to take the hide out or not

Danz Harvey

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jun 27, 2016
Messages
6
i bought chaco golden knee and b. vagans , they are both terrestrial but i dont want them hiding, can i take out the hide or is it mandatory to them that they should have a hide
 

Flexzone

Arachnodemon
Joined
Mar 1, 2015
Messages
721
You should always be provided a hide if possible to give them a safe retreat to go to should they feel threatened or want to escape the light, remember despite you wanting to see them constantly think about the best interest of the specimen. That's always #1
 

chanda

Arachnoking
Old Timer
Joined
Jun 27, 2010
Messages
2,229
If you take out the hides and force your tarantulas to be out in the open all the time they will be stressed out. If they are too stressed they will not be as healthy. They will also be a lot more likely to try to bolt out of the cage or bite/flick hairs when you open the cage to feed them or clean the cage because they don't have a safe place to retreat to and will feel trapped and threatened.
 

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
i dont want them hiding
Then you bought the "wrong" species either due to lack of research or some other issues.

Owning a pet isn't about having it do what you want it to do, it's about providing the necessary care so the pet THRIVES, not survives.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
To be honest I can't imagine a Theraphosidae living without an hide (I suggest always a piece of cork bark if possible, better than those plastic kind of caves) and a water dish.
Even to obligate burrowers, always a nice piece of cork bark, that substrate alone because "they burrow at the end" mentality is IMO horrible.
 

Chris LXXIX

ArachnoGod
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Messages
5,845
However my experience with the Theraphosidae you mentioned slightly differs from yours. I have (and had prior of course) the T's you mentioned, including A.geniculata, and by far I can say that G.pulchripes, B.vagans, and A.geniculata (probably IMO the best 'display' Theraphosidae ever) are for the 80% always out in the open. Aren't 'Haplos' eh...
 

Arcana

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 14, 2016
Messages
43
Well, if you take out their hide I'm sure they will hide anyway by digging a burrow and hiding in there. That is of course if you have enough substrate for them to dig and hopefully you do.

Why shouldn't they hide?
 

ratluvr76

Arachnodemon
Active Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2014
Messages
759
bottom line is that every living thing needs to feel safe and secure. For Tarantulas, that means a way to hide if they choose. So yes, the hide is mandatory. You have chosen to be responsible for another living creature. Part of that responsibility is to provide for ALL of it's needs, not just the ones that are convenient to you.
 

Haemus

Arachnosquire
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
128
For me, the G. pulchripes are quite visible. One of mine strangely half buried the hide entrance and is never used, but it still has a hide.
 
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