my tarantula has fully blocked off her hide?

[Misschloejenkins]

My Mexican red knee just started making a barricade blocking her entrance for the Exit way, she started on this process yesterday and it took her a good 6 hours to make the block off. can anybody help me on why she has done this, before she went in and hid she had a slight gray bald patch on her Abdomen and has now been in their for over 24 hours. she is been given fresh water every day and is well looked after as I make sure I'm on top of my cleaning duties and spectate the enclosure every now and again.

 

[chanda]

That is perfectly normal behavior. It is her way of telling you that she wants to be left alone. It is possible that she is preparing to molt, in which case she could remain down there for weeks or even months - or maybe she just wants a little "quiet time" to relax and digest her latest meal.

Either way, just trust that she knows what she is doing and leave her alone. Keep her water dish filled, just in case she decides to slip out for a drink. If the entrance to the hide is completely closed off, I'd hold off on feeding her until she opens it back up again and comes out on her own.

Resist the temptation to dig her out or peek in on her. If she is molting, this is a very sensitive time for her, where disturbing her could result in injury or even death.

 

[Misschloejenkins]

That is perfectly normal behavior. It is her way of telling you that she wants to be left alone. It is possible that she is preparing to molt, in which case she could remain down there for weeks or even months - or maybe she just wants a little "quiet time" to relax and digest her latest meal.

Thank You so much, this was so helpful

 

[Nightstalker47]

If the bald patch on the abdomen was beginning to darken, then you know its pre molt without a doubt...many specimens will seal themselves off during this time, rather then molting out in the open.

 

[Stan Schultz]

That is perfectly normal behavior. It is her way of telling you that she wants to be left alone. It is possible that she is preparing to molt, in which case she could remain down there for weeks or even months - or maybe she just wants a little "quiet time" to relax and digest her latest meal.

(Major problem: OP: You fail to give us any indication of its size or age. What I say here is for tarantulas beyond the "baby" stage. See people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/Overview.html for more information.)

Or simply sliding into Winter mode because of the decreasing day length and drop in temperature. Make sure it always has access to fresh water. Drop in a live cricket (or whatever) once a month to test its appetite. If it eats, restart its normal feeding schedule.

Best of luck...

 

[Teal]

(Major problem: OP: You fail to give us any indication of its size or age. What I say here is for tarantulas beyond the "baby" stage. See people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/Overview.html for more information.)

Or simply sliding into Winter mode because of the decreasing day length and drop in temperature. Make sure it always has access to fresh water. Drop in a live cricket (or whatever) once a month to test its appetite. If it eats, restart its normal feeding schedule.

Best of luck...

Age is irrelevant and unless your seller hatched the sac and gave you a date, you cannot know a T's age anyways.

I would never drop a live cricket into an enclosure with a T who has sealed off their burrow. Crickets are a danger to molting/freshly molted Ts. If a T is underground for months, leaving a pre-killed prey item near the burrow entrance overnight is okay.

 

[Nightstalker47]

(Major problem: OP: You fail to give us any indication of its size or age. What I say here is for tarantulas beyond the "baby" stage. See people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/Overview.html for more information.)

Or simply sliding into Winter mode because of the decreasing day length and drop in temperature. Make sure it always has access to fresh water. Drop in a live cricket (or whatever) once a month to test its appetite. If it eats, restart its normal feeding schedule.

Best of luck...

Hey Stan, might want to update that page of yours...lots of old myths floating around there.

"Swamp dwellers" do not exist in the theraphosid world, nor does any tarantula "require excessive attention to humidity".

 

[Parkcitys]

This board taught me one of the most important lessons that I've learned about keeping Ts: Tarantula knows best. I always remind myself of it whenever I see my Ts doing something that seems odd to me, definitely helps to prevent unnecessary worrying.

 

[Goopyguy56]

I have had tarantulas close themself off for close to 6 months. They are still alive. I think a b hamori is one that can probably last a while. That is one of the reasons I have like 20 t's. When a few are hiding out, there is always a few that aren't. And if one stops eating. I always have a dumpster like my A genic to take care of extra crickets

 

[Arachnophoric]

My Mexican red knee just started making a barricade blocking her entrance for the Exit way, she started on this process yesterday and it took her a good 6 hours to make the block off. can anybody help me on why she has done this, before she went in and hid she had a slight gray bald patch on her Abdomen and has now been in their for over 24 hours. she is been given fresh water every day and is well looked after as I make sure I'm on top of my cleaning duties and spectate the enclosure every now and again.

While the responses already supplied the obvious answer is that your T is likely going to molt here soon, I just thought I'd add in that sometimes spiders will seal off their burrows for the hell of it. Regardless though, there is definitely no need to worry as rearranging dirt is often a favorite pass time of slings and is entirely normal. Just be sure that your sling has access to water and you're golden!

 

[Misschloejenkins]

(Major problem: OP: You fail to give us any indication of its size or age. What I say here is for tarantulas beyond the "baby" stage. See people.ucalgary.ca/~schultz/Overview.html for more information.)

Or simply sliding into Winter mode because of the decreasing day length and drop in temperature. Make sure it always has access to fresh water. Drop in a live cricket (or whatever) once a month to test its appetite. If it eats, restart its normal feeding schedule.

Best of luck...

i am still fairly new to this hobby and i dont know what her size or how old she is. i dont ever think i will be able to work that out i just like having her as a pet and the joy she brings to me when i feed and water her.

 

[Misschloejenkins]

While the responses already supplied the obvious answer is that your T is likely going to molt here soon, I just thought I'd add in that sometimes spiders will seal off their burrows for the hell of it. Regardless though, there is definitely no need to worry as rearranging dirt is often a favorite pass time of slings and is entirely normal. Just be sure that your sling has access to water and you're golden!

oh that's brilliant thank you so much for the help .

 

[Anoplogaster]

Sealing off a hide entrance is almost certainly molt time. There may be other random reasons for this behavior. But from my collection, this is what has happened 100% of the time.

 

[Misschloejenkins]

Sealing off a hide entrance is almost certainly molt time. There may be other random reasons for this behavior. But from my collection, this is what has happened 100% of the time.

ohh yay!!! thank you for the help