Feeding Pokies in their tomb hides

[Giantsfan24]

I've kept just about every type of T out there. The nice docile ones. The mean chase you burrowing ones. The crazy webbing and also mean ones.(Obviously I'm using descriptions rather than names such as Haplopelma or Avicularia). Anyway. The one type I have never kept until last week was a pokie. They were always quite expensive but I recently came across a nice deal and picked up about a 4-5 inch P Regalis. Anyway, she has settled in nicely. A little too nicely. I set her up like all the caresheets say. I put a nice big piece of cork bark against the glass and true to form, she hid right behind it. she the proceeded to use the substrate and webbing to create a "total hide" filling in the side spaces where the cork bark and foliage left gaps. While this looks quite nice and very naturalist, her food seams to have alot of difficulty actually penetrating this tomb like hide to the point I kind of have to fling in the cricket near the top for her to munch on(and munch she does).

My question is will she eventually be more exposed(at night) and thus be able to more easily access food from her hide as she settles in? I'm not so much worried as I am curious as it seams kind of funny if done in the wild, the prey would literally have to break through the hide to be eaten.

 

[Storm76]

Well, the same happens with other species (Avics, Psalms aso) and they eventually come out in search for food usually. The little P. subfusca sling I own only was out at night (before closing itself in lately - premolt) and I while I'm a total beginner with that genus, I'm fairly certain that they'll "patrol" their enclosure when hungry, too. Probably at night only.

 

[Hobo]

Yeah, they will come out to wait for food, or catch something they sense.

 

[JungleCage]

Its funny, all the pokies I have that are visible are all the gravid ones. Not sure why you think they'd be the least exposed. And none of of them are hungry, I offered them all food but their turning all the crickets I give them down.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

 

[arachnofab]

If its already molted recently and an adult there shouldn't be any harm in letting a cricket or 2 run around in the enclosure for a few days, correct?

 

[akpropst]

I'd have to say no.

They haven't completely hardened, nor have their fangs. They can't defend themselves and crickets will eat anything.

I don't mind a loose dubia, but I even crush their heads so they aren't much of an issue.

 

[RabidWombat]

I've had my first 2 pokie slings for about a month now. Not expert status, but one of them has done pretty much the same thing that you've described. I haven't seen the T in 2 weeks. I have no idea when it's going to molt next. I don't want to drop a little cricket in there and not be able to get it out without bustin' up Mr. T's home.

I've been successful dropping a meal worm at it's entrance. I just squished the head first. So far, the T has come to eat it. This eases my mind a bit. I don't have to worry about a hungry cricket running around when the T's about to molt.

 

[web eviction]

Most all my pokies are adult and have giant web curtain hides as you mentioned but I just toss crix's in and 90% of the time there gone the next day. They always have a couple exits somewhere you just can't see them I've seen mine out at night alot and even if I didnt see them out I know they come out to poo all over the glass door!! Little rats! All 15 of mine do this.

 

[Giantsfan24]

Thanks guys. I know they wouldn't complete shut off from the world forever, or else they would either starve or dehydrate in the wild. It's just funny as this behavior is totally new to me. I'm used to pet holes mostly. I think I'm hooked to pokies already. The first time I fed her, it was literally a split second and the cricket was caught. Just a flurry of legs and the cricket was down. I've had fast Ts(H Macs come to mind) but I missed the catch and I was looking at it. Super fast BUT not really aggressive. I've heard the Regalis is one of the more calm pokies. Now that I am way off topic, I'll see if I can get some pics of said 'tomb' hide soon.

 

[Crysta]

they will stay near where the food frequents. if they find food in their hide all the time, why leave?

i always feed my t's outside their hidie hole, and all mine are visible ... except the maculata, because shes functioned her hide in a fashion the crickets walk right to her door. loool. But shes always out in the mornings when i wake up, so its ok

My P. subfusca is calmer then my regalis.

 

[Giantsfan24]

Ok, quick update. I think the mysetry of the cocoon hide is solved as last nite we have a molting going on. It's funny. The hide extends from the substrate to the top of the cork bark piece against the glass. What she did last night was create a silk hammock off the ground to molt on. Pretty cool