Few questions on my L.P

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DontEatMe

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6
So I've had my L.P about a month and a half now and he seems to be doing just perfect fine, he's about 2 and a half inches and always! hungry. I think he's in premolt at the minute because he is refusing, moving away from food when i try to give it him, he hasn't eaten in about a week and a half (which i know is normal) but here are my questions:

1. The room i keep him in has no windows, so it has no natural source of (UV) light, just light from my light bulb, he's not in direct light of the bulb, he's in the shade, but I'm asking if they do actually need UV light to survive? do they prefer it? P.S i use my bulb as a day and night cycle because its pitch black when i turn it off.

2. Could i handle him? I know this is not really recommended but its owners preference, when i touch him with a paint brush he doesn't attack at all just turns around slowly as to say 'hmm what is this thing', then he just puts his pedipalps on it. I've never seen a threat posture at all from him (even when moving him into a new enclosure) but he has kicked hairs before, but that is super rare from him, and he isn't really skittish, he normally moves quite slowly. I do all maintenance with my hands and he just leaves me alone.

P.S. Would like another opinion if he/she is in premolt. :)

Thanks for all the help in advance and sorry for the long post. :)
 
ratluvr76

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon
Active Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
759
DontEatMe said:
So I've had my L.P about a month and a half now and he seems to be doing just perfect fine, he's about 2 and a half inches and always! hungry. I think he's in premolt at the minute because he is refusing, moving away from food when i try to give it him, he hasn't eaten in about a week and a half (which i know is normal) but here are my questions:

1. The room i keep him in has no windows, so it has no natural source of (UV) light, just light from my light bulb, he's not in direct light of the bulb, he's in the shade, but I'm asking if they do actually need UV light to survive? do they prefer it? P.S i use my bulb as a day and night cycle because its pitch black when i turn it off.

2. Could i handle him? I know this is not really recommended but its owners preference, when i touch him with a paint brush he doesn't attack at all just turns around slowly as to say 'hmm what is this thing', then he just puts his pedipalps on it. I've never seen a threat posture at all from him (even when moving him into a new enclosure) but he has kicked hairs before, but that is super rare from him, and he isn't really skittish, he normally moves quite slowly. I do all maintenance with my hands and he just leaves me alone.

P.S. Would like another opinion if he/she is in premolt. :)

Thanks for all the help in advance and sorry for the long post. :)
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Id say he's probably in pre molt, this could take a while at his size just make sure he's got access to water. As far as handling goes, you're right it IS owners preference. The spider won't like it but again totally up to you. He might not threaten, he will probably tolerate it, but he won't enjoy it.
 
scott99

scott99

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
160
1. you doing good you, don't need change anything.

2. If you want to, although you probably shouldn't. If you do handle him, do it with extreme caution and follow all of the handling safety protocol.


P.S I'm not a expert, this is just my 2 cent's.
 
lalberts9310

lalberts9310

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
1,083
Yeah, owner preference but you still run a risk of: escaped T, someone else gets bit, or a injury that may prove fatal such as a fall resulting in a ruptured abdomen. They are unpredictable wild animals, you can never predict how your T is going to react to certain things, it may be tolerating a nudge one day and the other day he might defend itself through kicking hairs or giving you a threat display, or have a high feeding response, or bolt.. most bite reports are due from handling.. so I would advise completely against handling, it causes unnecessary stress for the T, they might tolerate it but they definitely don't like it, they benefit nothing from it.. I have heard of people getting bit by a T they handled for years, also never saw a threat display, until that one day the T decided it had enough.. so handling = bad idea.
 
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DontEatMe

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6
so my room with no windows, no UV light source and just a bulb to light the room is perfectly fine?
Thanks for all the replies too :) I highly appreciate it :)
 
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DontEatMe

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6
Thank you :), see that patch on his/her abdomen, is that a sign of molting? he doesnt really flick so i didnt think it was a bald spot?
 
cold blood

cold blood

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BobGrill said:
The water dish is fine.
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Agreed.


That hygrometer would better be used as a paper weight on your desk than in the enclosure. There's zero reason to have one in with a t and in fact, they often actually cause problems (while solving none)....see, they are notoriously inaccurate, and people trust them too much, adding water until they get some magic number (of which there is no magic number), by then its got so much moisture that a host of issues start to arise. No t on the planet requires a number specific humidity level...especially not an LP, which has minimal moisture requirements.

Otherwise the set up looks decent...personally I'd add a bit more sub, but I don't think what you have is too much.

---------- Post added 04-29-2015 at 07:03 PM ----------
DontEatMe said:
Thank you :), see that patch on his/her abdomen, is that a sign of molting? he doesnt really flick so i didnt think it was a bald spot?
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Bald patches aren't a "sign" of molting, although t's will flick more prior as they incorporate them into their molting mat very often. I see it occasionally, I'll go to bed with a nice looking t, and awake to bald spots or strips. What the bald spot does, is allow visibility of the skin beneath...when you see the skin darken its a sign...when it gets shiny, you know the time is near....the last thing they do is to lay a molting mat. This is often just prior to flipping.
 
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DontEatMe

Arachnopeon
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Mar 26, 2015
Messages
6
Thanks for the reply :), its actually a thermometer not a hygrometer and i had it in where i got it and never took it out, i do not go by it lol as it's clearly wrong most of the time, so no need to worry about that lol, and thank you for the info molting, was a big help, much appreciated :).
 
cold blood

cold blood

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Messages
13,581
DontEatMe said:
Thanks for the reply :), its actually a thermometer not a hygrometer and i had it in where i got it and never took it out, i do not go by it lol as it's clearly wrong most of the time, so no need to worry about that lol, and thank you for the info molting, was a big help, much appreciated :).
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That's funny, when I assume they are thermometers, they are hygrometers and visa versa...I always seem to get it wrong though...hehe
 
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