# curly hair climbing walls



## zxneon (Jul 27, 2017)

My brachypelma albopilosum is climbing walls . what can i do ? add more substrate ? If i add more substrate she wont be tempted to climb into those roof holes ? 
And do she actually need hide ? she never even attempted to use it just covered with webbing .


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## Rittdk01 (Jul 27, 2017)

They like it dry, but too dry is loose and they don't like walking on that either.  You could add a bit more substrate.  Jungle mix packs down much better and never gets dry and powdery.


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## Stig (Jul 27, 2017)

I would add substrate but does not look that high but they are opportunistic burrowers. I would make bigger hide for her out of Cork. 
So larger hide with a fair amount af stamped Down substrate under, so she can burrow if she wants to.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## EulersK (Jul 27, 2017)

Firstly, always provide a hide. It should be their choice to not use one.

Secondly, if it was recently rehoused, then this is completely normal. Tarantulas will explore every square centimeter of their enclosure before settling down. This can take anywhere from a day to months. It should be nearly bone dry in there - if it's too humid, then that's another reason for her climbing.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Stig (Jul 27, 2017)

EulersK said:


> Firstly, always provide a hide. It should be their choice to not use one.
> 
> Secondly, if it was recently rehoused, then this is completely normal. Tarantulas will explore every square centimeter of their enclosure before settling down. This can take anywhere from a day to months. It should be nearly bone dry in there - if it's too humid, then that's another reason for her climbing.


I don't think humidity as in to damp is a problem, looks like the floor in saw mill

Reactions: Agree 1


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## zxneon (Jul 27, 2017)

EulersK said:


> Firstly, always provide a hide. It should be their choice to not use one.
> 
> Secondly, if it was recently rehoused, then this is completely normal. Tarantulas will explore every square centimeter of their enclosure before settling down. This can take anywhere from a day to months. It should be nearly bone dry in there - if it's too humid, then that's another reason for her climbing.


I got her no so long ago 3 weeks ago maybe so thats may count as recently rehoused . Never seen her doing so . Substrate is dry . Only recent change is temperature  . Now here we have 77f room temperature . I did feed her today so her mind is occupied 
So question is - need i add more substrate for her safety (in photo hard to see but substrate is about 3 inches) . When i catch doing so she does not fall down but sort of touches ground with rear legs and lands normally .


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## EulersK (Jul 27, 2017)

zxneon said:


> I got her no so long ago 3 weeks ago maybe so thats may count as recently rehoused . Never seen her doing so . Substrate is dry . Only recent change is temperature  . Now here we have 77f room temperature . I did feed her today so her mind is occupied
> So question is - need i add more substrate for her safety (in photo hard to see but substrate is about 3 inches) . When i catch doing so she does not fall down but sort of touches ground with rear legs and lands normally .


The height honestly looks fine... although, the enclosure and hide look much too small. Can you take a picture of the enclosure with a bird's eye view?


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## advan (Jul 27, 2017)

Everyone saying _Brachypelma albopilosum_ like it dry, need to see where they come from. 

http://mantid.nl/tarantula/albopilosum.html

OP: Add more substrate, dampen it, make a starter burrow under that pot and make sure you don't have a mature male(pic provided wasn't enough to tell).

Reactions: Like 2


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## EulersK (Jul 27, 2017)

advan said:


> Everyone saying _Brachypelma albopilosum_ like it dry, need to see where they come from.
> 
> http://mantid.nl/tarantula/albopilosum.html


I never let the area around the water dish dry out completely, but they don't seem to thrive in an enclosure that is kept predominantly moist. I tried keeping mine much more humid after you (or someone else, don't remember) posted that link, and my girls did nothing but roam until it dried out. They seem to like the lower layers of substrate moist with the top layer being nearly completely dry.


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## zxneon (Jul 27, 2017)

EulersK said:


> The height honestly looks fine... although, the enclosure and hide look much too small. Can you take a picture of the enclosure with a bird's eye view?


enclosure size is ok i think (exoterra medium  i think it is) , only hide is small going to change it tomorow


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## advan (Jul 27, 2017)

EulersK said:


> I never let the area around the water dish dry out completely, but they don't seem to thrive in an enclosure that is kept predominantly moist. I tried keeping mine much more humid after you (or someone else, don't remember) posted that link, and my girls did nothing but roam until it dried out. They seem to like the lower layers of substrate moist with the top layer being nearly completely dry.


If you just overflow the water dish area every time to keep the humidity up, you should be alright.


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## EulersK (Jul 27, 2017)

zxneon said:


> enclosure size is ok i think (exoterra medium  i think it is) , only hide is small going to change it tomorow


Size is fine, but yeah, the hide is pretty small. You want something without a bottom, like a broken terracotta pot. Feel free to have a _much_ bigger water dish as well. Good job not cluttering the enclosure with unnecessary decorations


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## advan (Jul 27, 2017)

zxneon said:


> enclosure size is ok i think (exoterra medium  i think it is) , only hide is small going to change it tomorow


Hide size is fine. You'd be surprised how large females come out of quarter sized burrows in the wild.  Cut the pot in half and start a burrow after you have added at least 4-5" of substrate.


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## zxneon (Jul 29, 2017)

What is she doing ? Now she wants to be bulldozer . Digging and pushing substrate but not attempting to dig burrow . Why ?


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## Stig (Jul 29, 2017)

...same thing as all women do.....she's redecorating her home 
They will often/some times do that........thats! a T for you
She won't burrow in that substrate much to Loose....it should be hard as solid ground, then she might burrow.

I have with sucess bought  cup's for my T's, the one's that go under flower pots...can hold a fair amount of shallow Water and is not easy to be moved by the T...and they are easy to clean and hygenic as they are glased...I would if I where you replace the plastic cup with such a seramic undercup, they are also dirt cheap:

regards

Reactions: Agree 1


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## mconnachan (Jul 29, 2017)

zxneon said:


> My brachypelma albopilosum is climbing walls . what can i do ? add more substrate ? If i add more substrate she wont be tempted to climb into those roof holes ?
> And do she actually need hide ? she never even attempted to use it just covered with webbing .


The enclosure needs a lot more substrate, there should be enough substrate in the enclosure to allow a gap of the DLS of the spider x 1.5 say your spider is 5" you should leave a gap of 7.5", the substrate looks fluffy  and dry, dry is fine for a B. albo but the sub is too loose, you'll need to put the spider in a temporary container for a little while, fill the enclosure until the required space is left as explained above, then tamp it down, provide a water dish, overflow it once a week that's it - then your spider will be as happy as a spider can be - LOL

Reactions: Like 1


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## mconnachan (Jul 29, 2017)

zxneon said:


> I got her no so long ago 3 weeks ago maybe so thats may count as recently rehoused . Never seen her doing so . Substrate is dry . Only recent change is temperature  . Now here we have 77f room temperature . I did feed her today so her mind is occupied
> So question is - need i add more substrate for her safety (in photo hard to see but substrate is about 3 inches) . When i catch doing so she does not fall down but sort of touches ground with rear legs and lands normally .


Yes add more substrate, it will appreciate the deeper sub as they can fall and really can
 damage themselves from the height I can see.


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## mconnachan (Jul 29, 2017)

zxneon said:


> I got her no so long ago 3 weeks ago maybe so thats may count as recently rehoused . Never seen her doing so . Substrate is dry . Only recent change is temperature  . Now here we have 77f room temperature . I did feed her today so her mind is occupied
> So question is - need i add more substrate for her safety (in photo hard to see but substrate is about 3 inches) . When i catch doing so she does not fall down but sort of touches ground with rear legs and lands normally .


That's a good sign she's taken prey, but please for the sake of your spider, replace the substrate, fill the enclosure until the desired space is left, to avoid any falls, also a water dish and hide are essential whether it uses the hide or not always give it a choice, good luck pal.


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## zxneon (Jul 29, 2017)

mconnachan said:


> That's a good sign she's taken prey, but please for the sake of your spider, replace the substrate, fill the enclosure until the desired space is left, to avoid any falls, also a water dish and hide are essential whether it uses the hide or not always give it a choice, good luck pal.


i`m now  drying some substrate to add . is it good idea to add damp substrate or better wait till it dries more ?


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## Stig (Jul 29, 2017)

zxneon said:


> i`m now  drying some substrate to add . is it good idea to add damp substrate or better wait till it dries more ?


Does not realy matter, though she might not like it damp, it will dry out....the impotant thing is hight as said...and tamp it hard Down so it feels like hard ground.


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## mconnachan (Jul 29, 2017)

zxneon said:


> i`m now  drying some substrate to add . is it good idea to add damp substrate or better wait till it dries more ?


Best to add it when it's not too dry, but definitely not wet, you could dry it in the oven, if it becomes too dry you could spray it with some water it's easier to tamp down so the T has a firm ground to stand on, you should notice a marked improvement in the T's mobility, due to the fresh substrate, enjoy your spider and see it act the way it should.


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## zxneon (Jul 30, 2017)

i added more substrate and pressed it down realy hard.  . i think  now it is about 1.5 dls space left .Changed hide to bigger  , now she went inside right away . Hope now she will be happy and behave as good curly hair should .

Reactions: Like 1


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## EmilzHernandez (Jul 30, 2017)

zxneon said:


> i added more substrate and pressed it down realy hard.  . i think  now it is about 1.5 dls space left .Changed hide to bigger  , now she went inside right away . Hope now she will be happy and behave as good curly hair should .


Do you always have that light on, or was it just for the picture? Also it looks much better, that looks like a happier T


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## zxneon (Jul 30, 2017)

EmilzHernandez said:


> Do you always have that light on, or was it just for the picture? Also it looks much better, that looks like a happier T


just for picture


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## EmilzHernandez (Jul 30, 2017)

zxneon said:


> just for picture


Ok, just making sure. Enjoy your T!


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## Nino Santana (Jul 16, 2021)

advan said:


> Everyone saying _Brachypelma albopilosum_ like it dry, need to see where they come from.
> 
> http://mantid.nl/tarantula/albopilosum.html
> 
> OP: Add more substrate, dampen it, make a starter burrow under that pot and make sure you don't have a mature male(pic provided wasn't enough to tell).


They don’t like it wet. Most we get are captive bred so they don’t actually live in those conditions. When I tried to mimic their natural conditions for my girl she didn’t not like it one bit. She climbed the sides and kept trying to get it out. Once I re did the set up with new dry substrate and only moistened the lower layers so she can dig for humidity if she wants, she was 10x happier and more comfortable now she spends all her time on the ground chilling


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