In need of help/advice

maddie0704

Arachnopeon
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Mar 19, 2019
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Hey guys, I'm Maddie, I just joined today. I have a 2 year old Honduran curly haired girl named Tyrannosaurus Rex, and I have two questions that I would like some help or advice with. I would really appreciate help and advice on both of these <3

1. I have a pest issue with centipedes, silverfish, and mice. I really need to get rid of them as I'm scared of them. I am worried that if I were to use a spray or those ultrasonic bug repellers, it would affect or possibly harm my girl. Also, what is effective in getting rid of centipedes and silverfish?

2. I've had Rex for two months now, and I've always made sure to have food for her and to try to feed her, but she won't even attack her food. She will even let her food crawl over her. I've never seen her eat, but I also don't see her food in there usually after a week or two of me putting it in her terrarium. Should I try feeding her something else? should I be worried that I haven't seen her eat? So far I have fed her crickets and super worms.
 

Paul1126

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
818
I have a pest issue with centipedes, silverfish, and mice. I really need to get rid of them as I'm scared of them. I am worried that if I were to use a spray or those ultrasonic bug repellers, it would affect or possibly harm my girl. Also, what is effective in getting rid of centipedes and silverfish?
I would never spray anything near a tarantula, if you have to go down this route I would take the tarantula out of your home for a week or so.

I've had Rex for two months now, and I've always made sure to have food for her and to try to feed her, but she won't even attack her food. She will even let her food crawl over her. I've never seen her eat, but I also don't see her food in there usually after a week or two of me putting it in her terrarium. Should I try feeding her something else? should I be worried that I haven't seen her eat? So far I have fed her crickets and super worms.
Post pictures of the enclosure and spider, I doubt you have anything to worry about. Never leave live prey inside with your tarantula. Either leave pre killed in (Remove if uneaten) or take the prey item out if she doesn't take it.
 

maddie0704

Arachnopeon
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Mar 19, 2019
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I would never spray anything near a tarantula, if you have to go down this route I would take the tarantula out of your home for a week or so.


Post pictures of the enclosure and spider, I doubt you have anything to worry about. Never leave live prey inside with your tarantula. Either leave pre killed in (Remove if uneaten) or take the prey item out if she doesn't take it.
Is there anything you would suggest I do? I've dropped her food right in front of her and she won't even bother with it. How often do you feed your T's?
 

Paul1126

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Messages
818
Is there anything you would suggest I do? I've dropped her food right in front of her and she won't even bother with it. How often do you feed your T's?
Then she doesn't want to eat... Like I said you need to post pictures of your T and enclosure. Tarantulas have low food requirements.

Depending on the size.

Slings - 3 per week
Juveniles - 1 per week (Depending on abdomen size)
Sub adults/Adults - 1-2 every 4 weeks (Depending on abdomen size)
 

maddie0704

Arachnopeon
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Mar 19, 2019
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Then she doesn't want to eat... Like I said you need to post pictures of your T and enclosure. Tarantulas have low food requirements.

Depending on the size.

Slings - 3 per week
Juveniles - 1 per week (Depending on abdomen size)
Sub adults/Adults - 1-2 every 4 weeks (Depending on abdomen size)
54200865_579218249225507_1192896156800122880_n.jpg 54381451_412587099516745_1275342164330545152_n.jpg
 

Thekla

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 13, 2017
Messages
1,878
Please post a picture of the whole enclosure. It looks a bit as if there was not enough substrate and too much height.

As for food... if she (is it a confirmed female?) doesn't want to eat, that's fine. They need way less food than you might think. Maybe she's in premoult, which can take ages before she finally moults. That's totally normal, nothing to worry about. ;)

You might want to read this: http://arachnoboards.com/threads/fa...as-and-how-to-keep-them-a-rough-draft.314840/ A good guide for beginners.

And congrats to your B. albo, they're great for beginners. I love both of mine. :)

Edit: Like @Paul1126 said, never leave live prey in the enclosure for extended periods of time. The superworms might have burrowed, which isn't good, because they can harm a moulting T, the same with crickets. But crickets you can see and remove, but those superworms...? I'd make absolutely sure they aren't in there anymore.
 
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cold blood

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Is there anything you would suggest I do? I've dropped her food right in front of her and she won't even bother with it. How often do you feed your T's?
Ts that dont want to eat, simply dont need to be fed....if its plump, its fine....they often fast for months on end prior to a molt.
 

Teal

Arachnoemperor
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Jan 11, 2009
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Something people new to tarantulas seem to have a hard time adjusting to is their incredibly low metabolic needs. An adult Brachy might eat once a month, or might not eat for a year. Time is not a factor for spiders - Their abdomen size is how you determine if a spider is well fed or not. And on the same note, age is also not an accurate identifier. Unless you got your spider from the person who hatched her out and they gave you that date, there is no way to know how old your T is. I have a B. albo sling that was .25" when I got it three years ago and is now maaaaybe 1". It eats once every few months and has molted only a few times.

Please do post a photo of the entire enclosure... it is very likely to be an inappropriate terrestrial set up that is potentially harmful.

As for your first question... any sort of pesticides or repellents run the risk of harming your T. For the mice, use live capture traps. For the centipedes and silverfish, you'll want to work out why they are coming inside so abundantly and solve the issue from there. Silverfish are an excellent food source for centis, so if you banish those bugs you'll likely find less centis.
 

darkness975

Latrodectus
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Aug 31, 2012
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5,610
will it be okay to use that with ts? If you did not use it in the room they are in would they be okay?
Yes but remember it is volatile and you don't want to breathe it in yourself. Use it in areas that it will not be kicked up.
What it actually is are the remains of millions of diatoms. The material gets into the exoskeletons and the victim dies.
 

Matt Man

Arachnoprince
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Jul 4, 2017
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1,685
from the photos it looks like a lot of furniture. You can make a big enclosure 'small' by adding too much stuff.
 
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