red knee stays at the top of the cage

[renz0115]

Same problem has just happened to me I recently purchased my Mexican red knee and he just hangs out on top of the cage but he’s terrestrial



this is his setup

 

[Dennis Nedry]

View attachment 297851

that enclosure is way too tall. If she falls from that height she could very well die. The lights are probably also stressing the tarantula out if she’s out in the open like that as well, being nocturnal they don’t like bright lights

 

[renz0115]

His hide is a zoomed half bark which he never hides in

 

[Thekla]

View attachment 297851

Get your T out of there ASAP! That's a disaster waiting to happen.

Also, I think the substrate is too fluffy for its liking, you need to tamp it down. Take everything out and put it into a new container with less height. There shouldn't be more than 1,5x DLS between substrate and the top. And no mesh lid as they can get their tarsal claws stuck in there.

Here's a good beginner guide, read it!

http://arachnoboards.com/threads/fantastic-beginner-tarantulas-and-how-to-keep-them.314840/

 

[cold blood]

Agreed, it's simply not an appropriate enclosure for a terrestrial.

 

[boina]

Because it hates the enclosure. You need coco fiber earth and not pure coco fibers for substrate. They can't walk on that. Where is it going to go if it can't walk on the ground? And there's too much height.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Also as others have mentioned that substrate is also way too fibrous. You’ll want to look for coco coir, peat, topsoil, etc. You could even just use soil from your garden depending on the soil type given you remove any hitch hikers as best you can

 

[Tenebrarius]

my hand went through my skull from a face palm, this is an ungodly site. I am watching this poor T hang on for dear life. TAKE IT OUT OF THERE. heights equals bad for Ts here is an equation for the height: 1.5(dls) = max vertical space.

 

[mack1855]

Your t is communicating with you.Its letting you know somethings not
right here.

 

[notanarachnophobe]

From my experience, that'd suggest something in the enclosure. I reckon it'll be those lights. What substrate are you using?

 

[weibkreux]

Your enclosure is too high, one wrong fall can be fatal with that height.

 

[Erica Danielle]

Because it hates the enclosure. You need coco fiber earth and not pure coco fibers for substrate. They can't walk on that. Where is it going to go if it can't walk on the ground? And there's too much height.

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread!

I’m still doing research before I get my first Tarantula and I’m going through forums gathering advice and care information for terrestrial tarantulas (Tliltocatl albopilosum for my first). I also read a lot of the Beginner with Questions, Stuck in Molt, Check My Enclosure, etc threads since there’s always a lot of good info in the comments. I feel silly asking, but what is the difference in pure coco fiber and coco fiber earth? What would the name brand “EcoEarth” substrate be considered?

Sorry again for opening up an old thread. I don’t want to cloud the forum with my constant questions. No more than I already have.

 

[Arachnophoric]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread!

I’m still doing research before I get my first Tarantula and I’m going through forums gathering advice and care information for terrestrial tarantulas (Tliltocatl albopilosum for my first). I also read a lot of the Beginner with Questions, Stuck in Molt, Check My Enclosure, etc threads since there’s always a lot of good info in the comments. I feel silly asking, but what is the difference in pure coco fiber and coco fiber earth? What would the name brand “EcoEarth” substrate be considered?

Sorry again for opening up an old thread. I don’t want to cloud the forum with my constant questions. No more than I already have.

Cocofibre is that stringy loose stuff that you can see in the above photo, cocofibre earth has a texture/consistency more like dirt with small granular pieces that can be packed down for more solid footing.

 

[Vanisher]

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread!

I’m still doing research before I get my first Tarantula and I’m going through forums gathering advice and care information for terrestrial tarantulas (Tliltocatl albopilosum for my first). I also read a lot of the Beginner with Questions, Stuck in Molt, Check My Enclosure, etc threads since there’s always a lot of good info in the comments. I feel silly asking, but what is the difference in pure coco fiber and coco fiber earth? What would the name brand “EcoEarth” substrate be considered?

Sorry again for opening up an old thread. I don’t want to cloud the forum with my constant questions. No more than I already have.

I suggest not buying that of the reason that it is too expensive. Always buy substrates in bulk, like topsoil or peat in a gardenstore. You can find soil 10 times more cheap than buying coco fibre. Eco earth is just a brand name if i am correct? They are basicly the same thing. Now i dont like it of other reason than the price. I have tried it but i found it too loose and i dont like the look if it. I rather use peat or topsoil, but many people use coco fibre so i cant talk bad about it. Just my personally opinion. If you have a forrest near your place you can dig up the substrate yourself for free. This is the cheapest and most climate smart there are.

 

[Erica Danielle]

I suggest not buying that of the reason that it is too expensive. Always buy substrates in bulk, like topsoil or peat in a gardenstore. You can find soil 10 times more cheap than buying coco fibre. Eco earth is just a brand name if i am correct? They are basicly the same thing. Now i dont like it of other reason than the price. I have tried it but i found it too loose and i dont like the look if it. I rather use peat or topsoil, but many people use coco fibre so i cant talk bad about it. Just my personally opinion. If you have a forrest near your place you can dig up the substrate yourself for free. This is the cheapest and most climate smart there are.

I’ve gotten a couple different bags of coco fiber and a bag of the Scott’s topsoil (I kinda wanted to play with it before putting a T on it to see what would be best). The coco fiber (the EcoEarth) is super light. But the topsoil is about 85% sticks. I did try sifting to get the sticks out but its so largely sticks it was kind of pointless? I hear Scott’s topsoil being used but is there another brand of topsoil I could try? What brand of peat moss would be best? (I know it shouldn’t have any fertilizers, definitely. But I’ve read defying information about compost and animal waste).

Maybe I’m being too picky or vastly overthinking substrate. Being my first T I want to make sure I’m doing everything perfectly.

 

[Vanisher]

If you already have coco fibre, use it! But personally, i would have muxed it with topsoil or pottingsoil

 

[Erica Danielle]

If you already have coco fibre, use it! But personally, i would have muxed it with topsoil or pottingsoil

I haven’t done anything yet just went ahead and got some of the preferred subs for when I do get my first T... one of these days lol. What do you think about the sticks being in the topsoil? They’re not particularly stiff or sharp, so if some was still in the TS would that be alright in an enclosure?

Sorry about all my questions. By the time I’m finished doing research and asking 1.2 billion questions, I should write a book. Lol.

 

[jaw6053]

I haven’t done anything yet just went ahead and got some of the preferred subs for when I do get my first T... one of these days lol. What do you think about the sticks being in the topsoil? They’re not particularly stiff or sharp, so if some was still in the TS would that be alright in an enclosure?

Sorry about all my questions. By the time I’m finished doing research and asking 1.2 billion questions, I should write a book. Lol.

 

[Erica Danielle]

I’ll definitely be looking into getting those ASAP. It’s not that I completely dislike the Coco Fiber but goodness it’s so light.

And thank y’all for the advice!

 

[Dorifto]

Edited:
I use a mix of unfertilized top soil, sand and clay. It works perfect in her vivarium, but that's my personal case.
A lot cheaper and imo more natural than coco fiber alone.