Couple of questions from a relative newbie

Matabuey

Arachnosquire
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Aug 9, 2016
Messages
96
Hi, I'm fairly new to keeping T's, only kept for 6 months or so.

Currently have, Chilobrachys fimbriatus, Cyriopagopus sp hati hati, Monocentropus balfouri, Tapinauchenius gigas,
Pterinochilus murinus
and the Orphnaecus.

The blue Panay is around 6 months old, 3" inches of there abouts. So far I've been keeping it in a terrestrial set up.

But I keep reading conflicting stuff everywhere. Should I have them set up in an enclosure where it can burrow but also climb if needs be? Something like 6 inch deep sub with a piece of cork bark spanning the entire height of the enclosure?

AND

I also had a P.irminia - Which died, i clearly did something wrong. But what should i have done instead of what i did..

The spider was down in it's burrow - i couldn't see it at all. Tried with a torch etc, but was too far down. Went to feed it.

Turns out the spider was in moult or soon to moult, as the next day i saw the feeder still roaming about. So i took it out - still hadn't seen the spider for another week, break it open and the spider was there with a busted abdomen fresh out of moult.

Did i leave the feeder in too long?

Should i be killing the feeder, if the spider doesn't come up and take it within a minute or two?
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
I also had a P.irminia - Which died, i clearly did something wrong. But what should i have done instead of what i did..

The spider was down in it's burrow - i couldn't see it at all. Tried with a torch etc, but was too far down. Went to feed it.

Turns out the spider was in moult or soon to moult, as the next day i saw the feeder still roaming about. So i took it out - still hadn't seen the spider for another week, break it open and the spider was there with a busted abdomen fresh out of moult.

Did i leave the feeder in too long?

Should i be killing the feeder, if the spider doesn't come up and take it within a minute or two?
What kind of feeder was it? It is possible that the feeder harmed the T or it could have been a bad molt. Some feeders like crickets can kill freshly molted Ts.

Currently have, Chilobrachys fimbriatus, Cyriopagopus sp hati hati, Monocentropus balfouri, Tapinauchenius gigas,
Pterinochilus murinus
and the Orphnaecus.

The blue Panay is around 6 months old, 3" inches of there abouts. So far I've been keeping it in a terrestrial set up.

But I keep reading conflicting stuff everywhere. Should I have them set up in an enclosure where it can burrow but also climb if needs be? Something like 6 inch deep sub with a piece of cork bark spanning the entire height of the enclosure?
I have not raised this species but it seems to be kept like a lot of Asian terrestrials. Give it lots of moist substrate for burrowing with a corkbark piece mostly buried at an angle for them to use when when making their burrow. You can add other plants/cover in the enclosure if you like.
 

Haksilence

Bad At Titles
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Dec 6, 2015
Messages
405
If you suspect a t is in pre-molt you should not offer feeders, and definitely do not leave feeders in for more than a day. I feel like it is more likely that it was injured during your excavation. If you suspect a t is molting, about to molt, or freshly molted, absolutely 100% do not go digging in their enclosure, especially not just a week after. I don't go searching for T's unless I haven't seen them/they haven't taken feeders for 4 months or so.
 

Matabuey

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
96
What kind of feeder was it? It is possible that the feeder harmed the T or it could have been a bad molt. Some feeders like crickets can kill freshly molted Ts.


I have not raised this species but it seems to be kept like a lot of Asian terrestrials. Give it lots of moist substrate for burrowing with a corkbark piece mostly buried at an angle for them to use when when making their burrow. You can add other plants/cover in the enclosure if you like.
It was just an adult meal worm.

Ah ok, cool, thanks :)

If you suspect a t is in pre-molt you should not offer feeders, and definitely do not leave feeders in for more than a day. I feel like it is more likely that it was injured during your excavation. If you suspect a t is molting, about to molt, or freshly molted, absolutely 100% do not go digging in their enclosure, especially not just a week after. I don't go searching for T's unless I haven't seen them/they haven't taken feeders for 4 months or so.
I didn't go digging, all i had to do was pull the cork bark a little so i could break a bit of the web, and actually see it. And it was already laying on the bottom on it's back dead - but out of it's moult.
 

magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Can you take pics of the enclosures? I don't have experience in these species but I know others hete do. They will want to see some pics to verify it had proper substrate and dampness etc.

Aside from the dead tarantulas enclosure it would be a huge benefit to post pics of the other spiders and enclosures. Some of these experts here will be able to spot something wrong way before you or I could, so they may notice something you havent, and save a T :) or at least provide insight on what may have happened to the dead one. Bad molts do happen though
 

Toxoderidae

Arachnoprince
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Nov 16, 2015
Messages
1,008
It was just an adult meal worm.

Ah ok, cool, thanks :)



I didn't go digging, all i had to do was pull the cork bark a little so i could break a bit of the web, and actually see it. And it was already laying on the bottom on it's back dead - but out of it's moult.
there is no adult mealworm, and if a spider EVER seals themselves up, it means don't come in.
 

Matabuey

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
96
Can you take pics of the enclosures? I don't have experience in these species but I know others hete do. They will want to see some pics to verify it had proper substrate and dampness etc.

Aside from the dead tarantulas enclosure it would be a huge benefit to post pics of the other spiders and enclosures. Some of these experts here will be able to spot something wrong way before you or I could, so they may notice something you havent, and save a T :) or at least provide insight on what may have happened to the dead one. Bad molts do happen though
Oh, i don't have pics of it anymore, this was like 3 months ago now. But i will do that for the other T's thanks :)

there is no adult mealworm, and if a spider EVER seals themselves up, it means don't come in.
Lol, ok, but you know what i meant, no need to be pedantic.

And the irminia never sealed itself in before moulting, it always left it's entrance open. It was just too long for me to see down, when it got spooked or was about to moult.
 

sdsnybny

Arachnogeek
Joined
Apr 29, 2015
Messages
1,330
Both meal worms and super worms will munch on a T given the chance. always crush the head of them to keep your T safe it will stay alive for quite awhile and still attract your T to it for dinner. Even a wax worm will eat a pre-molt, molting, post molt T. I lost one which had the heart line chewed out of it from a wax worm during sluggish pre-molt stages.
 

Haksilence

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Might have been the feeder then, though my comment stands, never ever disturb your t if you even have the smallest incline that it's in pre-molt and never ever go digging/messing with their burrows until it starts to smell (tarantulas will stink after they die)
Even if it hadn't died already even just lifting the bark could have been more than enough to kill it. Be more patient, these are amazing creatures and can survive for months and months and months. And also keep in mind just because you don't see it that it's not coming out, a lot of burrowing species will only come out LATE at night for only an hour or two before going back home.
 

Toxoderidae

Arachnoprince
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Messages
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Might have been the feeder then, though my comment stands, never ever disturb your t if you even have the smallest incline that it's in pre-molt and never ever go digging/messing with their burrows until it starts to smell (tarantulas will stink after they die)
Even if it hadn't died already even just lifting the bark could have been more than enough to kill it. Be more patient, these are amazing creatures and can survive for months and months and months. And also keep in mind just because you don't see it that it's not coming out, a lot of burrowing species will only come out LATE at night for only an hour or two before going back home.
I don't even see my Haplos... its just the webbing and mound of dirt changes every now and then. The ghost crabs are even worse. I only know they're alive since the waterdish gets emptied a bit and the sand changes.
 

Matabuey

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
96
Both meal worms and super worms will munch on a T given the chance. always crush the head of them to keep your T safe it will stay alive for quite awhile and still attract your T to it for dinner. Even a wax worm will eat a pre-molt, molting, post molt T. I lost one which had the heart line chewed out of it from a wax worm during sluggish pre-molt stages.
Yeah must've been that, will do from now on! :)

Might have been the feeder then, though my comment stands, never ever disturb your t if you even have the smallest incline that it's in pre-molt and never ever go digging/messing with their burrows until it starts to smell (tarantulas will stink after they die)
Even if it hadn't died already even just lifting the bark could have been more than enough to kill it. Be more patient, these are amazing creatures and can survive for months and months and months. And also keep in mind just because you don't see it that it's not coming out, a lot of burrowing species will only come out LATE at night for only an hour or two before going back home.
Yeah, the only reason i did, was because that spider always used to come out and sit on the bark, even 1-2 days after moulting. So i kinda felt something was a bit off.

But thanks for the tip, will keep it in mind :)
 
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