Hello, I’m asking on behalf of my teenage daughter. She’s had her Mexican red knee for a couple of weeks. It appears to be hiding, and we’ve read this is normal, but she didn’t see it dig or burrow. She’s a little worried. Do they do this quickly? Within an hour? There’s no way it could have gotten out but it’s really hidden and freaking us out a bit. We know not to disturb it but is there a way to see where it might be? Any other advice appreciated.
New Mexican red knee hiding
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Arachnoprince
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Shine a flashlight underneath the container. You can gentle prod around with a paintbrush but be careful and I wouldn’t if you’re certain there’s no way it escaped. They can hide in 5 seconds, definitely within and hour
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Any photos of it before it hid? How big is it? If a molt is not imminent, you can usually tell whether it's ok by leaving food and seeing if it disappears overnight.
Can you post a photo of the enclosure?
Can you post a photo of the enclosure?
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If it is a sling it can hide quite easily and if it was placed in an oversized enclosure that can only make it easier too! It would be helpful to say the size of the tarantula and the size of the enclosure and attach photos as well. Also escapes can happen if the holes are the same size or bigger than the carapace they can squeeze through smaller spaces than you think.
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Not always
Rarely!
Depends on your setup and observant you are. Many parents of the kids exotic animals aren’t too observant from my experience on here.
Just wait
Thank you everybody. I’ve attached a photo of the enclosure and of Mavis (lol). She ate yesterday, a few hours before disappearing. She’s maybe two or three inches, leg span? Maybe bigger. Sorry the photo is so dark. My daughter also likes burying herself in dark spaces and honestly I don’t know where the light is.
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Welcome!
So you have a Brachypelma emilia, which I believe has a common name of Mexican painted red leg. They're beautiful T's, don't really move around all that much, and eat like champs. If it's only been in the enclosure a week or 2, it's absolutely normal for it to hide away and settle in, especially after a meal. I will say the substrate looks a little too damp for that species, and all the clumps of moss in there will only make it harder for the T to find prey (and for the keeper to find the T).
Give it a few days and don't bother it. It'll come out when it feels more comfortable and gets hungry or thirsty. When it does you might move that hide so one end of it is against the glass - that way when the T goes in there, you'll still have a window to observe it through.
You and your kid should read up as much as you can about general T behavior and your specific type (B. emilia). Here's a great place to start:
Tarantula Information for Beginners (and More)
Below are some helpful resources. (Rather than having half a dozen or more pinned threads, which clutter the top of the board, we are pinning this index.) While the focus is on beginners, there are other threads on health and more advanced species that may be useful to more experienced keepers...
arachnoboards.com
I wondered that about the substrate after the reading I did. I’ll pass that on.
Nice! Did she molt? Maybe a picture?
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I'd put more substrate in there as well. If she's 3" DLS, there should only be about 4.5" from substrate to lid to prevent fall injuries. Also, if that lid is fine mesh, it will need to be replaced, too, so she doesn't get her claws caught should she decide to climb. Congrats on the beautiful new spider, and you are an awesome mom!