Help, I need Cobalt Blue advice

CybilG

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So I’m not a fresh out of the womb new T owner, I’ve owned an avicularia avicularia (common pink toe) for around 5 years now. I just recently got a Cyriopagopus lividus (cobalt blue) and a Tliltocatl vagans (Mexican redrump). My redrump was rehoused as soon as I got her, she was in a tiny enclosure that she couldn’t even burrow in. I was hoping to rehouse my cobalt blue as well, but I have yet to see him/her. It was already in an established terrarium with a burrow already made. I knew it was alive when I first got it because new webbing would appear at the entrance to the burrow, but now I’m scared I killed it because it hasn’t re-webbed the entrance and one of the crickets is just wandering around after I tried to feed them last night (I don’t put the crickets in the burrow, I’ve heard that’s not good for them). I’m not sure if it was in premolt or not, but I did read that they tend to close up their burrow with webbing when they’re molting…did I accidentally ruin their molt by putting food in there? I noticed the burrow is fully clear of webbing at the top now but there’s still the cricket hasn’t been got. I’m just not sure how I should approach this situation because I need to rehouse it into something with better husbandry for him/her :/
 

NMTs

Spider Wrangler
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I'm not sure what you mean by "just recently got", but if you just got the T in the last few days it's not unusual for it to take some time to settle in - even if you didn't rehouse it and just moved it from the previous owner to your place. I would take the cricket out and just leave the T alone for a week or so, then you can observe and see if it is coming out of it's burrow at night or if it has molted. Once you have a better feel for what's going on, then you can rehouse it, but there's no rush to do it immediately.

A trick to monitor activity of secretive fossorial T's is to place a dry leaf or 2 over the entrance of their burrow. They'll clear them out of the way of they're active.
 

CybilG

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I'm not sure what you mean by "just recently got", but if you just got the T in the last few days it's not unusual for it to take some time to settle in - even if you didn't rehouse it and just moved it from the previous owner to your place. I would take the cricket out and just leave the T alone for a week or so, then you can observe and see if it is coming out of it's burrow at night or if it has molted. Once you have a better feel for what's going on, then you can rehouse it, but there's no rush to do it immediately.

A trick to monitor activity of secretive fossorial T's is to place a dry leaf or 2 over the entrance of their burrow. They'll clear them out of the way of they're active.
I got it a week ago, so I’m not too worried since I know they are a “pet hole” which I’m fine with I just feel like there’s not deep enough substrate in there for them. That’s the only reason I wanted to rehouse so soon, but I’ll hold off until I see signs it has relaxed a little
 

Smotzer

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Welcome to tarantula keeping; tarantulas hiding is perfectly normal, and especially so for fossorials!
What is your reasoning for absolutely needing to rehouse it ASAP? Can you post pictures of the enclosure for us to weigh in on?
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
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Welcome to tarantula keeping; tarantulas hiding is perfectly normal, and especially so for fossorials!
What is your reasoning for absolutely needing to rehouse it ASAP? Can you post pictures of the enclosure for us to weigh in on?
That’s what I was thinking too
 

CybilG

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I might not need to rehouse them just quite yet! The leaf trick worked and they moved it away and I caught a glimpse of them. I think they are still small enough that the enclosure will be fine. I just wanted to rehouse so I could add more substrate and try to encourage them to burrow in a spot that’s not under a plastic dragon

i thought it might be too small for a fully grown cobalt but when I saw my T yesterday I realized that they are not very big at all, so will this work? I’m not sure of exact dimensions but I believe it’s a 5 gallon? (Yes the water bowl is empty, I cleaned and refilled it right after I took this)
 

Smotzer

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I might not need to rehouse them just quite yet! The leaf trick worked and they moved it away and I caught a glimpse of them. I think they are still small enough that the enclosure will be fine. I just wanted to rehouse so I could add more substrate and try to encourage them to burrow in a spot that’s not under a plastic dragon
So it doesn't sound like it is extremely urgent and I am glad you were able to catch a glimpse of it and see it is okay. A big part of tarantula keeping is learning to accept the hiding!
i thought it might be too small for a fully grown cobalt but when I saw my T yesterday I realized that they are not very big at all, so will this work? I’m not sure of exact dimensions but I believe it’s a 5 gallon? (Yes the water bowl is empty, I cleaned and refilled it right after I took this)
Ahh then if its in a 5 gal and not that big its not going to likely need to ne rehoused. and there was no photo posted but I still suggest you post one for us to see.
 

Smotzer

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This is their enclosure (it was already preset up like this when I bought the T)
So its definitely not going to be too small for it regardless but one thing that does appear concerning is it does look wet in there, and you usually just want it to remain evenly moist and not wet or substrate soggy as it appears. This in my eyes may need to be a reason re do the substate as too wet too long is more harmful than a little dry.
 

jbooth

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Could run a tube down the corner and try to siphon some water out maybe, it does look pretty wet. Bare minimum I wouldn't water for a good while until the drainage layer is empty and very top of soil is dry. The point of the drainage layer is an overflow to keep the soil from getting soggy, and if the water gets too high it can work in the opposite way. It may have dug through the barrier too, in which case the soil is in the water and that would explain it.

That leaf is a damn good trick. Also, if you wait until it's hanging its feet out for a couple days to feed it, you'll see it more and maybe get to watch it eat...
 

CybilG

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I overall just dont like the weird setup that they came with— both my cobalt and redrump were in some pretty wet terrariums, I haven’t been spraying them down because I know Ts like humidity but not being soaked to the core! Thank you guys for all the tips! I will for sure be trying to at least get the substrate to dry out— and if I get the chance to I’ll try to resubstrate it at some point and take the weird rock layer out!
 

Matt Man

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I overall just dont like the weird setup that they came with— both my cobalt and redrump were in some pretty wet terrariums, I haven’t been spraying them down because I know Ts like humidity but not being soaked to the core! Thank you guys for all the tips! I will for sure be trying to at least get the substrate to dry out— and if I get the chance to I’ll try to resubstrate it at some point and take the weird rock layer out!
I use 14 x 8 x 10 for my 'normal sized' fossorial species. I put about 5-7" of dirt and allow them to burrow. I feed them infrequently so they hang out

Subadult Female C. darlingi lower right. Entrance e directly above, Tunnel extends the entire 14" length of the tank
DarlingiTunnel.jpg
 
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