Tarantula Hasn't Emerged After Feeding

TeaandTs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
31
Hello,

I'm new here and new to tarantulas, though I've always been interested in them. I'm used to keeping true spiders and insects. So I must start by apologising for my ignorance. I've done tons of research, but haven't come across anything pertaining to my question.

I've got a Brachypelma Albopilosum sling that's approx. 1.25", and I'm absolutely in love! After receiving her (well, hoping it's a her!) in the mail from Jamie's Tarantulas, I gave her 4 days to settle in before trying to feed her. Now, maybe that was too quick, but she didn't seem stressed from her journey and appeared very at home in her new environment. She typically sits out in the open or on top of her hide (a small plastic portion cup cut in half and buried in substrate), and only occasionally retreats inside. She's not at all skittish and overall seemed quite happy. So, I fed her a mini mealworm (because I have those on hand for my Phidippus Audax). She accepted it immediately, and dragged it into her burrow.

My concern is that this was about 27 hours ago, and as far as I know, she still hasn't come out of her burrow (I say as far as I know, because she may have emerged while I was asleep or at work, but it doesn't appear so). I've shined a torch in there, and she's definitely alive, even moving about a little, but she hasn't emerged. I'm keeping it dark in here and resisting the urge to peek anymore, because I don't want to disturb her, but I'm worried. I've got the temperature plenty warm I think. It's about 24 degrees in here.

Completely different behaviour from my jumper or any of the other spiders I've kept, but perhaps normal for tarantulas? Am I just a nervous first parent or is this a little concerning? Any help is appreciated!
 

TeaandTs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
31
Of course :-s
If not present, put a little water dish inside and you're done.
I do have a water dish for her. One of the first things she did was fill it with dirt. I replaced the water the next day, left her alone a bit, and came back to see she had filled it again and was blissfully grooming herself. From what I've read this is pretty common behaviour, and I'm thinking changing the water every day is going to be frustrating for both of us. Is once a week more reasonable?
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
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Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
I do have a water dish for her. One of the first things she did was fill it with dirt. I replaced the water the next day, left her alone a bit, and came back to see she had filled it again and was blissfully grooming herself. From what I've read this is pretty common behaviour, and I'm thinking changing the water every day is going to be frustrating for both of us. Is once a week more reasonable?
Yes it's normal. I have and had T's that were little duty angels, and others that did everything with the water dish :-s

I use glass ones and in general, if they are "clean", I only refill those. If there's dirt or else, inside, I took them out for cleaning. Consider also that that attitude/behavior can change once he/she completely settled up etc
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
All natural T behaviour. They are quite reclusive at times, especially the younger ones.

As Chris has said the temps are all good.

It is a great T to start with too. Enjoy ;)
 

KezyGLA

Arachnoking
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
3,013
Brachypelma albopilosum are also like little JCBs. They dig and burrow and will regularly fill the water dish with dirt. This will annoy you as much as it does others ahahah. I have found some brachypelma and aphonopelma sp. have a tendency to do this a lot ahaa
 
Last edited:

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,223
Curious, your profile says US, but you call the flashlight a torch and use celcius, which is very Europe...not that it matters, just curious.

Any temp above 70F is just fine and dandy.

Many people, myself included, feed later the same day that a t was received, 4 days is a great amount of time for allowing acclimation though.

Now, as for the 27 hours of disappearance, the longer you are around ts, the more you will understand why this is amusing. Ts randomly (and sometimes predictably) seal themselves off underground for extensive periods of time. 27 hours for a t is like a human taking a short nap. You could (and likely will) eventually see it burrowed away for several months. Its not something you should ever worry about, its just natural behavior. A Ts naturally reclusive behavior is a big reason as to why many of us have a whole bunch of them...just so we always have activity. Ts are an exercise in patience.
 

TeaandTs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
31
Curious, your profile says US, but you call the flashlight a torch and use celcius, which is very Europe...not that it matters, just curious.

Any temp above 70F is just fine and dandy.

Many people, myself included, feed later the same day that a t was received, 4 days is a great amount of time for allowing acclimation though.

Now, as for the 27 hours of disappearance, the longer you are around ts, the more you will understand why this is amusing. Ts randomly (and sometimes predictably) seal themselves off underground for extensive periods of time. 27 hours for a t is like a human taking a short nap. You could (and likely will) eventually see it burrowed away for several months. Its not something you should ever worry about, its just natural behavior. A Ts naturally reclusive behavior is a big reason as to why many of us have a whole bunch of them...just so we always have activity. Ts are an exercise in patience.
Hah, well, I attended an unusual school programme in elementary school, and for some reason they decided to teach us Celcius instead of Fahrenheit, so I learned that first and I still tend to use it. As far as "torch" goes, I've always used "torch" and "flashlight" interchangeably, but I suppose maybe that is a bit unusual in the U.S. :)

I read so many varying things about how long to wait before feeding, so I'm glad that the 4 days was all right.

Well I suppose I'll need to be more patient. I'm glad to know there's nothing wrong with it. I'm beginning to understand why most people don't have just one T. Already I'm looking into getting more. Always thought people were exaggerating about how addictive they are, but it's true!
 

mistertim

Arachnobaron
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
548
Totally normal. Tarantulas do Tarantula things for Tarantula reasons that we'll likely never understand. We just have to learn to deal with it.
 

Graves6661

Arachnosquire
Joined
Dec 31, 2015
Messages
86
Filling the water dish is definitely a T thing... My A. geniculata deposits boluses along with substrate in her water dish... No matter where I move the dish too she finds it after every feeding and does horrible things to it....
 

TeaandTs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
31
Update: I'm fairly certain she's in premoult. She's developed a large, dark spot encompassing the rear half of her abdomen. That wasn't there before.
 

TeaandTs

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
31
Filling the water dish is definitely a T thing... My A. geniculata deposits boluses along with substrate in her water dish... No matter where I move the dish too she finds it after every feeding and does horrible things to it....
Oh goodness! Well then I'll be grateful all mine does is kick a bit of dirt in there.
 
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