I just got my new (first) T - P. Metallica

[Neonblizzard]

We definitely aren't trying to trod on you or anything, it's good you are open to advice and suggestions.

Spider keeping should be enjoyable and it's not good for you, the spider or the hobby if any accidents happen.

Much better to ask questions and take people's advice rather than caring for an 8 legged ball of anxiety in a box

 

[Noiselessx]

We definitely aren't trying to trod on you or anything, it's good you are open to advice and suggestions.

Spider keeping should be enjoyable and it's not good for you, the spider or the hobby if any accidents happen.

Much better to ask questions and take people's advice rather than caring for an 8 legged ball of anxiety in a box

Yes, I totally agree! I am always open for suggestions, especially in the safety department.I think that the measures I've taken are adequate, but if you guys have any other safety tips & tricks, I will definitely implement them.

I just want to point out that I do NOT want to get it out of its enclosure to handle it. The only reason I got a metallica was so I can admire its beauty from a safe distance.

 

[Jess S]

I definitely agree with all the guys who are recommending a piece of vertical cork bark, which will become your P met’s hide.
If you don’t, you will end up with the t bolting everywhere whenever you open up the enclosure, as the current setup will leave it feeling exposed. They are quite light sensitive too.

If it has a suitable hide, it will be much more likely to dart into there when you’re doing your maintenance.

While it is hardening up from the moult is a good time for you to add the hide, as the t knows it’s vulnerable, will not be able to bite without injury as it’s fangs will be soft. All it will want to do is hide. As long as you,re calm you can lean a tall piece of cork bark against the wall leaving space for the t to access the back of it. Do it in the bathtub with catch cups to hand. Just be careful not to injure it, as it will be soft and vulnerable.

 

[Noiselessx]

Can you please check the picture and let me know which is better. The fist arrow (1) is the cork leaning toward the terrarium's left wall. The second arrow (2) shows the cork leaning towards the background. I personally prefer the first option so that I can at least see the spider.

 

[Jess S]

Can you please check the picture and let me know which is better. The fist arrow (1) is the cork leaning toward the terrarium's left wall. The second arrow (2) shows the cork leaning towards the background. I personally prefer the first option so that I can at least see the spider.

My phone is whack, so I can only see the top half of your photo when I click on it. The cork bark needs to be tall, my preference would be to have it the height of your 2nd tallest piece of bamboo.

Personally I’d have the cork bark leaning towards the back wall of the enclosure. However, as you’ve pointed out, if you are using a cork bark flat, due to the background the disadvantage is that you won’t be able to see the spider when it’s hiding. So the left or another wall (as it’s a top opening enclosure I assume) would work ok. The main thing is getting the size of the bark right so the t can really make its home behind there.

 

[Noiselessx]

My phone is whack, so I can only see the top half of your photo when I click on it. The cork bark needs to be tall, my preference would be to have it the height of your 2nd tallest piece of bamboo.

Personally I’d have the cork bark leaning towards the back wall of the enclosure. However, as you’ve pointed out, if you are using a cork bark flat, due to the background the disadvantage is that you won’t be able to see the spider when it’s hiding. So the left or another wall (as it’s a top opening enclosure I assume) would work ok. The main thing is getting the size of the bark right so the t can really make its home behind there.

unfortunately, it is not a top-opening enclosure. The door is positioned at the front (I will post a picture tomorrow).

Btw, the fact that the enclosure is big doesn't it mean that I should technically be "safer" in case the T goes crazy?

 

[Jess S]

unfortunately, it is not a top-opening enclosure. The door is positioned at the front (I will post a picture tomorrow).

Btw, the fact that the enclosure is big doesn't mean that I should technically be "safer" in case the T goes crazy?

If the hide is on the left, just be aware that it will be nearer the door when opened than if it was at the back. Also drafts from the door being opened could be channeled behind the hide and spook it. So imo you’d need to be a bit more careful, make even slower movements .

As for your second question, if you provide a good corkbark hide and add some leafy cover around it, there’s no reason the t should go “crazy”. They are more likely to do that if you left the enclosure as it was with inadequate hiding places. P mets are very shy and light sensitive. They prefer to hide . Of course they can be unpredictable like any animal can be, but on the whole if they have a good hide, that’s where they’ll head when disturbed. My ones generally dart into their hides just from the act of me picking up their enclosures. If not, a couple of gentle taps on the lid does the trick.

In a way, a larger enclosure can feel safer for the keeper, as when a t is in a too small enclosure, they are more likely to become defensive and/or want to flee. But we don’t tend to recommend over size enclosures especially for younger t’s , as they can have a tough time finding prey and feel so insecure that they excessively hide.

However, I don’t see why that enclosure should not work for you.

 

[Xharyel]

As already stated, the reason why we're suggesting you a cork bark is for the T to feel safe and have its "own home". If set correctly and your T is settled, from my experience you won't have much trouble with it in the future. It is applicable to all Ts. No Ts in their right mind would want to leave their burrow/hide, unless they're very hungry or mature male. All my female OWs would rather retreat than show any defensive behavior.

And @Wolfram1 is right, when you'll put the cork bark, you might wanna cup your T first to fix the cork. Always try to avoid working/doing maintenance with a free roaming T, especially OW, they might tag you thinking there's food.

But it's good that it's molting, IME, my Ts are more docile and easier to work with the first few days after a molt (just wait for it to harden a bit).

 

[Craig73]

Welcome and ooh boy. I’ve been in your shoes and had one from a sling all the way up to just bigger than yours before I found a member to take it off my hands.

What I can offer in way of advice is take your time and never feel the need to commit to anything, if you have to come back later to do maintenance/water changes then do that. Never feel like if you started something you have to commit to it, sometimes timing isn’t right for you, the T, or both.

You will have to periodically get in there to clean poop, pull molt sheds, clean the water dish, etc. You can use cardboard and cut it with a small enough hole to get tools through and be creative on how you can maintain the best barrier between you and the animal when opening the enclosure.

As mentioned, the cork bark and foliage will help create a space the T can bolt to.

I have a number of T’s including old worlds. This one didn’t work out for me, but I took it as a lesson learned. You may have better results, or maybe not. No shame or judgement if you decide it isn’t the right fit. If it is great.

Just take your time when interacting with it (aka when the enclosure gets opened), number one rule in my book (aside from the obvious continued research) that I can’t stress enough.

 

[Xharyel]

Also, I wanted to add a little trick I've been using myself for OW arboreals, mine are kept in acrylic enclosures with side ventilations and a cork bark near the holes. From there, I just "insert" a mealworm, half in, half out, if it's hungry it will get it, if not, mealworm will just stay there and I'll pick it back the next day. Makes my life so much easier and since the web is there, they can feel the prey. It's absolutely safe and no risks of it bolting out. Might help in the future if you decide to get an acrylic enclosure.

 

[jrh3]

Your setup should look something along the line of this. Your current setup will probably result in a stressed spider.

 

[Noiselessx]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I will keep you updated with my "endeavor" and I will make sure to buy something for the spider to hide today.

Hey, I just got an idea that I want to share with you - What if I get styrofoam that's exactly as big as the terrarium's opening (when I remove the cover)? I can drill a small hole in it so I can put the thing that I will use to remove/add things to the enclosure. By doing this, the T will have no way of escaping unless it charges the small hole, which probably won't happen (although these animals are unpredictable, so you never know). Of course, this won't work if I have to remove/add big objects to the enclosure, but for things, such as crickets, worms, poop, etc., It should be just fine.

I also have a question about the T's hiding thingy - my local pet store does not sell anything that I can use for the enclosure. Can I simply get something from a tree near me and put it in the terrarium or do I need to do something with it beforehand to make sure there are no bugs and things like that?

 

[jrh3]

I also have a question about the T's hiding thingy - my local pet store does not sell anything that I can use for the enclosure. Can I simply get something from a tree near me and put it in the terrarium or do I need to do something with it beforehand to make sure there are no bugs and things like that?

Put it in the oven maybe around 200-225 degrees for 20 min. That should kill anything.

You could get creative, 1.5- 2 inch PVC pipe cut to length, coat it in Aquarium safe silicone then roll it in coco fiber. Do this inside and out, you have a synthetic cork bark round. Then add some fake leaves to it.

 

[Wolfram1]

Wait with adding the hide around 2-3 days (or longer). At that point the fangs will still be soft but it will have hardened enough to move safely. Right after a molt they are too soft to climb properly and could injure themselves.

Thanks for the feedback guys! I will keep you updated with my "endeavor" and I will make sure to buy something for the spider to hide today.

Hey, I just got an idea that I want to share with you - What if I get styrofoam that's exactly as big as the terrarium's opening (when I remove the cover)? I can drill a small hole in it so I can put the thing that I will use to remove/add things to the enclosure. By doing this, the T will have no way of escaping unless it charges the small hole, which probably won't happen (although these animals are unpredictable, so you never know). Of course, this won't work if I have to remove/add big objects to the enclosure, but for things, such as crickets, worms, poop, etc., It should be just fine.

I would not use the styrofoam background to do this, especially as you wont have acess to the back were you really need to work. Also once it is in its hide you are safe. Still it pays to remain vigilant and use the tongs just in case.

If they get spooked they tend to forget were their hide is and circle the walls, if that happens wait untill they find it. Once they are in their hide however they usually stay put and you can do your maintenance, cleaning etc. without any trouble at all.



That is why it is important to choose a good hide that makes things easy for you. Personally i would make sure the entrance of the hide is ether on the back wall or leaned towards the back wall. If you plan on placing it on the side be aware that light will enter from that side making it feel less secure and take longer to acclimate but it does give the benefit of being able to monitor the animal within its hide.

I also have a question about the T's hiding thingy - my local pet store does not sell anything that I can use for the enclosure. Can I simply get something from a tree near me and put it in the terrarium or do I need to do something with it beforehand to make sure there are no bugs and things like that?

You could but seeing as you are in europe you really dont need to sterilize the bark, thats seems to be an american trend. Just make sure you dont collect them next to a field were pesticides are used. Isopods, springtails, even mites to some extent are a great cleanup crew. The problem with bark or wood hides is that they tend to mold quite readily. The Cork-bark you see beeing used has the benefit of being mold resistant.

i would place the hide/hides somewhat like @jrh3 showed in his picture, fixed to the back wall or if placed on the sides with their entrance facing the back wall. (you want the entrance face away from the opening)

Choosing the right hide for your purposes is always a compromise.

Do you want to provide a hide it will feel most secure or do you want to make sure you can monitor your spider at all times?

 

[Noiselessx]

Wait with adding the hide around 2-3 days (or longer). At that point the fangs will still be soft but it will have hardened enough to move safely. Right after a molt they are too soft to climb properly and could injure themselves.



I would not use the styrofoam background to do this, especially as you wont have acess to the back were you really need to work. Also once it is in its hide you are safe. Still it pays to remain vigilant and use the tongs just in case.

If they get spooked they tend to forget were their hide is and circle the walls, if that happens wait untill they find it. Once they are in their hide however they usually stay put and you can do your maintenance, cleaning etc. without any trouble at all.



That is why it is important to choose a good hide that makes things easy for you. Personally i would make sure the entrance of the hide is ether on the back wall or leaned towards the back wall. If you plan on placing it on the side be aware that light will enter from that side making it feel less secure and take longer to acclimate but it does give the benefit of being able to monitor the animal within its hide.



You could but seeing as you are in europe you really dont need to sterilize the bark, thats seems to be an american trend. Just make sure you dont collect them next to a field were pesticides are used. Isopods, springtails, even mites to some extent are a great cleanup crew. The problem with bark or wood hides is that they tend to mold quite readily. The Cork-bark you see beeing used has the benefit of being mold resistant.

i would place the hide/hides somewhat like @jrh3 showed in his picture, fixed to the back wall or if placed on the sides with their entrance facing the back wall. (you want the entrance face away from the opening)

Choosing the right hide for your purposes is always a compromise.

Do you want to provide a hide it will feel most secure or do you want to make sure you can monitor your spider at all times?

It might seem selfish, but since this is the only T that I currently own and it is literally on my desk, I prefer to monitor it than provide it with the optimal security. That's why I plan on adding it from to the side - it will have some sort of shelter, and I can monitor it at the same time. If I provide it with the optimal hiding place, I probably won't get to see her at all.

 

[Dorifto]

If I provide it with the optimal hiding place, I probably won't get to see her at all.

That's how Ts behave, if you can't deal with that, don't keep Ts.

If you don't provide to it a proper hide, it will be stressed. A stressed T is more prone to bolt. A bolting T equals to a risk of injury or defense. So you could end having a nasty bite or a dead T, and this because you want to see it.

Sorry, but that's not how this hobby and others work. If you like dogs but you can't cover their needs, simply don't get a dog.

It could sound harsh, rude or wathever you want, but that's a sincere and a direct answer.

 

[Noiselessx]

That's how Ts behave, if you can't deal with that, don't keep Ts.

If you don't provide to it a proper hide, it will be stressed. A stressed T is more prone to bolt. A bolting T equals to a risk of injury or defense. So you could end having a nasty bite or a death T, and this because you want to see it.

Sorry, but that's not how this hobby and others work. If you like dogs but you can't cover their needs, simply don't get a dog.

I saw a video from "The Dark Den" on YouTube, where he put a black cover on the side of the terrarium. It allowed him to remove it when he wanted and check the spider. I guess something like this works too, I don't want the spider to feel stressed, so I will do whatever is necessary, even if I don't get to see it that often.

 

[Dorifto]

I saw a video from "The Dark Den" on YouTube, where he put a black cover on the side of the terrarium. It allowed him to remove it when he wanted and check the spider. I guess something like this works too, I don't want the spider to feel stressed, so I will do whatever is necessary, even if I don't get to see it that often.

That's a good trick indeed.

You can use some neodymium magnets to do it. Place some inside and then glue the others in a black acrylic sheet, at the outer side so it gets flush agains the glass, be careful about polarity before gluing them! also use low magnetic ones, they are pretty strong.

Giving them a proper enclosure usually ends in a less stressed, a more secure and relaxed T, as it knows that it has a proper place to hide and stay secured from any "attack". So they are more visible, depending on the species too.

 

[Venom1080]

Add substrate up to the bottom of the opening.

Add a good sized bark piece to one corner. Some people raise their tarantulas in empty deli cups with a bit of dirt at the bottom. They can adapt, but it's better not to force it to.

I wouldn't rehouse. Cage looks fine otherwise.


Poecilotheria are some of the calmest tarantulas I own. Not the best for beginners regardless. They aren't remotely in the same league as some reptiles and true spiders, but their bites are terrible if not life threatening.

 

[Noiselessx]

I've been trying to find a suitable bark piece all day, and all I found is this. Will it do the job or the T won't like it since there are holes in it ?