G. Pulchripes long time burrow

[ChevyGuy]

Hey Everyone,

I have a G. Pulchripes 2-2 1/4" female. About 2 weeks ago, maybe a bit more, she made a burrow all the way to the bottom of the enclosure that had an entrance/exit from 2 sides. She has not emerged for that entire time. The only way I can see her is if I turn the enclosure to the end of the table and get a light. She is at the bottom of the enclosure just sitting there. She is not in the death curl, nor should she have any reason to be, and has moved positions a tiny bit. Has anyone encountered this? I am getting worried because she ate maybe a week before this happened and I hope this isn't an isolated incident with this species. If anyone has seen this or encountered this, please help me out. I take care of all of my tarantulas and all the rest are doing great but this one is just burrowed and for a very long time. Thank you.

 

[Eresin]

I wouldn't worry too much. They can go much longer without food if they want to. She will come up when she is good and ready. Do you have any pics to show us so we can be sure she's ok?

 

[Poec54]

2 weeks is nothing usual for a molting pulchripes, it can be longer. I got one as a 1/4" sling and it disappeared underground for 2 months the first time it shed. Since then the hidden times have been 2 or 3 weeks. It always emerges with much longer legs, and a skinny abdomen.

 

[friendttyy]

i agree with poec my g.pulchripes is nearly 1month into premolt and has always been in its hise since 2 weeks ago so i wouldnt worry.

 

[PeaceBee]

My G. pulchripes was burrowed and shut off for 2 1/2 months at one point. I thought it had died (saw some mold in the container) and when I went to try and find it, it scurried out and was like triple the size of when I had gotten it! So, don't worry As long as you have water for it, all is good. Grammostolas do everything slowly

 

[Will240393]

Mine sits in her burrow all the time anyway and was in premolt for about a month.

 

[ChevyGuy]

Hey guys,

I will do my best to get a picture. I tried already but it is really not visible at all. I tried multiple angles and all you can see is the abdomen, so it would really be hard to tell anything at all. The good news is that a day after I started this post I got underneath to snap a picture and she had moved to a totally different position. So that is some weight off the shoulders. I will keep you guys posted, though, and either put it on this thread or open an update thread. Thank you everyone for the responses. They all set me at ease.

 

[Zcreator]

My G.pulchripes likes to change up it's burrow network whether or not she's near a molt. If yours ate a week ago, I would definitely chalk it up to normal behavior. I've named my T Daedalus because she digs such mazes and disappears in their depths. Currently she has three entrances--one burrow thins along the side of the container and another section is against the bottom. I usually don't see her through either. She disappears for weeks but food gets eaten. Other times the entire tunnel system will get moved and rebuilt in a span of a couple days, also with no molt. And other times the tunnel entrances will still be open and she will emerge with a new skeleton. When they get big they stay out more, but tunneling and hiding out at this size is pretty common.

 

[Zcreator]

Setup

Hi. Here's my setup--the container is about 5.5"w X 8"L X 4.5"H. I buried the corkbark halfway to start a hide and added a piece of fake plant from the dollar store. There are now 2 tunnels coming from the cork hide and a tunnel under the plant that connects with them. And as the last pic shows--the best way I know if she's in premolt--she blockades the food within 12 hrs of my putting it in, lol.

 

[Poec54]

Hi. Here's my setup--the container is about 5.5"w X 8"L X 4.5"H. I buried the corkbark halfway to start a hide and added a piece of fake plant from the dollar store. There are now 2 tunnels coming from the cork hide and a tunnel under the plant that connects with them.

A few suggestions:
- there shouldn't be so much condensation. It's too moist for a pulchripes.
- The substrate could be deeper, especially where the plant is. I'd also put the water bowl in the center, away from the sides, in case she falls.
- did you rinse/soak the plant? If it's silk, they have dyes in them that leach out.

 

[ChevyGuy]

My enclosure is about the same size. I also have some silk plants and a cork bark tube that is semi-burried in the substrate. The dish is on the far end of the enclosure. The only thing I would change, and I will as soon as she emerges from her burrow, is better anchor the cork bark hide. As of now it is up against one end of the enclosure and the only thing keeping it anchored is the substrate. The problem is that she has made her burrow directly underneath the hide and if she extracts any more substrate I fear that there will be a problem. Fortunately, she has not extracted anymore substrate since she burrowed so I think she will be ok.