tarantula help. Molting mat? sperm web?

[Skwiggles]

long story short, I found a tarantula last friday, I have no experience whatsoever with them, but have done a considerable amount of research on them. I have him in a 10 gallon tank with peat moss substrate, a good sized borrow made from half a hollowed out log partially buried to block the back entrance, a few rocks, a small log and a 3/4 inch deep lid I use as a water dish. If all of this sounds good then ok, if not then offer some suggestions to fix. I would include photos, which I took with my phone then moved to my computer, but to be honest I can't figure out how--EDIT I think I may have figured it out. not sure though--
The tarantula is an Oklahoma Brown Tarantula, about 3-4 inches, though I don't know exactly what that measures, I assume leg diameter, but not when stretched out. He doesn't look very big so I don't think he's mature and thus I don't think he made a sperm web. But nonetheless he did build himself a semi dense web mat over night which I have pics of, but I'm still unsure how to upload them. I think I may have just done so, but am unsure. If it worked, I included a picture where you can see a lump on his front leg(which is a hook) so I think he is a male, but I don't know if having those front leg hooks is a surefire way to tell. He has been chillin on his mat most of the time since he made it(yesterday morning) He has been acting semi strange since building it too. He has been trying to scale the walls of his cage, but without any success, just rubbing his legs on the wall. He is also less responsive when I try to prod him to get him to move into my hand(I did so only to take pictures, because he wasn't molting). He has also developed a peachy spot on his butt(correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like under the layer if long, thick hairs, he has a shorter, yet denser layer of little black hairs, and under those is the peach color, but that is only what I thought it looked like) the peachy spot grew some, and now appears to be darkening. So now I am pretty sure he is molting. again correct me if I'm wrong. I have been keeping his enclosure humid. But how long should it take him to start molting if he is going to? thanks for the help. ANY insight, suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[grayzone]

oh.. where to start lol...
I highly suggest before you expect some concrete answers you upload photos..
on your next reply, hit go advanced below the text box
when you see the tool box above the text section it directs you to , click on images, then click basic uploader.. select file and then click upload file..
Pics are worth 1000 words

---------- Post added 06-12-2012 at 02:39 PM ----------

try getting some good photos of the web, the tarantula (specifically the 1st set of legs, as well as the tarantulas palpal tips)

DO NOT worry about the peach spot at this time.. it is due to it kicking hairs. You are correct in the sense that the peach spot will grow darker with an impending molt, but there is NO WAY to tell exactly how far along it is, or how long till it molts.
Is the tarantula accepting food?

---------- Post added 06-12-2012 at 02:40 PM ----------

hmm.. didnt see the photo before i posted.. strange..

 

[Skwiggles]

Yea I figured out how to post pics but it won't let me post the pic of the web because it is"too large" and just out of curiosity the camera flash won't hurt him right? I also had a pic that showed the small hooks on the 1st joint from the feet of the first pair of walking legs but it wouldn't let me upload that either. I will try again to send the pics but it may not work. they are certainly there but what exactly do they tell me? The tarantula HADN'T eaten since I found him, then I read your reply and decided to give it a go just to be sure since I haven't tried today. He devoured a cricket, my first time watching a tarantula feed. Pretty cool. Also I don't think he's been kicking hairs, I haven't seen him kick any and he has all of his bigger hairs, no bald spot. From what it looks like there is a layer of more dense little black hairs under the big ones they would regularly kick, and it looks like those ones are the ones falling out. If I just sound silly let me know hah, I'm just saying what it looks like. Thanks a lot for the help though!

Yea I tried to send those pics again, but it shows a small red exclamation point next to them. It says the file is too large, but it is only like 2 MB. any suggestions? I know pics would probably help a lot. So what are the possibilities with my tarantula's behavior change, peach spot that appears to be growing darker(though I may be mistaken), the fact he IS eating, and his web mat.

EDIT**more info/question. After "eating" the cricket, he is just sitting on his web, holding the cricket in his mouth. Do they gobble them up right away, or is this strange behavior? Should I offer another cricket once he's done with that one? If I check and he is done with it I will probably try offering another unless I see a reply soon saying otherwise.

 

[grayzone]

well for FUTURE REFERENCE, just edit the file to reduce its size.
Now, since you say you see the tibial hooks it is DEFINITELY a mm (sexually mature male). Males develop hooks (also, the hardened/swollen looking palpal "boxing gloves are a good characteristic to new world males) to aid in holding back the fangs of the t while mating.
You say he ate, which is a slow process at times (so dont worry that the cricket is just hanging in its mouth) .. it is also a rarity for some MMs. once they mature, they are hell bent on wandering, and their sole purpose becomes reproducing. Some will eat, but IME, they eat far less than they would before maturity. Keep its feedings down to like ONCE a week if you want it to continue eating..

The bald spot IS likely due to kicking hairs whether youve seen it or not. If youre uncertain of exactly why the do so, just run a search on urticating hairs. That bald spot isnt "fresh" which tells me he hasnt been kicking in your care, and likely is why you say he hasnt been kicking (which if im not mistaken, youve only recently caught him).
If the mat youre referring to in the 1st post is the one he is currently on, it is just his feeding mat. Ts usually spin a thinner layer of webbing where they eat, which is also usually near its hide or where it considers "home".. think of each little strand of silk as a dinner bell/house alarm. It feels comfortable there, and it picks up every disturbance made on/near that mat.
If you would like to know what a sperm web looks like, i suggest using the sites search function, or watch vids on youtube.. Youtube is VERY HELPFUL, but remember to skip the useless crap regarding tarantulas (eating mice, being eaten by humans, fighting other bugs etc) for now lol..

Sorry for my rant, but its like a crash course on a MM tarantula.

---------- Post added 06-12-2012 at 06:27 PM ----------

edit 1st paragraph**
to aid in holding back the fangs of the FEMALE t while mating.

 

[Skwiggles]

Thanks a lot for your help. No worries about the "rant" it was helpful. I was just confused because none of his urticating hairs are gone. there's really no bald spot, just a light patch. Thanks again, I appreciate it.

 

[grayzone]

ALSO, remember that like 98% of mature males die before completing the next molt (dubbed the post-ultimate molt) if you are taking a liking to the world of t keeping, and husbandry, i suggest learning as much as you can now. That t will likely not live a long time, but i cant say for sure. Nobody can tell you how old it is, or how long its been since its ultimate molt.
Welcome to the hobby/addiction lol

---------- Post added 06-12-2012 at 06:37 PM ----------

there are different types of hairs (i believe there are 5-6) types of hairs. I PROMISE YOU, that t has been kicking them and that THAT is the reason of the bald spot.
There is a chance its rubbed up against something, but i doubt that spot would be that big due to it.
Also, keep in mind ts dont just kick hairs out of defense... they will often line the webbing to their mats, and burrows with hairs to keep unwanted intruders away

---------- Post added 06-12-2012 at 06:39 PM ----------

the hairs never come back until the next molt.. however seeing how yours is a MM, it will likely not live to the next one, or through it if it DOES.
Just a heads up incase you end up acquiring more in the future

 

[Skwiggles]

Ahh thank you, VERY HELPFUL. Yeah I've done enough research to know mature males aren't exactly long for this world. I have been spending a considerable amount of time reading about tarantulas each day since I got mine, and am very happy when new information becomes apparent, especially from someone with experience, as you certainly appear to have much. when my current t does kick the bucket, and hopefully that won't be any time soon, I most definitely plan on getting another. Also he just killed that cricket I gave him then left it on his web. I removed the corpse to keep it form attracting any nasties. How soon should I try feeding again, or was he just saving it for later, and I shouldn't have taken it?

 

[grayzone]

was the cricket still whole, or was it a bolus? Are you familiar with the term?

---------- Post added 06-12-2012 at 09:11 PM ----------

if it was a discarded bolus then its good that you removed it, although in all honesty, you dont REALLY have to.
You can TRY feeding it again now, but id limit it to as many crix itll take in a day, ONCE weekly.
I currently have MM obts , ornatas and albos that all ate today (the freakin albo ate 4 crix)

 

[Skwiggles]

I am not familiar with the term bolus, but it was the whole cricket. How many crickets should I feed him at once? if he kills it then spits out the whole cricket then should I just leave it?
nevermind about bolus, I looked it up. It definitely wasn't one.

 

[grayzone]

SOME ts will kill it then place it on the mat (or even web it slightly) and come back to eat.. Your t could have killed it simply due to the cricket being in its space..
Only way to know for sure (seeing how you removed the cricket) is to try again..
Dont place the cricket in NEAR the t.. do it on the adjacent side of the enclosure.. wait for the cricket to stumble upon the spider/vise verse
If it eats, it eats

i personally would only offer 1 cricket. if he accepts it and eats maybe another. This is due to what we spoke on earlier, how hes mature and likely wont live to its next molt. Dont wanna go speeding up his metabolism now.. feed it the minimum, and only keep it at room temp (providing your house is at least 65 degrees)

 

[tarantulagirl10]

Looks like a MM. I personally would let him back out near where you found him so he can find females and make babies He's probably not going to live very long and will have nothing on his mind except finding a female. That said, I didn't read through all of the posts, so if that has already been said, forgive me

 

[Skwiggles]

Ok. He has a cricket in his cage now. If it's really best for him I guess I could let him go. But if I put him where I found him my puppy will gobble him right up, plus I've taken a liking to the little guy.

 

[Ivymike1973]

Looks like a MM. I personally would let him back out near where you found him so he can find females and make babies He's probably not going to live very long and will have nothing on his mind except finding a female. That said, I didn't read through all of the posts, so if that has already been said, forgive me

Definitely +1 to this. It would be much better to release him so he can perpetuate the species and buy a captive bred T as a pet. If it was a female then keeping her would make more sense.

 

[Shrike]

Ok. He has a cricket in his cage now. If it's really best for him I guess I could let him go. But if I put him where I found him my puppy will gobble him right up, plus I've taken a liking to the little guy.

In my opinion it would be best for the tarantula if you let it go. Mature males have a biological imperative to find females, mate, and produce offspring. They'll wander around doing exactly that until they've burned themselves out. Since they move about so much it's unlikely that your puppy will find it in the same location.

Nobody will blame you for being attached to the "little guy." You'll just have to decide between what's best for you and best for the tarantula.

 

[grayzone]

Looks like a MM. I personally would let him back out near where you found him so he can find females and make babies He's probably not going to live very long and will have nothing on his mind except finding a female. That said, I didn't read through all of the posts, so if that has already been said, forgive me

what tgirl and the rest have said is really something to consider.. While it would be the productive thing to do, it can also be beneficial to YOU.
The t in question could likely have already paired with any number of females. If i were you, i would capitalize on the opportunity for a while.. get used to it and learn all you can from this experience BEFORE returning it to its habitat. It all boils down to what you think is right.
Also, and this is entirely MY theory, i would reccommend replacing it as close to where you found it as possible.
I say this because they seem to know their territory via webbing, and god only knows what else.. also, if you caught the MM wild, it likely knows there was a female nearby

my theory could be entirely wrong, but it SOUNDS good

 

[Skwiggles]

what tgirl and the rest have said is really something to consider.. While it would be the productive thing to do, it can also be beneficial to YOU.
The t in question could likely have already paired with any number of females. If i were you, i would capitalize on the opportunity for a while.. get used to it and learn all you can from this experience BEFORE returning it to its habitat. It all boils down to what you think is right.
Also, and this is entirely MY theory, i would reccommend replacing it as close to where you found it as possible.
I say this because they seem to know their territory via webbing, and god only knows what else.. also, if you caught the MM wild, it likely knows there was a female nearby

my theory could be entirely wrong, but it SOUNDS good

well that and everything else being said I would feel bad not letting the guy go:{ this is at least a good middle ground though. I'll keep him for a week or two then I guess get a new one:[ Any suggestions on a new type? I will certainly be researching but a juvenile female pink toed sounds pretty coo.
I'll have to try and get unattached to little chupacabra in the mean time.