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HELP with Blue Cobalt

Scott Fitzgerald

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Hi Everyone!

I just bought a sub-adult Blue Cobalt and put her in a 10 gallon aquarium (this is what she was housed in previously). I put down about 5 inches of potting soil and coconut substrate. She immediately dug a burrow by the side heater I attached to the glass and she hasn't eaten, drank water or come out of her burrow for over 2 weeks. She moves when prodded but I am concerned. She is under the rocks on the right side of the pic. Does anyone have suggestions or is this something I just need to wait out and pray? Thanks, Scott
tank.jpg
tank1.jpg
 

Enn49

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It can take a while for a T to settle in its new home or it could be in premoult. Just offer her food every week and remove it if she doesn't eat. 2 weeks without food is nothing for a T as long as she has a water bowl in there.
 

Nicolas C

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Hello Scott.

This is the experience I had with my Haplos:

- Some (not all) take time to settle, weeks or even months. It's up to them until they feel ready. One of mine began to dig a deep burrow after four months when she prepared to molt (since, she stayed deep down). You can pre dig a burrow to help, but there's nothing else to do than wait.

- Haplopelma are one of the few genera that really need deep burrows to thrive. I'd suggest you, as yours hasn't settled yet, to take the opportunity to give her more substrate. 7-8 inches, or even 10 inches are good. It means maybe your enclosure isn't the right sized one for a burrowing sp. But if you don't wanna change, you can simply add more substrate in half of the enclosure (and build a slope) to increase the depth for the burrow. In your picture, I'd almost double the amount of dirt in half of the enclosure.

- Moisture wise, your substrate looks good. Haplopelma don't like it too dry...

- Once an Haplo has settled down, it's better not to disturb her anymore and leave her be. Don't change the substrate unless there is a big pest problems. As they take time to feel secure and build a burrow, it's better not to destroy it too often.

- If you don't give her too much food, you will catch her at the entrance of the burrow at nightfall, waiting for a prey to come... Quite a sight!
 

Scott Fitzgerald

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Okay, I can mound up some more potting soil and see if she likes it better but I don't want to ruin the burrow she already has. It is deep under the rocks on the right side of the tank next to the tank heater. She is deep in there. So deep she is difficult to see and I'm afraid adding more substrate will collapse the rocks on top of her. Is it really necessary to add more substrate and make her start all over burrowing if she seems comfortable by the heater? I also give her more warmth with a heating pad underneath the tank. Where would I add substrate to without filling in her burrow and making her dig again? Wouldn't this be difficult for her if she is in pre-molt? Thanks for your reply.
 

Enn49

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If she has already burrowed, I'd leave her alone and let her settle. She probably comes out at night to drink. I have Ts that I don't see for weeks at a time.
 

Nicolas C

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Enn is right: don't disturb her if she seems fine and settled.

However, be very careful with heating pads, specially if you put it under the tank: it will dry the burrow. Moreover, as tarantula dig deep to avoid too much heat, yours will find no way to escape too much warmth. If you really need to heat the tank, it's better to put the heating device on a side rather than under. Or, even better, have a space heater and warm the whole room if possible (then you can add more Ts!).


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Enn49

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I agree with Nicholas C regarding heat mats and always use a thermostat with a mat to prevent overheating.
 

SpiderDad61

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Warminster PA
Hi. As said, no heat pads. Bad news. My female cobalt is in just under an 8 gal enclosure and filled high with substrate. She has burrowed the length, turned, and Bach again and has 2 exits/entrances up out the top. She is in a different place daily but always under the sub. Most don't come out too often and mine barely comes out to eat. It acts more like my porteri in that it seems to fast, just not as long. Let it do what it likes, which is burrow and it'll be happy. It's cool to see how much sub it moves and where it ends up. I've only had mine a couple months
 

Scott Fitzgerald

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Well Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have bad news. This morning I found my Blue Cobalt dead. She finally came out of her burrow only to die on top of the substrate. I was so happy to see her up top then realized she was in a death curl. So sad. I immediately went out and bought a Male Red Back sub-adult. Beautiful "T" but I sure would love to know what went wrong with my Blue Cobalt. You might find this weird but I buried her in the backyard with a tiny cross. I hate losing when I have the life of another creature in my hands. I pray things go better with my new Red Back.

Thanks to everyone for your help with my Blue Cobalt. I sure appreciate your attentiveness and efforts.

Sincerely,
Scott
 

Enn49

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Well Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have bad news. This morning I found my Blue Cobalt dead. She finally came out of her burrow only to die on top of the substrate. I was so happy to see her up top then realized she was in a death curl. So sad. I immediately went out and bought a Male Red Back sub-adult. Beautiful "T" but I sure would love to know what went wrong with my Blue Cobalt. You might find this weird but I buried her in the backyard with a tiny cross. I hate losing when I have the life of another creature in my hands. I pray things go better with my new Red Back.

Thanks to everyone for your help with my Blue Cobalt. I sure appreciate your attentiveness and efforts.

Sincerely,
Scott

I'm sorry to hear you lost her and no, you're not weird I bury any of mine that pass away.
 

kormath

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No heat pad, especially under the enclosure if they're burrowing down. Most will be comfy at room temp -mid 70s to 80s.

Not sure what you're referring to with the Red Back, only one I know by that name is the Australian true spider. B. vagans maybe? Mexican Red Rump?

If that's the one they love to burrow until they're about 1.5". No heat pad for them, moist substrate to hold shape for the burrow, and a water dish. You can use a hide but they'll spend all their time in the burrow. Mine buried the hide and burrowed beside it.

Good luck with the new one!
 

Arachnid dude

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Sorry for your loss. Like others have said no heat pad under the enclosure especially for a obligate burrower. Many years ago when I had 5" female H. lividum she was a pet hole, hardly ever saw her out of her burrower, like literally 3 or 4 times in a year. So each and every time I took a pic when she was so gracious enough to show herself.
 

Phil

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Sad to hear the news when reading through this. Also. My two-penned on heat pads. I agree 100% that room temps of mid to high 70s is best way to go but if that is not possible (UK most of he year....lol) then a small powered heat mat, WITH a thermostat along with a layer of cork background or similar at the bottom (I. E. Unable to burrow past) I have always found to be acceptable and never troubled any of my T's in 20+ years. So all you have to do is find he right way formyour own particular circumstances and work round it. I only use 5 watt max for all mine, they are on stats, have covers wherever the heat is (side or bottom mounted) and also use a variable dial on the power line so 5 watts is actually hardly ever reached. Not everyone will agree with my methods, but works for me.
 

Scott Fitzgerald

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Misprint. He is a Red Rump. He took a cricket and has now burrowed and barricaded himself close to the side mounted heat pad. Should I be concerned? Should I keep putting crickets in every few days? I am monitoring the heat and the humidity. I sure would hate to lose another one so quickly. Could he be molting in his hideaway? Should I leave him be and see what happens? That is what I did with my Blue Cobalt and she died.
 

VanessaS

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Do you really need the heating pad at all? While a few people use them with no ill effects - the vast majority that I have ever read about caused huge concerns. It isn't just the heat you have to worry about, but also dehydration.
The rule of thumb is that if you're comfortable... they're comfortable. With only a small percentage of species being the exception.
 

Scott Fitzgerald

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He, Rudy, decided to dig his burrow next to the heat pad. Do you think I'm okay to just unplug it? I do have a temp control on it and can set it to any temp. I read the Red Rump likes temps of 80-85 and a humidity level of 70%. I have the pad set to turn on at 78 degrees and turn off at 85 degrees. I assume what you are saying is don't believe everything you read on the internet.
 

VanessaS

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I am guessing that they are a B. vagans?
My understanding is that they are a scrubland species like most of the Brachypelma. Their range for temperature is very wide and their humidity needs are low.
I don't know how big your spider is, but outside of being a spiderling they can be kept at room temperature, on dry substrate, with a water dish always available and a hide. Some people will dampen the substrate around the dish a wee bit and let it completely dry out before doing it again.
Maybe I have the wrong species and someone else can jump in here at any time and offer some advice?
 
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