Female Smithi weird behaviour

ledzeppelin

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
Messages
433
Hi,

I have had this Smithi for a long time now.. probably around 5-6 years and I got it as a juvenile female.. It is a definite female.

The last few monts she is frantically trying to escape. It climbs the glass a lot and tries to open it in order to escape. I have caught her almost opening it enough to escape several times now. I secured it so there is no way she can escape, but I am still worried by her behaviour and the causes.. This has been going on since this summer began and before I never had a problem. The temps in my room are not that high so it shouldn't be the heat..
I know that this is commonly administered to mature males trying to find a mate, but this one is definitely female. The substrate is dry, the water dish is full, and the hide is avalible. There is also no change in lighting. She is offered food which is lately refused, but had eaten every week for a month after this started.
The only thing I can think of is the increased activity due to higher temps being it summer (even though she has been around for many summers with no escaping tendencies..)

Your opinions and experiences would be much appreciated.

Lz
 

beaker41

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 23, 2012
Messages
220
Ts are certainly more active during higher temps, but as long as it's not getting over 95 in there it's certainly not a problem for a desert species like a smithi. It's not necessarily trying to escape, might be just exploring like t's do when there's plenty of heat. You might check the temps in several areas of your tank with a temp gun, and if they're only in the coldest area that could be a heat problem . Hard to say!
 

WeightedAbyss75

Arachnoangel
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
921
If you are talking about them climbing and trying to rip off the top even though they are terrestrial, then it's nothing to worry about. All of my terrestrials (especially my G. pulchripes for so e reason) has climbed up on the side or screen at one point. To me, it sounds like it is just exploring. I find it weird myself, but as long as the T can't get out and can't hurt itself by falling, then it should be a perfectly healthy spider. Some just love moving around more than others :D
 

dementedlullaby

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
300
If you are talking about them climbing and trying to rip off the top even though they are terrestrial, then it's nothing to worry about. All of my terrestrials (especially my G. pulchripes for so e reason) has climbed up on the side or screen at one point. To me, it sounds like it is just exploring. I find it weird myself, but as long as the T can't get out and can't hurt itself by falling, then it should be a perfectly healthy spider. Some just love moving around more than others :D
I agree 100%. No risk of injury and I wouldn't worry about it. Spiders are weird. Got my male B. albiceps back after 50/50's and he's just nuts now. He's moved all the enclosures substrate up to the left side and the hide is completely uncovered. He seems happy enough and the hide isn't going to collapse yet so I'm not too worried.

Spiders are silly creatures.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Yeah I wouldn't worry about it either zeppelin, as long as the height in the enclosure is low, let it roam.

Oh, by the way....




 

Sana

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Messages
1,139
I would toss in that my smithi doesn't care for bone dry substrate. She likes to have a moist side that she can hang out on when she feels like it.
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
What do you use as feeders?

Sometimes using worms even if you crush the head they can burrow a bit and the movement can disturb your T.

This is just a thought.

As the others say if there is enough sub then shouldn't be a problem.

One of my Auratums is into parkour
 
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