Paiige
Arachnobaron
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2016
- Messages
- 335
...that Ts definitely do not know best.
I was concerned about my G. pulchripes about a week ago, and posted on here to see if people thought I should dig it out of the little barricade it had going on, or leave it alone. Got mixed responses, but something in me told me to just dig it out. I did, it looked painfully skinny and dehydrated (even though I've been filling the water dish for the past month+ it was barricaded in its hide) and didn't seem to have the strength to do much of anything. I've never been so worried about a T before. Well, lo and behold, it ate two crickets immediately, snatching them out of the air, ate another two days later and then took one last night. It's finally starting to look plump and healthy again and I've stopped worrying - it hasn't buried itself back in and I've seen it out and about a few times.
My B. albopilosum recently barricaded herself in as well - and after about a week, I decided to test it to see if she was hungry or preparing to molt. Well, she pounced immediately and is happily munching away.
Up until this point, I've believed that the Ts will know what's best for their own health and survival. I do believe that if I hadn't dug out and fed my G. pulchripes, it would probably be dead by now. This has made me seriously reconsider my approach as a keeper.
Now for the question - why would a T burrow itself away, limiting all access to food and water, when premolt isn't anywhere near? I can only think either temperature (I keep them a little cooler in the winter, about 73 F), light (only some of my Ts seem to be sensitive to light but digging yourself away is a little extreme), enclosure size/not feeling safe (2.5-3" pulchripes is in an 8x8 enclosure with a hide, water dish and leaves). They are not in a high-traffic area and I don't have any other pets that could be harassing them. The cat goes for the crickets and doesn't care about the Ts at all. Anything I'm missing?
I was concerned about my G. pulchripes about a week ago, and posted on here to see if people thought I should dig it out of the little barricade it had going on, or leave it alone. Got mixed responses, but something in me told me to just dig it out. I did, it looked painfully skinny and dehydrated (even though I've been filling the water dish for the past month+ it was barricaded in its hide) and didn't seem to have the strength to do much of anything. I've never been so worried about a T before. Well, lo and behold, it ate two crickets immediately, snatching them out of the air, ate another two days later and then took one last night. It's finally starting to look plump and healthy again and I've stopped worrying - it hasn't buried itself back in and I've seen it out and about a few times.
My B. albopilosum recently barricaded herself in as well - and after about a week, I decided to test it to see if she was hungry or preparing to molt. Well, she pounced immediately and is happily munching away.
Up until this point, I've believed that the Ts will know what's best for their own health and survival. I do believe that if I hadn't dug out and fed my G. pulchripes, it would probably be dead by now. This has made me seriously reconsider my approach as a keeper.
Now for the question - why would a T burrow itself away, limiting all access to food and water, when premolt isn't anywhere near? I can only think either temperature (I keep them a little cooler in the winter, about 73 F), light (only some of my Ts seem to be sensitive to light but digging yourself away is a little extreme), enclosure size/not feeling safe (2.5-3" pulchripes is in an 8x8 enclosure with a hide, water dish and leaves). They are not in a high-traffic area and I don't have any other pets that could be harassing them. The cat goes for the crickets and doesn't care about the Ts at all. Anything I'm missing?
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