Underground network and resurfacing

[DanielAcorn]

Hi everyone!

I heard about the rare occasions that young spiders will bury themselves and not resurface until they starve to death. Quite prevalent in King baboons apparently. I'm wondering whether this occurs because the bottom and sides of an enclosure are solid so the spider kind of 'forgets' that it's underground. If a spider hollows out the bottom of an enclosure, it's no longer really 'burrowed'; it's just on a second level.

Anyway, my G. pulchripes sling is currently 'underground' with tunnel networks below a pile of dirt. I hope he resurfaces!

 

[Introvertebrate]

I think that's why "Cold Blood" usually advices people to not go overboard with the substrate on youngsters. It slows down their growth. I don't know if they forget to eat, or what. Maybe he can explain it.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

Hi everyone!

I heard about the rare occasions that young spiders will bury themselves and not resurface until they starve to death. Quite prevalent in King baboons apparently. I'm wondering whether this occurs because the bottom and sides of an enclosure are solid so the spider kind of 'forgets' that it's underground. If a spider hollows out the bottom of an enclosure, it's no longer really 'burrowed'; it's just on a second level.

Anyway, my G. pulchripes sling is currently 'underground' with tunnel networks below a pile of dirt. I hope he resurfaces!

Deli cup with less substrate so a keeper can easily monitor the sling and that it will eat by actually finding it's food.

For me I'll use more substrate for 1 inch slings. However I know how to promote them to tunnel down the side so I can view them. I also can make an artificial tunnel down to their burrow to offer pre-killed food and retrieve it if they don't want it. This I wouldn't advise for a new keeper but use a deli cup with shallow sub.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Hi everyone!

I heard about the rare occasions that young spiders will bury themselves and not resurface until they starve to death. Quite prevalent in King baboons apparently. I'm wondering whether this occurs because the bottom and sides of an enclosure are solid so the spider kind of 'forgets' that it's underground. If a spider hollows out the bottom of an enclosure, it's no longer really 'burrowed'; it's just on a second level.

Anyway, my G. pulchripes sling is currently 'underground' with tunnel networks below a pile of dirt. I hope he resurfaces!

Spiderlings prioritize staying hidden and protected in their burrow shelters more than eating. Observing this behavior in captivity leads one to think that in the wild baby tarantulas are eating tiny insects found in the soil more often than surfacing and waiting for food to walk by like their adult counterparts.

I highly doubt a spiderling will starve itself to death by never resurfacing. The most likely cause of death for spiderlings that seal themselves up under the surface of the soil would be dehydration since the common advice for these occurrences is to water the surface or keep the water dish full and leave it alone. The proper way to water any tarantula that stays underneath the soil is to drip water directly into the burrow so it can drink from the water that pools up at the bottom.

Spiderlings of many species of tarantula- such as those in the genus Grammostola- don't need to eat very often at all (much like their adult counterparts) and when they stay hidden under the soil and never resurface, you can get an idea of just how infrequent they really need to eat.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Hi everyone!

I heard about the rare occasions that young spiders will bury themselves and not resurface until they starve to death. Quite prevalent in King baboons apparently. I'm wondering whether this occurs because the bottom and sides of an enclosure are solid so the spider kind of 'forgets' that it's underground. If a spider hollows out the bottom of an enclosure, it's no longer really 'burrowed'; it's just on a second level.

Anyway, my G. pulchripes sling is currently 'underground' with tunnel networks below a pile of dirt. I hope he resurfaces!

My King baboon lost the ability to eat during a bad molt and was lost to dehydration and lack of food because it couldn’t eat either. More likely a burrowed sling dies from dehydration.