My Emilia sling burrowed.....

[Alessandra]

hi there everyone! I'm new and I have just a few questions. last night my Emilia sling burrowed and locked herself up..... eventually she will not be eating for a while I guess! Is she premolting? Is this totally fine? My kids are worried... what should we expect for the next period of time? thanks for the replies!

 

[emartinm28]

Do nothing, except keep the water dish full. It may re-emerge molted or not. No one can know exactly when it will re-emerge, could be months, but fight the urge to dig it up.

 

[Frogdaddy]

Totally normal. Keep the water dish full. It will emerge when it's ready and not a moment before.

 

[Doodlebird]

Yep, pretty normal for spiders. Your spider could stay there for multiple months without eating, just keep an eye on her. If she is your kids spider, they might forget about her/get bored without being to see her, so I would make sure they are still giving her proper care, and keep an eye on water.

 

[Spoodfood]

What to expect is probably a slightly larger spider emerging in a few weeks to months. This gets asked at least once a week. Totally normal behavior for all Ts.

 

[Alessandra]

Yep, pretty normal for spiders. Your spider could stay there for multiple months without eating, just keep an eye on her. If she is your kids spider, they might forget about her/get bored without being to see her, so I would make sure they are still giving her proper care, and keep an eye on water.

Oh no worries.... it's "their" spider but i'm taking care of her....

What to expect is probably a slightly larger spider emerging in a few weeks to months. This gets asked at least once a week. Totally normal behavior for all Ts.

Yeah.... I can imagine this being the first question ever from starters like me.... but still, the replies makes you feel like you're on the right path. It's more like "keep it up girl!!!"

 

[Smotzer]

Get ready for a cup/box of dirt for a while. @Alessandra Since you are brand new amd just joined today I suggest posting a picture of your enclosure set up , new people often oversize enclosures greately, your burrowing could be due to this factor or simply premolt, or both.

 

[Alessandra]

Get ready for a cup/box of dirt for a while. @Alessandra Since you are brand new amd just joined today I suggest posting a picture of your enclosure set up , new people often oversize enclosures greately, your burrowing could be due to this factor or simply premolt, or both.

I think it is a little too big in fact.... should I move it to a smaller? Or just let her ad just to it?

I think it is a little too big in fact.... should I move it to a smaller? Or just let her ad just to it?

Sorry about the mispelling but it's on italian auto correct

 

[Smotzer]

How big is the sling? Do you have a recent picture of it for us to know whether that is too big or not.

 

[Alessandra]

She's about 2.5 cm including legs

 

[Smotzer]

Okay so yeah that is likely too big for a 2.5cm/1in dls sling (but idk the dimensions of that), you would probably be better off in something that is about approximately 4x4x4 or 32oz. Also your susbtrate looks to be woodchips which is not suitable for a tarantula. You want to go with either coco fiber, no additive/chemical plain top soil, or 100% peat moss no additives as well, or a mix of the three. Second if you were to keep this enclosure, which you could but may make managing feeding hharder, you would need to fill it most of the way full (at least 75%) with appropriate soil/substrate you want no more than 1.5x diagnol leg span from substrate level to lid, this will be true for whatever enclosure you use, and this is to prevent a fall injury risk for heavy bodied terrestrials due to too much height inside enclosure, less of a risk for slings, but enclosure habit you should start applying now.

 

[Alessandra]

Okay so yeah that is likely too big for a 2.5cm/1in dls sling (but idk the dimensions of that), you would probably be better off in something that is about approximately 4x4x4 or 32oz. Also your susbtrate looks to be woodchips which is not suitable for a tarantula. You want to go with either coco fiber, no additive/chemical plain top soil, or 100% peat moss no additives as well, or a mix of the three. Second if you were to keep this enclosure, which you could but may make managing feeding hharder, you would need to fill it most of the way full (at least 75%) with appropriate soil/substrate you want no more than 1.5x diagnol leg span from substrate level to lid, this will be true for whatever enclosure you use, and this is to prevent a fall injury risk for heavy bodied terrestrials due to too much height inside enclosure, less of a risk for slings, but enclosure habit you should start applying now.

Thanks a lot!! That was extremely useful! I'll move her tomorrow to a new box!! I just have to create it.... but the substrate is coco fiber... should be ok!

 

[viper69]

she premolting? Is this totally fine? My kids are worried... what should we expect for the next period of time? thanks for the replies!

Answered in order asked
Maybe
Generally yes
The same

Strongly suggest you read the forum and read the millions of threads just like yours

You’ll learn more than you asked.

 

[Alessandra]

Thanks a lot!! That was extremely useful! I'll move her tomorrow to a new box!! I just have to create it.... but the substrate is coco fiber... should be ok!

Answered in order asked
Maybe
Generally yes
The same

Strongly suggest you read the forum and read the millions of threads just like yours

You’ll learn more than you asked.

ok.... I moved to a smaller enclosure with lots of substrate, she ate, she went straight into her cozy bark tunnel and she seems happy.... now I'm happy too and will just let her be!
It's a good start... I already learned a lot! Still more to learn and will certainly browse through all these threads! thx!