Suicidal Spider!

Colbymgeek

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
85
So I've got this crazy, seemingly suicidal, Brachypelma Boehmei. Her name's is Rosalita, and I've had her for over a year, but just in the last month, she's insisted upon frequently hanging out on the ceiling of her cage. Should I be worried about her hurting herself? If she falls, it's about a twelve-inch drop...
 

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Hobo

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Staff member
Joined
Jul 27, 2009
Messages
2,208
Add more sub, so if she does fall, it won't be more than a leg span fall.
 

Spidershane1

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
170
Add more sub, so if she does fall, it won't be more than a leg span fall.
Yup, that's about all you can do short of rehousing her in a tank with hole vents. Also try to keep decorations to a minimum so she doesnt fall on them- water bowl & hide and thats it.
 

forrestpengra

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 11, 2009
Messages
732
It looks like you have a light on her. I'm guessing that she's going up that high because it's warm. you might evaluate your method of heating. If it's cold in your room then you should consider slapping a heat mat on the side of the enclosure.
 

NatalieMK

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
12
sorry

But i wouldn't slap a heat mat on a side of a tank...you don't need to do that bro...u r not in canada...anyways check this out...infared light...would be good as a source heat....even us humans can't tell what that light is...but it don't effect your eyes as much...and tarantulas are nearly blind so that would be the best heat source for your t...that's wat i used when the winter had crawled up on us in Houston ...that's wat other ppl use...there is no problem with it...now if you put a heat meat on a side of a tank the tarantula is going to sit right where the heat is coming from and that would not be good...u knoe wat can happen then i don't need to tell you...thanks have a good day!
 

esotericman

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 15, 2004
Messages
298
If a tarsal claw gets stuck, it could just kill the animal outright. A fall could cause immediate damage, or all of those wonderful "blisters" people see. If you'd like to avoid this, fill the enclosure up with substrate, or rehouse. The animal will not "learn" to not climb for whatever reason.

Good luck.
 

Spidershane1

Arachnoknight
Joined
Apr 11, 2010
Messages
170
Oh, also T's will climb if they substrate is too wet or if its just a type that they don't like. If your substrate is pretty moist, try leaving 1/3 of the surface area dry for her to chill on. If your sub is already pretty dry, try switching to a different kind.
I had a N chromatus whos substrate I had to keep pretty moist to get the humity where it should be. She used to climb all the time and eventually started getting her tarsal claws stuck in the screen top and I found her just dangling there. Thank god she was ok, but I had to switch her to a critter keeper type setup after that.
Just be really careful about her climbing cuz she could get stuck pretty easily.
 

Colbymgeek

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
85
It looks like you have a light on her. I'm guessing that she's going up that high because it's warm. you might evaluate your method of heating. If it's cold in your room then you should consider slapping a heat mat on the side of the enclosure.
Actually, I do have a heat mat on the side. I just had the flashlight on her to take the picture.

---------- Post added at 06:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:55 PM ----------

If a tarsal claw gets stuck, it could just kill the animal outright. A fall could cause immediate damage, or all of those wonderful "blisters" people see. If you'd like to avoid this, fill the enclosure up with substrate, or rehouse. The animal will not "learn" to not climb for whatever reason.

Good luck.
Yeah, I've been worried about that... I think I'll add more substrate.

---------- Post added at 06:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:56 PM ----------

Oh, also T's will climb if they substrate is too wet or if its just a type that they don't like. If your substrate is pretty moist, try leaving 1/3 of the surface area dry for her to chill on. If your sub is already pretty dry, try switching to a different kind.
Yeah, I think I'll try adding a few inches of a different kind of substrate and see if she prefers that. Thanks!
 

Spiderdan24

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 14, 2011
Messages
7
Mine has started doing the same just in the last few week. Driving me mad now!!! Would hate her to fall.
 

KoriTamashii

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
419
But i wouldn't slap a heat mat on a side of a tank...you don't need to do that bro...u r not in canada...anyways check this out...infared light...would be good as a source heat....even us humans can't tell what that light is...but it don't effect your eyes as much...and tarantulas are nearly blind so that would be the best heat source for your t...that's wat i used when the winter had crawled up on us in Houston ...that's wat other ppl use...there is no problem with it...now if you put a heat meat on a side of a tank the tarantula is going to sit right where the heat is coming from and that would not be good...u knoe wat can happen then i don't need to tell you...thanks have a good day!
Next time you're going to type a wall of text, please type it in proper English... this post gave me cancer.

Honestly, you do need to add more sub, and lose the light. Unless it's below 60 degrees F in your house at any point, you don't need it.
 
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