot and maybe get him a better water dish, the one at the pet store just seemed deep and I didnt want to drown him.

 

[cold blood]

Oh okay so it’s normal to have so much hair loss?

yes

I also noticed he gnawed his little broken foot off finally

Self amputation is normal...not a concern....he's got plenty of legs left.

I’ll fish out these two roaches

If its just two, I wouldn't worry about it, just let him forage if he wants.

I didnt want to drown him.

Tarantulas float.https://www.google.com/search?q=swi...h=595#imgrc=vZ37PKKzAMHl0M:&spf=1518762616897

 

[Jombiej]

Tarantulas float

Ohhhhh wow I did not know that!

 

[Spidermolt]

Everything has been answered here already but some good advice with feeding dubias is to cruch their heads because then they won't run around and/or dig into the substrate, it'll also eliminate the chances of the roach nibbling on a T if it's molting. I know it sounds a little cruel but at least it's safer and alot easier for your T to find.

 

[darkness975]

Oh okay so it’s normal to have so much hair loss? I also noticed he gnawed his little broken foot off finally. I’ll fish out these two roaches and that foot and maybe get him a better water dish, the one at the pet store just seemed deep and I didnt want to drown him.

Mature males are on borrowed time. It's not fun but it's nature. Keep the conditions right for it to live out it's twilight months with you in peace.

The incessant roaming cannot be stopped. It's their nature at this stage of their life and is also the reason why it's tapping at the female Avic spp .

Most Tarantulas you find wandering around outside are mature males. Healthy younger males and females rarely leave their safe burrows.

 

[Swoop]

Only way to make him 'happy' now is to find him a girlfriend. Maybe find someone near you who wants to try breeding.

 

[BellaGooty]

You can also try putting him in a smaller cage. A breeder once recommended that to me for a MM that was running around constantly(I’d get nervous watching him!). Once he was in the smaller cage he seemed more content-stopped the constant roaming- then I got him a girlfriend and he ended his life as a happy camper and a Dad!