B. Smithi white spot

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
Hello everyone,

so,this little B. Smithi is my first T. I have her for about 5 months, she hasn't molted yet. She is about 3/4 - 1 year old. When i got her she had a nice, dark patch on her back. Said black patch has turned white/ transparent (as you can see in the photos) for some time now. Any idea what this means? Should i be concerned about her health? Is it a sign of premolt? Since this little cutie is my first T, i don't have any experience yet. 20170307_221012.jpg 20170307_220922.jpg 20170307_220853.jpg
 

Goodlukwitthat

Arachnoknight
Joined
Mar 10, 2015
Messages
178
Looks like some heavy premolt. don't feed it and make sure to leave it alone ^_^ I know the urge and nerves can be horrible to just constantly want to check on it lol. once it's molted, give it about a week or so (when the fangs turn black) before offering food.
 

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
Thanks for the reply. Is there anything wrong with a cage that size? She's a 30x30x30 cm glas cube. As you can see, she has pot as he hide, which looks much bigger on the photos.

Btw, whats the best humidity for a B.Smithi? Ich moved to a new flat and its kinda hard to keep the humidity above 50%. Should be enough for a B smithi since they live on the desert. Or am I wrong?
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
That is huge for a spidering and those enclosures are not great for terrestrials unless filled nearly 3/4s of substrate. That is only appropriate for adult of this species.

As your T is so small, it would be more suited to smaller enclosure. 3 times legspan in width and 2 times legspan in length.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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Joined
Mar 7, 2012
Messages
4,096
Btw, whats the best humidity for a B.Smithi? Ich moved to a new flat and its kinda hard to keep the humidity above 50%. Should be enough for a B smithi since they live on the desert. Or am I wrong?
Not all of Mexico is a desert. Brachypelma smithi actually comes from a tropical savanna climate, but juveniles and adults will tolerate a dry substrate. (Always provide a water dish.)

There is no need to worry about hitting a specific humidity reading. (Inexpensive hygrometers are rarely accurate anyway.) Just moisten part of the substrate for slings. As they transition from sling to juvenile (1.5"-2"), you can gradually dry out the substrate.

Learn to read your tarantula. If it's spending a bunch of time hovering around the water dish, it may be too dry. If it's trying to avoid touching the substrate, it's likely too moist.
 

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
That is huge for a spidering and those enclosures are not great for terrestrials unless filled nearly 3/4s of substrate. That is only appropriate for adult of this species.

As your T is so small, it would be more suited to smaller enclosure. 3 times legspan in width and 2 times legspan in length.
I often read about the "3 times leg span" enclosure size. But it just wouldn't look as good as the glas cube. The current enclosure is part of my "display setup", as you can see in the photo.

Is there problem in having a big enclosure for a small T? Or just the fact that it's unnecessary. I'd like to keep it that way, i like how it looks :) 20170210_175415.jpg 20170210_175415.jpg
 

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
Not all of Mexico is a desert. Brachypelma smithi actually comes from a tropical savanna climate, but juveniles and adults will tolerate a dry substrate. (Always provide a water dish.)

There is no need to worry about hitting a specific humidity reading. (Inexpensive hygrometers are rarely accurate anyway.) Just moisten part of the substrate for slings. As they transition from sling to juvenile (1.5"-2"), you can gradually dry out the substrate.

Learn to read your tarantula. If it's spending a bunch of time hovering around the water dish, it may be too dry. If it's trying to avoid touching the substrate, it's likely too moist.
I moisten the substrate almost every 2 days, it getting dry extremly fast. Her water dish is always filled and from time to time I can observe her taking a drink. She also likes to wander around sometimes, so i think the partly moistend sub shouldn't be a problem. 20170216_200937.jpg
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
I often read about the "3 times leg span" enclosure size. But it just wouldn't look as good as the glas cube. The current enclosure is part of my "display setup", as you can see in the photo.

Is there problem in having a big enclosure for a small T? Or just the fact that it's unnecessary. I'd like to keep it that way, i like how it looks :) View attachment 233464 View attachment 233464
It may look great, your spider isn't going to thrive in it. If you wanted a spider for that enclosure specifically, you should have bought an adult B.smithi ;)
Welcome to the boards by the way! @boina is from Germany too, i'm sure she's able to give some directions in your native language :)
 

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
It may look great, your spider isn't going to thrive in it. If you wanted a spider for that enclosure specifically, you should have bought an adult B.smithi ;)
Welcome to the boards by the way! @boina is from Germany too, i'm sure she's able to give some directions in your native language :)
Thanks for your reply!

Do you think I get her a smaller enclosure? I mean, she likes to sit in her hide most of the time, so whats the differnce between a spider sitting in its hide in a small enclosure to a spider sitting in its hide in a big one?
 

boina

Lady of the mites
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Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Hi there.
First of all, if your small spiderling climbs up that wall and falls down you are going to have a very dead spiderling. Second, the light contributes very much to the enclosure drying out to fast. Tarantulas hate direct light, especially from a daylight lamp and the heat from the lamp is making it VERY difficult for the sling to stay hydrated. No wonder it drinks all the time. B. smithi thrives perfectly well at your normal room temp, and most certainly A LOT better than under that lamp. It molts under that lamp and there's a really good chance it won't survive that molt. I know a lot of Germans are hung up on those stupid temps as are given in P. Klaas book, but I've personally seen adult T's die in a setup like that with a lamp to provide "proper" temperature, and not only one but several before the idiotic owner caught on. And your poor spiderling doesn't even have a proper hide - and with that I mean a hide in it's size, where it can really hide in and it can't burrow, because there's not enough substrate. A large enclosure makes it very difficult for a spiderling to hunt, too, and it won't eat as much and therefore will take much longer to molt and grow simply because it doesn't feel safe.

That enclosure may look nice for you, but I give your spiderling about 6 more month before it's dead, a year if it's really tough - if it even survives the next molt. If you want a decoration piece get a vase. Sorry, that was rude, but I am annoyed that you will put your own aesthetics before your animals well being.

If you want this in German PM me.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
It
Thanks for your reply!

Do you think I get her a smaller enclosure? I mean, she likes to sit in her hide most of the time, so whats he differnce between a spider sitting in its hide in a small enclosure to a spider sitting in its hide in a big one?
It will have trouble finding its food in this enclosure. And when it
starts to climb (and it will), a fall could lead to fatal injuries. Their abdomens are really soft and
fragile, so a fall from 20 cm to the ground is enough to rupture the abdomen, especially when heavy in pre molt, as yours is.
The hide is more its enclosure at the moment. I'd definitely downsize and sooner rather than later. You can use delicups or clear plastic boxes with locking lids and poke holes in it for ventilation.
 

Andrea82

Arachnoemperor
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Jan 12, 2016
Messages
3,686
Hi there.
First of all, if your small spiderling climbs up that wall and falls down you are going to have a very dead spiderling. Second, the light contributes very much to the enclosure drying out to fast. Tarantulas hate direct light, especially from a daylight lamp and the heat from the lamp is making it VERY difficult for the sling to stay hydrated. No wonder it drinks all the time. B. smithi thrives perfectly well at your normal room temp, and most certainly A LOT better than under that lamp. It molts under that lamp and there's a really good chance it won't survive that molt. I know a lot of Germans are hung up on those stupid temps as are given in P. Klaas book, but I've personally seen adult T's die in a setup like that with a lamp to provide "proper" temperature, and not only one but several before the idiotic owner caught on. And your poor spiderling doesn't even have a proper hide - and with that I mean a hide in it's size, where it can really hide in and it can't burrow, because there's not enough substrate. A large enclosure makes it very difficult for a spiderling to hunt, too, and it won't eat as much and therefore will take much longer to molt and grow simply because it doesn't feel safe.

That enclosure may look nice for you, but I give your spiderling about 6 more month before it's dead, a year if it's really tough - if it even survives the next molt. If you want a decoration piece get a vase. Sorry, that was rude, but I am annoyed that you will put your own aesthetics before your animals well being.

If you want this in German PM me.
Hey! Be nice! :eek:
Just kidding ;)
 

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
Hi there.
First of all, if your small spiderling climbs up that wall and falls down you are going to have a very dead spiderling. Second, the light contributes very much to the enclosure drying out to fast. Tarantulas hate direct light, especially from a daylight lamp and the heat from the lamp is making it VERY difficult for the sling to stay hydrated. No wonder it drinks all the time. B. smithi thrives perfectly well at your normal room temp, and most certainly A LOT better than under that lamp. It molts under that lamp and there's a really good chance it won't survive that molt. I know a lot of Germans are hung up on those stupid temps as are given in P. Klaas book, but I've personally seen adult T's die in a setup like that with a lamp to provide "proper" temperature, and not only one but several before the idiotic owner caught on. And your poor spiderling doesn't even have a proper hide - and with that I mean a hide in it's size, where it can really hide in and it can't burrow, because there's not enough substrate. A large enclosure makes it very difficult for a spiderling to hunt, too, and it won't eat as much and therefore will take much longer to molt and grow simply because it doesn't feel safe.

That enclosure may look nice for you, but I give your spiderling about 6 more month before it's dead, a year if it's really tough - if it even survives the next molt. If you want a decoration piece get a vase. Sorry, that was rude, but I am annoyed that you will put your own aesthetics before your animals well being.

If you want this in German PM me.

Ich werde mich mal nach etwas kleinerem umsehen. Mangels Erfahrung war mir natürlich nicht klar das dass ganze SO unpassend ist. Irgendwelche empfehlungen für ein kleineres, größengerechtes enclosure? Die Lampe hat 13w, spendet nicht allzu viel Wärme und die Temeratur beträgt unter der Lampe ca. 22-24C°. Sollte das trotzdem zu viel/ warm sein werde ich das ganze mal höer hängen. Oder evtlganz auf eine Lampe verzichten? Tageslicht gibt es eigendlich genug in meiner Wohnung.

Natürlich stelle ich meine persönlichen optischen Präferenzen nicht über das Wohl des Tier, das sollte an dieser Stelle mal gesagt werden.
Nur ist noch kein Profi vom Himmel gefallen ;)
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
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Messages
2,217
Ich werde mich mal nach etwas kleinerem umsehen. Mangels Erfahrung war mir natürlich nicht klar das dass ganze SO unpassend ist. Irgendwelche empfehlungen für ein kleineres, größengerechtes enclosure? Die Lampe hat 13w, spendet nicht allzu viel Wärme und die Temeratur beträgt unter der Lampe ca. 22-24C°. Sollte das trotzdem zu viel/ warm sein werde ich das ganze mal höer hängen. Oder evtlganz auf eine Lampe verzichten? Tageslicht gibt es eigendlich genug in meiner Wohnung.

Natürlich stelle ich meine persönlichen optischen Präferenzen nicht über das Wohl des Tier, das sollte an dieser Stelle mal gesagt werden.
Nur ist noch kein Profi vom Himmel gefallen ;)
Ok, ich nehme alles zurück :), nicht die spezifischen Probleme, aber meine Schlußfolgerungen.
Ich würde auf die Lampe verzichten. Das geringe Aufheizen reicht schon, damit die Luft in dem Terrarium besonders schnell austrocknet und das direkte, helle Licht stresst das Tier nur, weil es ständig nach einem Versteck sucht, in dem es nicht so exponiert ist. Viele Züchter verwenden relativ lange Grillenboxen - ich persönlich bin da kein Fan von und nehme Faunaboxen oder "Faunarien", je nach Größe, die es bei Amazon oder ebay z.B. schon für unter 10 Euro oder so gibt, billiger als im Zooladen. Viiieeeel Substrat, ich bevorzuge Kokosfaser-Erde, auch wenn da viele Deutsche schreien. Die Amerikaner nehmen das alle. Und ein kleines Stück Korkrinde oder ein Mini-Tontopf oder was auch immer. Wassernapf und fertig.
 

Tysor

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 7, 2017
Messages
15
Ok, ich nehme alles zurück :), nicht die spezifischen Probleme, aber meine Schlußfolgerungen.
Ich würde auf die Lampe verzichten. Das geringe Aufheizen reicht schon, damit die Luft in dem Terrarium besonders schnell austrocknet und das direkte, helle Licht stresst das Tier nur, weil es ständig nach einem Versteck sucht, in dem es nicht so exponiert ist. Viele Züchter verwenden relativ lange Grillenboxen - ich persönlich bin da kein Fan von und nehme Faunaboxen oder "Faunarien", je nach Größe, die es bei Amazon oder ebay z.B. schon für unter 10 Euro oder so gibt, billiger als im Zooladen. Viiieeeel Substrat, ich bevorzuge Kokosfaser-Erde, auch wenn da viele Deutsche schreien. Die Amerikaner nehmen das alle. Und ein kleines Stück Korkrinde oder ein Mini-Tontopf oder was auch immer. Wassernapf und fertig.

Werde mir schnellstmöglich was kleineres besorgen, eine Grillenbox hatte ich schon einmal beimörtlichen Zoohändler in der Hand, war mir dann aber doch nicht schlüssig...

Ich werde die Lampe schonmal entfernen, denke das das ständige Austrocknen des Substarts auch auf die Lampe zurückgeführt werden kann, neben der allgemein relativ hohen Temperatur in der Wohnung. Kokosfaser Erde benutze ich zurzeit auch, bin sehr zufrieden.

Dann wollen wir der kleinen mal ein größengerechtes Zuhause basteln, vielen Dank für die Tipps. :)
 

boina

Lady of the mites
Active Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2015
Messages
2,217
Werde mir schnellstmöglich was kleineres besorgen, eine Grillenbox hatte ich schon einmal beimörtlichen Zoohändler in der Hand, war mir dann aber doch nicht schlüssig...

Ich werde die Lampe schonmal entfernen, denke das das ständige Austrocknen des Substarts auch auf die Lampe zurückgeführt werden kann, neben der allgemein relativ hohen Temperatur in der Wohnung. Kokosfaser Erde benutze ich zurzeit auch, bin sehr zufrieden.

Dann wollen wir der kleinen mal ein größengerechtes Zuhause basteln, vielen Dank für die Tipps. :)
Na dann viel Spaß beim Basteln! :)
 
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