Removing Tarantula from Enclosure

[Nephrite]

I've been reading up more about tarantulas, browsing mistakes and new ideas brought up in the forums, and It has come to my attention I found a post similar to my situation. Currently my substrate is way too low from the roof and if my 5 inch Rosea plans to climb to the roof, she could potentially fall and get hurt. I could not get a picture of my enclosure right now but I found a picture in the forums that replicates my current substrate situation. I've tried moving/coaxing my Rosea, but all I'm getting are threat postures or quick bolt into the hide. How should I go about getting her out?

 

[Leonardo the Mage]

Try using a deli cup and tongs. if she darts into the cork tube, remove it with her in it. if she goes into the hollow half log, remove it and continue with the deli cup and tongs.

 

[chanda]

Remove the hide and put in a cup or other small container (preferably with a lid). With a pair of tongs or paintbrush, direct her into the container and pop the lid on.

Alternatively, remove the hide and add substrate to the half of the enclosure she is not in, then urge her over to that side (or wait until she goes there on her own) and add substrate to the other side. Repeat as necessary until desired level is achieved. (That's what I did when I wanted to add substrate for my T. stirmi - it seemed less stressful for her to just gradually increase the level of substrate in one section of the tank at a time, rather than trying to catch her and remove her.)

 

[EulersK]

Get yourself a cup, preferably clear, and a drinking straw. If you don't have a straw, use a pipecleaner or a paintbrush. You want something soft.

Hover the cup above the abdomen at an angle away from the head. We want her to turn around and crawl into that. With your straw, coax the T into the cup. It'll fight, but they almost always back up as you do this. Just keep your cool, don't be jumpy. Once they're inside, put the lid on and you're golden. If your cup doesn't have a lid, use a piece of cardboard and just put a medium stone on top to keep from an escape.

Usually, with this species, it's easier to just place the cup over the T in a trap style. No need to fight them with the straw unless they refuse to leave their hide. Just don't have so much junk in there, next time. A hide, a water dish, and you're good.

By the way, if it were a skittish T rather than an aggressive one, you'd hover the cup above the head at an angle away from the abdomen rather than the other way around. That way it runs right into the cup.

 

[Nephrite]

Get yourself a cup, preferably clear, and a drinking straw. If you don't have a straw, use a pipecleaner or a paintbrush. You want something soft.

Hover the cup above the abdomen at an angle away from the head. We want her to turn around and crawl into that. With your straw, coax the T into the cup. It'll fight, but they almost always back up as you do this. Just keep your cool, don't be jumpy. Once they're inside, put the lid on and you're golden. If your cup doesn't have a lid, use a piece of cardboard and just put a medium stone on top to keep from an escape.

Usually, with this species, it's easier to just place the cup over the T in a trap style. No need to fight them with the straw unless they refuse to leave their hide. Just don't have so much junk in there, next time. A hide, a water dish, and you're good.

By the way, if it were a skittish T rather than an aggressive one, you'd hover the cup above the head at an angle away from the abdomen rather than the other way around. That way it runs right into the cup.

Alright I'll try out all those ideas, and I don't have a cork tube in my enclosure this is a picture of someone else's because I couldn't get a picture of my own right now. It was just for a better visualization of how my substrate is. Simple hide, waterdish, and this fake plant.

 

[EulersK]

Alright I'll try out all those ideas, and I don't have a cork tube in my enclosure this is a picture of someone else's because I couldn't get a picture of my own right now. It was just for a better visualization of how my substrate is. Simple hide, waterdish, and this fake plant.

Ah, perfect! Yeah, then just drop the cup over the T and slide a piece of cardboard underneath. Done.

 

[General Zod]

The food container worked well for my curly. I laid the top upside down on the substrate, then hovered the container over her and very gently (and slowly) coaxed her over, using the inside of the container to get her to walk onto the top. Once she was on the top, I closed the container around her and lifted it out by the bottom (top).