G. pulchra question

[puck4u]

Hey all,

I have searched and cant find the exact answer to my problem. About 4 days ago my little G. pulchra went into his hide, did a little bulldozing, and has sealed himself inside the hide. I thought it to be normal since I have found burrowing is a normal characteristic, but I have not seen him in 4 days now...including all hours of the night. I have put a cricket in to see if it "vanishes" but is still there today. The substrate is about 5" deep and the tank is about 60% humididty. temps around 75 degrees. Do I just wait and wonder? is it a premolt thing? do I dig him out to check on him? UGH !!!!:?:wall:

 

[AbraCadaver]

Its probably premolt if he's not taking prey.

Just leave him be, when he's ready he will come out and show off his new suit!

Even if it's not premolt, he might just think the weird giant poking their nose into his house is a bit creepy =p

 

[jt39565]

I agree, mine does that from time to time, without molting, I call it a practice molt.

 

[curiousme]

It might be in premolt, or it might be settling in for the winter. It isn't uncommon for terrestrials to burrow down and then seal it up in the fall and have some me time until spring, when they emerge freshly molted. Don't dig it out, it is just being a tarantula. If it wants to come out, or needs water, it will come out and get some. Probably at night when you're asleep! You don't worry until you smell a smelly smell that smells smelly.

 

[Terry D]

Puck, Yeah, probably best to just leave it alone. There were a few times when my first two little ones would go into this mode rather early- sometimes a week-and-a-half or so after molting, after eating a few good meals back to back. I then waited a few days and scraped a little sub to the side and poked a cricket in. Often it was taken. When they'd go into this mode a few weeks after molting it was always premolt and theyd refuse. The small ones I have now are not fed quite as often. Interestingly, I don't run into the above situation anymore. They don't even burrow. Those I have now usually wanna climb out onto my hand when I open the cage.

Terry

 

[Ictinike]

You don't worry until you smell a smelly smell that smells smelly.

Ahhh a SpongeBob connoisseur

 

[puck4u]

I love this place!! thank you all for the advice... I will just keep fresh water in there and wait it out:clap:....or smell for the smelly smell

 

[darkart82]

id raise the temps to 80 to 84 and drop it to 75 to 78 at night and raise the humidtiy to 65 to 70 percent , brazil has beautiful rainforests

 

[puck4u]

id raise the temps to 80 to 84 and drop it to 75 to 78 at night and raise the humidtiy to 65 to 70 percent , brazil has beautiful rainforests

Thank you for the advise....will do

 

[puck4u]

Sooooooo,

Im going into week 2 and still no sign of life....still blocked in and and the hasnt taken any food.....:?

 

[Scoolman]

id raise the temps to 80 to 84 and drop it to 75 to 78 at night and raise the humidtiy to 65 to 70 percent , brazil has beautiful rainforests

Good job dark. Someone actually did their homework beyond the care sheets. Your suggestion for the temps are good. But the humidity puck is keeping is good. G pulchra come from the pampas grasslands of Uruguay and Brazil.
Puck, it is very likely your G pulchra is in pre-molt. Do not worry, tarantulas know how to take care of themselves. I have had mine seal their burrows for 4 weeks, molt, wait another 4weeks, then surface. Just keep the water full, and watch & wait. It will resurface when ready and hungry.

 

[puck4u]

Thank you schoolman for the info...I have read some of your blog btw..good stuff and lots of info. It's my favorite T in my collection right now and I'm just a little worried, thats all...I miss seeing him

I felt the humidity was about right, but I have now kept the entire room at a constant 81 degrees. Will keep watching and hoping :clap:

 

[sja69]

I posed the same question in this thread a while back, and after experiencing this behaviour from my Pulchra (it went away to molt),
I am no longer concerned by this. You can be 99.99% sure that it will be fine and that it knows what it's doing.
I also reiterate what has already been said many times, these animals have been around for millions of years.

 

[killy]

When I got my pulchra sling from Paul Becker, I brought the enclosure with me - Paul showed me how to set it up with a "starter-burrow" against the side surface of the enclosure, with a piece of cork as a sort cover - the pulchra took to it immediately, and pretty much stayed there - I named him Caveman - the "burrow-with-a-view" was a win-win, because Caveman made himself right at home in it, enlarging it here and there and securing the cork-lid with webbing, and I could spy on him whenever I wanted to. True to his name, he rarely came out of his cave, and when I introduced crickets, he'd wait for them to approach his narrow burrow opening, then pounce and drag them back into the cave/dining room.

I suggest you try this the next time the opportunity presents itself.

P.s - that was several molts ago - I've since rehoused him in a bigger enclosure with plenty of 'digging-substrate,' but he has chosen to stay "out" and has not even attempted to create another burrow.