T. Blondi

Jobo7944

Arachnopeon
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Oct 5, 2019
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I have a male T. Blondi that has been not eating very much and spends most of the time in his water dish. I have noticed that his back legs are becoming very skinny, anyone have an idea why? He also does not go into his burrow anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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I have a male T. Blondi that has been not eating very much and spends most of the time in his water dish. I have noticed that his back legs are becoming very skinny, anyone have an idea why? He also does not go into his burrow anymore. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Pictures of the tarantula and its enclosure would help. If the tarantula is spending all of its time in the water dish, that may be a sign that its enclosure is too dry.

Is this a mature male?
 

Jobo7944

Arachnopeon
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Oct 5, 2019
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It is a male, the enclosure is and glass terrarium with a mesh top by exoterra. I mist the enclosure 3 times a day so that the medium stays moist. I’ll post a pic once I get him in an open spot for a clear picture

D47663A7-2D3F-4F8A-BE67-F8FE1B60BAC0.jpeg You can kind see how skinny and almost black his back legs are D47663A7-2D3F-4F8A-BE67-F8FE1B60BAC0.jpeg
 
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Vanessa

Grammostola Groupie
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Are you sure one of those back legs isn't a regenerated one? If he is a mature male, he won't be eating all the time anymore and will need more water.
 

Jobo7944

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9B95B2CC-64A6-4522-8015-29BCDD1F7827.jpeg
Is he mature? (If you're not sure, post a picture of the pedipalps.)

Do you have a photo of the whole enclosure?
I’m not sure if age but I believe he is mature

Are you sure one of those back legs isn't a regenerated one? If he is a mature male, he won't be eating all the time anymore and will need more water.
I didn’t think he ever lost them, the legs were all uniform until about a week ago
 
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cold blood

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1. Its a stirmi...not a blondi

2. Misting isnt how you want to do things....its highly ineffective and every spritz can send clouds of hair into the air. Pour water onto the substrate.

3. The enclosure is completely inappropriate for any terrestrial...front doors prevent the addition of enough sub to provide a safe home....its especially a MM. Fall risk is way too great. If it doesnt have front doors and you can add more sub, do so immidiately....it should be filled over halfway....thats a lot of substrate.

4. No terrestrial should ever have a climbing wall...everything should be done to discourage climbing, not encourage it.

5. Mature males wander, so their moisture needs are even greater. Hovering over a water dish is a clear sign the enclosure is too dry and this wandering means he's likely to fall from the high distance on a regular basis.

6. mature males always lose their food drive.
 

Asgiliath

Arachnobaron
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Just a suggestion (because you mentioned misting)...I use a watering can for plants to moisten my stirmi’s sub. It simulates rain more affectively and penetrates deeper into the substrate.
 

Jobo7944

Arachnopeon
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28CE0A4E-93D0-46A7-A986-DB239AF819ED.jpeg
1. Its a stirmi...not a blondi

2. Misting isnt how you want to do things....its highly ineffective and every spritz can send clouds of hair into the air. Pour water onto the substrate.

3. The enclosure is completely inappropriate for any terrestrial...front doors prevent the addition of enough sub to provide a safe home....its especially a MM. Fall risk is way too great. If it doesnt have front doors and you can add more sub, do so immidiately....it should be filled over halfway....thats a lot of substrate.

4. No terrestrial should ever have a climbing wall...everything should be done to discourage climbing, not encourage it.

5. Mature males wander, so their moisture needs are even greater. Hovering over a water dish is a clear sign the enclosure is too dry and this wandering means he's likely to fall from the high distance on a regular basis.

6. mature males always lose their food drive.
Ok, I was mistaken on him being a blondi, thanks for correcting that. So that pic with the climbing wall was a temporary housing when I first got him, he is in a 10 gallon tank now, with about 5 inches of sub and nothing to climb on. Are for the watering I don’t spray his directly and he has never seemed to mind but I get what your saying about the hairs. I will just pour the water from now on. Any ideas in why his legs back legs have gotten skinny? And as for food, I haven’t actually seen him eat in about 10 days. I do continue to put some crickets in and they seem to be gone. Thanks for the help
 
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cold blood

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So that pic with the climbing wall was a temporary housing when I first got him, he is in a 10 gallon tank now, with about 5 inches of sub and nothing to climb on
I see that...your pic on post #6 shows this...its still not appropriate...nothing to climb on? How about the glass.....its quite dangerous with so little substrate.

Keep in mind, the amount of sub needed has virtually nothing to do with the species, its ALL about the enclosure...tall enclosures require A LOT of substrate to safely house a terrestrial...especially such a large heavy bodied one.
Are for the watering I don’t spray his directly and he has never seemed to mind but I get what your saying about the hairs
Its not about him minding, or spraying him at all...his hairs are literally, ALL OVER the tank, so spraying away from him is just as ill advised.
Any ideas in why his legs back legs have gotten skinny?
The only way legs just get skinny would be if they are damaged and losing, or have lost function. The only other time you would see that is a regenerated leg, which this isn't. Probably took a fall or 20 and damaged leg or two in the process.

And as for food, I haven’t actually seen him eat in about 10 days. I do continue to put some crickets in and they seem to be gone. Thanks for the help
As I said earlier, mature males lose interest in food...water is FAR more important to a MM than food is. I only feed MMs every few weeks and only if they want to eat.
 

Asgiliath

Arachnobaron
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404
Off topic but I’d love to borrow this leggy boy for breeding. Been looking into finding a MM for my big girl.
 

esa space station

Arachnoknight
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Messages
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View attachment 322533


Ok, I was mistaken on him being a blondi, thanks for correcting that. So that pic with the climbing wall was a temporary housing when I first got him, he is in a 10 gallon tank now, with about 5 inches of sub and nothing to climb on. Are for the watering I don’t spray his directly and he has never seemed to mind but I get what your saying about the hairs. I will just pour the water from now on. Any ideas in why his legs back legs have gotten skinny? And as for food, I haven’t actually seen him eat in about 10 days. I do continue to put some crickets in and they seem to be gone. Thanks for the help
Back legs will be skinny on a mm.try adding a bit more furniture to its tank also e.g bit more bark /larger water dish(sunk into ground so level with surface)
 

NukaMedia Exotics

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1. Its a stirmi...not a blondi

2. Misting isnt how you want to do things....its highly ineffective and every spritz can send clouds of hair into the air. Pour water onto the substrate.

3. The enclosure is completely inappropriate for any terrestrial...front doors prevent the addition of enough sub to provide a safe home....its especially a MM. Fall risk is way too great. If it doesnt have front doors and you can add more sub, do so immidiately....it should be filled over halfway....thats a lot of substrate.

4. No terrestrial should ever have a climbing wall...everything should be done to discourage climbing, not encourage it.

5. Mature males wander, so their moisture needs are even greater. Hovering over a water dish is a clear sign the enclosure is too dry and this wandering means he's likely to fall from the high distance on a regular basis.

6. mature males always lose their food drive.
Agreed. It doesn't look like there's a suitable hide in there either.
 

Feral

Arachnobaron
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Oct 6, 2019
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407
I think a fall/falls happened, as previously mentioned, and I'd also wager those legs are damaged from getting caught in the screen lid.

Either way, the screen needs to be replaced with something safer!
 

esa space station

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jun 3, 2018
Messages
252
If it was me id get some 4-5mm clear acrylic/perspex (ebay)and 4mm vivaruim running track.flip the the tank over and give it two sliding doors/with pre drilled holes in.(cross flow ventilation)whack more eco earth/irish peat moss in5inch plus and big peice of cork bark up corner.proper shelter just a thought easier all round.
 
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