Strange OBT Behavior

[PapaPumpkin]

I recently rehoused my OBT, it created a nice web directly next to its cork bark instead of going inside it. Today i check back and he was webbed up on the glass, like an arboreal. I know they are fossorial since he has a multitude of substrate and space so i found this very strange. An explanations?

 

[PapaPumpkin]

I recently rehoused my OBT, it created a nice web directly next to its cork bark instead of going inside it. Today i check back and he was webbed up on the glass, like an arboreal. I know they are fossorial since he has a multitude of substrate and space so i found this very strange. An explanations?

Substrate depth in a 12x12 cube: 6 inches in the front and near 10 inches in the back. T is about 3”

 

[DomGom TheFather]

They'll web whatever.
I've heard the term web castle thrown around a lot. Give it time but it isn't necessarily going to settle where you planned

 

[PapaPumpkin]

They'll web whatever.
I've heard the term web castle thrown around a lot. Give it time but it isn't necessarily going to settle where you planned

Hm yes i see much thanks

 

[Smotzer]

The cork bark hide may not have been used because it looks very open and not partially buried with a small opening with a little be prestarted under it. Also when rehousing tarantulas sometimes they do whatever they want until they settle in and that’s just the name of the game

 

[DomGom TheFather]

sometimes they do whatever they want

Ain't dat da trufe?

 

[Smotzer]

Ain't dat da trufe?

Shore eees ma friend!!

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Looks a tad bit moist for P murinus as well.

 

[Smotzer]

Looks a tad bit moist for P murinus as well.

This could most certainly be the issue! Didn’t catch that at first!

 

[jbooth]

Mine has both a burrow and a hammock like an avic at the top. Technically, it is arboreal. They don't like the high canopy, but live in holes in trees a few feet off the ground often, or steep cliffs that are still "ground" I guess but you have to climb to them. If yours is showing those tendencies, you might want to opt for a front-opening enclosure and allow it to web to the top, it might save some threat poses later lol.

 

[klawfran3]

Mine has both a burrow and a hammock like an avic at the top. Technically, it is arboreal. They don't like the high canopy, but live in holes in trees a few feet off the ground often, or steep cliffs that are still "ground" I guess but you have to climb to them. If yours is showing those tendencies, you might want to opt for a front-opening enclosure and allow it to web to the top, it might save some threat poses later lol.

Labeling any animal with a black and white label is just a great way to have them prove you wrong. "Arboreal" and "terrestrial" are honestly just too binary for the diverse behaviors of over 1000 different species of spider. They'll do what they want, and wont fit neatly into our constructed boxes. Humans are great at labeling things in this way, when in reality, everything is more of a grey area.

 

[curtisgiganteus]

Dry out the substrate and offer a few hides. They are from Africa. That substrate should be bone dry two to three inches deep before you see any moisture. All of my OBT have done this when I rehouse them since my substrate bin is kept on the damp side. (Rehydrating coco choir is impossible)

This is what your substrate should look like. (I. mira enclosure pictured)

Pterinochilus murinus (Usambara Baboon)

Pocock, 1897 Among those who keep tarantulas as pets Pterinochilus murinus is known as "OBT," which means "Orange Baboon Tarantula" or "Orange Bitey Thing," and also as the "Pterror," a pun on its Latin genus classification: Pterinochilus. These nicknames reference a particular orange color...

www.tarantupedia.com

There have been reports of P murinus being found in semi arboreal areas between Oct-Dec which would coincide with the “wet” months in their range. This leads me to believe that this “semi-arboreal” behavior is simply the spider avoiding humidity levels beyond its tolerance. Which leads right back to the initial point a made in my first post.

 

[Tarantuland]

It doesn’t conform to societal pressure. Let it be its own person

 

[JimPP]

My experience is that P. murinus will do what ever they feel like, when it comes to housing... it is frustratingly inconsistent

 

[JDS123]

Mine were always kept in large tubs about 25 gallon, 6 inch or so of soil and then branches, the all would literally web up the entire box along with some burrowing, but spent most their time in one of the many web tunnels, lots of entrances, sneaky peakies lots of fun.

 

[Smotzer]

It does appear way too moist for this species and could easily explain its behavior

 

[JDS123]

Labeling any animal with a black and white label is just a great way to have them prove you wrong. "Arboreal" and "terrestrial" are honestly just too binary for the diverse behaviors of over 1000 different species of spider. They'll do what they want, and wont fit neatly into our constructed boxes. Humans are great at labeling things in this way, when in reality, everything is more of a grey area.

your saying a truly arboreal species and a truly terrestrial species are in our heads? So a Pokie and a Red Knee are just grey area do what they want spiders?

 

[klawfran3]

your saying a truly arboreal species and a truly terrestrial species are in our heads? So a Pokie and a Red Knee are just grey area do what they want spiders?

What about GBBs or OBTs? Those both show tendencies to burrow but also use arboreal hides. They don't fit super neatly into either box, and giving them a standard "dirt dish and hide" setup will not give you the happiest spiders.
You'll get individuals that do what they want. "Terrestrial" and "arboreal" are great baselines for starting and setting up their care and tanks, don't get me wrong, but some have individual brachys that are more fossorial and some pokies that will include substrate in their web and make turrets with the soil and dirt tubes in the ground. Do whatever makes the spider more comfy, and sometimes it's not what we think. Not always, not never, but sometimes. Nothing in life is black and white.

There's a reason the Europeans are so much more advanced in their husbandry than the Americans, and a lot of it has to do with stuff like this. Most americans just don't want to change their ways or consider things from a different point of view. Europeans often stylize their tanks to each species individually.
Theres 1000+ different species of tarantula, and they'll all be good with only two styles of tank? I just can't believe that. A tank with dirt and a hide, or a tank with dirt and some cork standing up. Granted, the standard setups will work, but I've found my spiders benefit from a more "personalized" approach for each species and they show different behaviors when you tailor it to their needs. A few users on these boards do that with their tanks, and the difference in behaviors are really fun to see. Plus the tanks just look better too, so why not?

But hey, do what you want and what works best for you. A decade ago I had the same opinion as you and didn't think there was a big difference, they were just terrestrial or arboreal. But the longer I do this, the less I think that now. Im just saying that having an open mind on this makes it a lot more fun to work with them, and I've enjoyed the hobby more because of it.

 

[JDS123]

Ah i think i took your post wrong.







I too know that many are not die hard one way or another.



I thought you were thinking Avics will burrow a foot down or a Brach will live up in palm trees and can handle a fall......but its just in our minds.

Yeah I know what your saying now, I agree, to be fair though, you cant just asume all Americans feel that way.