My GBB is making it tough to feed it

jRaskell

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 4, 2020
Messages
1
My GBB has gotten into the habit of webbing up the lid of it's enclosure, and the design of the enclosure makes it tough to open without substantially disturbing it's home. I have unfortunately discovered too late that I did not do a good job of securing the plastic leaves that form the framework of it's abode. So when I lift up the cover, I'm pretty much lifting up the entire thing, and the spider gets a bit cranky about this, not surprisingly.

Is this just part of the deal with webbing tarantulas, or is there something I can do to prevent it? Should I be looking at a different kind of enclosure in the future? It's still eating fine, and it just goes about repairing whatever damage is done during feeding every time. You can sorta see where it has repaired things. I'd just like to be able to feed it without tearing up it's home every time.

gbb-sling5.png
 

Finikan

Painter of Poorly Rendered Images
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Dec 31, 2020
Messages
307
If it were me, I would remove some of the substrate. Makes more room up top for the T to web up leaves while still giving you room to open the enclosure.
 

Tarantuland

Arachnoprince
Joined
Mar 19, 2020
Messages
1,355
Fat spider doesn't need to eat. Once it molts put it in something bigger with a little more height. It doesn't matter if you mess up its webbing a little.
 

RoachCoach

Arachnodemon
Joined
Sep 2, 2019
Messages
702
Ya, next home less sub more decor to reduce any free falling. I started keeping mine in a longer home so I can pry the end up that isn't above their hide they like to web up. It will get sketchy if you toss in food and it gets below the web layer. Meal worms/super worms/beetle larvae can actually pupate with crushed heads. Not always, but they can.
 

USNGunner

Arachnosquire
Joined
Jul 30, 2020
Messages
148
My GBB has gotten into the habit of webbing up the lid of it's enclosure, and the design of the enclosure makes it tough to open without substantially disturbing it's home. I have unfortunately discovered too late that I did not do a good job of securing the plastic leaves that form the framework of it's abode. So when I lift up the cover, I'm pretty much lifting up the entire thing, and the spider gets a bit cranky about this, not surprisingly.

Is this just part of the deal with webbing tarantulas, or is there something I can do to prevent it? Should I be looking at a different kind of enclosure in the future? It's still eating fine, and it just goes about repairing whatever damage is done during feeding every time. You can sorta see where it has repaired things. I'd just like to be able to feed it without tearing up it's home every time.
Mine did that as well. So until I could rehouse, I got in the habit of opening the lid every day. I'd lift it, sweep under it with my " move along" wire I use to motivate roaches and put the lid back on. After a week or two of this, Carnage quit sticking web to the lid. :D

It's worth a shot. :geek:
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
I found with my heavy webbers longer enclosures with drift wood partially submerged in the substraight works the best. It provides plenty of space for the T to web inside the wood as well as enough anchor points and height above ground to do their thing.

Those with drift wood have not webbed the lid, those with standard cork bark have. That’s my experience.
 

KaroKoenig

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
437
I found with my heavy webbers longer enclosures with drift wood partially submerged in the substraight works the best. It provides plenty of space for the T to web inside the wood as well as enough anchor points and height above ground to do their thing.

Those with drift wood have not webbed the lid, those with standard cork bark have. That’s my experience.
Agreed. Something like this works very well. Brick-built plane is optional:

Now, when you say "substraight"... is that something that is just very slightly bent?

Sorry, cheap shot. I'll shut up now :zipit:.
 

Craig73

Arachnoangel
Joined
Jun 2, 2016
Messages
790
Now, when you say "substraight"... is that something that is just very slightly bent?

Sorry, cheap shot. I'll shut up now :zipit:.
😂, you’re killing me. I‘ve been away for a month or so and now I’m questioning what it is called, ha! I may need to go back to the noobie Tarantulas 101 page for a crash course.

I love the plane. 😍
 

jRaskell

Arachnopeon
Joined
Oct 4, 2020
Messages
1
A bit more height and decor, and a bit less substrate. Got it. I'll give that a try when I rehouse. Thanks.
 

KaroKoenig

Arachnobaron
Joined
Dec 7, 2019
Messages
437
USS Texas (CGN-39)
NMCB-74
SBU XI
USS Peleliu (LHA5)
USS Vincennes (CG-49)
USS Hewitt (DDG-966)
Wow, that is quite a bit of everything. Not bad, sir. Some names immediately resounded, but from a different era (e.g. Texas the BB and Vicennes the CA). Bit of a ww1 and ww2 naval history bookworm here.

(Off-topic off. Back to spiders :happy:)
 
Top