Tarantula keeps climbing to top of cage?

[Venom1080]

It is bone dry, I checked to make sure when he started climbing. That's not the reason. And it is currently at 1DLS.

if its 1DLS, you have nothing to worry about if he falls. unless you have sharp or hard objects in there i would stop worrying altogether.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Because you are in Georgia, I will assume its inches...

Georgia on my mind, you were always on my mind, you were always on my mind...

Ray Charles + Elvis + the little Caucasus nation + Confederate Flag

 

[cold blood]

Ok, now it all makes sense. I was gonna say a 6" male would be a giant, especially if not mature

So, since the distance from a fall is a mere 3 inches, I would just remove any items that he could potentially fall on and not worry about it. It seems like (although a pic to confirm would still help) you have done a good job of reducing the fall distance.....things you can do would be burying the hide and clearing it out a little, so it almost just looks like a hole. Also you can add clumps of dry sphagnum moss as a cushion....make sure there are no rocks to fall on (or skulls, lol, inside joke) and I would set the water dish into the sub a little more than you might otherwise.

 

[mistertim]

Ok, now it all makes sense. I was gonna say a 6" male would be a giant, especially if not mature

So, since the distance from a fall is a mere 3 inches, I would just remove any items that he could potentially fall on and not worry about it. It seems like (although a pic to confirm would still help) you have done a good job of reducing the fall distance.....things you can do would be burying the hide and clearing it out a little, so it almost just looks like a hole. Also you can add clumps of dry sphagnum moss as a cushion....make sure there are no rocks to fall on (or skulls, lol, inside joke) and I would set the water dish into the sub a little more than you might otherwise.

Or divers and treasure chests.

 

[Iska]

G porteri are notorious for avoiding hides in captivity, it might work, but I've never had any of my adult grammostola use a hide more than like 2 times when they are first rehoused.

If the substrate is damp at all they will probably avoid it and seek out a drier less humid spot. This species thrives on bone dry substrate, so if you are misting or anything, stop it, and maybe consider the level of ventilation you have as it could be overly humid

Odd! Mines never avoided her hide regardless of the arrangement of her enclosure or time within it - maybe because I'm using the same hide just different enclosures/substrates? She also REALLY likes to dig.

But in regards to the climbing I would say its likely because it doesn't like the feel of the substrate (moisture - you said it wasn't toooo moist and then said it was bone dry?? or type) considering it isn't mature yet.

 

[MetallicArachnid]

Sounds like mature male wandering for a mate behavior to me.

Definitely and seeing as he says 6 inch DLS wandering MM would be my guess.

 

[MetallicArachnid]

Can we get a picture of his pedipalps and front legs?

 

[MetallicArachnid]

G porteri are notorious for avoiding hides in captivity, it might work, but I've never had any of my adult grammostola use a hide more than like 2 times when they are first rehoused.

If the substrate is damp at all they will probably avoid it and seek out a drier less humid spot. This species thrives on bone dry substrate, so if you are misting or anything, stop it, and maybe consider the level of ventilation you have as it could be overly humid

Most of my Grammostolas use a hide or burrow extensively.

 

[Venom1080]

Definitely and seeing as he says 6 inch DLS wandering MM would be my guess.

he meant cm. read the thread.

 

[MetallicArachnid]

he meant cm. read the thread.

I saw that afterwards definitely not MM, perhaps he's just not acclimated to the enclosure yet as he's on;t been there a month.

 

[Iska]

My female for a little while would climb to the top randomly, but she is mature so I'm unsure as to what the heck she was doing. Could just be a weird cycling of "seasons" where they feel they need to ensure they are higher up and "safer". Man.. tarantulas are weird.

 

[Haksilence]

My Grammostola porteri, and my SP "northern gold" excavate extensively. Just kinda push dirt back and forth.
Obviously there are exceptions but generally people have been observing a lack of hide usage in captivity, at least from what I've read. Once they are comfortable and pushing dirt around they rarely use it unless disturbed. Even then my female northern gold NEVER uses it, no matter what, my male will only slip in briefly when very stressed

 

[Iska]

My Grammostola porteri, and my SP "northern gold" excavate extensively. Just kinda push dirt back and forth.
Obviously there are exceptions but generally people have been observing a lack of hide usage in captivity, at least from what I've read. Once they are comfortable and pushing dirt around they rarely use it unless disturbed. Even then my female northern gold NEVER uses it, no matter what, my male will only slip in briefly when very stressed

I wonder if it has to do with the type of hide provided? Which do you use?

 

[mistertim]

I wonder if it has to do with the type of hide provided? Which do you use?

A skull, hopefully.

 

[Venom1080]

I saw that afterwards definitely not MM, perhaps he's just not acclimated to the enclosure yet as he's on;t been there a month.

lol only a month? my Ts get acclimated within 2 weeks at most.

 

[Judasennnis]

Ok, now it all makes sense. I was gonna say a 6" male would be a giant, especially if not mature

So, since the distance from a fall is a mere 3 inches, I would just remove any items that he could potentially fall on and not worry about it. It seems like (although a pic to confirm would still help) you have done a good job of reducing the fall distance.....things you can do would be burying the hide and clearing it out a little, so it almost just looks like a hole. Also you can add clumps of dry sphagnum moss as a cushion....make sure there are no rocks to fall on (or skulls, lol, inside joke) and I would set the water dish into the sub a little more than you might otherwise.

I was wondering if moss would be safe to put on his hide! I think I'll do that, that's really the only thing that worries me. But okay! Thank you!

 

[Judasennnis]

Odd! Mines never avoided her hide regardless of the arrangement of her enclosure or time within it - maybe because I'm using the same hide just different enclosures/substrates? She also REALLY likes to dig.

But in regards to the climbing I would say its likely because it doesn't like the feel of the substrate (moisture - you said it wasn't toooo moist and then said it was bone dry?? or type) considering it isn't mature yet.

The substrate is bone dry, and he likes digging as well. It's not too moist. There is not moisture in his substrate at all, just to clarify.

 

[Judasennnis]

My female for a little while would climb to the top randomly, but she is mature so I'm unsure as to what the heck she was doing. Could just be a weird cycling of "seasons" where they feel they need to ensure they are higher up and "safer". Man.. tarantulas are weird.

They are weird, it's hard to classify their behavior as normal or not.

 

[Judasennnis]

Can we get a picture of his pedipalps and front legs?

My upload keeps saying error. It's been doing this for awhile. But he doesn't have mature male pedipalps.

 

[Judasennnis]

I use a wooden hide, and he rarely ever goes in it (neither does my other G. Porteri though). He does like to dig on the corners and just lays in there head first.