Why is my b smithi stressed and climbing?

Nadz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
2
I have a juvenile Mexican red knee, it has always been well behaved and docile but ever since I moved into my new house, my t has been climbing the walls of the enclosure constantly, falling off and getting stuck on the ceiling of the enclosure. I made sure to mimic the environment of my last house, the enclosure is on a shelf against the wall next to window. Just like it always has been. Temperature and humidity are the same as well. I feed it regularly, and the water dish is always full. I thought replacing the substrate and cleaning out the enclosure would help, but it's behavior hasn't changed. The substrate is dry and pretty deep. So I don't think that's the issue. I tried covering the enclosure with a black cloth to see if the lighting is what's been bothering it, still no change. I know it's extremely stressed because it now has a huge bald spot from kicking hairs, which has never been an issue before. At this point I don't know what more I can do for my t. Any ideas on what I can change will help! Sorry for the low quality photos
 

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magicmed

Arachnobaron
Joined
Jun 4, 2016
Messages
404
Someone more experienced will chime in but in my opinion, you could have moved the T while it was near a molt, which would have stressed it. Also I could be wrong but the enclosure looks too tall, I would increase substrate height. Along with switching out that screen top. You mentioned the T is getting stuck on the top so I assume it's screen. They are really not recommended for T as they can get stuck and injured on the screen.

As I said that's just my first opinion, someone will chime in.
 

Toxoderidae

Arachnoprince
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Messages
1,008
The spider needs way more substrate, ignore humidity and temperature, those are wrong. Keep the spider very dry, it likely doesn't feel comfortable. Do not handle the spider, and as @magicmed said, if it's a mesh/wire top, change it.
 

Trenor

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jan 28, 2016
Messages
1,896
I have a juvenile Mexican red knee, it has always been well behaved and docile but ever since I moved into my new house, my t has been climbing the walls of the enclosure constantly, falling off and getting stuck on the ceiling of the enclosure. I made sure to mimic the environment of my last house, the enclosure is on a shelf against the wall next to window. Just like it always has been. Temperature and humidity are the same as well. I feed it regularly, and the water dish is always full. I thought replacing the substrate and cleaning out the enclosure would help, but it's behavior hasn't changed. The substrate is dry and pretty deep. So I don't think that's the issue. I tried covering the enclosure with a black cloth to see if the lighting is what's been bothering it, still no change. I know it's extremely stressed because it now has a huge bald spot from kicking hairs, which has never been an issue before. At this point I don't know what more I can do for my t. Any ideas on what I can change will help! Sorry for the low quality photos
Add more sub like everyone has said. Remove the rocks from the dish. It doesn't help with anything and will only make things harder to clean. Don't worry about humidity. I would replace the screen top if you can.

As far as why it is acting different..
Are any vents blowing on the enclosure?
Does that window get direct sunlight for long peroids of time?
How wet is that substrate(it looks really wet in the 1st pic)?

All these things can affect your Ts habits, especially the wet sub.
 

Nadz

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
2
I will look into getting another enclosure without a mesh screen, possibly a shorter one and add more substrate. I never moisten the substrate, it's always dry. It might look wet because of the webbing the t left. There are also no vents or fans near the enclosure, and I usually have the blinds on my window partly closed. There's no harsh light coming in. Thanks for the input everyone!
 

WeightedAbyss75

Arachnoangel
Joined
Feb 22, 2014
Messages
921
I will look into getting another enclosure without a mesh screen, possibly a shorter one and add more substrate. I never moisten the substrate, it's always dry. It might look wet because of the webbing the t left. There are also no vents or fans near the enclosure, and I usually have the blinds on my window partly closed. There's no harsh light coming in. Thanks for the input everyone!
It may just be that it needs time. Some of my own T's won't touch the ground at all for upwards of a month. This could be too much moisture, molt, etc. I would just fill the sub (so when it climbs it doesn't hurt itself) and give it time to adjust. My motto is, if the T is eating, drinking, and not putting itself in mortal danger, then it's healthy. Looks like a beautiful, healthy spider, so I would just give it time.
 

EulersK

Arachnonomicon
Staff member
Joined
Feb 22, 2013
Messages
3,292
climbing the walls of the enclosure constantly...
Likely due to the humidity you have in there. Are the droplets of water on the side from you misting, or just filling the water dish? This species is to be kept bone dry - nothing more than a water dish is needed.

... falling off and getting stuck on the ceiling of the enclosure....
Get rid of that mesh lid. Look up how to cut acrylic - modifying an aquarium to work with a tarantula is very easy. Just cut the acrylic to size, drill some air holes, and you're good. A place like Lowe's will even cut the acrylic for you.

The substrate is dry and pretty deep.
Not deep enough. You want no more than 2x dls (diagonal leg span) between the floor and the top of the enclosure.

I tried covering the enclosure with a black cloth to see if the lighting is what's been bothering it, still no change.
Unneeded. Unless you have some kind of lamp right on the enclosure, then it wouldn't be a problem. This is a species with high light tolerance.

I know it's extremely stressed because it now has a huge bald spot from kicking hairs, which has never been an issue before.
Completely normal for any T that has urticating setae ("hairs"). You'll find two things with NW terrestrials as time goes on. Firstly, they will become much more defensive of their environment after they settle in. This is not what's happening with you since you recently rehoused, but a spider that has lived in an unchanged environment for more than 6 months will begin to defend their stake of land. Perfectly docile T's will begin kicking setae and throwing threats when they get comfortable. Them being defensive of their home means you did a good job setting it up for them. Secondly, as they grow larger, tarantulas become more prone to using their defenses. Nature has taught them that they're giant spiders - other animals have an innate fear of them, and tarantulas use this to their benefit when they're no longer tiny spiders.

In short, it just sounds like a spider exploring it's new home. Even if you put all the decorations back exactly as they were, you have replaced the substrate. To them, this is an entirely new world that they must explore.
 

Octagon

Arachnoperson
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
39
Completely normal for any T that has urticating setae ("hairs"). You'll find two things with NW terrestrials as time goes on. Firstly, they will become much more defensive of their environment after they settle in. This is not what's happening with you since you recently rehoused, but a spider that has lived in an unchanged environment for more than 6 months will begin to defend their stake of land. Perfectly docile T's will begin kicking setae and throwing threats when they get comfortable. Them being defensive of their home means you did a good job setting it up for them. Secondly, as they grow larger, tarantulas become more prone to using their defenses. Nature has taught them that they're giant spiders - other animals have an innate fear of them, and tarantulas use this to their benefit when they're no longer tiny spiders.
Thanks for this info - it's very interesting. I never realized that, due to territorial instincts, a tarantula's defensive behaviour becomes more rather than less frequent as it becomes more comfortable in its environment.
 

REEFSPIDER

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 6, 2016
Messages
412
Likely due to the humidity you have in there. Are the droplets of water on the side from you misting, or just filling the water dish? This species is to be kept bone dry - nothing more than a water dish is needed.


Get rid of that mesh lid. Look up how to cut acrylic - modifying an aquarium to work with a tarantula is very easy. Just cut the acrylic to size, drill some air holes, and you're good. A place like Lowe's will even cut the acrylic for you.


Not deep enough. You want no more than 2x dls (diagonal leg span) between the floor and the top of the enclosure.


Unneeded. Unless you have some kind of lamp right on the enclosure, then it wouldn't be a problem. This is a species with high light tolerance.


Completely normal for any T that has urticating setae ("hairs"). You'll find two things with NW terrestrials as time goes on. Firstly, they will become much more defensive of their environment after they settle in. This is not what's happening with you since you recently rehoused, but a spider that has lived in an unchanged environment for more than 6 months will begin to defend their stake of land. Perfectly docile T's will begin kicking setae and throwing threats when they get comfortable. Them being defensive of their home means you did a good job setting it up for them. Secondly, as they grow larger, tarantulas become more prone to using their defenses. Nature has taught them that they're giant spiders - other animals have an innate fear of them, and tarantulas use this to their benefit when they're no longer tiny spiders.

In short, it just sounds like a spider exploring it's new home. Even if you put all the decorations back exactly as they were, you have replaced the substrate. To them, this is an entirely new world that they must explore.
Glad to know I set my B vagans up properly I just thought she was a B word.
 
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