What's up with my Pink Toed Tarantula

[jlingram27]

I've had this tarantula since Cinco de Mayo and he has been doing really well up until I cleaned his cage 3 weeks ago. I put the soil in there instead of the coconut stuff. From what I have seen he has not eaten any of the crickets I put in there nor does he spin webs anymore. Hes in a pose all the time where his legs are real tight to his body but he still moves around a bit. I supply water everyday. Does anyone know if this is a problem or should I not worry about it?

 

[Smotzer]

Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure?

and why did you clean out it’s enclosure, sounds like completely? was something wrong? Usually only have to spot clean, and full cleaning with rehouses.

 

[Craig73]

It’s most likely stressed. Its like a whole new home to it and it will need to get comfortable all over again. Each T is different and it could take days, weeks or months to web. The last rehouse I did two of my avics never webbed until they were ready to molt. They’re not particularly fond of having their space messed with.

 

[jlingram27]

Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure?

and why did you clean out it’s enclosure, sounds like completely? was something wrong? Usually only have to spot clean, and full cleaning with rehouses.

I did not know this. This is my first one and I saw online it sad every couple of months to clean it. Before I cleaned it he was webbing everywhere, in every corner

Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure?

and why did you clean out it’s enclosure, sounds like completely? was something wrong? Usually only have to spot clean, and full cleaning with rehouses.

Can you post a picture of the entire enclosure?

and why did you clean out it’s enclosure, sounds like completely? was something wrong? Usually only have to spot clean, and full cleaning with rehouses.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

That is what you are keeping it in?
It is stressed.
Get a smaller more suitable enclosure.
Once you have set it up and you've put the spider inside, leave it alone unless you are providing something.

Dig around on here for tips on proper care.
There is a ton of information.

 

[Craig73]

So you have a lot going on that’s not right. Avicularias are arboreal, meaning they need more height. They also require cross ventilation. You should really never have to clean the enclosure other than spot cleaning unless there really something wrong going on. I can come up with a list of fixes, but you can also find that using the search feature on this site for Avicularia Husbandry. The enclosure as is isn’t suitable.

Take everything you get in way of response as constructive feedback. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and this site has a lot of great members. It’s going to require you to do some reading up as well, which is fun anyways because who doesn’t want to know all they can about their pets.

OP - found this for you in this site for beginner info that also includes Avic specific info here.

 

[jlingram27]

So you have a lot going on that’s not right. Avicularias are arboreal, meaning they need more height. They also require cross ventilation. You should really never have to clean the enclosure other than spot cleaning unless there really something wrong going on. I can come up with a list of fixes, but you can also find that using the search feature on this site for Avicularia Husbandry. The enclosure as is isn’t suitable.

Take everything you get in way of response as constructive feedback. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and this site has a lot of great members. It’s going to require you to do some reading up as well, which is fun anyways because who doesn’t want to know all they can about their pets.

If I did keep my tarantula in this enclosure could he survive? Also is it bad to have decorations in there like the vine and castle thing

 

[Dorifto]

If I did keep my tarantula in this enclosure could he survive? Also is it bad to have decorations in there like the vine and castle thing

Would you keep a fish in a pan? Both can hold water, but one is not suitable.

Get a proper arboreal enclosure, or you can mod your own enclosure to be more suitable. If you want, you can do it easily.

@Craig73 gave you the link (click on the "here") that will take you to different specie caresheets, click on avicularia. As @Venom1080 explains the ventilation is the key to be succesful growing your avic. So choose or make a enclosure with a good amount of ventilation, you can borrow some good ideas in that section.

 

[moricollins]

Coles notes:
1.ventilation is VERY important here. Needs to be able to have air flow throughout the enclosure
2. Needs set up with more height than length.
3. Needs places to hide at the top of the terrarium - leaves, cork bark, etc.

You've essentially set your Tarantula up in a gigantic, empty room, and expected it to feel happy, safe and secure, despite not giving it what it needs to feel safe and secure

 

[Coradams]

The position you describe your T to be in is a stress curl. It may well be stressed because it is an arboreal tarantula in a terrestrial enclosure. I am not the best judge of scale but it looks like your t is a juvie - definitely out of the sling stage. A cheap and easy fix (at least temporarily) - go to Walmart and get their large plastic jar of cheese puffs. Use the cheese puffs at your discretion but save the jar. Wash it out and drill two rows of holes all the way around the top, a row just above the substrate level, and a row at the midpoint between. Make sure the holes are not bigger than the carapace of the T. Add DRY substrate - humidity is harmful to this species. Hot glue some silk leaves (make sure to wash the leaves in case they were sprayed with insecticide prior to shipping) to the top of slab of cork bark and put it in. You can even glue a bottle cap to the cork bark as a water dish. The leaves provide a hide for an arboreal and gives them anchor points for their web. I am sure others will have more advice. Listen to them. I have gotten great advice here for my arboreal t!

Give him a tall enclosure with plenty of ventilation and elevated anchor points for his web and you will have happy t! Good luck!

 

[jlingram27]

So you have a lot going on that’s not right. Avicularias are arboreal, meaning they need more height. They also require cross ventilation. You should really never have to clean the enclosure other than spot cleaning unless there really something wrong going on. I can come up with a list of fixes, but you can also find that using the search feature on this site for Avicularia Husbandry. The enclosure as is isn’t suitable.

Take everything you get in way of response as constructive feedback. There’s a lot of misinformation out there and this site has a lot of great members. It’s going to require you to do some reading up as well, which is fun anyways because who doesn’t want to know all they can about their pets.

Any advice on how large of a enclosure he should be in? Height wise?

 

[Craig73]

I’m not quite there yet, but I have heard ranges from 12-18“ in height when they are bigger. It’s something like 3x the diagonal leg span. I can’t remembered, I just have a ton of enclosures from 3” - 12” tall and move them by a visual inspection if they start to look cramped.

Tall and on the more narrow side. Some measurements from my bigger enclosures for example are 6(w)x9(h) for juveniles, and 8(w)x12(h) for hopefully adults, but we‘ll see when I cross that bridge in a year or so.

Here,s my nearly 3” A. Minatrix in an 7”(w) x 11” (h) enclosure for perspective. Ignore the dying plants, I’ve given up on live plants now that I have 14 T’s and somewhat of a life to be had; he’s going in a slightly smaller enclosure since he’s pushing his max size and this is overkill.

 

[jlingram27]

Anyone want to send me an enclosure

Also I have this thing. If I took the crickets out and flipped it vertically would that be better than what I have

 

[Baby T]

Also I have this thing. If I took the crickets out and flipped it vertically would that be better than what I have

Probably nope...

Tipping that critter keeper on its side doesn't solve the cross ventilation issue.
This is very important. As is secure hiding places off the ground. Listen to the experts on here and your T will happy happy joy joy

 

[Kitara]

I can't tell how big he(she?) is from the picture, but Rubbermaid makes some that are pretty inexpensive. It's called "brilliance" if you Google it. I think I got it at Target or Walmart or something like that from a suggestion someone here made. I don't think this was the tallest one they had. I think there was one bigger. My little guy is about 2.25" DLS.

 

[jlingram27]

I can't tell how big he(she?) is from the picture, but Rubbermaid makes some that are pretty inexpensive. It's called "brilliance" if you Google it. I think I got it at Target or Walmart or something like that from a suggestion someone here made. I don't think this was the tallest one they had. I think there was one bigger. My little guy is about 2.25" DLS.

View attachment 359037

He is about the same size as yours! Did it come with the holes in it? Thanks for that!

 

[Ungoliant]

He is about the same size as yours! Did it come with the holes in it? Thanks for that!

The holes must be added.

 

[Kitara]

He is about the same size as yours! Did it come with the holes in it? Thanks for that!

No. I drilled them, but it was very easy. It is kind of a rubbery material so I stuck a little block of wood behind it and the drill went right through. No worries about cracking or splitting.

 

[cdonivan]

I did not know this. This is my first one and I saw online it sad every couple of months to clean it. Before I cleaned it he was webbing everywhere, in every corner

You should also remove the screen lid. Tarantulas can get their hooks caught in the screen and lose a leg

 

[Matt Man]

I would suggest the rubbermaid like the one above if you are on a budget. If you are stuck with what you have, remove the castles, add a tall piece of cork / wood that goes close to the top, bit not too close. That type of tank lacks good cross ventilation and is a top loaded which is problematic with an Avic as they will build their webbing to the lid and any opening will disturb it. Lean the wood in a back corner and it will have a vertical hide. This will reduce its stress, right now it has no home and probably feels exposed and vulnerable. It needs a safe space and if you can't change the whole enclosure, get it at least a vertical hide.also, if you can remove the screen as others have said it will be safer for your T