So I ate a coconut... should I use it as housing?

Syngyne

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
229
A couple of days ago I bought a coconut. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Said coconut has now been consumed, leaving an empty shell. Someone asked if I was going to use it as a house for my little Tonka. I hadn't really thought about it before then. She didn't like the little cork temple I made for her, and uses a corner of her enclosure as her home. Said corner does not really have a roof, though.

Should I try taking out the little temple and replacing it with the coconut shell? If so, how well should I clean the shell?

Not related to the topic, but another question: Tonka's opisthosoma is distressingly small following her molt this past Sunday. It's a little smaller than her prosoma. How long do I need to wait before offering her food? She's at about a 4" legspan right now.
 

Syngyne

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
229
Do you think she'd get annoyed that I rearranged her enclosure?
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
Let the shell dry out then scrap out all remains, or bake in the oven that worked well for me. Then take your T out make the tank the way you want and put her back in. I find my Ts take to the coconut hides very quickly they find them very secure.
 

Nitibus

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 7, 2007
Messages
728
Not related to the topic, but another question: Tonka's opisthosoma is distressingly small following her molt this past Sunday. It's a little smaller than her prosoma. How long do I need to wait before offering her food? She's at about a 4" legspan right now.
At Four inches give it a week or two. If you can check, see if the fangs have blackened; if so, then you know the T's exo has hardened up.
 

JMoran1097

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
924
the coconut is so useful when it comes to owning T's. cmon now, fiborous material for bedding AND hides for T's. yay for coconut!
 

tarsier

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 31, 2004
Messages
678
Like talkenlate says, make sure to scrape out any meat which may remain, wash it out and then let it dry.

Just some related but useless trivia, here in the Philippines, Orphnaceus sp. Negros burrows are usually found under discarded coconut husks.
 

pinkfoot

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
May 9, 2006
Messages
612
I have used husks in a number of my setups, without adverse effects. I generally bury half of the husk, and have the top exposed, as a kind of 'lean-to'.

At 4" you should easily see if the chelicerae have completed hardening. However, the chances of your spid breaking a fang on a cricket is minescule. She will generally not be willing to eat until she is ready, so when in doubt, I pop a cricket in, gauge reaction and then remove the crix if necessary. As mentioned earlier, this is generally 7-14 days in a spid this size.
 

Syngyne

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
229
As an update to this, she was out and about in her enclosure yesterday so I tried offering a cricket. She nabbed it immediately, and one more this morning. All is right in Tonkaland, it's back to one a week again. :)
 

arrowhd

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
656
Coconut, yummy. I use coconut hides for several of my juvie T's. They love them.
 

phil jones

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
1,051
thats a good idea but i do not like coconut :? :? well i get round it some way {D ._._._ phil
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
thats a good idea but i do not like coconut :? :? well i get round it some way {D ._._._ phil
It does not matter if you like the coconut. The Ts love it. It provides a dark dark secure place for the T to setup its home. All my gravid bred females get the coconut hides and they take to them well and make sacs in them.
 

Hedorah99

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
May 2, 2005
Messages
1,863
It does not matter if you like the coconut. The Ts love it. It provides a dark dark secure place for the T to setup its home. All my gravid bred females get the coconut hides and they take to them well and make sacs in them.
I think he is saying he doesn't want to eat the coconut. :?
 

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 13, 2006
Messages
8,656
Ahhh that makes sense.......{D
Well then dont eat it, just carve out all the guts and let it dry. That will be nice hard work but hey the hide is well worth it! Plus if you get a big enough one you can make two hides with one nut.
 

NBond1986

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
147
As an update to this, she was out and about in her enclosure yesterday so I tried offering a cricket. She nabbed it immediately, and one more this morning. All is right in Tonkaland, it's back to one a week again. :)


i would give her several (like 2-3 appropriately sized crickets) now that she's fresh out of a molt. Fatten her up again quickly.....then gradually decrease the number of crickets you give her per week and get back on a normal track.
 

Syngyne

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 16, 2007
Messages
229
i would give her several (like 2-3 appropriately sized crickets) now that she's fresh out of a molt. Fatten her up again quickly.....then gradually decrease the number of crickets you give her per week and get back on a normal track.
Sorry if this is a dumb question, but do I feed the crickets individually or all at once? I've never tried tossing in multiple crickets before.
 
Last edited:
Top