Masochist Tarantula?!?

[Chris_Skeleton]

Terrestrial, burrower... and yes she's from Burma.

None of my others of this same species ever did this peculiar 'meditating' thing, and they used the same type of cage. When I've caught her doing the dangle thing, all I ever had to do was tap the screen and she'd reach up with her other legs and grab the screen and just walk back down. And she never did it before this last molt, just for the past month or so. Maybe the leg was bothering her, because I was having problems getting her to eat, but after the loss of the leg she suddenly seems to have an appetite again (hopefully it lasts, too). Finally, she was missing three legs when I rescued her from Pet Company...

Like I said, weird...:wall:

Wow I had never seen the ignore list, I had always heard of it, but now I see.

Anyway might be on it after this, but I don't think the loss of the leg had anything to do with it eating again.

 

[smallara98]

Some (or rather, many) of those people on your ignore list are some of the most knwoeldgable from what I've observed. You are shutting yourself off from alot of good advice. As foor your problem...I remember reading somewhere you can avoid the whole "claws caught on mesh" problem by using a different kind of mesh. Had something to do with the way the mesh was fused together or something.

That is exactly what I dont get . Why are pretty much most of the very well , smart people to give her the best information around , in her ignore list ? She probably doesn't take critisizm well (either do I )

 

[malevolentrobot]

yes, yes... the fabled ignore list, the more you talk about it the more attention she gets that she wanted, just like the whole "brumese cobalt blue" thing.

That is exactly what I dont get . Why are pretty much most of the very well , smart people to give her the best information around , in her ignore list ? She probably doesn't take critisizm well (either do I )

yeah, but you just proved that you take it better than she does though, by not banning people with good advice and actually reading their replies

also, i am surprised she claims to see her "brumese cobalt blue" so often. i don't own one, but i was under the impression lividum were hardcore burrowers that made the term "pet hole", as in be lucky you see them out of their hole once in a great while. thus back to the improper set up replies being correct, y/y?

 

[smallara98]

yes, yes... the fabled ignore list, the more you talk about it the more attention she gets that she wanted, just like the whole "brumese cobalt blue" thing.



yeah, but you just proved that you take it better than she does though, by not banning people with good advice and actually reading their replies

also, i am surprised she claims to see her "brumese cobalt blue" so often. i don't own one, but i was under the impression lividum were hardcore burrowers that made the term "pet hole", as in be lucky you see them out of there hole once in a great while. thus back to the improper set up replies being correct, y/y?

Good point . OP , does your lividum have alot of substrate , or 1" ? I bet im gonna get blocked now .

 

[xhexdx]

also, i am surprised she claims to see her "brumese cobalt blue" so often. i don't own one, but i was under the impression lividum were hardcore burrowers that made the term "pet hole", as in be lucky you see them out of their hole once in a great while. thus back to the improper set up replies being correct, y/y?

This is true, but if you go out at night, you can usually catch them wandering around or at the mouth of their burrow.

If you have them housed improperly, you can see them any time you want.

 

[malevolentrobot]

This is true, but if you go out at night, you can usually catch them wandering around or at the mouth of their burrow.

If you have them housed improperly, you can see them any time you want.

i stand corrected. i assumed it was far less, and thus automatically jumped to poor husbandry on her part.

actually, that sounds like half of my Ts, especially the rosea, who has dug herself quite the nice hole. she has yet to come out, so i gave up waiting and just started buying more Ts but i have been told she will come out at night and my bf frequently sees her when he flips on the kitchen light after i've long since gone to sleep.

 

[BatGirl]

bad leg?

it's pretty obvious the spider is not in a good cage setup. increase sub...

She has deep substrate, got this nice deep tunnel she hides in and webbs up the entrance to most of the time, never see her at all in the day...

At night she will occasionally be observed 'roaming' the cage (presummably looking for Max, my old male Burmese cobalt blue that used to be in the cage next to her before he died of old age, er, fell apart - sheesh - that she used to tease with her tapping) and she climbs well on the glass sides and screen top. The distance she would 'fall' if she just let go is only about 5-6 inches (there's a slope to the substrate) - about what she's always had for years...

The leg, upon closer look, seems to have damage at a couple of the joints besides where it broke loose. I'll observe her to see if now that it's 'off', if she still behaves in the strange dangling at night manner.

later...:worship:

 

[Jmugleston]

If the spider was hanging from a single leg, it is not surprising to hear there was damage elsewhere on the limb. Since the joints are weaker than the segments, you'd expect the damage to be there.

Though a longing for an old mate is unlikely, by adjusting your husbandry you eliminate the risk of another injury. Is it worth the risk to wait it out when you know there is a potential hazard in the cage?

Instead you may want to switch the screen for a different cover and you don't have to worry about her playing Tarzan anymore.

 

[Moltar]

The leg was probably lost because she was dangling from it. That isn't something she was doing on purpose. Screen lids can trap a T's scopulae and/or tarsal claws, causing them to stay on the lid until they become exhausted or lose their grip and then hang there until they either wriggle loose or they damage the leg in such a way that they fall free.

A) You must fix this condition. A plexiglass lid with ventilation holes is the best solution. If not that you can try to treat the lid in some way that closes up the gaps in the screen. Probably more trouble than it's worth.

B) If you find a T dangling from one foot as mentioned above, you should immediately get it freed and inspect it for damage. In addition to potential leg/body damage it is a given that this T is probably severely exhausted and stressed, even to the point of being life threatening. Treat it as you would an injured T, it may not need ICU but it absolutely needs quiet and dark and fresh water.

 

[smallara98]

The leg was probably lost because she was dangling from it. That isn't something she was doing on purpose. Screen lids can trap a T's scopulae and/or tarsal claws, causing them to stay on the lid until they become exhausted or lose their grip and then hang there until they either wriggle loose or they damage the leg in such a way that they fall free.

A) You must fix this condition. A plexiglass lid with ventilation holes is the best solution. If not that you can try to treat the lid in some way that closes up the gaps in the screen. Probably more trouble than it's worth.

B) If you find a T dangling from one foot as mentioned above, you should immediately get it freed and inspect it for damage. In addition to potential leg/body damage it is a given that this T is probably severely exhausted and stressed, even to the point of being life threatening. Treat it as you would an injured T, it may not need ICU but it absolutely needs quiet and dark and fresh water.

I think you have a good point about all of that . A question im stumped on is the MM thing ? Female ts would not wander aorund looking for a Male . That is the males job .

 

[Moltar]

MM's do it more because MM's wander constantly in search of a mate. Females will do it too just because they're exploring their environment. Perhaps they don't like the environment and sense a potential way out.

 

[jebbewocky]

MM's do it more because MM's wander constantly in search of a mate. Females will do it too just because they're exploring their environment. Perhaps they don't like the environment and sense a potential way out.

Or they're hungry, looking for food, or feel like a stroll. My immature female LP will walk around her tank occassionally. Not often, but it happens.

 

[cacoseraph]

She has deep substrate, got this nice deep tunnel she hides in and webbs up the entrance to most of the time, never see her at all in the day...

At night she will occasionally be observed 'roaming' the cage (presummably looking for Max, my old male Burmese cobalt blue that used to be in the cage next to her before he died of old age, er, fell apart - sheesh - that she used to tease with her tapping) and she climbs well on the glass sides and screen top. The distance she would 'fall' if she just let go is only about 5-6 inches (there's a slope to the substrate) - about what she's always had for years...

The leg, upon closer look, seems to have damage at a couple of the joints besides where it broke loose. I'll observe her to see if now that it's 'off', if she still behaves in the strange dangling at night manner.

later...:worship:

yes, it sounds perfect except for the part where she gets mangled =P

if the leg keeps leaking you might have to pop it... but that's usually only needful for a bad leak, not a possible drip or two

 

[Musicwolf]

also, i am surprised she claims to see her "brumese cobalt blue" so often. i don't own one, but i was under the impression lividum were hardcore burrowers that made the term "pet hole", as in be lucky you see them out of their hole once in a great while. thus back to the improper set up replies being correct, y/y?

This is true, but if you go out at night, you can usually catch them wandering around or at the mouth of their burrow.

If you have them housed improperly, you can see them any time you want.

I can see mine any time I like . . . . she has 8 inches of substrate, but set up her cave on top in the corner behind the hide on night 1. She only moves around at night, and then not a ton. Eating well so far, and looks GREAT!

Admittedly, it's only been a week and a half, but she hasn't attempted burrowing once.

Now, I live in Florida which is obviously very humid . . . and I don't believe she had a chance to burrow before I took her home . . . at least I know she didn't at the LPS. Perhaps because of these circumstances she'll continue to live as a terrestrial?

 

[malevolentrobot]

I can see mine any time I like . . . . she has 8 inches of substrate, but set up her cave on top in the corner behind the hide on night 1. She only moves around at night, and then not a ton. Eating well so far, and looks GREAT!

Admittedly, it's only been a week and a half, but she hasn't attempted burrowing once.

Now, I live in Florida which is obviously very humid . . . and I don't believe she had a chance to burrow before I took her home . . . at least I know she didn't at the LPS. Perhaps because of these circumstances she'll continue to live as a terrestrial?

i'd say yours hasn't acclimated to its enclosure entirely would be the reason and that given more time will probably begin burrowing once it feels comfortable to do so, but thats me hazarding a guess. as stated above i don't own H. lividum personally.

 

[Musicwolf]

i'd say yours hasn't acclimated to its enclosure entirely would be the reason and that given more time will probably begin burrowing once it feels comfortable to do so, but thats me hazarding a guess. as stated above i don't own H. lividum personally.

Yeah, I know that's the most likely explanation . . . still, every day she spends in her "topside" burrow raises my hopes a little

 

[BatGirl]

October Update...

yes, it sounds perfect except for the part where she gets mangled =P

if the leg keeps leaking you might have to pop it... but that's usually only needful for a bad leak, not a possible drip or two

UPDATE on Leela:

Everything back to normal now, no leaks, no 'dangling' etc. - she just stays in the burrow and ventures out at night (occasionally, if during the day I see that her burrow opening is 'open' <not webbed-up> I'll send in a cricket, see a flurry of fur as she nails it, and have a nice chuckle...). Still same cage w/screen top and seems not to have any problems walking across it. Could've been a fluke that she somehow got snagged that one time, but again - I've seen her do that dangling act before her 'accident' and she was never 'stuck' - I'd tap on the screen, she's always reach up, grab the screen and move on. Maybe she fell asleep dangling that one time or something and overstressed the leg - I'm just glad she 'got over' that 'dangling' thing

Possibly she just finally got over missing Max (my MM Burmese cobalt blue that passed away...) and has stopped her 'roaming' bit. Yes, the good ol' days - they'd be about an inch apart with only the glazing of each tank seperating them, both pressed hard against the glass, and she's be just tapping away - quite distracting for me! Never saw him tap, he just did the roaming thing until she lured him over. She was probably the working girl type (assertive) and he was perhaps the stay at home dad type (lazy), heh, heh.

 

[Shell]

Possibly she just finally got over missing Max (my MM Burmese cobalt blue that passed away...)

Well isn't that sweet That must be it, since you know, tarantulas feel emotions like we do. :wall:

 

[AbraCadaver]

That's not fair, I want on that list. Oh well, I'm on Dawgpounds

And the whole missing Max thing is priceless... unbelievable

Perhaps the brumese cobalt blues have highly developed emotions

 

[Shell]

Perhaps the brumese cobalt blues have highly developed emotions

Well, we do know that they are hella deadly