New keeper here with a few questions.

Joined
Dec 8, 2016
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7
Hi :D
A few weeks ago, just after my father got rid of the tall grass here in my backyard, 2 spiders came to visit my house.
The first one was a Brazilian wandering (I've checked all its behavior, and body pattern... very sure on this one) that survived for a month, but died after a molt (i went to visit my relatives for a few weeks, and my mother was too afraid to throw any cockroaches to the spider --with all the reasons since this spider is one of the deadliest-- so I'm confident that it may had run out of energy... shame on me.
The other one is a
Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater Tarantula (not sure due to its size, right now he/she is as large as a common PC mouse...), that showed up like 2 days after the other one and still alive... so i'm on a "so far, so good" situation
My
main concern is that right now (and i'm on day #3) he/she's inside its little house that, he/she 3 days ago, blocked with dirt and web. This is when i should think that he/she is preparing to molt, and instead of digging a hole, the spider just blocked everything to chill and lay back... But due to its size, i dont think that the molting process should take that long, that's when you guys step in and tell me that this is normal or when i should start to get worried.

I'll be updating this post with photos so i can get some help identifying the tarantula.
Thanks :D


EDIT#1
As requested, pics of the cage.
It is actually a aquarium with a cardboard "roof". See photos for further info...

x=30cm, y=26cm, z=17cm
x - y | z /




 
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Venom1080

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post a pic of the cage. too many beginners set up poor cages at first.
tarantulas commonly hide when a molts approaching btw
yeah, some things should def be changed in that cage. the sub level should have a gap no more than 1.5x the tarantulas leg span, your spider could very well die from that fall, especially with those rocks. that lid needs to be changed as well. the spider will chew through that in minutes and escape. the hide should be changed as well, that wooden box will mold within a couple weeks.
in fact, the best and easiest option is to change the entire cage to something smaller with a locking lid. a kritter keeper is a great option, as well as plastic shoe boxes. tarantulas dont care for moving around much, so alot of room is unneeded. @Andre Pereira Constancio
 
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WeightedAbyss75

Arachnoangel
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Feb 22, 2014
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921
Yep, my Pamphobeteus sp. Goliath has had it's burrow blocked up for at keast a month. Not sure if it is molting or in premolt, but many T's hide before molting sit in their burrow and prepare for the molt. Could even take months depending on the T. Don't worry, it is probably just getting itself ready to molt and will be a fresh LP in a week or so. Hope it works out! :D
 

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Jun 27, 2010
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Some spiders take a long time to molt - especially as they get bigger/older. My Aphonopelma sp. block up the entrances of their hides and disappear for anywhere from a few weeks to several months when they're getting ready to molt and my Theraphosa stirmi webbed up the entrance to her hide and stayed inside for... I don't remember exactly, but certainly over a month! Others, on the other hand, just surprise me with a fresh molt in the bottom of the cage and don't make such a fuss.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
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If you by this mean a spider from the Phoneutria genus, I am not so sure that it is a bright idea to attempt to keep one as pet :eek:
Yeah i totally regret it... After reading about it i understood that was a huge mistake... Not just because is dangerous but this species pretty much live walking around, so cage it was a bad idea...
 

chanda

Arachnoking
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Just so you know, "terrestrial" tarantulas are capable of climbing glass - and can easily fall, resulting in serious injury or death, particularly if they land on something hard (like those rocks - you might want to get rid of those). You should add more substrate, both because most of the terrestrial tarantulas like to burrow and to reduce the risk of injury from a fall. The total open height of the tank (from lid to top of the substrate) should be roughly 1.5 x the diagonal leg span of the tarantula, so if the tarantula has a 4-inch leg span, the distance from substrate to ceiling should be no more than 6 inches.

Also, tarantulas are capable of chewing through the cardboard "lid" you've made. (They can even chew their way through thin/lightweight metal screening.) I would strongly suggest getting a more appropriate enclosure - or at least a more secure top for that one. I can't quite tell how you've got the cardboard secured to the aquarium. Is it held on with tape, and then a flap in the cardboard for feeding and cage maintenance? That isn't terribly secure - tarantulas are surprisingly strong and can probably wedge the flap open and escape (if they don't just chew through the whole thing). It could also get a leg, pedipalp, or fang caught on the tape while trying to get out - which could result in the loss of that limb or fang.
 

Abyss

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
281
Since no one said it yet, just with a glance heres the glaring issues with that setup.....

1) lose the rocks asap, its a falling hazard (either them falling on the T or the T falling on them.
2) lose the screen as screens are a death trap for T's an if not death then they can lose fangs/legs from getting caught in them
3) add substrate, its not near deep enough an creats another falling hazard if the T tries to climb an would fall
4) clean out the water dish (its just more sanitary an a pet peav of mine).

Thats all i noticed at a glance. Will try an look closer later on if need be.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Messages
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Since no one said it yet, just with a glance heres the glaring issues with that setup.....

1) lose the rocks asap, its a falling hazard (either them falling on the T or the T falling on them.
2) lose the screen as screens are a death trap for T's an if not death then they can lose fangs/legs from getting caught in them
3) add substrate, its not near deep enough an creats another falling hazard if the T tries to climb an would fall
4) clean out the water dish (its just more sanitary an a pet peav of mine).

Thats all i noticed at a glance. Will try an look closer later on if need be.
Thank you very much!
I'll be working on the enclosure asap... My only concern is that, as the T is molting, will I stress it out if I move stuff around?
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Messages
7
post a pic of the cage. too many beginners set up poor cages at first.
tarantulas commonly hide when a molts approaching btw
yeah, some things should def be changed in that cage. the sub level should have a gap no more than 1.5x the tarantulas leg span, your spider could very well die from that fall, especially with those rocks. that lid needs to be changed as well. the spider will chew through that in minutes and escape. the hide should be changed as well, that wooden box will mold within a couple weeks.
in fact, the best and easiest option is to change the entire cage to something smaller with a locking lid. a kritter keeper is a great option, as well as plastic shoe boxes. tarantulas dont care for moving around much, so alot of room is unneeded. @Andre Pereira Constancio
Thank you very much
Near my home there's a pet shop, so I'll be looking for a proper enclosure if i couldn't fix this one.
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Messages
7
post a pic of the cage. too many beginners set up poor cages at first.
tarantulas commonly hide when a molts approaching btw
yeah, some things should def be changed in that cage. the sub level should have a gap no more than 1.5x the tarantulas leg span, your spider could very well die from that fall, especially with those rocks. that lid needs to be changed as well. the spider will chew through that in minutes and escape. the hide should be changed as well, that wooden box will mold within a couple weeks.
in fact, the best and easiest option is to change the entire cage to something smaller with a locking lid. a kritter keeper is a great option, as well as plastic shoe boxes. tarantulas dont care for moving around much, so alot of room is unneeded. @Andre Pereira Constancio
Should i look out for a set up like this one?

 

Abyss

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 15, 2016
Messages
281
Thank you very much!
I'll be working on the enclosure asap... My only concern is that, as the T is molting, will I stress it out if I move stuff around?
No problem and yea, if its in pre-moult i woudlnt disturb it till aftwr its moulted AND after its had a good meal post moult (wait about a week or so after moulting to feed FYI)
 
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
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-------------------------------------------UPDATE--------------------------------------------------
i've just discovered that it's not possible to edit my thread again, so i'll reply to myself...


>The last time i posted here, my T was buried inside the wooden box that you guys can see in the main post pictures... on a certain day at the morning, while she/he was there, i've put a roach to see if she/he wanted some food... At the next day, for my surprise, the T dug a little hole to hunt down the roach, and when i went to look at the enclosure, she/he was walking around. Due to my worries about the hazards of my last enclosure, ( and because my T wasn't very lethargic ) I've decided to change her/he to a more secure version of the enclosure...
I wasn't able to find that anything kritter keeper of the photo yet, so i've bought a plastic container that seemed very close to the kritter keeper measurements. Having in mind that the T would dig another hole to molt, i've placed the old aquarium under the plastic container, and glued it with silicone adhesive so nothing will be moving around.

I honestly was expecting a few days for he/she to get used with its new enclosure, but at the evening of the same day, the T was webbing the flower pot hole and putting dirt around.
For me that was a good sign...
Despite looking cleaner and safer I know this still very much diy, but i'm on a busy month here studying a lot :/. As soon as my vacation starts, i'll buy proper stuff.


LP? And btw she/he have all the legs, is just perspective...
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/


The little "house" is a small flower pot, the top is covered with a black plastic cloth (to avoid mold)
I've cut off the bottom of the plastic container so the spider can dig all the way down.

The substrate i'm using is common sterilized dirt (since the T was found homeless walking in my backyard) that my father uses to plant natural spices...

Tell me all the things I'm missing...
Once again, thanks everyone for all the helpful information!
 
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Ghost56

Arachnobaron
Joined
Aug 28, 2016
Messages
443
Looks a lot better, and your T looks to be in premolt. Substrate looks too moist, but I'd leave it be since it's blocked off the pot. Most likely going to molt soon.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Messages
7
Looks a lot better, and your T looks to be in premolt. Substrate looks too moist, but I'd leave it be since it's blocked off the pot. Most likely going to molt soon.
Before i put the T, i poured water just on the surface, but this dirt was vacuum sealed and super dry so the lower layers of dirt are still sucking the water from above, that's why looks very soaked
 
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