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Is a hide necessary?

NatashaG

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Okay, so my T, Zoltan, moulted a little while ago and has gotten considerably bigger. The hide that I had made for him is now just too small, and I've noticed him trying his best fit in it, but it's safe to say he is just too big. I was looking online for reviews on a hide that would be suitable for moulting and something permanent as he grows, when I came across a few articles online saying that B.Smithi's often don't require a hide, as they are pretty comfortable being out in the open. One article even suggested that often having a hide can help to feed a skittish disposition, something that I really don't want my little man to have, as I want him to be as comfortable with us as possible.
Now I'm not sure I would be okay with completely taking away a little house for him, and I might try making a shallow little hide from things I have laying around the house, but I just wondered if anyone on here has any advice/views/experience with this issue.
 

Enn49

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My 2 B. smithi just have a piece of cork bark which they don't use as hides but just sit on top.
 

NatashaG

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My 2 B. smithi just have a piece of cork bark which they don't use as hides but just sit on top.
I thought about that, and a lot of people seem to use cork bark. I'm thinking of just something like that :)
 

timc

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I really don't see how providing a hide could hurt. Like @Enn49 said, even if they don't use it it's something to climb around on. Also I don't buy having a hide leads to a skittish disposition. In fact I believe the opposite to be true. If the spider doesn't have a place to feel safe and comfortable when there's commotion then I could see it getting skittish.
 

NatashaG

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It's more that I want to take him out of the hide he has there now, because it really is too small. I know that they can get into tiny little spaces and such, but he is even struggling to turn around in it, so for me, right now, I want to take it out so that he at least has a bit more space. I wasn't sure when I read that most dont need a hide, as I feel a lot better with him having somewhere that he can go back to, and I'm currently on the hunt for a more shallow hide. If anyone has any recommendations, then I would be more than interested in hearing them.
Zoltan is very skittish at the moment, and I mean all the time. I know he has recently moulted, he has eaten fine since then and is in otherwise perfect health. Before his moult, he was not fussed about being out, and I would often find him outside of his house, and he wouldn't mind when I would have a good look at him. But now he never leaves his hide (And even bolts to the back of his enclosure when I just sit down in front of his tank) and this is the problem that I am having with it. If he is in there all the time, I want him to have enough space. T he disposition issue kind of made sense to me, in a way that if they were used to being out in the open all the time, they would become more used to everyday noises and things like opening the tank. But I do feel that i'm more happy if I provide him with at least somewhere to hide away if he needs to.

I really don't see how providing a hide could hurt. Like @Enn49 said, even if they don't use it it's something to climb around on. Also I don't buy having a hide leads to a skittish disposition. In fact I believe the opposite to be true. If the spider doesn't have a place to feel safe and comfortable when there's commotion then I could see it getting skittish.
 

Kymura

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Take a cheap plastic cup/glass and cut it to size. Run a little heat over the edges so it's not sharp and bury it under the sub for it. Comes in all sizes and works perfectly fine. :)

(Basically cut up two sides so it's halved long ways even small deli/condiment cups work)
 
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Phil

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Cork bark works well with most of mine. Only the genic has extra roots/log as in much bigger container (70litres). They don't go in the hide too much but like others have said, they do like exploring and walking on them, laying down trip wires etc so I think they appreciate something.
 

NatashaG

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Take a cheap plastic cup/glass and cut it to size. Run a little heat over the edges so it's not sharp and bury it under the sub for it. Comes in all sizes and works perfectly fine. :)

(Basically cut up two sides so it's halved long ways even small deli/condiment cups work)
I had done this for the other hide that he had now, it was a little plastic bottle that seemed to suit him just fine. I think that might be the way to go for me, as then I can get it the exact size and shape that I think he needs. Thanks for the tip!!
 

NatashaG

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Cork bark works well with most of mine. Only the genic has extra roots/log as in much bigger container (70litres). They don't go in the hide too much but like others have said, they do like exploring and walking on them, laying down trip wires etc so I think they appreciate something.
He has a pretty decent burrow under his hide, and for me I'm pretty okay letting him have that while I try and make up a new hide tonight. Honestly, he was really struggling to get his legs around in it, and i'd rather have him spread out for a night than crumpled up in there. Is cork bark easy to clean? Thats the only thing that is swaying me more towards a small, plastic hide. When the time comes around for a substrate change or an enclosure clean (or god forbid the dreaded 'mite' situation ever happens) then I imagine it is easier to deal with something easy to wipe rather than wood.
 

Phil

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He has a pretty decent burrow under his hide, and for me I'm pretty okay letting him have that while I try and make up a new hide tonight. Honestly, he was really struggling to get his legs around in it, and i'd rather have him spread out for a night than crumpled up in there. Is cork bark easy to clean? Thats the only thing that is swaying me more towards a small, plastic hide. When the time comes around for a substrate change or an enclosure clean (or god forbid the dreaded 'mite' situation ever happens) then I imagine it is easier to deal with something easy to wipe rather than wood.
A good old scrubbing brush always works for me when I clean my cork bark. Not as easy as plastic obviously, but I prefer the look. I think they will burrow underneath and around in the sub for leg room if they have to.
 

NatashaG

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Totally agree. They dig it out to suit them and like small comforting spaces.
He has burrowed as much as he possibly could, he was literally at the bottom of the tank. I plan on making him a new hide, something more roomy for all his legs to fit in nicely. I agree that really it feels best to have somewhere for him to go into.
 

Phil

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He has burrowed as much as he possibly could, he was literally at the bottom of the tank. I plan on making him a new hide, something more roomy for all his legs to fit in nicely. I agree that really it feels best to have somewhere for him to go into.
If right at the bottom, may also want to consider deeper sub if re housing/re working existing. Maybe create a banked area with the hide embedded? That has worked for me before ☺
 

NatashaG

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If right at the bottom, may also want to consider deeper sub if re housing/re working existing. Maybe create a banked area with the hide embedded? That has worked for me before ☺
He had his house buried under the substrate, kind of like a little hill :) I like the look of it and would probably just have it like that again. He also has plenty of substrate, (as probably most people can tell) I am a bit of a worrier, and don't like the idea of him having a fall. It's more that he had kicked majority of the dirt out of his hide (obviously trying to make room) but he was still struggling to move around. I am liking the idea of cork bark though, it looks really good in photos I have seen! :T:
 

Phil

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He had his house buried under the substrate, kind of like a little hill :) I like the look of it and would probably just have it like that again. He also has plenty of substrate, (as probably most people can tell) I am a bit of a worrier, and don't like the idea of him having a fall. It's more that he had kicked majority of the dirt out of his hide (obviously trying to make room) but he was still struggling to move around. I am liking the idea of cork bark though, it looks really good in photos I have seen! :T:
Worrier? Not noticed......ha ha. Sounds like he is just making it his own. Chances are whatever you do, he will probably repeat the process and kick it all out. We (the owners) are deffo more paranoid and worried about things than they seem to be that's for sure. I have OCD tendencies with mine, all major tanks I have identical and symmetrical depending on whether you view from the left or right moving inwards, the arboreal tanks are either side of my bed and are matching with the cork barks facing towards the bed so I can just turn round in the morning and see them. Makes for interesting conversation when lady visitors come a calling lol.
 

kormath

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My view on it :) All T's need a place to escape the world and regroup- hide, web tunnel, or burrow - i think it depends on your T and their size and habits.

All of my small slings live in their burrows except the GBB and Avics, they make their own "hides" out of their web tunnels. I don't give any of them hides. When they get about 1.5" or so they start coming out of their burrows and are in the open more to be seen, Those I rehouse from the 2" square enclosure they were in and give them a hide in their new 4" home. Now they only seem to burrow away forever during premolt, then they come back out and want to be seen.
 

Telson

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Hides, climbs and decorations are great for adults. I keep my slings spartan, with just a leaf or small cork bark to hide under. Its best to keep slings that way, for easier monitoring and tlc. I have six Hapalopus lg slings with just rocks sticking up..they webbed everything anyway...made tunnel networks and dirt curtains..and all of them sit out in plain view, most of the time, and ignore their elaborate constructions :p Awesome sp.
 

NatashaG

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Worrier? Not noticed......ha ha. Sounds like he is just making it his own. Chances are whatever you do, he will probably repeat the process and kick it all out. We (the owners) are deffo more paranoid and worried about things than they seem to be that's for sure. I have OCD tendencies with mine, all major tanks I have identical and symmetrical depending on whether you view from the left or right moving inwards, the arboreal tanks are either side of my bed and are matching with the cork barks facing towards the bed so I can just turn round in the morning and see them. Makes for interesting conversation when lady visitors come a calling lol.
I'm not convinced that people don't think I'm a lunatic lol. He is a fan of messing around with his substrate, and I often wake up to see the silk plants all over the place :p
When he first came I had ordered a pretty expensive hide and it turned out to be absolutely useless. The sizes for it online were terrible and it came and it would have probably have done a sling WAY better. So, I cut up a plastic bottle out of the recycling (cleaned it obviously) and covered it in non toxic glue before sticking some spare substrate, covering it. I'm planning on doing the same again, and have the supplies ordered. It was great, I loved the fact I could make it fit the enclosure just right. So I definitely understand the OCD element of your collecting, is it a bit crazy that it totally makes logical sense to me?? lol :cool::D
If a lady ain't interested in Tarantulas, is she even worth it??? ;) I have my shelves at the bottom of my bed, so I just sit up first thing and check on the T and the dog and THEN the husband. He has never complained about this ha.
 

NatashaG

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My view on it :) All T's need a place to escape the world and regroup- hide, web tunnel, or burrow - i think it depends on your T and their size and habits.

All of my small slings live in their burrows except the GBB and Avics, they make their own "hides" out of their web tunnels. I don't give any of them hides. When they get about 1.5" or so they start coming out of their burrows and are in the open more to be seen, Those I rehouse from the 2" square enclosure they were in and give them a hide in their new 4" home. Now they only seem to burrow away forever during premolt, then they come back out and want to be seen.
5
Zoltan is about 3 or 4 inches now, honestly could not be a 100%, but it's somewhere in there. He has a small vivarium, it's a good size for him anyway and he has never seemed to have any issue.
I must admit, I honestly didn't know that some people don't give hides to B.Smithis. It seems a little odd to me, purely just because I can imagine it makes them feel safe. I probably wouldn't buy a pre-made hide, purely based on my experience with buying them, and the money I have wasted. I really enjoyed the hide that I had made for him myself, but I need to make it larger. I did not expect him to grow so much in one moult! Don't think I would be happy to leave him with nothing.
 

Phil

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I'm not convinced that people don't think I'm a lunatic lol. He is a fan of messing around with his substrate, and I often wake up to see the silk plants all over the place :p
When he first came I had ordered a pretty expensive hide and it turned out to be absolutely useless. The sizes for it online were terrible and it came and it would have probably have done a sling WAY better. So, I cut up a plastic bottle out of the recycling (cleaned it obviously) and covered it in non toxic glue before sticking some spare substrate, covering it. I'm planning on doing the same again, and have the supplies ordered. It was great, I loved the fact I could make it fit the enclosure just right. So I definitely understand the OCD element of your collecting, is it a bit crazy that it totally makes logical sense to me?? lol :cool::D
If a lady ain't interested in Tarantulas, is she even worth it??? ;) I have my shelves at the bottom of my bed, so I just sit up first thing and check on the T and the dog and THEN the husband. He has never complained about this ha.
Us men always know deep down we are lucky to make the top 10 if the truth be known. My ex wife always had me limited to 3 T's and if I got a new one she had to have a present of some description. Selfish or what. Well rid now and have 23 Ts so happy as a pig in the soft and smelly stuff. Glad someone else "gets it" from an OCD perspective. The hides sound really good. The kind of thing I have done with random logs and cork bark to keep them looking natural and interiesring (and aymetrical naturally). I have a little LED torch to spy on mine at night time.....ha ha. Often wake up and try and catch them. Especially my balfouri who I am lucky to see once every 3 months!
 
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