Now this I haven't seen before....

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
468
Really what to do but to post here. Well here is the thing. My A. geniculata started to dug a hole, dumping all the substrate into the waterdish. Well thats ok I said, I dumped the substrate back on the pile of the other substrate, cleaned the dish and poured in a fresh water.

Few hours klater I checked on it again. AGAIN, there was substrate un the waterdish. Ok, I done everything as before but this time I turned waterdish 90°so it is further and said "we'll see what happen".

The next morning I was shocked becouse s/he dug that hole all the way down! And I don't mean just a hole. S/he move ALL substrate of size of that hole on that tiny pile of substrate so that you can see the glass. I have no idea why the hell would do that. And now s/he is hanging on the side of the glass. Its not there forever, but I sede it do that once a day and it hangs there for about 2-5 hours a day if not in that hole.

S/he was introduced to the enclosure almost a month ago(19th of october). I have coco fiber for substrate, I don't mist it and all the watering I do is when I water only the parts where the plants are. S/he haven't do that before but last week s/he started that. It explored whole enclosure, webbed the substrate, plants, wood....All like normal t would. I am surprised becouse I never seen that from the tarantula. Sure, my P. cambridgei made a burrow and closed all the exits. Sure, my B. smithi when was younger dug herself twice. But this one..just made a hole all the way to the glass.:?

To see the situtation I am posting you a picture to see. So doesen't like the enviroment or is it this the normal strange t behavour? And I'm sorry for a bit long post.:eek:





 

Hobo

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Staff member
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
2,208
She's just trying to dig herself a burrow. I think that's pretty obvious.
The substrate looks soaked. It may just be where the plants are, but it still adds to the humidity of her entire enclosure, probably prompting her to climb.

I'm sure you know this, but you shouldn't have a terrestrial in such a high enclosure, should she fall and hurt herself. If you fill it up some more, it would also let her burrow some more. Bonus!

As for her sudden change of behavior, it happens. My N. chromatus went through a phase where she would climb all around and web everything. Same with my GBB. My rosehair also started moving sub around for no reason. After about a month or so, they stopped. Might be the weather, the time of year, who knows. The best thing you can do is make it more safe for her even if she decided to play daredevil once in a while:)
 

Waxen

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 5, 2004
Messages
128
Hobo is spot on with his observations. On a side note, pretty genic. :)
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
468
Well I won't mist the plants until next week, I mist them once a week. Otherwise I leave substrate dry completely, same as B. smithi's is. I never saw my A. geniculata climb that much, normaly climed oce every few days before and hanged there for a very short time, normally just about half an hour when I mist the plants. The substrate is about 5 cm(2 inches) deep, from substrate to the top is 20 cm(8 inches) high and the spider is about 10 cm(3.9 inches) LS. I don't want to stress it by moving it out the enclosure and filling more of substrate since it made a webbing at that hole(seen on the picture. I know even that it likes to explore at night, it walks everywhere. The wood, the substrate, it webs the plants and everywhere it goes. :)
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
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Jan 31, 2010
Messages
1,309
It would be better for you to stress it out one time and give it more substrate, then it to explore one night and fall and get injured or die.
 

KoriTamashii

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
419
It would be better for you to stress it out one time and give it more substrate, then it to explore one night and fall and get injured or die.
+1000 on this.

I know you'd just hate yourself if you found her in a death curl brought on by a nasty fall.
 

Mattyb

Arachnoking
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Jun 28, 2004
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2,317
Provide more substrate around 5". and keep it dry.
 

AudreyElizabeth

Arachnodemon
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Feb 10, 2003
Messages
741
Nice Acanthoscurria geniculata! This has always been one of my favorites species.

Odd, everyone is saying to keep the substrate dry. My female is constantly hanging around the dish. I flood it about every five days, and she hangs out on the damp end of the cage almost all the time. I've toyed with the idea of adding plants and blocking off some of the ventilation to increase relative humidity, since that seems to be what she craves. I really like your set-up, but I agree with the rest, add more substrate. Good luck.
 

Motorkar

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Messages
468
Thank you all for the advice. I added more substrate, its about 10 cm(5 inches). S/he doesen't climb that much, really ocasionally. Now it is a bit stressed since I ruined its hideout, where had atached web as well. I started a small burrow at the front where it has nice cave like shape so it can dig there if it wants. Mine likes it dry as well, always when I water the plants it starts to climb.
 
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