Problems with an A. seemanni dead set on escape!

[CritterKeeper79]

Has anyone had problems with T’s trying to escape? I heard loud noises coming from me shelf. I go to look and the A. seemanni is in the corner attempting to lift the top of her container off. Luckily it haw clamps on each side. Wondering what her deal is, if I’m doing something wrong? I think maybe I need a deeper container she can dig? Here’s what I caught of her escapades, as I type this I hear her again. My fear is if she manages to get a leg or palp out and it gets hung.

 

[CritterKeeper79]

Okay, I put a couple heavy books on her lid. Gonna do a different set up for her. Smaller roaming with more burrowing space. I had always heard they stay in the open as adults but I’m fairly sure she wants to burrow.

 

[Phobik1]

Maybe she wants to burrow. Maybe she wants to breed. Maybe she wants to eat. She is active, thats a good thing. Does she have a hide, water dish?

 

[CritterKeeper79]

Maybe she wants to burrow. Maybe she wants to breed. Maybe she wants to eat. She is active, thats a good thing. Does she have a hide, water dish?

She does have a hide and water dish.

 

[Oursapoil]

Good morning my friend. What is your lid made out of? Heads-up if it is a thin metal wire mesh, she will chew through it without breaking a sweat (I learnt by experience ). As much as we are trying to make perfect little homes for our babies, they are still in "cage" and there might be hundreds reasons why it is trying to get out but it doesn't mean that there is something wrong with your setup.
Would you mind to take a picture of the whole enclosure when you'll get a chance.
A few more questions:
1. Is it a confirmed female?
2. Did it just molt (I am asking because I have several and only see them this thin after a molt, they are all really fat bottom)?
3. How long since you've got her?
Cheers.

 

[CritterKeeper79]

Good morning my friend. What is your lid made out of? Heads-up if it is a thin metal wire mesh, she will chew through it without breaking a sweat (I learnt by experience ). As much as we are trying to make perfect little homes for our babies, they are still in "cage" and there might be hundreds reasons why it is trying to get out but it doesn't mean that there is something wrong with your setup.
Would you mind to take a picture of the whole enclosure when you'll get a chance.
A few more questions:
1. Is it a confirmed female?
2. Did it just molt (I am asking because I have several and only see them this thin after a molt, they are all really fat bottom)?
3. How long since you've got her?
Cheers.

I got her from a friend. I personally have fed her 3-4 large crickets a week. Not confirmed female but suspect on my minimal sexing skills. He was saying he was having trouble getting her to eat but she eats for me? I will take a picture when I get home, there’s one in my unexpected tarantula post in photos and video section. Would you recommend feeding twice a week until she fills out more? I was trying not to overdo it.

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
3-4 crickets a week is way more than your tarantula needs.Twice a week will be overkill.
You are ricking of getting a long long fast on your hands.
I feed my adult tarantulas 2 crickets every two weeks and still getting fasts for 50 -60 days or more
Regards Konstantin

 

[Oursapoil]

I agree with Konstantin but there are other things that could be considered as well. How old/big is it? Would you be able to get your hand on a couple of dubias? Crickets are great but not the most nutritious prey, full size adults being about an inch. If your T is large enough, I would consider trying a large or adult size dubia (females have more meat than males). Crush its head (it'll still be alive for a week) and put it on its back in front of the T. Being on its back will have it jiggle its legs and it usually triggers an attack if your T is hungry. I do not keep to a specific feeding schedule for large juvenile or adult Ts. Weekly I would offer a fairly large amount of crickets or dubias and sometimes superworms to change, depending on the size of the T. The next day I would remove everything that wasn't eaten overnight. Some Ts will eat everything (in that case I add just a few more the next day) some will take one or two and some none. The abdomen size is usually what I go for (it is different between species of course as you can't expect arboreal Ts to have as big of an abdomen as terrestrial ones). It allows me with a simple visual check to see if the T could use a little bit more food or needs a diet for a few weeks. With the room at 75 degrees most of the time I have not experience yet a T refusing food for more than a month or so.
Hoping this helps, have a great day.

 

[Oursapoil]

@octanejunkie , this is a chance for another shameless plug to the amazing post you did about underfeeding against overfeeding

 

[CritterKeeper79]

@octanejunkie , this is a chance for another shameless plug to the amazing post you did about underfeeding against overfeeding

Yeah, I have the slings under control. These are kind of a mystery because they haven’t been in my care too long. I will go see if they have Dubia in stock or maybe horn worms.

 

[Oursapoil]

Yeah, I have the slings under control. These are kind of a mystery because they haven’t been in my care too long. I will go see if they have Dubia in stock or maybe horn worms.

Horn worms are a nice (but expensive) juicy treat

 

[octanejunkie]

Yeah, I have the slings under control. These are kind of a mystery because they haven’t been in my care too long. I will go see if they have Dubia in stock or maybe horn worms.

People tend to overfeed slings to "get them past the delicate sling stage" but this is BS. People want big Ts without big T prices and they want them now. Slings can miss as many meals as adults and in fact will grow just as fast whether we overfeed them or not. Overfed Ts tend to stall/starve and can have trouble molting.
Remember tarantulas are opportunistic eaters, they don't understand they live in a box on a shelf in your house and you will provide for them. Instinct tells.thrm to eat when food is available because nature doesn't always provide a consistent bounty.

@octanejunkie , this is a chance for another shameless plug to the amazing post you did about underfeeding against overfeeding

I must oblige with a shameless setup like this

Underfeed vs overfeed

I am happy to share my observations, and philosophies, accumulated from keeping and feeding tarantulas in re feeding frequency. If you read no further; less is more when it comes to feeding tarantulas. Tarantulas are wild animals, they are not domesticated, and like most animals are...

www.tarantulaforum.com

 

[CritterKeeper79]

People tend to overfeed slings to "get them past the delicate sling stage" but this is BS. People want big Ts without big T prices and they want them now. Slings can miss as many meals as adults and in fact will grow just as fast whether we overfeed them or not. Overfed Ts tend to stall/starve and can have trouble molting.
Remember tarantulas are opportunistic eaters, they don't understand they live in a box on a shelf in your house and you will provide for them. Instinct tells.thrm to eat when food is available because nature doesn't always provide a consistent bounty.

I must oblige with a shameless setup like this

Underfeed vs overfeed

I am happy to share my observations, and philosophies, accumulated from keeping and feeding tarantulas in re feeding frequency. If you read no further; less is more when it comes to feeding tarantulas. Tarantulas are wild animals, they are not domesticated, and like most animals are...

www.tarantulaforum.com

So basically I’m worried over nothing.

 

[Oursapoil]

So basically I’m worried over nothing.

We’ve all been there and done that