Is this normal? I am worries about my Pinktoe

[zweii]

If he drink a lot and now is more active that means that he was dehydrated. Don't wait a day, place a water source who can reach easily near him. I wouldn't pour water in the wood, since it could be harmful if any chemical disolves on it.

I think that dish (cap) is half empty, when I came to him with the light to check - he hid.
I'll repeat in the morning! (he still has original dish + I put another one on top of the wood).

I'll replace the branch in a couple of days too.

 

[zweii]

He looks way happier and active today.
I didn't see him on the floor of the cage and he spent most of the day in the mid of the wood as he usually did.

In the morning I placed him on the shallow cap with water and he seemed to drink a bit (I tried with syringe, but the drops simply fall off and I felt there's a chance to get bitten if I try to turn him around like I did yesterday) and after he did this:

View attachment IMG_0092 2.mp4

















Closer look of the 'poop':



Something I should worry about?

 

[Kitara]

Ok. Just reading this thread and I'm stressed out. That poor spider! Please put it back in it's enclosure, put all the plants back in, and let him be. I'm not an expert, but aside from the dehydration, a complete remodel of the house (pulling the lid off with all the plants) and being handled over and over two days after a molt does not sound at all like the way to achieve a healthy spider.

 

[zweii]

Ok. Just reading this thread and I'm stressed out. That poor spider! Please put it back in it's enclosure, put all the plants back in, and let him be. I'm not an expert, but aside from the dehydration, a complete remodel of the house (pulling the lid off with all the plants) and being handled over and over two days after a molt does not sound at all like the way to achieve a healthy spider.

Thanks for the comment, though I was hoping to hear something more specific. This is literally the second time he’s out of the cage, the first one when I got him.

He’s not handled during two days ‘over and over, but to administer the water from syringe and install the water dish on top I had to take him out to avoid much stress for him. I got one spider, but dozens of other animals like snakes, I know/understand that handling is not good, especially at times of stress or possible health issues.

Please suggest on ‘remodeling’, what could be improved? I made it according to the thread on this forum and it did suggested Nano which is have, but I could miss something.

 

[jaw6053]

That's awesome news. Glad to see he's moving around again. He must have been dehydrated then and all the advice everyone gave you looks like it worked out !!

 

[zweii]

That's awesome news. Glad to see he's moving around again. He must have been dehydrated then and all the advice everyone gave you looks like it worked out !!

Probably that was the case, but I’m still keeping a close eye on him. The next step is to see him eat!

Is the whitish poop looks okay?

 

[jaw6053]

Probably that was the case, but I’m still keeping a close eye on him. The next step is to see him eat!

Is the whitish poop looks okay?

Definitely keep an eye on him and hopefully he will eat next time you try feeding. I think the poop is normal but more experienced keepers can chime in if its not.

 

[Craig73]

The poop looks normal to me. But I can’t tell in the video if he just had to go, or if it was a a defense response; avics will shoot excrement when they feel threatened. Typically at the threat, but given his state of recovery you just can’t tell.
Hows the new setup look? Do you have water both on the ground and one dish higher up near were he usually chills? Highly recommend a higher up one. Glad he’s responding favorably.

 

[PidderPeets]

Just keep an eye on it, keep making sure it has access to water, and leave it alone for now. Don't offer food until you're certain it's hydrated, it's acting back to normal, and it's fangs are solid black. A dehydrated tarantula is physically incapable of eating and a freshly molted tarantula doesn't have fully hardened fangs, both scenarios making it vulnerable to predation by the feeders.

I know you had good intentions and were just worried about it, but do not handle a freshly molted tarantula, even if it's to get a better look at it. For a tarantula of that size, 2 days post molt is still freshly molted. It's new exoskeleton still has to fully harden and it's much more vulnerable to injury or death. Like I said, I understand why you did it and you're just worried about it, but just keep that in mind for future reference. You could wind up doing far more harm than good.

The poop is normal.

I know I'm being a little nitpicky at this point and I do apologize, but I just want to make sure you understand that keeping tarantulas and keeping reptiles are two entirely different entities. I just say that because a lot of people come here with the mentality of "I've kept reptiles for xxx amount of years, so I know everything there is to know about tarantulas". I'm not saying that's automatically the case with you, but I always try to be sure. I could tell you how to care for a decent number of different tarantula species, but that doesn't mean I know how to care for my friend's emerald tree boa and vice versa.

All that said, I hope it pulls through for you. The fact that it's back to being more mobile is a very good sign, so I'm hopeful it should recover.

 

[zweii]

Just keep an eye on it, keep making sure it has access to water, and leave it alone for now. Don't offer food until you're certain it's hydrated, it's acting back to normal, and it's fangs are solid black. A dehydrated tarantula is physically incapable of eating and a freshly molted tarantula doesn't have fully hardened fangs, both scenarios making it vulnerable to predation by the feeders.

I know you had good intentions and were just worried about it, but do not handle a freshly molted tarantula, even if it's to get a better look at it. For a tarantula of that size, 2 days post molt is still freshly molted. It's new exoskeleton still has to fully harden and it's much more vulnerable to injury or death. Like I said, I understand why you did it and you're just worried about it, but just keep that in mind for future reference. You could wind up doing far more harm than good.

The poop is normal.

I know I'm being a little nitpicky at this point and I do apologize, but I just want to make sure you understand that keeping tarantulas and keeping reptiles are two entirely different entities. I just say that because a lot of people come here with the mentality of "I've kept reptiles for xxx amount of years, so I know everything there is to know about tarantulas". I'm not saying that's automatically the case with you, but I always try to be sure. I could tell you how to care for a decent number of different tarantula species, but that doesn't mean I know how to care for my friend's emerald tree boa and vice versa.

All that said, I hope it pulls through for you. The fact that it's back to being more mobile is a very good sign, so I'm hopeful it should recover.

Thanks for the comment and insight!
I am far from being expert on tarantulas, thus, I am here asking for advice. My experience with reptiles taught me not t handle them, especially emerald tree boas, who have largest fangs among non-venomous snakes and it's bite will at least 'hurt' a lot (or could go through, depending on the location of the bite). Been bit by snakes dozens of times, and even simplest python can bit pretty bad. I don't want this guy to bit me either .

He does look more active, but still seem weak. I have him for a couple of months and he was delivered with the 'second pair of legs', I assume he molted while on delivery from shop in FL to me in NY. This is the second and the only time he molted since I got him, so I could make some mistakes.

In addition to the water on the floor I added cap on top which I refill through syringe, through the wholes on the top lid. I believe I helped to rehydrate him a bit, probably he is still weak from being dehydrated and molting process.

How soon would you advice I should offer him food? Is there a rule e.g. a week after molt or it 'depends'?

 

[PidderPeets]

Thanks for the comment and insight!
I am far from being expert on tarantulas, thus, I am here asking for advice. My experience with reptiles taught me not t handle them, especially emerald tree boas, who have largest fangs among non-venomous snakes and it's bite will at least 'hurt' a lot (or could go through, depending on the location of the bite). Been bit by snakes dozens of times, and even simplest python can bit pretty bad. I don't want this guy to bit me either .

He does look more active, but still seem weak. I have him for a couple of months and he was delivered with the 'second pair of legs', I assume he molted while on delivery from shop in FL to me in NY. This is the second and the only time he molted since I got him, so I could make some mistakes.

In addition to the water on the floor I added cap on top which I refill through syringe, through the wholes on the top lid. I believe I helped to rehydrate him a bit, probably he is still weak from being dehydrated and molting process.

How soon would you advice I should offer him food? Is there a rule e.g. a week after molt or it 'depends'?

Good, handling is very risky for both the human and the tarantula, so I'm glad it's something you're aware should be avoided. I've been bit by my fair share of snakes myself (albeit only wild ones by me where there's not really any medically significant species), but I can tell you I'd be more afraid of the tarantula bite even without venom. I've got more than a few species that aren't even full grown but already have fangs bigger than a cat's.

I'm sorry, I'm not quite sure what you mean by "second pair of legs". Like it molted and it's molt was in with the packing. Yeah, a lot of people are unsure of what to do with the first few molts. A lot of people panic and overreact because it's such an alien concept for them, and admittedly you did jump the gun a bit with the handling, but for the most part you did good. Molting is such an exhausting process with spiders, and it causes lots of fluid loss, so if you hadn't gotten it the water it needed things would be much bleaker.

Both, kind of. There is rule, but the rule is that it depends on when the tarantula's fangs are fully hardened, or sclerotized. A freshly molted tarantula's fangs are completely white, then over time they turn red, and finally solid black when they're fully hardened. You don't want to offer food until the fangs or 100% black and hardened, otherwise the tarantula could actually break the fangs and that's a whole other process. Depending on the size of the tarantula, it could be anywhere from a day to a week or two for the fangs to fully harden. Avics are on the walls a lot, so it's usually not too difficult to get a good look at the fangs. But just to give you an idea, for a tarantula of that size I'd guess a week or so.

But again, check the fangs before offering food. If you never get a good look at the fangs, wait two weeks, because they should definitely be good by then. Even a freshly molted T won't starve to death in that time, so there's no need to worry. And don't be alarmed if it doesn't eat even when it's fangs are ready. Sometimes the spider doesn't feel ready yet even when it's fangs are. I've had my Avic go over a month post molt without eating before. It's not something that happens all the time, but it's just something to be aware of

 

[zweii]

I found him on the floor this afternoon (he was on the wood this morning).
Should I let him be there...or relocated to the top?

it's fangs are solid black

They seem to be solid black, but he still seems weak, even though a little more active.
I see his feet pulsating, not sure if that means anything.

 

[Dorifto]

Looks like is looking for moisture to drink from.

Did you attached the fake leafs? Please change that wood as soon as you can, and provide him a good cork bark with a lot of foliage on top to help webbing.

 

[zweii]

Looks like is looking for moisture to drink from.

Did you attached the fake leafs? Please change that wood as soon as you can, and provide him a good cork bark with a lot of foliage on top to help webbing.

Looks like he fell to me, but I didn't see it happen, I just assume...!
The fake leafs attached at all the times to the top lid. Petco nearby had the same type of the wood, so I didn't change yet.

Do you by any chance have a photo of a good setup? I'll try to make it accordingly.

 

[zweii]

Looks like is looking for moisture to drink from.

Did you attached the fake leafs? Please change that wood as soon as you can, and provide him a good cork bark with a lot of foliage on top to help webbing.

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Natural-Round-Small/dp/B000QFUAFY/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=bark+cork&qid=1599348708&sr=8-5

Would this be good?

 

[Dorifto]

Looks like he fell to me, but I didn't see it happen, I just assume...!
The fake leafs attached at all the times to the top lid. Petco nearby had the same type of the wood, so I didn't change yet.

Do you by any chance have a photo of a good setup? I'll try to make it accordingly.

The forum doesn't allow to post any photograph that isn't your own (copyrights).

They are plenty of photographs of awesome enclosures on this forum, check the avicularia husbandry thread for example. Maybe someone else can post their ones, so you can borrow some ideas.

I would search in ebay instead of amazon, you can find real images of the real product, or try to search a local shop that works with wood and ask them. To choose the correct one, measure your enclosure and choose the right one for you. Then add the fake leafs around the cork bark, not to the top of the enclosure.

Wich is your room temp and humidity?

 

[Kitara]

Do you by any chance have a photo of a good setup? I'll try to make it accordingly.

I used those cork rounds that you posted from Amazon. You can find them cheaper elsewhere, but sometimes I just want them now so I pay a little extra to get what I need. Then I just cut it to whatever size I need for the specific enclosure I'm working with.

Here's my C. versicolor. It's an "Antillies pinktoe" if I'm not mistaken. I forget the common name, but I know it has pinktoe in there.

 

[zweii]

The forum doesn't allow to post any photograph that isn't your own (copyrights).

They are plenty of photographs of awesome enclosures on this forum, check the avicularia husbandry thread for example. Maybe someone else can post their ones, so you can borrow some ideas.

I would search in ebay instead of amazon, you can find real images of the real product, or try to search a local shop that works with wood and ask them. To choose the correct one, measure your enclosure and choose the right one for you. Then add the fake leafs around the cork bark, not to the top of the enclosure.

Wich is your room temp and humidity?

Around 80 +/- temperature. I set temp control. Humidity is a little higher right now (today) as I misted plants a bit, right now it's 87%.

I did my setup according to this thread.

I used those cork rounds that you posted from Amazon. You can find them cheaper elsewhere, but sometimes I just want them now so I pay a little extra to get what I need. Then I just cut it to whatever size I need for the specific enclosure I'm working with.

Here's my C. versicolor. It's an "Antillies pinktoe" if I'm not mistaken. I forget the common name, but I know it has pinktoe in there.

View attachment 359035

What a beautiful setup!
What 'cage' is that?

UPD: I changed the wood + photo of the full setup including plants.

The wood:



The spider in the ready setup:



I got the piece from Zoo Med it's called Mopani Wood. Before buying, I did some research and found that few users from this forum mentioned using it, so I thought it was safe. I wanted to eliminate the possibility of him falling from the piece of wood I used before. I think it could happen.

Before placing it, I washed it (in case there're some chemicals), then I baked it the oven for a bit to dry and kill everything in it (in case there's anything left), and then I let it fully cool down.

Is Mopani okay, or I'm doing some more mistakes?

About the plants - please let me know your thoughts. I am not sure whether it's good or not, but I tried to imitate leaves on the trees, I assumed being on top of the cage is okay. Before our 'weakness' incident he used to hang out there a lot and his first web started from them.

 

[Kitara]

[

What 'cage' is that?

It is just a Rubbermaid brilliance container. Drilled some holes, leaned a cork bark and added some fake plants.

 

[Dorifto]

Glue the plants around the wood not on top. This will help him to web much easier. I would add a water dish too, you can glue them with hot glue. After that try to leave the T alone for some time, because if not, is going to stress a lot more. Check how behaves and if there is any other improvements on him, but please do not try to handle it.


Did you cleaned the mopani?