Burrowing t. vagans

[kayshuhveehill]

I have a t. vagans that has dug a pretty extensive tunnel for herself, but I'm curious if anyone has ever had a burrowing spider that has caused their substrate to collapse on them inadvertently? I live in Colorado, USA (a very low-humidity state, and we have forced air running in our home and a fan running 24/7 because our temps can reach the triple digits some days). I understand that t. vagans don't need moist substrate per se, but I'm wondering if mine is possibly too dry and might collapse on her? What is a good rule of thumb on how moist the soil should be for t. vagans, if at all? Should I even be worried? Maybe she has an innate sense of where the most sturdy soil is and will only burrow where she knows she's safe....I'm just a worried keeper and don't want to wake up to a squished spider.

As a side note, I believe she's extending her tunnel in preparation to molt, as that's what she's done for the past 2 or 3 molts. Her enclosure is only 4 or 5" tall and wide, and she's about 2" I believe (that's a total rough estimate, as her last molt is buried in her tunnel and she rarely comes out of her burrow unless she's hungry ).

Thanks for the help!

 

[octanejunkie]

Yup. They do that.

Slings often dig down to find cooler, more moist ground. Mine did.

Put your sling in a deeper enclosure with more substrate of varying moisture, dry at the surface, so your doing can find the moisture level it desires.

 

[m0lsx]

I have several T's that have had their substrate collapse.

Edited to add, this is what my Juvi LP (Lasiodora parahybana) has achived.

 

[kayshuhveehill]

Yup. They do that.

Slings often dig down to find cooler, more moist ground. Mine did.

Put your sling in a deeper enclosure with more substrate of varying moisture, dry at the surface, so your doing can find the moisture level it desires.

How do you keep yours moist, especially down at the bottom level?

 

[octanejunkie]

I moisten the substrate in layers as I build the enclosure. If the enclosure starts to look dry over time I over fill the water dish.

Use a red light flashlight to assess the moisture in the substrate, more moist shows up dark. It's really easy.

 

[m0lsx]

I use a small syringe to squirt water down a corner of the enclosure into the lower levels.

 

[kayshuhveehill]

I use a small syringe to squirt water down a corner of the enclosure into the lower levels.

I've done this in the past, but now that she has tunneled along most of the bottom perimeter, don't want to flood her tunnels. I will see if I can accomplish hydration without flooding!

 

[kayshuhveehill]

I moisten the substrate in layers as I build the enclosure. If the enclosure starts to look dry over time I over fill the water dish.

Use a red light flashlight to assess the moisture in the substrate, more moist shows up dark. It's really easy.

I've also tried overfilling the water dish, but that doesn't seem to provide enough moisture. I think I'm probably just letting it get too dry in the first place, and then I'm having a tough time rehydrating the substrate without saturating it. Thanks for your tips, I will try transferring her to one of my critter keepers for now and give her some deeper substrate.

 

[m0lsx]

I try to move the water dish around & then over flow & moisten a different area of the substrate each time. That reduces the chance of mold & it means that different parts of the substrate are at different moisture levels.

 

[kayshuhveehill]

I try to move the water dish around & then over flow & moisten a different area of the substrate each time. That reduces the chance of mold & it means that different parts of the substrate are at different moisture levels.

That's so smart and very easy!

 

[Matthew]

My vagans behaves the exact same way and it did eventually experience a partial collapse of its tunnels as it would never stop making modifications. It didn't seem to phase it at all. It just started remodeling again after the collapse.

 

[octanejunkie]

I try to move the water dish around & then over flow & moisten a different area of the substrate each time. That reduces the chance of mold & it means that different parts of the substrate are at different moisture levels.

I do the same although I've never gotten mold in anything other than a virtually completely sealed container here in So Cal...

 

[octanejunkie]

My vagans behaves the exact same way and it did eventually experience a partial collapse of its tunnels as it would never stop making modifications. It didn't seem to phase it at all. It just started remodeling again after the collapse.

Bull-headed little buggers, aren't they?

 

[kayshuhveehill]

My vagans behaves the exact same way and it did eventually experience a partial collapse of its tunnels as it would never stop making modifications. It didn't seem to phase it at all. It just started remodeling again after the collapse.

That's good to know. She's just still so small (in my opinion) and I'd hate for her to get injured by a collapse. She's constantly modifying her space, which is really interesting to observe...but also anxiety-inducing for me! I will try to move her to allow her more burrowing room, and to also keep up with moisturizing her substrate. Thanks!