B. smithi rehoused and now stressed out

[Neoza]

Hello everyone, i rehoused recently my b smithi to a bigger enclosure, 3 days later al his urticating hairs were gone, he scratched everything off. It could be from the stress from being in a new enclosure, but often i see him scratch again, i dont know whats wrong, and normally there is also nothing wrong with the enclosure, all my other spiders are in the same room, and they have not this problem. Here is a picture from his enclosure

Greetings

 

[EulersK]

There is way too much height in that enclosure. If your spider gets the idea to start climbing and falls from that height, you'll have one less spider. This rule applies to all terrestrials. You want no more than 2x diagonal leg span from the floor to the lid.

A better picture of the spider itself would help. It's possible that it kicked off all of its seate ("hair") in preperation for a molt. That is a common defense tactic.

 

[JumpingSpiderLady]

If the back is a mirror as it appears, it may feel threatened by the 'other spider'
As EulersK said, there is too much overhead room. Even if you have never seen your T climb, it doesn't mean it won't. Looks to me like that is more space than it needs too. That's it in the rear, left corner, right?

 

[TownesVanZandt]

As the others have said, that enclosure is by no means safe for your tarantula. You need much more substrate. When you rehouse it again with sufficient amount of substrate, you might see that it acts a bit restless the first couple of weeks. That´s normal. They need some time to adapt and feel safe in a new environment.

 

[magicmed]

Well looks like everything's been covered! I'll add on top of a rehoused with much less room for a fall, and no mirror (if that is a mirror) I would recommend taking out the hard, spikey decor that you have in there. A fall from about any distance could cause damage if it were to land on a rock hard or sharp surface.

 

[Neoza]

I dont think a spider his eyew are developted enough to see a spider in the mirror. I agree that the enclosure is to high, i will rehouse him to a lower enclosure. And more sunstrate in this enclosure isnt possible because of the doors to open it.

 

[Neoza]

Thank you for help

 

[TownesVanZandt]

I dont think a spider his eyew are developted enough to see a spider in the mirror. I agree that the enclosure is to high, i will rehouse him to a lower enclosure. And more sunstrate in this enclosure isnt possible because of the doors to open it.

Right, you might use this enclosure if you ever plan to get an arboreal tarantula

 

[Chris LXXIX]

You was a 'Scrooge' with substrate. Bad

 

[Neoza]

You was a 'Scrooge' with substrate. Bad

Scrooge?

 

[Neoza]

Well looks like everything's been covered! I'll add on top of a rehoused with much less room for a fall, and no mirror (if that is a mirror) I would recommend taking out the hard, spikey decor that you have in there. A fall from about any distance could cause damage if it were to land on a rock hard or sharp surface.

its a mirror from the closet where its in, so no problem, i put it somewhere else

 

[lunarae]

It's eyes may not have the best eyesight to make out that it's another tarantula, but it's going to be able to catch movement in the mirror. And movement can either be predator or prey depending on size. Seeing something the same size as it movement wise could make it feel it is constantly in danger, so it's laying hairs all over the place to ensure it stays away.

Also as people have said your set up needs a lot more substrate, not just because it could get hurt in a fall but this species is capable of burrowing and giving it that option can allow it to feel a bit more secure in it's home if it does decide it wants to burrow and is allowed to. I see you have a hide but sometimes they will burrow deeper under the hide to feel more secure and help them regulate temp and moisture for themselves.

 

[Neoza]

It's eyes may not have the best eyesight to make out that it's another tarantula, but it's going to be able to catch movement in the mirror. And movement can either be predator or prey depending on size. Seeing something the same size as it movement wise could make it feel it is constantly in danger, so it's laying hairs all over the place to ensure it stays away.

Also as people have said your set up needs a lot more substrate, not just because it could get hurt in a fall but this species is capable of burrowing and giving it that option can allow it to feel a bit more secure in it's home if it does decide it wants to burrow and is allowed to. I see you have a hide but sometimes they will burrow deeper under the hide to feel more secure and help them regulate temp and moisture for themselves.

Ah i understand, and yes indeed i will give it more substrate, my other smithi is in a better enclosure with way more substrate, but it was because that i hadn't another enclosure that i put him there, but i wil get another one

 

[lunarae]

Ah i understand, and yes indeed i will give it more substrate, my other smithi is in a better enclosure with way more substrate, but it was because that i hadn't another enclosure that i put him there, but i wil get another one

Yeah sometimes we have to do temporary housings that aren't the best. But thankfully they are temporary. *nods* Be careful rehousing that guy since he kicked all his hairs off now, that enclosure is probably full of them all over the place. Not sure how strong a reaction to B. smithi hairs are but I doubt it's fun regardless. Good luck though. ^.^

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Yeah sometimes we have to do temporary housings that aren't the best. But thankfully they are temporary. *nods* Be careful rehousing that guy since he kicked all his hairs off now, that enclosure is probably full of them all over the place. Not sure how strong a reaction to B. smithi hairs are but I doubt it's fun regardless. Good luck though. ^.^

Plastic gloves are mandatory when cleaning out any enclosure who´s had NW inhabitants in them, IMO!

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Scrooge?

Yup, 'Scrooge' :-s

Everyone that doesn't offer to their T's a good level of inches of substrate (btw, aside for the "height safety mode", you never know if T's feel or wants to burrow a bit) IMO is a 'Scrooge'.

Dickens.jpg

 

[viper69]

If the back is a mirror as it appears, it may feel threatened by the 'other spider'

Ts don't have the eyesight that Jumpers have. They can discern movement, at least some can (Avics, Pokis), though in we don't know if they are seeing actual shapes or changes in contrast/shadows etc.

They aren't hunters like Jumpers

 

[EulersK]

They aren't hunters like Jumpers

They're more like an alligator. Ambush predators all the way. Tarantulas usually wait for prey to happen by, true spiders will actually chase down prey.

 

[viper69]

true spiders will actually chase down prey.

Orb weavers lay and wait as well, though there are a few orb weaver species which don't spin the characteristic web we are familiar with if I recall correctly.

 

[magicmed]

My jumper will literally tackle a cricket from across its cage, nifty little hunters