Question about A. seemanni behaviour

[Valoel]

So this is my first tarantula and I guess I'm just a bit worried about whether I'm doing everything right or not. Does this behavior sound normal?

She spends most of her time in her hide and every once in a while will come out to get some water. Though the other day I noticed she had put up some webbing at the entrance to her hide, and last night had piled a bit of dirt at the entrance as well. She ate a cricket a couple days ago, so I believe her appetite is good. Is it normal for her to spend so much time inside of her hide? As far as I know, everything in her enclosure is how it should be. She has access to fresh water from a shallow dish, a half log for her hide, a fake plant off to the side, eco earth for her substrate, and the temperature stays within the mid 70's.

Also, when I got her about a week ago, I noticed there was a light colored bald patch on her abdomen. Is this because she's stressed?

 

[Venom1080]

Some spiders spend days at a time in one position. It's normal.

Could be stress. Could be the start of premolt.

Please post pics of the spider and cage.

 

[miss moxie]

Her light colored bald patch is her "skin" under the urticating hairs, so to speak. It's part of her exoskeleton.

Here is an extreme example of a bald tarantula:

They become bald from kicking their hairs or laying them down around their den to keep predators away. If you had her shipped to you then she could have lost them during shipping too. It's perfectly fine and she'll get them back when she molts next.

As for her hiding, that's normal. Right now she's in a new enclosure (I assume? Maybe you got her with her enclosure.) and needs time to settle down. Then, she might just be a tarantula who rarely comes out. My G. pulchripes only comes out when she's hungry.

If you want some feedback on your enclosure you can post pictures here.

 

[KezyGLA]

This species will burrow and will use it.

Once it has arranged it the way it pleases then it should be out more often

 

[Valoel]

Her light colored bald patch is her "skin" under the urticating hairs, so to speak. It's part of her exoskeleton.

Here is an extreme example of a bald tarantula:

They become bald from kicking their hairs or laying them down around their den to keep predators away. If you had her shipped to you then she could have lost them during shipping too. It's perfectly fine and she'll get them back when she molts next.

As for her hiding, that's normal. Right now she's in a new enclosure (I assume? Maybe you got her with her enclosure.) and needs time to settle down. Then, she might just be a tarantula who rarely comes out. My G. pulchripes only comes out when she's hungry.

If you want some feedback on your enclosure you can post pictures here.

Sorry about the quality of the pictures. Anyhow, the substrate is set up so that it kinda slopes into a hill. there is about 2-3 inches on the shallow side and about 5-6 inches of substrate on the deep side with the hide. I ended up moving the water dish so that when she came out of her hide, she wouldn't kick too much substrate into the water.

Also the bald patch is hard to see in that picture. I'd get a better one, but I don't want to disturb her in her hide.

 

[miss moxie]

That's actually a very decent set up. Not too much space for her to fall, access to a water dish, and a good sized hide. I'm sure she'll be fine. Just let her do her thing and make sure her water dish is filled. Unfortunately tarantulas aren't always the most exciting of pet. Sometimes they really do just sit in one spot for long periods of time. When I rehoused my female G. pulchra, she sat in the very same spot with the very same foot up and resting against the enclosure wall for 12 straight hours.

 

[KezyGLA]

Good set up. She will be fine in there. Will settle soon. Expect to be emptying that water dish constantly

 

[Valoel]

Good to know everything seems alright! Thanks for the help guys!

 

[miss moxie]

Good to know everything seems alright! Thanks for the help guys!

No problem! Welcome to the hobby.

 

[Ellenantula]

A seemanni likes to burrow -- so make sure she has plenty of substrate. A seemanni also need things a bit damper than other Aphonopelmas -- not swampy or muddy -- just dampen maybe a 1/4 to 1/3 and rotate area.
I consider her building dirt curtains under a hide her way of having a burrow -- they like to feel safe and burrowed.
Some burrow and make amazing underground tunnels if given enough substrate.

 

[boina]

I don't really like those wooden hides with tarantulas that need a bit of moisture. They have a tendency to mold on the underside and since you don't see it right away that mold can really build up.

 

[Grace Cannell]

My B. albo seals its hide a lot, even when it's not in premolt. I shouldn't worry too much; if your seemanni wants out, it will dig itself out, and they do it surprisingly quick. My B. albo looked like something out of the movie tremors when I offered it a cricket.

 

[the sith witch]

I have nowhere near the experience of boina, but I concur about the Habba Hut wood hide. They look awesome, but most wood I've ever tried aside form cork, has molded in moist condition any time I've tried to half-bury a piece. But! I've found a type of hide that has the same shape and size but is made of porcelain made to look like wood, aimed at turtles. Using that for my X. immanis who likes it moist. My only regret is that now it won't come out of the damn thing....

Edit: just have to be careful if using heavier hides that there is no risk of the T digging too much underneath and risk it collapsing on top of them.

 

[darkness975]

Good to know everything seems alright! Thanks for the help guys!

The wooden half log hides can be more susceptible to mold in a more moist enclosure. For those I use Cork Bark or even this plastic half log that resembles wood in both looks and texture that I found once. Never did find another one of those.

Anyway, just something to consider for the future.

 

[Walker253]

I kept the hide in my seemanni enclosure until she made a good burrow, then I pulled it. She's not using the hide anyway and the extra space is nice.