Spider Chores

[EulersK]

You know you want to complain about the less desirable aspects of husbandry. Whether it's wrestling a sac from an angry OW mama or replacing dozens of water dishes, we all know that there are annoying aspects to this hobby. And misery loves company, as the saying goes.

Vent. Rant. Share your annoyances and procrastinated chores. Perhaps it'll make you feel better.

Myself? I've been putting off rehousing. No, they haven't outgrown their old enclosure, I'm just replacing substrate because of a batch that bloomed with mold beyond what my springtails can take care of. I've got an AF N. coloratovillosus, juvie P. muticus, juvie H. gigas, juvie P. cancerides, juvie P. sp. "Black", and an E. sp. "Green". So, with one exception, a bunch of nasty rehousings. I'll be doing it soon, but I really, really don't want to.

 

[YagerManJennsen]

I don't really mind the chores so much. They give me something to do so I don't just mope around so often.

 

[nicodimus22]

The buried water dish. You clean it out and put fresh water in it. A few hours later, it's buried again.

 

[Rittdk01]

I check in on my spiders twice a day. I dont put water dishes in with the real little ones, so I have to make sure a part of the sub is always moist. I water dishes and pull poopy ones out in the morning. At night I feed and watch them for an hour or so. I clean uneaten parts out at night following a feeding the night before. I could do without watering so much, but I cant fit a cap in with my smallest tarantulas. I clean the tanks like I do my house---every day so it's not so much of a chore.

 

[Thistles]

Spring break will be nonstop cleaning out old, empty enclosures and a little bit of rehousing. Okay, a lot of rehousing. Not looking forward to it.

Taking sacs from OW moms is my adrenaline fix.

 

[PanzoN88]

Chores don't bother me too much, but replacing the water dish in my P. Cancerides enclosure is where things get complicated.

 

[Thistles]

Oh I hate it when they leave a nasty bolus or dead cricket or roach floating in the water. Cleaning that out is the worst.

 

[Jeff23]

It is sometimes frustrating for me when pulling out uneaten prey. It is hard to locate all of the pieces of uneaten food. When I miss something it makes things more complicated. I am regretting that I didn't choose a substrate mixture (perhaps I needed a little sphagnum moss or something to prevent mold growth). Once mold starts you pull up a chunk of substrate with the prey.

 

[Tim Benzedrine]

Rehousing. Not that it is so much a chore but that it is that time when if something goes wrong it can result in something bad happening to either the spider or yourself. Depending on the species, of course. I don't have any OWs, but I'm not looking forward to doing it for my LP because she is the most skittish tarantula I've ever owned next to the Hapalopus pumpkin patch that has long since hooked out and passed. My A. genic could be a bit of a handful too due to the fact that initially at least she will think it is time to eat. Tongs? Dinner time. Catch-cup? Dinner time. She isn't huge yet but both she and the LP are enthusiastic hair-kickers. I'm not expecting any major difficulties, but I'm still not anxious to do it. It'll be soon for both of them, likely in a month or two.

My B. smithi and G. pulchripes should be easy and my MM E. campestratus is already in its perma-home.

 

[Moakmeister]

Having to leave Regina at home while I'm at college but after spring break I get to bring her over here. Also I imagine that when I get an OBT I'm gonna be completely clueless as to what to do when it inevitably teleports out of its enclosure. I would be so nervous.

 

[EulersK]

Oh I hate it when they leave a nasty bolus or dead cricket or roach floating in the water. Cleaning that out is the worst.

Disposable water dishes, mate! Pluck em, toss em, replace em.

 

[Thistles]

Disposable water dishes, mate! Pluck em, toss em, replace em.

Yeah I have little condiment cups and I double stack them so the substrate doesn't collapse in and fill the hole. Toss the top, leave the bottom one and add a new top cup. It's still gross.

 

[Olan]

My P. sazimai have been really efficient at dumping substrate into their water dishes. Last night after I cleaned one out the little jerk shoveled a ludicrous amount of substrate and moss in after only a couple hours

 

[Rob1985]

After nearly 13 years of keeping T's, the chores don't really bother me. What does bother me though is having to suit up with long sleeves and gloves for my LP. lol

 

[FishermanSteve]

Chores don't bother me too much, but replacing the water dish in my P. Cancerides enclosure is where things get complicated.

I swear mine can feel a hair drop two miles away.

 

[Spidermolt]

Hey c'mon these are Ts were talking about who don't like to be disturbed so i feel like any chore i have with them is the T version to "interact" and simply enjoy seeing them up close! ​

 

[D Sherlod]

After cleaning up from my parrot. The T's are a breeze,,, you wanna see crap in water bowl

 

[Venom1080]

i hate replacing moldy substrate. i always out it off till it gets a little extreme. i hate refilling the dishes in my well vented arid cages, drys out in like 10min. ive solved it by replacing the dishes with larger vials deep in the substrate, works perfect.

 

[Crone Returns]

It's been said before, but this water dish thing my juvie delinquent Grammostola pulcripes is so frustrating.
But she's a precious and sooo cute when she moves sub with her little fangs that it makes up for the frustration.
Most of the time.

 

[Paiige]

I've gotta second the water dish cleaning. This drives me nuts.
Also - setting up attractive enclosures for them which they promptly remodel (destroy).
Another thing I hate, which isn't quite a chore, per se - removing uneaten live prey. It seems like the feeders will always run into the burrow/under the plant/bury themselves, whatever is least convenient for me to remove. I don't like annoying my Ts and I especially don't love moving all their stuff around.