Tarantula not really setting in

Hexocorn

Arachnopeon
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Jan 24, 2016
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1
Didn't know how to title this but my unidentified Queensland bird-eating spider has dug a rather small burrow, gave it a lid (tarpdoor like ) and hasn't done anything since , she doesn't appear to be in any sort of premolt I haven't feed for that reason of what if and I'm growing a bit concerned , has anyone had an old world ob dig a small trap door esk burrow and nothing more ? thanks .
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
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Sounds exactly like it's in premolt to me. It made as it could to be safe while molting - it'll expand after its done molting.

Pictures never hurt :)
 

bryverine

Arachnoangel
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Apr 18, 2012
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How long have you given it? I've had one of mine do exactly that for about two weeks, come out and eat, then a month later disappeared for a month and came out with a brand new shiny look. :D

As long as you have a full bowl of water in there and no heat mats, it'll be perfectly fine. :)
 

Janie

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Aug 7, 2016
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Hi, I am really new to the whole world of keeping T's. I am in Australia which means all my T's fall under the category Queensland Bird eating spider.

It is funny you should mention trap door like behaviour because I have been wondering the same thing.

I have recently acquired (3 weeks) a new juvenile Selenotypus. This T is fascinating it burrows non stop with widening rooms. The thing that made me wonder similarly to you about its hunting methods is that it has made a curtain of soil/volcano at the mouth of its borrow that reaches the top of the enclosure (all that digging raised the soil level dramatically). When not digging it has been seeming to hang out just at the mouth of the burrow and catch prey through the thin web and soil.. So possibly like a purse web?

I have been a googling to try and ensure I am keeping my new arid species correctly and to solve the mystery. I have found a few good reads...

The first link is a funny and clever blog (the blogger may be here?) NSFW. He supplies a GIF of a trap door hunting from a flange..

https://sydkab.com/2016/06/16/mygalomorph-spiders-part-1-tricky-assassins/#more-519

Steve Nunn describes the burrows as having been found covered with leaves as a response to bush fires but hunting through the curtain is not mentioned.
http://www.thedailylink.com/australiantarantulas/species/plumipes.html

If you want general information about keeping Australian Old world spiders try using the search function above, I found a few Australian Keepers have left good care instructions.

Good luck in your searching, maybe this thread will help me as well.

Janie.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
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Jan 28, 2016
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I think the trap door is likely just a blocked opening. Tarantulas often do this is they are in premolt or if the temps get lower then they like. If your temps are good then it's likely in premolt. They will hide where it is safe till then.
 

Hexocorn

Arachnopeon
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Jan 24, 2016
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1
I think the trap door is likely just a blocked opening. Tarantulas often do this is they are in premolt or if the temps get lower than they like. If your temps are good then it's likely in premolt. They will hide where it is safe till then.
i think your right, my temps probably aren't the best, its spring at the moment and it really hasn't gotten any warmer than 20c (68f) ive been trying to keep the room i house them in warm but during the night it always drops considerably low probably to around and average of 15c (59f) I've been thinking about getting a heat lamp to heat all of my 4 T's at the same time, any thoughts ? also thank all for the fast replies im sorry I couldn't reply any faster,
 

Trenor

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i think your right, my temps probably aren't the best, its spring at the moment and it really hasn't gotten any warmer than 20c (68f) ive been trying to keep the room i house them in warm but during the night it always drops considerably low probably to around and average of 15c (59f) I've been thinking about getting a heat lamp to heat all of my 4 T's at the same time, any thoughts ? also thank all for the fast replies im sorry I couldn't reply any faster,
I'd try to space heat the room rather then use a heat pad or lamp. They dry the enclosure out too fast IMO.
 

Hexocorn

Arachnopeon
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Jan 24, 2016
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1
I would get a space heater but my father really dislikes them because of the amount of power they consume
 

Hexocorn

Arachnopeon
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Jan 24, 2016
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14429224_1771042196482357_342962204_n.jpg this is what she looks like to give you and idea , sadly i have no "happy" photos of her she's just an extremely aggressive T


14302766_1771042293149014_1554597105_n.jpg so her trap door lid is that piece of sphagnum moss closer to the edge of the container
14442846_1771042289815681_1545714222_n.jpg and this is what i get from a side view , strangely enough it almost looks like the entire outside of the substrate is webbed, also where the web window ends is where her hide ends roughly 5cm into the substrate and i don't exactly remember her size
 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
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Hoe are the temps in the where she is from? (I don’t know much about temps in Australia)
I ask because if she is native to your area temps are maybe normal?
 

Storm76

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Jan 30, 2012
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What did you buy her as? Only given common name?

I'm assuming Phlogius spp. considering the common name you dropped, but dorsal pictures would help. Since that isn't possible currently, I'd get used to that T being a pet-hole. I haven't seen many of their kind showing up often. I'd just leave her be, put a waterdish in and check on her weekly.
 

Hexocorn

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 24, 2016
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1
bought her as a common name Queensland bird eating spider but after hours of research i have sadly found out she is actually a idiomatta Sp. Carnarvon Gaint Brushfooted trapdoor (http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2417)
she shows the exact same behaviour except the aggression which could be because of the lack of care that the pet store put into caring for these creatures, so thank you all for trying to help i wish i found this info much sooner but this is probably the first time i thought about how her spinnerets are quite small and close to her abdomen rather than how my phlogius sp Kuranda's Spinnerets poke outwards like other tarantulas, at least i now know that she's perfectly fine and happy :) but still disappointed with how much i spent on her and then to find this out
 

Andrea82

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Jan 12, 2016
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Maybe you should contact the seller about that. Not really fair to pay a huge amount of money and getting something you didn't want!
 
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