P. Metallica vs G. Pulchra Experience

SpiderSkull

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Hi. I currently own a P. Metallica and a G. Pulchra. Both were purchased from a popular seller here. The P. Metallica has been a wonderful eater and has shed twice since January. It is now just under 3 inches, and is starting to pick up blue coloration on its legs and body. I couldn't be more happy with this tarantula.

My G. Pulchra, on the other hand, decided to bury itself for the last 4 months. Fortunately, his burrow is visible on the side of its enclosure and appears to be okay. The first month he was out and about and had a voracious appetite. He is probably about 1.5 inches in length but he has not molted since I received him. He does appear to be in pre-molt. The dirt above his burrow entrance is bone dry, so I can tell that he has not left his burrow to drink or eat. How much longer can I expect this guy to hide out? Is 6 months or more normal for a G. Pulchra this size? Let me know your experiences to give me some piece of mind. Thank you!

I forgot to mention that I keep my T's at room temperature (68F to 78F). Also, The P. Metallica is in a 32 oz. plastic peanut jar from Costco. The G. Pulchra is in a 24 oz. deli cup. I'm wondering if that might be too large for it. Should I keep it in something smaller than a 24 oz?
 
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cold blood

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It can go a lot longer than one might expect. You can't worry about it, it will emerge if it needs to or wants to...just a waiting game. Just keep the water dish full.;)
 

Moonohol

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G. pulchra will take its time to molt. I also own both of these beautiful species, but my pulchra is -always- out. I suspect yours will come out of its shell as it gains size. They're known to be visible, inquisitive tarantulas.
 

SpiderSkull

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@cold blood - I do keep the water bottle cap full at all times in the g. Pulchra's enclosure. I also forgot to mention that I keep both T's at room temperature (68F-78F). Thanks.
 

SpiderSkull

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G. pulchra will take its time to molt. I also own both of these beautiful species, but my pulchra is -always- out. I suspect yours will come out of its shell as it gains size. They're known to be visible, inquisitive tarantulas.
Hi Moonohol,
Can you share your personal experience with your pulchra's burial time?
If you remember it. Maybe even his molt record if you keep it. Thanks!
 

Haemus

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My girl molted about 5 months ago, and I think she's in premolt right now. I figure she'll go another month...or two :)

She buried herself as well prior to molting. A few weeks she was down there, but I knew she came up every now and then since the dish was flipped occasionally lol
 

Ungoliant

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Can you share your personal experience with your pulchra's burial time?
If you remember it. Maybe even his molt record if you keep it.
Molt records for my two juvenile female Grammostola pulchra:

Flash (the pet hole):
acquired: 9/5/2015 (0.75")
molted: 10/7/2015 (1.25")
molted: 12/22/2015
molted: 2/16/2016
molted: 10/29/2016
sealed in for pre-molt: 1/19/2017
molted: 2/10/2017 (2.25)"

Bulldozer (the fearless one):
acquired: 9/26/2015 (2")
molted: 12/2/2015
molted: 1/19/2016 (3")
pre-molt fast: 1/12/2017
molting mat: 1/30/2017 (3")
molted: 1/31/2017 (3.5")
 

SpiderSkull

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My girl molted about 5 months ago, and I think she's in premolt right now. I figure she'll go another month...or two :)

She buried herself as well prior to molting. A few weeks she was down there, but I knew she came up every now and then since the dish was flipped occasionally lol
Awesome photo! How big is she now? Mine is still the drab brown color and has been in hiding for 4 months. I can't wait until it comes out of hiding and molts. Hopefully, it will get some black coloration when it does.
 

SpiderSkull

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Molt records for my two juvenile female Grammostola pulchra:

Flash (the pet hole):
acquired: 9/5/2015 (0.75")
molted: 10/7/2015 (1.25")
molted: 12/22/2015
molted: 2/16/2016
molted: 10/29/2016
sealed in for pre-molt: 1/19/2017
molted: 2/10/2017 (2.25)"

Bulldozer (the fearless one):
acquired: 9/26/2015 (2")
molted: 12/2/2015
molted: 1/19/2016 (3")
pre-molt fast: 1/12/2017
molting mat: 1/30/2017 (3")
molted: 1/31/2017 (3.5")
 

SpiderSkull

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This is the kind of information I'm looking for! Thank you! It looks like mine has buried itself for quite a long time (4 months) compared to yours. What size enclosure did you keep yours in when they were about 1.25 to 1.5 inches? I'm wondering if my 24 oz deli cup is slightly too large for it? Thanks again!

If anyone else has g. pulchra sling burial times and molt records please share. I'm just curious if others have experienced 4 months or longer of hiding as a sling.:)
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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What size enclosure did you keep yours in when they were about 1.25 to 1.5 inches? I'm wondering if my 24 oz deli cup is slightly too large for it?
Bulldozer (the larger one) has always been in a small Exo Terra Breeding Box (8" x 8" x 5.5").

Flash (the smaller one) was initially in a container less than half that size. After she molted once or twice, I upgraded her to a small Exo Terra Breeding Box. She seems exceptionally timid and is mostly a pet hole. (She often seals herself in even when she is not in pre-molt, "cuz she skeered.") Hopefully she'll grow out of that, but maybe I just have a weird pulchra.
 

Moonohol

Two Legged Freak
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Hi Moonohol,
Can you share your personal experience with your pulchra's burial time?
If you remember it. Maybe even his molt record if you keep it. Thanks!
Mine has never burrowed. I gave it a cork bark hide with some plastic leaves and it just uses that! I got it at around 1", it's molted in my care twice so far and is currently about 1.5-1.75". I've had it for around 9 months.
 

dragonfire1577

Arachnodemon
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Oct 7, 2015
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These species are both great and as you've probably seen incredibly different, you will likely have drastically different experiences with each since you know one is a relatively docile new world terrestrial that gets bulky, grows slow and has mild venom the other is a wicked fast, arboreal, flighty and sort of defensive old world that has medically significant venom. You'll likely find the pulchra's super slow crawl of a growth rate and slow metabolism frustrating but the typically awesome power they hit with when feeding and impressive stature as it grows really cool while the metallica will be a more entertaining species to observe, feed and watch grow but harder to re house and perform maintenance on due to a higher level of caution being necessary. Overall wish you the best of luck with both, they are really great species!
 

SpiderSkull

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Bulldozer (the larger one) has always been in a small Exo Terra Breeding Box (8" x 8" x 5.5").

Flash (the smaller one) was initially in a container less than half that size. After she molted once or twice, I upgraded her to a small Exo Terra Breeding Box. She seems exceptionally timid and is mostly a pet hole. (She often seals herself in even when she is not in pre-molt, "cuz she skeered.") Hopefully she'll grow out of that, but maybe I just have a weird pulchra.
 

SpiderSkull

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Thanks Ungoliant. I guess mine is an extremely scared version of your Flash. Hopefully, the warmer weather will help her molt faster and get her out of hiding. I will keep her in her current container.
 

SpiderSkull

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Mine has never burrowed. I gave it a cork bark hide with some plastic leaves and it just uses that! I got it at around 1", it's molted in my care twice so far and is currently about 1.5-1.75". I've had it for around 9 months.
Wow. That is a pretty slow growth rate. I guess I'm just going to have to be patient.
 

SpiderSkull

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These species are both great and as you've probably seen incredibly different, you will likely have drastically different experiences with each since you know one is a relatively docile new world terrestrial that gets bulky, grows slow and has mild venom the other is a wicked fast, arboreal, flighty and sort of defensive old world that has medically significant venom. You'll likely find the pulchra's super slow crawl of a growth rate and slow metabolism frustrating but the typically awesome power they hit with when feeding and impressive stature as it grows really cool while the metallica will be a more entertaining species to observe, feed and watch grow but harder to re house and perform maintenance on due to a higher level of caution being necessary. Overall wish you the best of luck with both, they are really great species!
Thanks for your input. I'm so happy with my p. metallica. Feeding response and growth rate are awesome. It's really nice to see the blue starting to show too. I rehoused it once already, and it went very smoothly since it prefers to hide away rather than act defensively. I did show extreme caution with the move and cleaning, since I definitely do not want to experience its venom.

I guess I'm just going to have to be extremely patient with the g. pulchra and its underground hideaway. I was planning to just keep two T's, but since this one is such a pet hole right now, I may get a third one. I'm considering a M. Balfouri, Euthalus Red (adult one if possible), GBB, or another p. regalis. There is a reptile show in N. California this weekend. Hopefully, they will have some nice T's there.
 

Moonohol

Two Legged Freak
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Wow. That is a pretty slow growth rate. I guess I'm just going to have to be patient.
Yep, they are pretty slow growing. You can try to increase growth by keeping them at a higher temp (80F or so) but that's usually more hassle than it's worth. I just keep mine at room temp and make sure it's well-fed.
 

Haemus

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Awesome photo! How big is she now? Mine is still the drab brown color and has been in hiding for 4 months. I can't wait until it comes out of hiding and molts. Hopefully, it will get some black coloration when it does.
Mine was a little brown but VERY shy before that molt. Now she's much more confident and spends most of the time lounging on her cork bark hide.
 

SpiderSkull

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Yep, they are pretty slow growing. You can try to increase growth by keeping them at a higher temp (80F or so) but that's usually more hassle than it's worth. I just keep mine at room temp and make sure it's well-fed.
Yeah, I'm just going to keep them at room temperature too. It's going to be in the 80's the next few days so maybe that will help kick start its molt.
 
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