Earned My Cider Today

[VanessaS]

I rehoused two C. cyaneopubescens today. Unbelievable how fast they move and how much I was shaking. They were in horrible tanks with far too little substrate, mesh tops, and had (at least) three old moults inside them. Horrible.
Do they always move that quickly? Do they ever calm down? I thought I was going to lose them. Good thing I did it in the bathtub - after plugging all the drains and whatnot.
Sheesh.

 

[Thistles]

Aww, I'm sorry your adrenaline was pumping so much! I've gotten the shakes a few times (hot snakes...) and it's no fun! They will always stay quick but usually as they get older they kick more and run less, in my experience. The tub is a good precaution! Maybe use the bag method if you aren't comfortable with them.

 

[VanessaS]

I've never heard of the 'bag method'. Can you point me in the right direction to read up about it?
Thanks. They were speedy little ones, but everyone is safe and sound and in much better enclosures.

 

[Thistles]

I should let @Tomoran do the honors, since I'm going to link you to his write up!
https://tomsbigspiders.wordpress.com/2015/02/15/tarantula-rehousing-tips-with-videos/

 

[VanessaS]

Okay, I get it. Makes sense. My two were perfectly behaved until I tried to coax them out of the catch cup and into the new enclosure. They immediately bolted all over the place. I had no problem getting them back inside the catch cup, but getting them out was a whole other story. I tried to cover half the new enclosure with the lid, but that went out the window fast... it is just SO awkward! I stupidly didn't use a catch cup small enough to just leave in the new enclosures and I couldn't get the lid on and just leave it in there. Anyway, there is no guarantee that they wouldn't have done the same bolting around when I tried to get the cup out.
They were good girls and I know that they were just stressed out and whatnot - especially after the first car ride they probably had in almost their entire lives. I think I will even feed them in the tub until I can get a better gauge of their behaviour once they settle in.

 

[Thistles]

Grats on the two ladies, either way! They're such pretty spiders!

 

[kormath]

My son's GBB is like that around me. Very skittish and they are fast. My GBB is calm with either of us, never had it bolt yet. The larger one runs for a short sprint then stops and bolts again usually. Although it did make a couple laps around the tub before going up the side and into his enclosure.