H. Pulchripes not settling in

[Mrchancellor87]

Hello!

I have 4 H. pulchripes slings (~1.5cm) and they don't seem to be settling in to their enclosures. They haven't webbed or tunnelled as expected. 3/4 have slender abdommens and aren't eating much.
Their setup is 4 plastic jars with mostly dry coconut husk substrate (with damp area) and some bark.

Any suggestions?



Thanks for reading

 

[moricollins]

Is the substrate completely bone dry?
Have you started burrows for them?

How long have you had them? Fossorials often take longer to settle in than other tarantulas

 

[MBArachnids]

Is the substrate completely bone dry?
Have you started burrows for them?

How long have you had them? Fossorials often take longer to settle in than other tarantulas

I was just about to ask how long the person has had these slings, they actually look pretty content

 

[jrh3]

One thing that could help is get some of the strands out of the coco fiber, i try to filter through so they get more of a dirt texture.

 

[Mrchancellor87]

Thanks for the replies, I've had them since the 18th June.

It's not bone dry, I feel really wrong giving slings bone dry substrate. It's drier than others and one side gets a bit of water. Should the slings be completed bone dry?

I haven't made a starter burrow. In my ignorance I'd assume they'd just dig themselves something.

Thanks again for the feedback, always learning

 

[docwade87]

Your setup looks fine. Give them a little starter hole under the cork. Keep a very small portion of the substrate damp while they are this small. They do prefer dry as they get older but do need constant supply of fresh water. Coconut husk may be the issue? Just keep an eye on them. Provide small sections of cut up prey every two days or so. These aren’t Fossorials either. Great species, hardy as well. Can be fast as all get out and can pack a punch. Decent OWs to start with if you’ve never worked with them. Just be careful and treat all Ts the same with great respect. Enjoy.