# My GBB sling not webbing?



## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

Hello I'm new to the hobby and have perchased a beautiful GBB sling from TheSpiderShop.co.uk, the little sling is beautiful and looks healthy. The abdomen is of good size and has taken 2 pinhead crickets already. The sling arrived yesterday and has been in the small Exo Terra faunarium over 24hrs. My concern is it spends a lot of time still and hasn't made any attempt at webbing.. is this usual? As it's my first T I'm just worried. Thanks


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## DeanK (Sep 21, 2016)

24 hours is no time. Would you worry if you moved house and hadn't unpacked everything after 24 hours? No different for a T really. Just acclimating to it's new home and it will start to web when it's ready

Reactions: Agree 5


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## TownesVanZandt (Sep 21, 2016)

Right, you need patience when dealing with T´s. After all, they have all the time in the world inside their enclosures

Reactions: Agree 3


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## mistertim (Sep 21, 2016)

Give it some time, they need to get acclimated first generally. Do you have anchor points for webbing? Can you provide a pic of your setup?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

Thanks guys I was just making sure, I've heard so many stories of people losing Slings that it scared me haha mines spending a lot of time under the sling hide that I got but I think it's dragged a Pinhead under there. Thanks again


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

I'll take a picture now


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## viper69 (Sep 21, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> My concern is it spends a lot of time still


All tarantulas are pet rocks, some more so than others. If you were looking to observe an interesting, regularly active animal then you picked the wrong animal to own and will quickly grow tired of them.

Ts take a while to settle in before they go about their business. The time varies on the individual T.

If your sling is very tiny, and it sounds that way as it's eating pinheads, it can probably escape through the holes in the lid, I've seen those containers before. You should check. Remember, any convict will try and escape 

If the holes are wider than the carapace, your T can escape.


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## Misty Day (Sep 21, 2016)

One of my GBB slings (Also recently from The Spider Shop, we have siblings!) didn't start webbing heavily until after it's first molt in my care. It's just acclimating, give it time.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

These are some pics


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

Misty Day said:


> One of my GBB slings (Also recently from The Spider Shop, we have siblings!) didn't start webbing heavily until after it's first molt in my care. It's just acclimating, give it time.


Ah ok thank you, it wasn't that I'm bothered about it sitting around it's just I was concerned that's all haha


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## DeanK (Sep 21, 2016)

That enclosure is pretty barren, there are no anchor points for it to web, some fake plants or even just some toothpicks point side down into the sub will encourage webbing

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Misty Day (Sep 21, 2016)

The substrate looks moist, GBB's like it dry, even as slings. I keep mine on dry substrate with a water dish, even at that size.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

DeanK said:


> That enclosure is pretty barren, there are no anchor points for it to web, some fake plants or even just some toothpicks point side down into the sub will encourage webbing


Okay thanks I'll give it a try!


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

Misty Day said:


> The substrate looks moist, GBB's like it dry, even as slings. I keep mine on dry substrate with a water dish, even at that size.


I did read that but others had contradicted it saying the slings need the substrate a bit moist so I met it half way, any tips on drying the substrate? Or start again?


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## Mello (Sep 21, 2016)

I have two GBB slings. They are in 16oz deli cups with vent holes made from a thumb tack. No "anchor points", no hide, no water dish. Just maybe 1/2" of substrate and they have both webbed like crazy over the last year.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## viper69 (Sep 21, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> I did read that but others had contradicted it saying the slings need the substrate a bit moist so I met it half way, any tips on drying the substrate? Or start again?


I spoke to a scientist who has observed them in the wild. They live in a very, very dry region. I've raised quite a few GBBs, never had the sub moist at all.  The info you read is not wrong per se, but not the best for this species.

Put the sub in the oven, unless you have dry sub on hand.

You'll have to make sure it eats. In a container that size, w/that type of sub, a cricket can easily hide and die.

I think that T can escape, the carapace looks quite small, hard to say w/out it in front of me.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

Thanks for your help guys I'm going to dry the sub in the oven and I feed off tongs, if I tease the pinhead to the entrance of the hide the sling will take it, in person the sling doesn't appear to be able to fit through the air slots but I too originally questioned it myself


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

This it a close up of my sling


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## viper69 (Sep 21, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> Thanks for your help guys I'm going to dry the sub in the oven and I feed off tongs, if I tease the pinhead to the entrance of the hide the sling will take it, in person the sling doesn't appear to be able to fit through the air slots but I too originally questioned it myself


Tong feeding isn't recommended because if your T bites metal it can damage or lose fang/s. If it loses both fangs, it will almost surely die of starvation.

You're better off doing one of 2 things

1. Scavenge feed w/pre-killed cricket if you keep that size container
2. Putting it in a much smaller container that increase prey/predator interactions.

Your T is on the thin side, it needs more food/water or both. If you keep that container, I'd definitely bring the water bowl much closer, sink it into the sub. I've noticed small Ts tend not to climb up objects to drink.

They are hunters, they hunt from day 1 in the wild, your container should be no different 

I raised mine as Mello did above.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## clive 82 (Sep 21, 2016)

viper69 said:


> I spoke to a scientist who has observed them in the wild. They live in a very, very dry region. I've raised quite a few GBBs, never had the sub moist at all.  The info you read is not wrong per se, but not the best for this species.
> 
> Put the sub in the oven, unless you have dry sub on hand.
> 
> ...


What would be the best method to provide moisture? A small waterdish or would it get enough moisture from its food?


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## mistertim (Sep 21, 2016)

Yeah definitely supply more anchor points. They will eventually find a way to web without them but they will be much happier with some cork and a fake plant or two that they can attach webbing to. I just rehoused my GBB to its juvie enclosure about a week ago and supplied multiple anchor points and it started using them and webbing up pretty heavily about a day after the rehouse.

Reactions: Like 1


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## viper69 (Sep 21, 2016)

clive 82 said:


> What would be the best method to provide moisture? A small waterdish or would it get enough moisture from its food?


I always provide water. This is a species with one of the more aggressive feeding responses, and a fast metabolism. Feed it often and it should be fine most of the time. However once they hit 2" they will definitely need water. Even a T with a FAT abdomen NEEDS water. I've seen 2" all the way to adult sized Ts with huge abdomens still drink water.

In short, don't think a T w/a fat abdomen won't drink.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Tong feeding isn't recommended because if your T bites metal it can damage or lose fang/s. If it loses both fangs, it will almost surely die of starvation.
> 
> You're better off doing one of 2 things
> 
> ...


Okay since then it's taken 2 pinhead crickets, it had the first one then in the pic and has since had another in the hide. After hearing that I'll stop the tongs for definite! So just dry the substrate and sink the bowl closer?


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## clive 82 (Sep 21, 2016)

viper69 said:


> I always provide water. This is a species with one of the more aggressive feeding responses, and a fast metabolism. Feed it often and it should be fine most of the time. However once they hit 2" they will definitely need water. Even a T with a FAT abdomen NEEDS water. I've seen 2" all the way to adult sized Ts with huge abdomens still drink water.
> 
> In short, don't think a T w/a fat abdomen won't drink.


I also always provide a waterdish, Ive never kept slings before though so was just wondering if this also applied to slings?


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## JumpingSpiderLady (Sep 21, 2016)

clive 82 said:


> I also always provide a waterdish, Ive never kept slings before though so was just wondering if this also applied to slings?


Yup! You can.  Monopoly houses, Lego bricks, anything small that will hold water is fine.


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## viper69 (Sep 21, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> Okay since then it's taken 2 pinhead crickets, it had the first one then in the pic and has since had another in the hide. After hearing that I'll stop the tongs for definite! So just dry the substrate and sink the bowl closer?


Feed it as often as it will eat, which will probably be almost every day to every other day depending upon temps in your flat, and how many crix you feed it each time. I always give them as many crix as they want in a single meal. If that's 5, so be it. Their only job is to grow larger to avoid being eaten at this size.



clive 82 said:


> I also always provide a waterdish, Ive never kept slings before though so was just wondering if this also applied to slings?


It won't hurt if you provide one, but might if you don't  Considering you have never kept slings, I'd provide one.

I make these, but use a deeper bowl so I don't have fill them up as often. http://www.tarantulasus.com/showthread.php/4353-A-tip-for-a-Tip-resistant-water-dish

For tiny containers, I add water w/a blunt syringe onto the webbing etc

Reactions: Agree 1


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## clive 82 (Sep 21, 2016)

JumpingSpiderLady said:


> Yup! You can.  Monopoly houses, Lego bricks, anything small that will hold water is fine.


Now you mention it I have heard of people using the small singular lego bricks before.


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## clive 82 (Sep 21, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Feed it as often as it will eat, which will probably be almost every day to every other day depending upon temps in your flat, and how many crix you feed it each time. I always give them as many crix as they want in a single meal. If that's 5, so be it. Their only job is to grow larger to avoid being eaten at this size.
> 
> 
> 
> It won't hurt if you provide one, but might if you don't  Considering you have never kept slings, I'd provide one.


I will definitely provide a waterdish when I get my first sling.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DeathMarch6 (Sep 21, 2016)

viper69 said:


> Feed it as often as it will eat, which will probably be almost every day to every other day depending upon temps in your flat, and how many crix you feed it each time. I always give them as many crix as they want in a single meal. If that's 5, so be it. Their only job is to grow larger to avoid being eaten at this size.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Okay thank you my water dish is targeted at slings it's small and fairly weighted for its size

Reactions: Like 1


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## mistertim (Sep 22, 2016)

Mello said:


> I have two GBB slings. They are in 16oz deli cups with vent holes made from a thumb tack. No "anchor points", no hide, no water dish. Just maybe 1/2" of substrate and they have both webbed like crazy over the last year.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Mello (Sep 22, 2016)

mistertim said:


>


Thank you for reminding me why I stopped using this forum besides for sales.


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## mistertim (Sep 22, 2016)

Mello said:


> Thank you for reminding me why I stopped using this forum besides for sales.


Because jokes are foreign to you?

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Venom1080 (Sep 22, 2016)

i dont get the deal with anchor points. they do nothing! the spider will attach webs to the sides all day! the only thing adding anchor points such as plants and cork bark do is make the webbing more unique looking. the only genus where anchor points should be included are Avicularia.


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## mistertim (Sep 22, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> i dont get the deal with anchor points. they do nothing! the spider will attach webs to the sides all day! the only thing adding anchor points such as plants and cork bark do is make the webbing more unique looking. the only genus where anchor points should be included are Avicularia.















Well, yeah, they'll web without them. I have just found that my GBB webs up much faster when it has a few places to anchor.  *shrug*


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## DeathMarch6 (Oct 1, 2016)

Hi guys I've rehomed the GBB sling to a smaller container, changed the substrate to a more ground coco fibre and a lot dryer. I've sunk the sling water dish into the substrate so it's ground level and keep it shallow to prevent drowning. My sling has a bold dull patch on abdomen and hasn't been taking the live crickets, he used to take them no worries now he runs away and stresses out but if I leave them dead I'll find him eating one later on. Could he be pre molt? Here are  some pics


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> i dont get the deal with anchor points. they do nothing! the spider will attach webs to the sides all day! the only thing adding anchor points such as plants and cork bark do is make the webbing more unique looking. the only genus where anchor points should be included are Avicularia.


Why add them for Avics? They can web the walls just like any other T. They are not the only T to hide in fake plants or funnels made form webbing.

In videos of GBBs in the wild, I've seen them use the base of a bush to web off of. They made heavy web tunnels to hide in and hunt for prey. Why not give them the same thing in their enclosure? You could make the argument that the box is is like the bush and is the only anchor points that is needed. This would be true if we never opened the lid. They could use all six sides and web just as good with no extra webbing points. However, we do take off the lid and that usually will cause a large portion of the webbing to fall without anchor points. It's no accident that in all my enclosures the hanging leaf anchor points get webbed up before any open areas with just walls. It's just easier for the T to do this than run webbing all way across the enclosure. 

Some Ts don't web much so they don't need them but I think anchor points are beneficial for any webbing tarantulas regardless if it's a arboreal or terrestrial.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

mistertim said:


> Because jokes are foreign to you?


Maybe jokes aren't foreign to her. Maybe she thought the joke was tacky and not really funny. Which I kinda agree with.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> Hi guys I've rehomed the GBB sling to a smaller container, changed the substrate to a more ground coco fibre and a lot dryer. I've sunk the sling water dish into the substrate so it's ground level and keep it shallow to prevent drowning. My sling has a bold dull patch on abdomen and hasn't been taking the live crickets, he used to take them no worries now he runs away and stresses out but if I leave them dead I'll find him eating one later on. Could he be pre molt? Here are  some pics


I would add a large fake leaf or something to act as a hide for the T. It'll help it to have a place it can go to to feel safe. It might be in premolt or it might just be full. How often are you feeding it?

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DeathMarch6 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> I would add a large fake leaf or something to act as a hide for the T. It'll help it to have a place it can go to to feel safe. It might be in premolt or it might just be full. How often are you feeding it?


I left it for 4 days and it's still moving away from live food ..


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> I left it for 4 days and it's still moving away from live food ..


What I do when feeding is put in a prey item and leave it over night. If the T hasn't eaten it by the next day I take it out. Then I wait a week and then try again. I wouldn't leave food in longer then a day. If the T is hungry it'll eat by then and you don't want to risk the T being hurt it it's molting by the cricket.


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## DeathMarch6 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> What I do when feeding is put in a prey item and leave it over night. If the T hasn't eaten it by the next day I take it out. Then I wait a week and then try again. I wouldn't leave food in longer then a day. If the T is hungry it'll eat by then and you don't want to risk the T being hurt it it's molting by the cricket.


No I mean I tried then took it out then tried again 4 days later and still not hungry. I wouldn't leave the live cricket in there to stress out my sing.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Misty Day (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> I've sunk the sling water dish into the substrate so it's ground level and keep it shallow to prevent drowning.


Tarantulas *can not* drown. You could put an entire pond in an enclosure and it still won't drown.


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## DeathMarch6 (Oct 1, 2016)

Misty Day said:


> Tarantulas *can not* drown. You could put an entire pond in an enclosure and it still won't drown.


Of course a sling can drown. Don't be so silly

Reactions: Disagree 3


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

You have made a nice choice for a T.  I love mine. 

As already mentioned by others, make sure the substrate is completely dry and provide it a water bowl.

Get some additional pieces of cork bark and give it some points where it can do webbing.   It may still take a while before it does start, but you will know it when this spider does its thing.  They go crazy on the webbing.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> Of course a sling can drown. Don't be so silly


No.  They will float right on top of the water unless something is physically pushing them down into the water.


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## mistertim (Oct 1, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> No.  They will float right on top of the water unless something is physically pushing them down into the water.


Technically that means they can drown...

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> Of course a sling can drown. Don't be so silly


Yes, if you held it's book lung openings underwater it can drown. Otherwise it will not break the surface tension of the water and can walk across it. So on it's own it, with a water dish, can't drown.


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

mistertim said:


> Technically that means they can drown...


No.  It means they won't be on top of the water if something is physically pushing them down.


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## Andrea82 (Oct 1, 2016)

People aren't being silly:

Reactions: Like 1


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> Yes, if you held it's book lung openings underwater it can drown. Otherwise it will not break the surface tension of the water and can walk across it. So on it's own it, with a water dish, can't drown.


Does it actually drown or does it just lose access to air?  From my understanding of what various members have described is that water can't go into the book lungs unless the spider has other physical problems (bad molt, injury, etc.).


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## DeathMarch6 (Oct 1, 2016)

I take your points into consideration, being a newbie I've read lots of various viewpoints on whether a T can drown and as I can't come to a factual awnser I'd rather not run the risk. I do leave a dish just one that is purposely made for slings.


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## Venom1080 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> Why add them for Avics? They can web the walls just like any other T. They are not the only T to hide in fake plants or funnels made form webbing.
> 
> In videos of GBBs in the wild, I've seen them use the base of a bush to web off of. They made heavy web tunnels to hide in and hunt for prey. Why not give them the same thing in their enclosure? You could make the argument that the box is is like the bush and is the only anchor points that is needed. This would be true if we never opened the lid. They could use all six sides and web just as good with no extra webbing points. However, we do take off the lid and that usually will cause a large portion of the webbing to fall without anchor points. It's no accident that in all my enclosures the hanging leaf anchor points get webbed up before any open areas with just walls. It's just easier for the T to do this than run webbing all way across the enclosure.
> 
> Some Ts don't web much so they don't need them but I think anchor points are beneficial for any webbing tarantulas regardless if it's a arboreal or terrestrial.


i think theres too much emphasize on them. theyre not essential.


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## Venom1080 (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> I take your points into consideration, being a newbie I've read lots of various viewpoints on whether a T can drown and as I can't come to a factual awnser I'd rather not run the risk. I do leave a dish just one that is purposely made for slings.


where have you seen anyone that had a sling drown? my 1/2" slings have water dishes, my b albo straight ran over hers yesterday to get to her burrow when i opened the cage. they walk on water. what kind of water dishes are made for slings?


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> i think theres too much emphasize on them. theyre not essential.


What is essential for a GGB?

Reactions: Clarification Please 1


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

DeathMarch6 said:


> I take your points into consideration, being a newbie I've read lots of various viewpoints on whether a T can drown and as I can't come to a factual awnser I'd rather not run the risk. I do leave a dish just one that is purposely made for slings.


I use full size disposable paper cups for my full size terrestrial T's.  I use Monopoly game hotels and plastic thimbles for really small slings in the small deli cups.  I use 2.5 to 5 dram vials for all of my mid size slings.  You should set it up based on what works well for you.  The one problem I have seen with wider shallow containers is that evaporation occurs much quicker than a tall narrow container (which means more maintenance if you collect up multiple T's).  My 2.5 dram vials only get a refill (or replacement) once per week.


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> i think theres too much emphasize on them. theyre not essential.





Trenor said:


> What is essential for a GGB?


We were talking about GBBs and you said that webbing points are not essential. I was wondering what you thought was essential for keeping GBBs.


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## Venom1080 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> We were talking about GBBs and you said that webbing points are not essential. I was wondering what you thought was essential for keeping GBBs.


water dish, appropriate caging, food, dry sub?


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

I regret that I did not put my initial GBB's in a larger container with lots of webbing points.  I put my first ones in 32 oz cups with a single cork bark hide.  My new one went into one of those large snapware containers with four times the space and lots of cork bark pieces and a couple plastic plants.  It gives the T lots of area to stay busy doing what it likes to do.  But perhaps the bigger enjoyment is for the owner because it is a fun thing to watch the transition over time.  I wonder if someone has done a time lapse video of this.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> water dish, appropriate caging, food, dry sub?


Other than a hide I guess I can agree that's the minimal you need for a GBB.

I don't think someone needs to build an elaborate framework for their GBB to web on but extra anchor points do help. The first GBB I got came in a enclosure with nothing but substrate. It had some minor corner webbing on one side and a heavy mat across the floor of the enclosure. It was healthy and ate really well. When I put it in a larger enclosure (with the anchor points) it webbed up the webbing points first. Starting with the ones near the hide. Since then it has built large tunnels and heavy webs off of those points.

Do they have to have webbing points to survive? No, they can make due without them. Will it benefit them to have extra stuff to web on in the enclosure? I think it does.

We do the same thing for Avics. Lots of anchor points to help them build their web tunnels are agreed on by most people on here. Why not give the same benefit to other webbing Ts that clearly make use of them?


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

Jeff23 said:


> Does it actually drown or does it just lose access to air?  From my understanding of what various members have described is that water can't go into the book lungs unless the spider has other physical problems (bad molt, injury, etc.).


I'm sorry, I missed your post. I honestly don't know if Ts can take fluids in through their book lungs or not. So perhaps it is smothering them rather than them drowning. I'm not sure. 

Maybe someone can post some info on it. @AphonopelmaTX


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## Jeff23 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> I'm sorry, I missed your post. I honestly don't know if Ts can take fluids in through their book lungs or not. So perhaps it is smothering them rather than them drowning. I'm not sure.
> 
> Maybe someone can post some info on it. @AphonopelmaTX


I don't know either and certainly don't want it to seem like I know.  I thought someone had stated as such in another thread somewhere, but either way I think we all agree that death is the result if it is held underwater.

There is another video on a thread somewhere showing a small sling that looks like it is water skiing in its water dish - pretty hilarious.


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## Venom1080 (Oct 1, 2016)

Trenor said:


> Do they have to have webbing points to survive? No, they can make due without them. Will it benefit them to have extra stuff to web on in the enclosure? I think it does.
> 
> We do the same thing for Avics. Lots of anchor points to help them build their web tunnels are agreed on by most people on here. Why not give the same benefit to other webbing Ts that clearly make use of them?


duh, hide, thought i forgot something. 

i really doubt it benefits them at all. all it does is allow them to make a cooler looking web. Avics build their own hides, none of my avis use their hides, they just web up a ton everywhere. thus, giving them more things to attach webs to are good, it lets them expand their hide more easily. as far as i know, GBBs use hides. they dont make their own hides when a suitable hide is already provided, thus theres not a need for extra anchor points.


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## Trenor (Oct 1, 2016)

Venom1080 said:


> as far as i know, GBBs use hides. they dont make their own hides when a suitable hide is already provided, thus theres not a need for extra anchor points.


My three GBBs will use their hides but I see them more often hiding in their web tunnels. They hunt from them and if it's molt time they block off a section of tunnel to molt in. I honestly see them in the tunnels more than anywhere else including their hides. To me those things are all beneficial to the GBBs even though they could do without the web tunnels and still live.

Maybe the slightly different setups allows us see two different ways they will react to their environment.


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## AphonopelmaTX (Oct 2, 2016)

Trenor said:


> I'm sorry, I missed your post. I honestly don't know if Ts can take fluids in through their book lungs or not. So perhaps it is smothering them rather than them drowning. I'm not sure.
> 
> Maybe someone can post some info on it. @AphonopelmaTX


The book lung slits are surrounded with dense hair (yeah, yeah, I know technically it's setae) which repels water and forms air pockets which a tarantula can breath from.  Since the metabolism of tarantulas is so low, they can live off such a small amount for a while.  How long exactly I don't know. Tarantulas can float on water due to the entire body being covered with dense hair, but eventually I imagine it will sink but the book lungs will still have those air pockets surrounding them so the tarantula could survive.  This is all true for other mygalomorph spiders as well.  Surely, some have seen the video(s) on YouTube or TV of Atrax robustus being found at the bottom of swimming pools in Sydney Australia. Upon being taken out of the pool, they are still alive.  Atrax spp. and related taxa are not covered with dense hair like tarantulas are so they don't float.  Seeing as how tarantulas at an early instar haven't developed the cover of dense hair, I would assume it would eventually sink in a body of water but remain alive for a time as it depletes it's reserve of trapped air around the book lungs.  Of course tiny spiderlings may float indefinitely because they are too light to break the surface tension.  Even as adults or large juveniles tarantulas can be forced underwater and still remain alive.  Someone recently posted a link to a YouTube video of someone else's Hysterocrates gigas swimming underneath the water to take refuge to some kind of adverse stimulus.  That goes to show that even when forced underwater, air remains trapped around the book lungs for proper respiration.

We can even compare tarantulas to their prey, the cricket.  Crickets drown easily in a tarantula's water dish because they do not have a dense covering of setae around their spiracles (opening to the trachea).  Because their bodies are not covered in dense setae, they have to keep themselves afloat by moving, something akin to treading water, but eventually they tire out and water rushes into their trachea through the spiracles, they drown, and we are left to fish them out and clean the water dish.

So is it possible a tarantula can drown?  Yes, if there is something wrong with plates covering the book lungs then conceivably water can enter through the slits and they will drown.  It's also conceivably possible that a tarantula, if under the water surface, could eventually suffocate as it runs out of oxygen.  I wouldn't count on either of these scenarios likely though.

Reactions: Informative 2


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## Trenor (Oct 2, 2016)

AphonopelmaTX said:


> The book lung slits are surrounded with dense hair (yeah, yeah, I know technically it's setae) which repels water and forms air pockets which a tarantula can breath from.  Since the metabolism of tarantulas is so low, they can live off such a small amount for a while.  How long exactly I don't know. Tarantulas can float on water due to the entire body being covered with dense hair, but eventually I imagine it will sink but the book lungs will still have those air pockets surrounding them so the tarantula could survive.  This is all true for other mygalomorph spiders as well.  Surely, some have seen the video(s) on YouTube or TV of Atrax robustus being found at the bottom of swimming pools in Sydney Australia. Upon being taken out of the pool, they are still alive.  Atrax spp. and related taxa are not covered with dense hair like tarantulas are so they don't float.  Seeing as how tarantulas at an early instar haven't developed the cover of dense hair, I would assume it would eventually sink in a body of water but remain alive for a time as it depletes it's reserve of trapped air around the book lungs.  Of course tiny spiderlings may float indefinitely because they are too light to break the surface tension.  Even as adults or large juveniles tarantulas can be forced underwater and still remain alive.  Someone recently posted a link to a YouTube video of someone else's Hysterocrates gigas swimming underneath the water to take refuge to some kind of adverse stimulus.  That goes to show that even when forced underwater, air remains trapped around the book lungs for proper respiration.
> 
> We can even compare tarantulas to their prey, the cricket.  Crickets drown easily in a tarantula's water dish because they do not have a dense covering of setae around their spiracles (opening to the trachea).  Because their bodies are not covered in dense setae, they have to keep themselves afloat by moving, something akin to treading water, but eventually they tire out and water rushes into their trachea through the spiracles, they drown, and we are left to fish them out and clean the water dish.
> 
> So is it possible a tarantula can drown?  Yes, if there is something wrong with plates covering the book lungs then conceivably water can enter through the slits and they will drown.  It's also conceivably possible that a tarantula, if under the water surface, could eventually suffocate as it runs out of oxygen.  I wouldn't count on either of these scenarios likely though.


Thanks for the information. I figured you would know.


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## Andrea82 (Oct 2, 2016)

At first, i provided my GBB's with a hide, but they never used them and even went so far as to completely web them over, including the entrance from the outside. So i stopped using hides. When rehoused a couple of weeks ago and provided with lots of sticks and small leaved plants, they have made their own hide. So i guess it is not only preference of the keeper, but of the spider as well, as with just about everything.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Jeff23 (Oct 2, 2016)

Andrea82 said:


> At first, i provided my GBB's with a hide, but they never used them and even went so far as to completely web them over, including the entrance from the outside. So i stopped using hides. When rehoused a couple of weeks ago and provided with lots of sticks and small leaved plants, they have made their own hide. So i guess it is not only preference of the keeper, but of the spider as well, as with just about everything.


I have four GBB slings.  None of them use the hides.  The three that I have had for a month have also covered their hides with web.  All of them are out in the open always.


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