Chromatopelma Cyanopubsequence advice needed!

[Rachel974]

Hey, so I would love some advice. I have a juvenile chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (my second T, unsexed but refer to as he), and I have read many threads, watched many videos, and spent a lot of time researching this tarantula. I read that they were semi arboreal, and given the first thing my T did when I unboxed him was to climb the wall of his enclosure, mine seems to be fairly happy up in the air. I am keeping him in an arboreal enclosure that has plenty of space for him to move around in, with very dry substrate, a water bowl, a hide and a couple of things to climb/web around (pictures shown). Since he's been in this enclosure, though, he has created a burrow with a web tunnel entrance to it (which I have read is fairly common), but my question is to do with how much time he spends in it! He basically hasn't emerged from the burrow since he made it, and given I've read that they are normally out in the open, I was wondering if I was doing something wrong! Has anyone else experienced this/might know why he's acting this way? I thought initially it could be due to being in premolt, but the last cricket we gave him he ate (a week ago), so not sure this is the case. Any advice would be helpful!!

Update: tried to feed a cricket again just now, and doesn't seem interested in it, so I'm hoping it's just premolt!

 

[mjzheng]

There is no where else for him to web with all the sticks like that so it makes sense he's there. I'd really switch to a more terrestrial set up , there is a lot of extra space and even if you were doing a full arboreal setup this isn't correct because there's nothing along the whole top.

If it refused food it's probably premolt though

 

[Vanessa]

They are terrestrial. There is footage of them in situ and they are on the ground and burrowing under trees and shrubs. This whole semi-arboreal thing is a myth - they are terrestrial and should always be set up in a terrestrial enclosure with more ground space than height. Keeping them in tall enclosures poses the same risks as any other terrestrial species. Every single tarantula will climb the sides of their enclosures - that does not make them arboreal.
Yes, there is evidence of tarantulas taking refuge in the lower branches of shrubs during flooding, which might be where this reputation of semi-arboreal might come from, but that is a temporary survival response and they go back to living on the ground as soon as it is safe for them to do so.
Chromatopelma cyaneopubscens habitat - not a decent tree in sight...

Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens habitat, Venezuela - Tarantulas, Bird Spiders - Rick West, Arachnologist

www.birdspiders.com

 

[Vanisher]

This speicies is terrestrial and lives in conjunction to bushes in scrublands. They can web silktubes amongst the lower branches but my belief is that those silktubes leads to a burrow

 

[Swagg]

Terrestrial setup with lots of anchor points. If it falls it’s going to be the same as any terrestrial falling.

 

[Chroma Trigger]

They are a terrestrial species and heavy webbers. They will seek out any anchor points to stick their webbing to and build themselves a home. Fake plants and sticks are great to provide such anchor points.

I agree with previous posters that the terra should be switched to a terrestrial setup, otherwise you are risking a fall of several leg spans.

 

[Colorado Ts]

Hey, so I would love some advice. I have a juvenile chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (my second T, unsexed but refer to as he), and I have read many threads, watched many videos, and spent a lot of time researching this tarantula. I read that they were semi arboreal, and given the first thing my T did when I unboxed him was to climb the wall of his enclosure, mine seems to be fairly happy up in the air. I am keeping him in an arboreal enclosure that has plenty of space for him to move around in, with very dry substrate, a water bowl, a hide and a couple of things to climb/web around (pictures shown). Since he's been in this enclosure, though, he has created a burrow with a web tunnel entrance to it (which I have read is fairly common), but my question is to do with how much time he spends in it! He basically hasn't emerged from the burrow since he made it, and given I've read that they are normally out in the open, I was wondering if I was doing something wrong! Has anyone else experienced this/might know why he's acting this way? I thought initially it could be due to being in premolt, but the last cricket we gave him he ate (a week ago), so not sure this is the case. Any advice would be helpful!!

Update: tried to feed a cricket again just now, and doesn't seem interested in it, so I'm hoping it's just premolt!

The Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens is a very hardy spider to keep.

You'll want to keep the substrate dry and use a water dish.

There are a few things to look out for:
* Slings not feeding and acting lethargic
* slings not webbing
*slings not exploring the enclosure and spending all or most of their time hanging out around the vent openings
If you start seeing this type of behavior, then check the moisture content of the substrate. If it's too moist, you'll start seeing the above listed behaviors.

You'll need to provide the sling with a hide and places to web...they like to web a lot.

The GBB is a very good feeder, mine actually come out and wait on the sides of the enclosure waiting to be fed. If they start to refuse food, it's a pretty good indication that they are in premoult. My slings are moulting about once a month to once a month and half. I'm amazed at the growth rate. I started with slings that were 3/4" to 1" in size and they are now 1.25" for the smallest to a solid 1.5"....maybe even a bit bigger.



A 4" X 4"X 4" AMAC container works well for slings up to 2.5" to 3". They will crawl all over the inside of the enclosure...checking things out and webbing.

Your enclosure looks to be more of an arboreal enclosure...



I personally don't see anything wrong with saying that they are "Semi-Arboreal". In the wild they tend to live slightly elevated in shrubs and bushes.

 

[Mpmackenna]

Hey just so you know... This species is terrestrial .... and this forum is super thorough.

 

[Rachel974]

Thank you so much for all your help! We have now ordered a more suitable terrestrial enclosure. One further question, should we provide a hide or just give him the anchor points and let him make his own from webbing?

 

[Vanisher]

Yes provide some corkbark retreat as well

 

[Colorado Ts]

I provide all my slings a hide. Let the sling decide if it wants a hide.

 

[viper69]

I like using slices of cork bark at a 45 degree angle. They choose, not you.

Hey, so I would love some advice. I have a juvenile chromatopelma cyaneopubescens (my second T, unsexed but refer to as he), and I have read many threads, watched many videos, and spent a lot of time researching this tarantula. I read that they were semi arboreal, and given the first thing my T did when I unboxed him was to climb the wall of his enclosure, mine seems to be fairly happy up in the air. I am keeping him in an arboreal enclosure that has plenty of space for him to move around in, with very dry substrate, a water bowl, a hide and a couple of things to climb/web around (pictures shown). Since he's been in this enclosure, though, he has created a burrow with a web tunnel entrance to it (which I have read is fairly common), but my question is to do with how much time he spends in it! He basically hasn't emerged from the burrow since he made it, and given I've read that they are normally out in the open, I was wondering if I was doing something wrong! Has anyone else experienced this/might know why he's acting this way? I thought initially it could be due to being in premolt, but the last cricket we gave him he ate (a week ago), so not sure this is the case. Any advice would be helpful!!

Update: tried to feed a cricket again just now, and doesn't seem interested in it, so I'm hoping it's just premolt!

Your T went vertical after unboxing because ALL Ts do that - exceptions of course. Ts are pretty sensitive animals in certain ways, this is one of them.

 

[Chroma Trigger]

I personally don't see anything wrong with saying that they are "Semi-Arboreal". In the wild they tend to live slightly elevated in shrubs and bushes.

I agree that they are not your "typical" terrestrial and while I personally also wouldn't mind calling them semi-arboreal, that term seems to be causing a lot of confusion among new keepers. It makes some people think they can either choose to keep them terrestrial OR arboreal. They will web up as far as they can, which can get pretty high, but they otherwise display pretty normal terrestrial behavior. Compared to an A. Avicularia or a C. Versicolor, who can jump from branch to branch and stick to vertical surfaces like glue, a GBB is put at risk with an arboreal setup. They are good eaters too, so falling down a great height with a usually big abdomen is a death sentence. IMO keeping a GBB terrestrial is keeping a GBB safe - even though they WOULD web up much higher. Not going to provide them with a bush in my apartment

 

[Rachel974]

Thank you everyone!!

 

[The Grym Reaper]

"Semi-arboreal" is a nonsense term that gets bandied about for a bunch of species that it doesn't apply to (basically any heavy webbing terrestrial or fossorial species). They're heavy webbing terrestrials which should be set up with more floor space than height and plenty of anchor points for webbing. I generally go with a wide bark piece leant against the side with anchor points around the entrances. If it has sealed itself away in a corner then I'd imagine that it will moult soon (this has usually been the case in my experience).

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I personally don't see anything wrong with saying that they are "Semi-Arboreal".

Because it creates unnecessary confusion for keepers and, as was stated above by @Vanessa, all footage of them in situ shows them to be opportunistic burrowers that generally make their homes under the bases of shrubs, only taking to "higher ground" when conditions force them to. Saying they're semi-arboreal is like saying that I'm a flying mammal because I flew a plane once.

 

[Ungoliant]

One further question, should we provide a hide or just give him the anchor points and let him make his own from webbing?

They tend to make their own "hides" out of webbing, but it doesn't hurt to give them the option, like a slab of cork (or even a leaf for tiny slings).

 

[Cyano Reeves]

There are a few things to look out for:
* Slings not feeding and acting lethargic
* slings not webbing
*slings not exploring the enclosure and spending all or most of their time hanging out around the vent openings
If you start seeing this type of behavior, then check the moisture content of the substrate. If it's too moist, you'll start seeing the above listed behaviors.

I have a C. cyaneopubescens for about 6 weeks now and its my first tarantula. Since two weeks i have witnessed this behavior..it ate last then a big roach and i initialy thought its going in premolt. Now i think its too moist in there and prepared a new enclousure for rehousing. Should i do a rehousing now or is it in premolt and should not be disturbed? Here some pics...

 

[Chroma Trigger]

I have a C. cyaneopubescens for about 6 weeks now and its my first tarantula. Since two weeks i have witnessed this behavior..it ate last then a big roach and i initialy thought its going in premolt. Now i think its too moist in there and prepared a new enclousure for rehousing. Should i do a rehousing now or is it in premolt and should not be disturbed? Here some pics...

Juging from the look of the substrate on the 1st picture, it is quite wet indeed. I would advise you to stop watering the substrate for the time being and instead pour - not mist - some water over the webbing from time to time. Premolt can take a long time for GBBs, but it is bound to happen for this fast grower. My advice is to not destroy the webbing, as it will most definitely molt in that hammock it made. As you are unsure if a molt is imminent, I would let the substrate dry out.

 

[Colorado Ts]

I have a C. cyaneopubescens for about 6 weeks now and its my first tarantula. Since two weeks i have witnessed this behavior..it ate last then a big roach and i initialy thought its going in premolt. Now i think its too moist in there and prepared a new enclousure for rehousing. Should i do a rehousing now or is it in premolt and should not be disturbed? Here some pics...

View attachment 337103 View attachment 337107 View attachment 337108 View attachment 337104

The substrate does look pretty moist to me, I would carefully rehouse the spider, and use dry substrate. They don't like having things change...so it might look stressed for a day or so.