Moving enclosures around. Does that stress out tarantulas?

Introvertebrate

Arachnoprince
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I’ve seen many pictures of stacked tarantula enclosures. If you’re going to feed a T in one of the bottom containers, you’ll need to do some rearranging. So here’s my question. Does the movement concern them? Are they less likely to accept food if their enclosure has just been temporarily relocated across the room?

I’ve also seen several videos of tarantula owners removing the tops from containers before feeding slings. I get the impression that the owners are not at all concerned about the T escaping, although it seems clear to me that it could if it was so inclined. Do tarantulas tend to stay put if you only have the top off for a little while?

I would appreciate your help. This hobby looks fascinating.

Regards,
Tom
 

Royal_T's

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The enclosure is their home... if anything they are more inclined to stay and defend it. Also females generally don't go too far from their burrows unless searching for food. As far as the topic question goes I would say it might disturb them but if careful it shouldn't be too stressful.
 

Introvertebrate

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Thanks Royal_T's. I read somewhere that dart frogs may not eat for a few days if you move their enclosure around. I guess inverts are different.

Tom
 

curiousme

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I’ve seen many pictures of stacked tarantula enclosures. If you’re going to feed a T in one of the bottom containers, you’ll need to do some rearranging. So here’s my question. Does the movement concern them? Are they less likely to accept food if their enclosure has just been temporarily relocated across the room?
We have not found that to be the case for most of ours. We always bring ours out to our living room floor to feed and there are a few of our species that won't eat in the bright light and need to be left on the shelf to eat.

I’ve also seen several videos of tarantula owners removing the tops from containers before feeding slings. I get the impression that the owners are not at all concerned about the T escaping, although it seems clear to me that it could if it was so inclined. Do tarantulas tend to stay put if you only have the top off for a little while?
It would be easy for them to escape, but for the most part the tarantula wants to stay in its home. They are blind except for light and dark, so they don't really know there is something beyond their home. However if startled, some species will bolt in any direction to get away from what they are perceiving as a threat and that is when escapes can happen. When opening enclosures you need to be alert, careful and ready for the tarantula to bolt. We always have cups close to catch the T in if it chooses to bolt, so we are ready for the worst case scenario.

I would appreciate your help. This hobby looks fascinating.

Regards,
Tom
This is an incredibly interesting (and addictive) hobby, so spend some time on the forum. Read the stickies at the top of this sub-forum as starters for basic information and visit the gallery to see the wide variety of colors that tarantulas are painted in. Welcome to the forum Tom! :D
 

Jmugleston

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I wouldn't worry too much about it as long as you were being gentle or careful. Each of our cages is moved twice each week. Every cage is pulled from the shelves for feeding, and once again the next day for watering. The gravid females are only disturbed once a week when I'm filling their water dishes. I haven't noticed anything that would hint toward excessive stress for the Ts.
 

Introvertebrate

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....................................This is an incredibly interesting (and addictive) hobby, so spend some time on the forum. Read the stickies at the top of this sub-forum as starters for basic information and visit the gallery to see the wide variety of colors that tarantulas are painted in. Welcome to the forum Tom! :D
Thank you very much curiousme and Jmugleston. I'm enjoying it here.

Tom
 

malevolentrobot

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i have most of my slings/juvies stacked in a 10gal heat/humidity rig and i haven't noticed a change in the eating habits of any of the "bottom stack Ts", afaik. i do have a habit of rotating them as feeding and moulting differ though, so i might be skewing results in my favour or messing things up totally.

edit: i should add my slings/juvies are normally are disturbed twice a week, sometimes three depending on moulting.

i agree with everything curiousme said, none of my slings are inclined to bolt (unless bothered by my feeding tongs, or in the case of my versi, i accidentally rip apart its tube web taking off the lid to his vial - both due to my direct interference being percieved as a threat), but you should be ready for any possible disturbance to spook them when that lid comes off. even with terrestrial slings... get lazy and you have possible escapee situations.
 
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Introvertebrate

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........i haven't noticed a change in the eating habits of any of the "bottom stack Ts".........
Thanks malevolentrobot. I guess its the top stack Ts I was wondering the most about. You've got no choice but to move them in order to get to the bottom stack.

........none of my slings are inclined to bolt (unless bothered by my feeding tongs, or in the case of my versi, i accidentally rip apart its tube web taking off the lid to his vial........
I can't think of any way to avoid that. No matter where the door to the enclosure is, your versi may decide to attach its web to it.

Tom
 

micheldied

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Nope, it doesn't bother most Ts.
Some Ts I've had did get nervous when mving the enclosures, but give them a few minutes (or seconds) and they'd get comfortable enough to eat.
If the top isn't removed, how would one feed/do maintenance? LOL
They're more likely to hide in what they see as their comfort zone, than run out and escape.
 

Introvertebrate

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Thanks micheldied. I guess my concerns were for naught. I wanted to share this clever versi enclosure I found elsewhere on Arachnoboards:

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showpost.php?p=1659140&postcount=45

User 'barabootom' figured out how to get inside it without ripping the inhabitant's tube web. The opening's on the bottom. Here's his versi feeding procedure:
  • Lift the enclosure out of its base.
  • Flip it upside down, versi, tube web, and all.
  • Drop a cricket in.
  • Wait for the versi to grab the cricket.
  • Turn the enclosure right side up again.
  • Place it back in its base.
So much for my "don't disturb the T" theory. Heck, if they'll accept food right after being turned upside down, they sure won't have a problem with being stacked and unstacked.

Tom
 
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