Extremely stressed t not settling into enclosure

[Spiderman65]

Hey all,
So about a week or two ago I got a sub adult female M. balfouri. She's well fed, she's eaten 4 good sized female turk roaches for me

She came with a perspex enclosure that was horrifically filthy, so I took her out, took out all the old substrate and filth and put her back.

I wasn't expecting her to settle immediately, but concern rose as she decided to settle on the lid, obstructing my ability to top up her water dish as needed, as she appeared to be a very thirsty girl (her waterdish was entirely buried before). She was very sweet before the move, even while being caught, and is now extremely defensive.

Yesterday after leaver her the whole week, I added more substrate and removed decorations from her enclosure and she did find the hide and premade burrow but prefers to sit on the top of the mound and web up the lid.

What should I do besides letting her be? I'm very worried she'll become too stressed being exposed and become a possible hazard to me to feed and maintain.

I apologize for the novel, and thank you for taking the time to read it.


TL,DR:
Stressed out T won't settle after a rehouse, sitting on lid, very defensive and dangerous to maintain. Need help on getting her to feel safe again

 

[Brewser]

It will take additional time to "settle in" with each modification done to the enclosure.

Suggest uploading a picture of the enclosure.

 

[Mustafa67]

Hey all,
So about a week or two ago I got a sub adult female M. balfouri. She's well fed, she's eaten 4 good sized female turk roaches for me

She came with a perspex enclosure that was horrifically filthy, so I took her out, took out all the old substrate and filth and put her back.

I wasn't expecting her to settle immediately, but concern rose as she decided to settle on the lid, obstructing my ability to top up her water dish as needed, as she appeared to be a very thirsty girl (her waterdish was entirely buried before). She was very sweet before the move, even while being caught, and is now extremely defensive.

Yesterday after leaver her the whole week, I added more substrate and removed decorations from her enclosure and she did find the hide and premade burrow but prefers to sit on the top of the mound and web up the lid.

What should I do besides letting her be? I'm very worried she'll become too stressed being exposed and become a possible hazard to me to feed and maintain.

I apologize for the novel, and thank you for taking the time to read it.


TL,DR:
Stressed out T won't settle after a rehouse, sitting on lid, very defensive and dangerous to maintain. Need help on getting her to feel safe again

WAIT

 

[viper69]

WAIT

It’s an OW T, what did you expect?

 

[Smotzer]

Yesterday after leaver her the whole week, I added more substrate and removed decorations from her enclosure

Since this is basically an entire rehouse to the T you need to start the clock all over again and let it settle in. Could take multiple weeks. Sit back and wait!

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Please post pics so we can see your setup. Also, you can add water to the bowl with a blunt tipped syringe through an air hole without opening the lid.

 

[Spiderman65]

She's come out of her curtains, looking for a drink, I'll grab a syringe now to try and help her out. Please excuse the rocks and stuff, the lid is damaged and kind of lifts up and she tries to escape

 

[kingshockey]

you should just buy a new cage since the lid is damaged and has play to it like you said. thats an escape or injury waiting to happen imo

 

[Matt Man]

you should just buy a new cage since the lid is damaged and has play to it like you said. thats an escape or injury waiting to happen imo

Agreed and something with more floor space, Not a lot of room and if you added a hide there's basically be zero floor space

 

[Smotzer]

Agreed and something with more floor space, Not a lot of room and if you added a hide there's basically be zero floor space

Luckily these are pretty fossorial so a large percentage of floor space compared to digging room isn’t the end of the world. But agree that it’ll be easier to set up with a hide when there’s a bit more. But to the OP I’d continue to give it ample burrowing room

 

[Stu Macher]

WAIT

It’s an OW T, what did you expect?

OW's are like a box of chocolates

OP, that cage is pretty small. If you rehouse make sure it's taller with double the floor space. I'd provide anchor points that don't lead all the way to the top. Stop like 4" below, or they may web up to the top again. You can make a starter burrow right under the anchor points (fake plants) and they'll likely set up shop there.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

OP, that cage is pretty small. If you rehouse make sure it's taller with double the floor space. I'd provide anchor points that don't lead all the way to the top. Stop like 4" below, or they may web up to the top again. You can make a starter burrow right under the anchor points (fake plants) and they'll likely set up shop there.

Yes that cage is way too small imo. I’ve me never had a M. balfouri. Great looking species. Some ow are nice others are defensive the worst are teleporters Which some new worlds fit in that speed category also.

 

[Stu Macher]

Yes that cage is way too small imo. I’ve me never had a M. balfouri. Great looking species. Some ow are nice others are defensive the worst are teleporters Which some new worlds fit in that speed category also.

They do look nice. Harpactira is a pretty mellow lot

They do look nice. Harpactira is a pretty mellow lot

Tapi's would be fun to get into. I may be wrong but I've heard they are the quickest arboreal.. I'm pretty sure their bite isn't a walk in the park, but way more short lived than a hati hati

 

[Spiderman65]

Understood, I'll contact the tank manufacturer today

Ok. I looked at various enclosures from Araiterra, our local manufacturer that this enclosure is from, but I 100% cannot afford a perspex enclosure rn. I'm opting for a tupperware enclosure instead, I know it looks terrible but she's not a display tarantula yet, she still has some growing to do. Thank you to everyone for your input, I appreciate it and I'm sure she will too. I'll post update pictures here again later today

 

[kingshockey]

Ok. I looked at various enclosures from Araiterra, our local manufacturer that this enclosure is from, but I 100% cannot afford a perspex enclosure rn. I'm opting for a tupperware enclosure instead, I know it looks terrible but she's not a display tarantula yet, she still has some growing to do. Thank you to everyone for your input, I appreciate it and I'm sure she will too. I'll post update pictures here again later today

nothing wrong with tupperware its easy to work with

 

[Spiderman65]

As promised, new enclosure. It does look a bit big to me rn but she seems happy enough to explore. Still climbing up to the lid tho, but I don't think I can do more atp. I hope she settles soon, and feels encouraged to actually burrow and web. Night is still young, hopefully she chills out sooner or later this evening.

 

[kingshockey]

i see a stick but no hide? it needs one if you dont have one available for it to use

 

[Spiderman65]

Sorry, had to scramble to find one quickly, luckily she seems to be the spider I met when I got her, calm and let me be near her for a picture

 

[cold blood]

What should I do besides letting her be?

Add more ground cover....the more clutter for her to get under and anchor webbing to, the faster she will acclimate.

I'm very worried she'll become too stressed being exposed and become a possible hazard to me to feed and maintain

Cant worry about stress......you shouldnt need to maintain anything for a long while and if shes well fed, you wont need to do that either and can just sit back and be patient.

Sorry, had to scramble to find one quickly, luckily she seems to be the spider I met when I got her, calm and let me be near her for a picture

Add more plants....good call on the upgraded enclosure....could still use more sub though.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

I’d add more sub, remove the skulls and add plants. She can’t do anything with the skulls, but, as cold blood said, can use the plants for both anchor and hiding.