Bulldozing Maniac!!

[Skordog]

Hi. I'm still relatively new to the tarantula hobby. My brother has about 15 T's and I've accompanied him to the reptile shows every month for quite a while now. So after doing a lot of studying (read Schultz's bible from cover to cover) and reading a lot on this forum I jumped in by buying a versicolor juvenile and a 5" G. pulchripes (aka Chaco goldenknee). I've had both for about 2 weeks now.

This thread is about the pulchripes. He is currently in a medium size Kritter Keeper (about 8x7x11). I have about 3 inches of fine shredded coconut husk for substrate, a fake plant, and a water dish. I had a coconut shell hideout but it seemed too crowded.

Yesterday he (she?) started moving substrate around. He would lay down a bit of webbing (presumably to clump it) and then would drag the substrate around the enclosure.

The plant got pulled down, moved to the other side of the enclosure, buried, lifted up like he was going to erect it, buried again, etc. And of course the water dish became piled with webbed up substrate.

He did this for about 14 hours until I gave him a cricket which he pounced on, and then he was quite for the rest of the night.

The reason I know how long he was at it is that I work out of my house (software developer) and I have his enclosure on a shelf next to me.

So I have already cleaned out his water dish and refilled it, but since then he has done likewise (with substrate).

Is this normal? Is there a way to keep the water dish from getting buried constantly?

I have a 5 gallon tank that I bought that I was going to work on - thinking about a two-story type of arrangement with substrate on the bottom and glued on substrate for the shelves. At least in this way the water dish could be kept up top and not get buried, and any digging he did on the lower level would be fine.

Comments, suggestions, etc. are welcome.

btw - I love this forum. I have read hundreds of threads already trying to learn as much as I can as well as add to my wish list for future T's.

 

[LV-426]

wdont do it, its a terretrial T. it shouldnt be climbing. just keep cleaning it out and refill with with water until it eventually stops bulldozing

 

[Skordog]

wdont do it, its a terretrial T. it shouldnt be climbing. just keep cleaning it out and refill with with water until it eventually stops bulldozing

So is this only an occasional activity that they partake in? e.g. once a month they go on a rampage?

So are you saying that all of these cool enclosure ideas I have seen in this forum are not meant for terrestials? Most of them have some type of ramp leading up to the second level, which really is only about 4 inches above the substrate on the bottom.

May pulchripes spends a fair amount of time climbing the glass toward the top of the enclosure. I would think having horizontal surfaces for him to walk on would be safer if anything.

 

[Crysta]

Provide water once aweek, and it will drink when its thristy, if it filled it up with dirt really soon, or tipped it over, i always say 'too bad mr tarantula' ... next week ;p it's 5 inches, not a sling.

So are you saying that all of these cool enclosure ideas I have seen in this forum are not meant for terrestials? Most of them have some type of ramp leading up to the second level, which really is only about 4 inches above the substrate on the bottom.

its perfectly fine to make one of those.. look up talonwd (forgot his user name right now sorry!) he has some great how 2's

 

[grayzone]

its your t do what ya want. if ya DO make a two story set up just keep a fall in mind. you said your G. pulchripes is around 5" so just make the 2nd story part not TOO high off the first? all terrestrial ts will try to climb eventually, just do your best to PREVENT a high fall. id try to make the 2nd story/ledge like 3 to 6 inches MAX off the 1st floor . i doubt its gonna keep the water dish fresh though.. i swear ts like to dirty that stuff up. keepin it clean is just a part of good husbandry

 

[PhobeToPhile]

Ironically, my puchripes female uses bith the sides and floor of her cage. Thena again, her favorite spot to be is out on top of the cork bark in her cage, rather than UNDER it in one of two potential burrows.