Strange Spiders...

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
Messages
663
My new B.smithi is acting strange. She's been very nervous, and kicking hairs a lot (I think she's actually run out of them till next molt). Also, she hasn't been eating AT ALL, and she just molted about 2 weeks before I bought her. She's about 4.5 in. and I believe she's pretty close to being mature. Shouldn't she be very hungry after a molt? The man in the shop I bought her at said that the previous owner (who had to give it up due to landlord)power-fed her. I assume he meant that the crickets were being fed "Gut Load" and such and she was eating regularly. I don't feed the crickets (though I should due to the cannibalism rate...). Any ideas why she's not eating?

Second, my Pink Toe keeps falling off the glass. She did it twice that I've seen. She'll be fine, and then she'll start feeling around with her feet and fall. This isn't cool, because I keep her in a 10 gallon (?) hex tank that was given to me. It's roughly 1ft from the lid to the substrate...Got any ideas on why she keeps falling? I mist when the humidity falls to 70%, but I try to spray only the substrate and avoid getting the glass wet. Any ideas/suggestions?

N.
 

conipto

ArachnoPrincess
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 27, 2002
Messages
1,256
What have you put the B. smithi on, as far as substrate goes. Does it have a hide? Also, keep in mind it may not have actually molted when the pet shop said it did. Also, some people's experiences with Brachypelma state that they can go up to a month at that size after a molt before wanting to eat again. Is it kicking hair when not being disturbed? (i.e, covering the cage with it, instead of using them defensively)

And as for your Avic, what do you have in the cage for it to climb on? I noticed my versicolor falling alot before I put it into a new home with cork bark and such. I've noticed dirty walls can do this too. Wet walls don't seem to have much effect on climbing that I've noticed. Once it webs everything up to it's satisfaction, you shouldn't see it falling so much. Arboreals are built a little better than the terrestrials, so if you've got some decently soft substrate that avic should be ok until it gets settled.

All in all, I'd say give it some time for both things, and make sure you are providing ample retreats/climbing aids.

Bill
 

nocturnalpulsem

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 1, 2003
Messages
663
Originally posted by conipto
What have you put the B. smithi on, as far as substrate goes. Does it have a hide?

And as for your Avic, what do you have in the cage for it to climb on?
The smithi is in a short, long Pet Pal type with a half-log and a water dish. She never uses the inside of the log (the crickets like it...), but will sit on top of it or on the side. She did sit on the substrate once or twice. Substrate is the Forrest Bed stuff, which seems fairly popular. She's not kicking hairs anymore, so I'm assuming she's out or has calmed down a bit.

The avic is in a tall hex tank with the same substrate, a bendable fake tree branch, and another half-log that, again, only crickets use. The glass is quite dirty, but I don't want to take her out to clean it as it's a new home (week after Thanksgiving) and she's started webbing it up nicely during the last 2 weeks.

I don't have a heater for either tank; the room is currently 76 F and is normally between that and 80 F. Would a heater encourage either to eat more? I think I'll get one today, no matter what, as I'm tired of sweating my bum off when I'm online. I saw one with an optional (isn't it always...) thermostat that I think I'll pick up on my way to work.

N.
 
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