# Tarantula keeps climbing to top of cage?



## Judasennnis (Apr 16, 2016)

Okay, so I have a male G. Porteri, and at night he likes to crawl to the top of his tank. The substrate is not more than his leg span, and it's not too moist. But, he will fully get all the way on the cage top and crawl there. He's hanging upside down, and he's a terrestrial, which makes him not fully suited for being that adventurous. He will occasionally fall from the top, and then just crawl back up again. I really don't want him to get hurt. Is it possible to stop him from crawling on the top?

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Sana (Apr 16, 2016)

How big and is he definitely male?  Sounds like mature male seeking mate behavior.  Picture would confirm.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Judasennnis (Apr 16, 2016)

Sana said:


> How big and is he definitely male?  Sounds like mature male seeking mate behavior.  Picture would confirm.


He is a juvenile male, which I know for sure. Most of the day he spends sitting and not loving and for an hour he will crawl and sit in different spots. My upload file keeps saying "error".


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## Sana (Apr 16, 2016)

How long has he been in the enclosure?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Apr 16, 2016)

substrate should be bone dry. that might be the reason hes climbing. +1 to  what Sana said as well. regardless, increase substrate level to the point where theres a space no higher than 1.5DLS.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## cold blood (Apr 16, 2016)

How big is the t?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 16, 2016)

Do you mist the substrate at all or is it a new enclosure? What kind of substrate are you using, if the T is climbing it may be a sign that something isn't ideal in the enclosure.


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## mistertim (Apr 16, 2016)

Yeah definitely need more info. Did anything change since he started doing this? Did you start to wet the substrate? New enclosure? If so, what is the difference from the old one? How big is the T?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 17, 2016)

One thing to try assuming everything else is indeed ideal, you can try starting a burrow with a cork round and show him the burrow, G. Porteri will burrow if given the opportunity.


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## Haksilence (Apr 17, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> One thing to try assuming everything else is indeed ideal, you can try starting a burrow with a cork round and show him the burrow, G. Porteri will burrow if given the opportunity.


G porteri are notorious for avoiding hides in captivity, it might work, but I've never had any of my adult grammostola use a hide more than like 2 times when they are first rehoused. 

If the substrate is damp at all they will probably avoid it and seek out a drier less humid spot. This species thrives on bone dry substrate, so if you are misting or anything, stop it, and maybe consider the level of ventilation you have as it could be overly humid

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

Sana said:


> How long has he been in the enclosure?


About a month.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> substrate should be bone dry. that might be the reason hes climbing. +1 to  what Sana said as well. regardless, increase substrate level to the point where theres a space no higher than 1.5DLS.


It is bone dry, I checked to make sure when he started climbing. That's not the reason. And it is currently at 1DLS.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

cold blood said:


> How big is the t?


6 DLS.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> Do you mist the substrate at all or is it a new enclosure? What kind of substrate are you using, if the T is climbing it may be a sign that something isn't ideal in the enclosure.


No I don't mist at all, the only moisture is in his water dish. Literally 23/24 hours of the day he is staying still, and the other he is crawling on the top of his cage. It isn't new, but he's been doing this for awhile. I use loose coconut fiber for substrate, which he usually lays on all day.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

mistertim said:


> Yeah definitely need more info. Did anything change since he started doing this? Did you start to wet the substrate? New enclosure? If so, what is the difference from the old one? How big is the T?


No, he's been doing this basically since when I got him (about a month ago). He shows no other weird behavior at all. I don't add any moisture to his substrate, and the only wet thing is his water dish. He is 6DLS.


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## darkness975 (Apr 17, 2016)

Sounds like mature male wandering for a mate behavior to me.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3 | Award 1


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## cold blood (Apr 17, 2016)

Judasennnis said:


> He is a juvenile male, which I know for sure.





Judasennnis said:


> 6 DLS.


As there are people on here from across the globe, its important to give us the unit of measurement used.....6 what?   Because you are in Georgia, I will assume its inches...but if that's it, your top quote here is incorrect...so without the unit of measurement I'm still left scratching my head a little.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

cold blood said:


> As there are people on here from across the globe, its important to give us the unit of measurement used.....6 what?   Because you are in Georgia, I will assume its inches...but if that's it, your top quote here is incorrect...so without the unit of measurement I'm still left scratching my head a little.


Centimeters, he's really only about 3 inches.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

Judasennnis said:


> Centimeters, he's really only about 3 inches.


Sorry, I should've clarified (I'm not American, I don't use customary units)


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

darkness975 said:


> Sounds like mature male wandering for a mate behavior to me.


He's not full grown (3 inches DLS) and he looks much different from my other G. Porteri, who is a mature male.


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## Venom1080 (Apr 17, 2016)

Judasennnis said:


> It is bone dry, I checked to make sure when he started climbing. That's not the reason. And it is currently at 1DLS.


if its 1DLS, you have nothing to worry about if he falls. unless you have sharp or hard objects in there i would stop worrying altogether.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Chris LXXIX (Apr 17, 2016)

cold blood said:


> Because you are in Georgia, I will assume its inches...


Georgia on my mind, you were always on my mind, you were always on my mind... 

Ray Charles + Elvis + the little Caucasus nation + Confederate Flag

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 1 | Creative 1


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## cold blood (Apr 17, 2016)

Ok, now it all makes sense.  I was gonna say a 6" male would be a giant, especially if not mature

So, since the distance from a fall is a mere 3 inches, I would just remove any items that he could potentially fall on and not worry about it.   It seems like (although a pic to confirm would still help) you have done a good job of reducing the fall distance.....things you can do would be burying the hide and clearing it out a little, so it almost just looks like a hole.  Also you can add clumps of dry sphagnum moss as a cushion....make sure there are no rocks to fall on (or skulls, lol, inside joke) and I would set the water dish into the sub a little more than you might otherwise.

Reactions: Like 3


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## mistertim (Apr 17, 2016)

cold blood said:


> Ok, now it all makes sense.  I was gonna say a 6" male would be a giant, especially if not mature
> 
> So, since the distance from a fall is a mere 3 inches, I would just remove any items that he could potentially fall on and not worry about it.   It seems like (although a pic to confirm would still help) you have done a good job of reducing the fall distance.....things you can do would be burying the hide and clearing it out a little, so it almost just looks like a hole.  Also you can add clumps of dry sphagnum moss as a cushion....make sure there are no rocks to fall on (or skulls, lol, inside joke) and I would set the water dish into the sub a little more than you might otherwise.


Or divers and treasure chests.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Iska (Apr 17, 2016)

Haksilence said:


> G porteri are notorious for avoiding hides in captivity, it might work, but I've never had any of my adult grammostola use a hide more than like 2 times when they are first rehoused.
> 
> If the substrate is damp at all they will probably avoid it and seek out a drier less humid spot. This species thrives on bone dry substrate, so if you are misting or anything, stop it, and maybe consider the level of ventilation you have as it could be overly humid


Odd! Mines never avoided her hide regardless of the arrangement of her enclosure or time within it - maybe because I'm using the same hide just different enclosures/substrates? She also REALLY likes to dig.

But in regards to the climbing I would say its likely because it doesn't like the feel of the substrate (moisture - you said it wasn't toooo moist and then said it was bone dry?? or type) considering it isn't mature yet.


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 17, 2016)

darkness975 said:


> Sounds like mature male wandering for a mate behavior to me.


Definitely and seeing as he says 6 inch DLS wandering MM would be my guess.


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 17, 2016)

Can we get a picture of his pedipalps and front legs?


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 17, 2016)

Haksilence said:


> G porteri are notorious for avoiding hides in captivity, it might work, but I've never had any of my adult grammostola use a hide more than like 2 times when they are first rehoused.
> 
> If the substrate is damp at all they will probably avoid it and seek out a drier less humid spot. This species thrives on bone dry substrate, so if you are misting or anything, stop it, and maybe consider the level of ventilation you have as it could be overly humid


Most of my Grammostolas use a hide or burrow extensively.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Apr 17, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> Definitely and seeing as he says 6 inch DLS wandering MM would be my guess.


he meant cm. read the thread.


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 17, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> he meant cm. read the thread.


I saw that afterwards definitely not MM, perhaps he's just not acclimated to the enclosure yet as he's on;t been there a month.


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## Iska (Apr 17, 2016)

My female for a little while would climb to the top randomly, but she is mature so I'm unsure as to what the heck she was doing. Could just be a weird cycling of "seasons" where they feel they need to ensure they are higher up and "safer". Man.. tarantulas are weird.


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## Haksilence (Apr 17, 2016)

My Grammostola porteri, and my SP "northern gold" excavate extensively. Just kinda push dirt back and forth. 
Obviously there are exceptions but generally people have been observing a lack of hide usage in captivity, at least from what I've read. Once they are comfortable and pushing dirt around they rarely use it unless disturbed. Even then my female northern gold NEVER uses it, no matter what, my male will only slip in briefly when very stressed

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Iska (Apr 17, 2016)

Haksilence said:


> My Grammostola porteri, and my SP "northern gold" excavate extensively. Just kinda push dirt back and forth.
> Obviously there are exceptions but generally people have been observing a lack of hide usage in captivity, at least from what I've read. Once they are comfortable and pushing dirt around they rarely use it unless disturbed. Even then my female northern gold NEVER uses it, no matter what, my male will only slip in briefly when very stressed


I wonder if it has to do with the type of hide provided? Which do you use?


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## mistertim (Apr 17, 2016)

Iska said:


> I wonder if it has to do with the type of hide provided? Which do you use?


A skull, hopefully.


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## Venom1080 (Apr 17, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> I saw that afterwards definitely not MM, perhaps he's just not acclimated to the enclosure yet as he's on;t been there a month.


lol only a month? my Ts get acclimated within 2 weeks at most.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

cold blood said:


> Ok, now it all makes sense.  I was gonna say a 6" male would be a giant, especially if not mature
> 
> So, since the distance from a fall is a mere 3 inches, I would just remove any items that he could potentially fall on and not worry about it.   It seems like (although a pic to confirm would still help) you have done a good job of reducing the fall distance.....things you can do would be burying the hide and clearing it out a little, so it almost just looks like a hole.  Also you can add clumps of dry sphagnum moss as a cushion....make sure there are no rocks to fall on (or skulls, lol, inside joke) and I would set the water dish into the sub a little more than you might otherwise.


I was wondering if moss would be safe to put on his hide! I think I'll do that, that's really the only thing that worries me. But okay! Thank you!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

Iska said:


> Odd! Mines never avoided her hide regardless of the arrangement of her enclosure or time within it - maybe because I'm using the same hide just different enclosures/substrates? She also REALLY likes to dig.
> 
> But in regards to the climbing I would say its likely because it doesn't like the feel of the substrate (moisture - you said it wasn't toooo moist and then said it was bone dry?? or type) considering it isn't mature yet.


The substrate is bone dry, and he likes digging as well. It's not too moist. There is not moisture in his substrate at all, just to clarify.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

Iska said:


> My female for a little while would climb to the top randomly, but she is mature so I'm unsure as to what the heck she was doing. Could just be a weird cycling of "seasons" where they feel they need to ensure they are higher up and "safer". Man.. tarantulas are weird.


They are weird, it's hard to classify their behavior as normal or not.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> Can we get a picture of his pedipalps and front legs?


My upload keeps saying error. It's been doing this for awhile. But he doesn't have mature male pedipalps.


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## Judasennnis (Apr 17, 2016)

I use a wooden hide, and he rarely ever goes in it (neither does my other G. Porteri though). He does like to dig on the corners and just lays in there head first.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Haksilence (Apr 18, 2016)

Iska said:


> I wonder if it has to do with the type of hide provided? Which do you use?


Cork rounds and half logs. Burried into the sub, same that I use for every terrestrial I have

Reactions: Like 1


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## Haksilence (Apr 18, 2016)

Judasennnis said:


> I use a wooden hide, and he rarely ever goes in it (neither does my other G. Porteri though). He does like to dig on the corners and just lays in there head first.


Exactly this

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Judasennnis (Apr 18, 2016)

Also some are referring to me as "he" hahahaha. I'm a female, just to clarify. I have a boy's name, I know.

Reactions: Useful 1


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 18, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> lol only a month? my Ts get acclimated within 2 weeks at most.


Most do though occasionally there is a t that takes longer to acclimate.


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## Venom1080 (Apr 18, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> Most do though occasionally there is a t that takes longer to acclimate.


not in my experience. if the cage is set up properly the T shouldnt take that long.


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 18, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> not in my experience. if the cage is set up properly the T shouldnt take that long.


Even set up properly some do take time to acclimate the vast majority are acclimated within a week, I've even had a few acclimated within two days but there is the rare spider that takes forever and a day to acclimate, not saying that is the case with Judas' Porteri that could easily just be the spider being a spider or an indication of something subpar with the substrate ie excessive mousture, Even though it isn't misted it could still retain some moisture from when it was rehydrated.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Apr 18, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> Even set up properly some do take time to acclimate the vast majority are acclimated within a week, I've even had a few acclimated within two days but there is the rare spider that takes forever and a day to acclimate, not saying that is the case with Judas' Porteri that could easily just be the spider being a spider or an indication of something subpar with the substrate ie excessive mousture, Even though it isn't misted it could still retain some moisture from when it was rehydrated.


really? how long have you been keeping Ts for?


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 18, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> really? how long have you been keeping Ts for?


Just shy of a year, I know it's not that long though that doesn't mean I haven't had enough experience seeing how quickly they typically settle in being a week or so and the outliers that can take significantly longer to make the claim that after a month there is the potential for it to not yet be settled in, again I'm not saying that that is the case and likely it isn't but the possibility is there.

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## Venom1080 (Apr 18, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> Just shy of a year, I know it's not that long though that doesn't mean I haven't had enough experience seeing how quickly they typically settle in being a week or so and the outliers that can take significantly longer to make the claim that after a month there is the potential for it to not yet be settled in, again I'm not saying that that is the case and likely it isn't but the possibility is there.


um, okay. how Ts do you have? ive had Ts for 5 years and have never had one that took over a week to settle.

Reactions: Like 1


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 18, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> um, okay. how Ts do you have? ive had Ts for 5 years and have never had one that took over a week to settle.


I have 32 Ts all but one settled in within a week, only my A. Chalcodes took longer and that was three weeks for her.


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## Iska (Apr 18, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> um, okay. how Ts do you have? ive had Ts for 5 years and have never had one that took over a week to settle.


Thats really quickly, must have non-picky little buggers.
Also "settling in" can mean many different things for people. My Grammostola has been in her new enclosure for well over a few months and has laid webbing and what not. But just yesterday she laid down a whole bunch on top of her hide for who knows what reason. Took her quite a while to figure out she wanted to do that haha!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Venom1080 (Apr 18, 2016)

MetallicArachnid said:


> I have 32 Ts all but one settled in within a week, only my A. Chalcodes took longer and that was three weeks for her.


eh, i guess ill see it eventually.


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 18, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> eh, i guess ill see it eventually.


Possibly or you well may never have one that takes that long, certainly hope I don't have to deal with another T hanging from the top for three weeks when I know the substrate is bone dry (Left it in the sun here in Arizona for a few days) and risking it's life.


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## MetallicArachnid (Apr 18, 2016)

Iska said:


> Thats really quickly, must have non-picky little buggers.
> Also "settling in" can mean many different things for people. My Grammostola has been in her new enclosure for well over a few months and has laid webbing and what not. But just yesterday she laid down a whole bunch on top of her hide for who knows what reason. Took her quite a while to figure out she wanted to do that haha!


Yes I consider it settling in once they either start hiding/burrowing and eating normally and or start laying down webbing.


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