# Tarantula sealed the entrance of her cave!



## Sephyiria (Oct 22, 2016)

I know the most universally accepted answer would be "leave it alone". But I will just ask anyway. My darling is a juvie female B. Emilia. Around 2+ inches LS. Molted about 21 days ago. Few days after molt, she was very hungry, and devoured a superworm which I gave twice a week. I really like how much of a voracious eater she was! But she suddenly sealed her cave 2 days ago. And I cant give her food because of that. Is she preparing for another molt?? Kinda fast imo,considering she just molted 21 days ago, or is this actually normal? Should I open the seal just a little bit and drop a superworm inside? Below is the image of her sealed burrow. I am new to the hobby btw..so please go easy on me senpai!


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## Marijan2 (Oct 22, 2016)

If she sealed herself, she wants some time alone. Tarantulas are weird creatures, and yes, it is perfectly normal for them to do that

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## DeanK (Oct 22, 2016)

Definitely leave it alone. As long as it has access to fresh water all will be fine

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Sephyiria (Oct 22, 2016)

thanks for the replies! she does have access to fresh water..or should I say..she used to? since the water bowl is outside of the burrow...


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## EulersK (Oct 22, 2016)

Sephyiria said:


> thanks for the replies! she does have access to fresh water..or should I say..she used to? since the water bowl is outside of the burrow...


These creatures haven't survived millions of years by trapping themselves in burrows  If she's thirsty, she'll come out. B. emilia are the definition of a pet rock, you should be happy that yours is doing _anything_.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Helpful 1


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## Marijan2 (Oct 22, 2016)

She won't dehydrate herself to death, there is no worries about that. You said she ate a lot of supers before going in, that should provide her enough moisture for going MIA for prolonged periods of time, since T's get majority of their water intake from prey. Especially semi-desert species like Brachypelma and at that size

Reactions: Helpful 1


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## magicmed (Oct 22, 2016)

As others have said, perfectly normal, he/she is just wanting some alone time. I understand being paranoid on your first T, just means you're trying!

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Sephyiria (Oct 22, 2016)

oh..okay, am glad to hear that, I will leave her alone. Thanks for the replies all!

Reactions: Like 3


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## darkness975 (Oct 22, 2016)

Sephyiria said:


> "leave it alone"


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## CakeLore (Oct 24, 2016)

For what it's worth, I've had my G. pulchripes spend 8 months in a burrow just like that. Don't get too worried and let your spider be a spider.


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## mistertim (Oct 24, 2016)

She'll be fine. Could be a molt, could just be a tarantula being a tarantula. They aren't suicidal...if she needs water she'll come out. I definitely wouldn't open it up and drop any prey in as she obviously wants to be left alone for whichever reason.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## AfrooDah (Nov 1, 2016)

i have the same problem! my brachypelma albopilosum is isolated himself in his cave but before that i spotted that he has a bald spot on his abdomen, is he trying to molt? and how long do T's molt?


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## KezyGLA (Nov 1, 2016)

As all the others have said, this is notmal behaviour. 

I have noticed that if you feed an arid sp. regularly then it may disappear and fast for up to a few months. 





AfrooDah said:


> i have the same problem! my brachypelma albopilosum is isolated himself in his cave but before that i spotted that he has a bald spot on his abdomen, is he trying to molt? and how long do T's molt?


Your T is in premoult and should be left alone. The molting process takes anything from a couple hours to a day depending on how big your specimen is. The smaller they are the faster they moult and harden. Just make sure you leave it be with access to water and don't feed it until its fangs have turned black.


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## AfrooDah (Nov 1, 2016)

KezyGLA said:


> As all the others have said, this is notmal behaviour.
> 
> I have noticed that if you feed an arid sp. regularly then it may disappear and fast for up to a few months.
> 
> ...


well... there is water bowl on the outside of his cave but.. he is buried himself... what do i do then?


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## CEOAirsoft (Nov 1, 2016)

It might molt again. It has happened before, but it's probably just hiding for a little while... it could be in there for a while.


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## cold blood (Nov 1, 2016)

AfrooDah said:


> i have the same problem! my brachypelma albopilosum is isolated himself in his cave but before that i spotted that he has a bald spot on his abdomen, is he trying to molt? and how long do T's molt?


Its *NOT* a "problem", its the way of life for a tarantula.

How long do ts molt??  I can't even understand what you are trying to ask...once they start, they don't stop till they're done...it can take anywhere from 5 min, to 24 hours depending on the size and species of the t.....as for how long does pre-molt last...well, there's no definitive answer, could be days, could be a year.



KezyGLA said:


> As all the others have said, this is notmal behaviour.
> 
> I have noticed that if you feed an arid sp. regularly then it may disappear and fast for up to a few months.


Exactly!

Pound supers down their throats twice a week and its not gonna take too long for them to get their fill...the faster you fill them up, the longer they will be hidden away in pre-molt.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Venom1080 (Nov 1, 2016)

make sure youre crushing the supers head.. people have lost spiders to them.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## ErinM31 (Nov 1, 2016)

KezyGLA said:


> As all the others have said, this is normal behaviour.
> 
> I have noticed that if you feed an arid sp. regularly then it may disappear and fast for up to a few months.


I think this is what happened with my _A. chalcodes_ -- I started feeding her more often as I was introducing her to a male and wanted to prevent a "dinner date"! Nothing happened in the pairing -- good or bad -- but now she's been in her cave for weeks with webbing across the entrance and a sign that reads "No suitors!"

Reactions: Like 1


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## Crone Returns (Nov 1, 2016)

AfrooDah said:


> well... there is water bowl on the outside of his cave but.. he is buried himself... what do i do then?


Leave him alone. The T knows what he's doing. My B. albopilosum was in premolt forever before she molted. Everything went fine. All I provided was a full water dish.


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## Andrea82 (Nov 2, 2016)

Your spiders are FINE. Do nothing. Provide water. Do not disturb either the enclosure or the spider. 

You both are confusing mammals with tarantula. Mammals need everyday care, tarantula do not, no, not even as slings. Tarantula babies are different from human/mammal babies. They are designed to take care of themselves from te moment they have legs. All they need from you is water, peace and feeding. When in premoly, it needs only water and peace.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 2


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## Sephyiria (Nov 9, 2016)

ah sorry for the late reply, I have been busy..my B.Emilia is doing well..she has been inside of her sealed burrow for almost a month now. Since she made her burrow near the wall of her enclosure, I can pretty much see what happen inside of the burrow. When i checked on her yesterday, i noticed that she made a bed of silk in her burrow, which i assumed that she is going to molt soon. I was right. this morning, i can see her molt on the bed of silk, but i cant really see where she is, only the molt...maybe i am just being paranoid..but..should open a bit of her burrow and take a peek? Also..when she is hungry, she will come out eventually right?


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## ErinM31 (Nov 9, 2016)

Sephyiria said:


> ah sorry for the late reply, I have been busy..my B.Emilia is doing well..she has been inside of her sealed burrow for almost a month now. Since she made her burrow near the wall of her enclosure, I can pretty much see what happen inside of the burrow. When i checked on her yesterday, i noticed that she made a bed of silk in her burrow, which i assumed that she is going to molt soon. I was right. this morning, i can see her molt on the bed of silk, but i cant really see where she is, only the molt...maybe i am just being paranoid..but..should open a bit of her burrow and take a peek? Also..when she is hungry, she will come out eventually right?


Nooo, don't disturb her now! She is vulnerable while her new exoskeleton hardens. Just be patient. She will come out when she is ready to eat.


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## Andrea82 (Nov 9, 2016)

Double thread. OP mentions it in her other thread as well.


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## ErinM31 (Nov 9, 2016)

Andrea82 said:


> Double thread. OP mentions it in her other thread as well.


Oh, sorry. I guess I missed that.


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