Concerned about Humidity

[Flud]

I came home with my Gold Knee today and I had a guy at a local shop setup the whole enclosure for me. Since I've gotten her in the enclosure I haven't seen her on the ground (less a brief moment that she explored the hide I've supplied). I haven't been watching like a hawk but I am quite the worry wart.

I've read that if a tarantula that is unhappy with humidity or moisture of it's substrate it will avoid the ground and hang out on the walls or roof of its enclosure.. And that is exactly what I think I'm seeing.

I know you guys can't gauge anything from my pictures but I want this little lady to be happy and comfy. Any help or comments are greatly appreciated?

Eco Earth substrate. Feels somewhat moistened but not quite damp.

 

[Flud]

Whoops! Here's the other side of the hide.

 

[adz07]

From research I did the substrate needs to be dry, for humidity rely on the water dish and you can overfill it a little, plus it looks like you have some form of sponge in your water dish I would take it out as it increases the chance of bacteria growing, hopefully somebody will be able to give you some more advice because I am relatively new to this myself

 

[Flud]

See that's what I even told the man, and he proclaimed his method was correct. Some expert.. Thanks for your time an your thoughts, adz07.

 

[adz07]

I was told the same with my first t, they gave me the wrong advice but a quick search on Google and reading what others do on here and I soon got it sorted

 

[Flud]

I was told the same with my first t, they gave me the wrong advice but a quick search on Google and reading what others do on here and I soon got it sorted

I've done plenty of googling and read a few different care sheets.. But it was hard to deny a guy who runs a reptile/exotic pet shop. I'll be more confident next time.

I woke up this morning to find her in her hide, but even in there she seems to be somewhat avoiding the substrate. Fresh 'strate going in today..

Thanks again for your input!

Her name is official... Ariados!

 

[adz07]

I was the same believed what they said was true because they run a shop but it just didn't seem happy, was given advice on here to dry out the substrate and the t started to seem much happier once I did

 

[Flud]

I was the same believed what they said was true because they run a shop but it just didn't seem happy, was given advice on here to dry out the substrate and the t started to seem much happier once I did

I'm glad to hear it worked out that way! I hope to see some kind of improvement after I fix up her substrate.

Now I'm gonna have to creep on ya to look at your T.

 

[MatthewM1]

Needs much deeper substrate. Front opening zoomed/exoterra enclosures aren't the greatest for terrestrials. You want the the distance from the top of the substrate to the top of the enclosure to be 1-1.5x the leg span of the T. If she were to climb up to the top, lose het footing and fall, especially when premolt she could rupture her abdomen.

Deff dry out the substrate, she's big enough she doesn't need that extra moisture, just a water dish.

 

[Flud]

Needs much deeper substrate. Front opening zoomed/exoterra enclosures aren't the greatest for terrestrials. You want the the distance from the top of the substrate to the top of the enclosure to be 1-1.5x the leg span of the T. If she were to climb up to the top, lose het footing and fall, especially when premolt she could rupture her abdomen.

Deff dry out the substrate, she's big enough she doesn't need that extra moisture, just a water dish.

Seems like everything the reptile guy did for me was wrong and incorrect.. I will be fixing all of the above promptly after work today. I will bury the skull, to some degree, so as to add more depth, as per your instruction. Thank you very very much Matthew.

 

[MatthewM1]

Np man. Yeah I've never bought T's from any reptile guys but I've heard many stories of them being as bad as petsmart/petco employees when it comes to T's.

 

[Flud]

Np man. Yeah I've never bought T's from any reptile guys but I've heard many stories of them being as bad as petsmart/petco employees when it comes to T's.

I think he had a primary goal in mind.. Sales. And he definitely upsold me, to some degree. Pics of redone enclosure with dry substrate incoming!

 

[Flud]

Here's the redone substrate/hide. Tape measure isn't flush with the enclosure and its at a bit of an angle.. Height is around 3 inches from top to substrate.

Here she is, still glued to anything but the substrate. I'm hoping she realizes that its dry and explores a bit more.

Do you guys think she might still be shaken up from the transfer from deli bowl to her new home?

I also noticed a faint white "glow" to her.. My first, and terrified, thought is moisture or mold. Could she be premolt? Hard to see in this image.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

This faint glow, is it somewhere on the abdomen? If so that's just normal. That's the part where majority of the golden knees urticating hairs are situated and usually the part that goes bald if the tarantula kicks hairs

 

[Flud]

This faint glow, is it somewhere on the abdomen? If so that's just normal. That's the part where majority of the golden knees urticating hairs are situated and usually the part that goes bald if the tarantula kicks hairs

Yes indeed! And I noticed that given the right light, you can't see it at all. Thank you for your input.

 

[2G33K4U]

For the water dish i use water crystals to help with humidity and keep dish full. This keeps crickets from drowning as well if they have not been immediately taken as food. for my T's that require extra moisture I actually put some in the soil so when i water the substrate the crystals absorb it. The Crystals do not mold.

 

[MatthewM1]

For the water dish i use water crystals to help with humidity and keep dish full. This keeps crickets from drowning as well if they have not been immediately taken as food. for my T's that require extra moisture I actually put some in the soil so when i water the substrate the crystals absorb it. The Crystals do not mold.

water gel is going to create surface area for bacteria to grow on the same as a sponge or paper towel.

 

[2G33K4U]

Never had that problem ever not in the 5 years i have been using them.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Yes indeed! And I noticed that given the right light, you can't see it at all. Thank you for your input.

Yeah it's a very reflective part. Even with full hairs on or a new molt, that part would look bald on photos coz of the shine