rehousing capture

syph

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 27, 2007
Messages
21
I have just ordered a King Baboon (Citharischius crawshayi) and an OBT. My question is when it comes to rohousing them whats the best approach to take? What do you do? Its just ive never known the best method for herding Ts or for digging them out of small pots. And as these two are usually fast and defensive i think i need to take some precautions.
Cheers
 

Mushroom Spore

Arachnoemperor
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 14, 2005
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4,588
What I've always thought would be the best idea with an aggressive burrower is to put a plastic container over their burrow entrance (sturdy enough they can't bite through it and clear so you can tell when they're in), and then pour water into the substrate until they run out to escape it. Then slide something under the container, watching to make sure you don't squish any toes, and hope that what you slid under there is ALSO thick enough they can't stab through it. {D

Put the whole mess down into the new tank, preferably atop a pre-started burrow. Slide the lid out from under the spider, and just leave the container there. If you pick it up while the T is still under it, they might come after you. So you wait until they've gone into the burrow or otherwise dug themselves out.
 

Arachnomaniak

Arachnoangel
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Aug 8, 2004
Messages
932
Depending on the size of your new T's, some great "tools" to invest in are 12" tongs/tweesers, chop sticks and large wooden spoons.
If they come in small vials, use tweesers/tongs or the chopsticks (basically something long and narrow) to gently poke them out of the container. Watch those fingers! Both of these species are known for being feisty so just as long as it's not your finger that's doing the poking, you should be ok.
I also like to do my transferring over the bath tub with the plug in to contain any escapees.
Good luck!
 

neanyoe

Arachnosquire
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May 17, 2007
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a lot of people say that about transfering within the bathtub. is it becuase they cant climb up the wall? or just because its a smaller confined space..?
 

Arachnomaniak

Arachnoangel
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A bit of both actually... Depending on the bathtub, some inverts have trouble climbing the side of the tub, and trust me, it's much easier to have them confined to the smaller space of the tub than the bathroom itself :p I've done so many transfers in the tub that I had to buy kneepads (our floor is tile and after a few hundred transfers anyone would hurt!).
 

Arachnomaniak

Arachnoangel
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Aug 8, 2004
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BTW, before transferring in the bathtub, make sure it's washed out well. Inverts + chemicals = sad hobbiests!
 

JMoran1097

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
924
I have just ordered a King Baboon (Citharischius crawshayi) and an OBT. My question is when it comes to rohousing them whats the best approach to take? What do you do? Its just ive never known the best method for herding Ts or for digging them out of small pots. And as these two are usually fast and defensive i think i need to take some precautions.
Cheers
the "slide and place" method that's already been described is a great idea as well as my idea which consists of taking a risk and opening the container inside the new enclosure and letting the spider naturally come out into it's new habitat.
 

julesaussies

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 15, 2007
Messages
577
a lot of people say that about transfering within the bathtub. is it becuase they cant climb up the wall? or just because its a smaller confined space..?
A bit of both actually... Depending on the bathtub, some inverts have trouble climbing the side of the tub, and trust me, it's much easier to have them confined to the smaller space of the tub than the bathroom itself :p I've done so many transfers in the tub that I had to buy kneepads (our floor is tile and after a few hundred transfers anyone would hurt!).
i just unpacked a MM OBT last week. Definitely the trikiest T i've had to rehouse yet. i also do all of my rehousing and unpacking in the tub as well unless i'm working with a large, slow, docile species and i am already familiar with that individual T. Anyway, i prefer the tub because it gives me a large, open area to work; where i could hopefully catch a runaway T easily if needed. My bathroom is also always very clean and neat and there aren't nearly as many places for a T to hide if it escaped. However, i was always under the impression that some T's can climb the tile wall above my bath if it tried, though never had that happen - not even with my Pokie. Well, i can tell you that this OBT had absolutely zero problems running up my tile wall in true OBT fashion. :eek:

So...
  • YES, i think it is helpful to unpack/rehouse in the tub
  • NO, it does not inhibit them from scaling the walls at lightening speed!!
 
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