More Questions

[Malcspring]

Hi folks,
Having had my Mexican Red Knee for 3 weeks now and being a total newbie I am still finding my way.
Following some great advice on here regarding filling the vivarium with more substrate and a few other things I have replaced the heat mat too so now it fits along the full width of the vivarium and is positioned so it sits above the substrate.
The temperature is usually around the 21-22 degrees mark, but the spider keeps clinging to the side of the tank where the heat mat is positioned.
That tells me that it is cold?
I have a vivarium that has a lid that is vented, so perhaps the heat that is given off by the heat mat is being lost through the vents in the lid?
There are plenty of other air holes around the top of the vivarium.
Should I cover part of lid in order to stop any more heat escaping? Not totally as I want to give it enough air (obviously)?
Since I got the spider it has been messed around with quite a lot, but now I have everything in place everything is settled now.
It still hasn't taken any food either.
I've had it 3 weeks and the last time it ate was a week before that.
Every time I offer food up it backs away. I'll leave the live food in for a while then remove it as I have been advised to do.
It is a young juvenile, pictures of my set-up
Thanks
Malc

 

[m0lsx]

1. Try rotating your enclosure. I have to have the enclosure for one of my Huntsman spiders with the door to the wall, otherwise, I find it hard to feed & water her, as she likes to be at the front. & the whole front opens & she is either on the door, or straddling it. Rotating your enclosure may make it climb a different wall to the heat mat.
2. NO, do not cover any air holes. I do not use any extra heat on any of my T's. 21 - 22 degrees is great. It is at the top end of comfortable temperatures for them. Air circulation is important, so do not cover any holes & you could probably switch off the heat mat & still have your T thrive. If it's warm enough for you, it is for your T.
3. Some T's just like to spend their lives up the side of enclosures, even if the substrate & temperatures are correct. If your T has only been in it's enclosure for 3 weeks, it could be that it still feels that the substrate is too moist for it & that it will change behavior as the substrate dries out. From the photo's your substrate looks dry, but give your T time to settle in & settle down.
I have a Brachypelma Klassi that used to be a regular side climber. Now she has settled in. She is a very rare side climber. I used a very dry substrate in her new enclosure. But it still took her a few weeks to settle down.
4. T's can go months, many months without feeding. And even good eaters will stop eating prior to a molt.
5. Leave food in the enclosure for 24 hours. I have two adult Brachypelmas that I leave food in for 48 hours, as often they will not feed within 24, but 80-90% of the time will take it within 48 hours. Also what are you feeding your T? All of mine get crickets, but I have some who I intentionally give smaller crickets to, as I know they get stressed with larger crickets & will not eat.
6. Stop worrying, your T is fine & you are doing fine. Give it time & you will get to know your T & it's likes & dislikes. They do have personalities of a sort & they do have their individual quirks.

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
as I said before your spider is not cold.Tarantulas are drawn to heat thats all.
I am wandering what temperature you are aiming for as im certain even if the enclosure gets warmer the spider will still be drawn to the matt.I advised you already to turn the matt off till after summer when temperatures drop below 18-20°C as its not needed not in this weather.
There are few possibilities why you spider sits on the sides apart from the most likely being position of the heat matt.Too fluffy substrate for their liking(you need to pack it down when you add it). Recently disturbed enclosure (it takes time for tarantulas to settle in).
Your Brachypelma does not need tons of airflow and moist substrate to make poorly ventilated enclosure suffy but I will be very reluctant (wary) about restricting ventilation further.
Refusing food may be caused by disturbance, may be going in premoult or its simply not hungry.Having said that sime spiders are shy eaters and will eat late at night or when you are not around hence I advised to leave feders in 24h and then remove. If you suspect its close to moult don't feed or prekill the feeder as you don't want live feeders with moulting spider .
It will eat when its ready try offering again in 2-3 weeks
Hope that helps.
Regards Konstantin

 

[Malcspring]

Hi
as I said before your spider is not cold.Tarantulas are drawn to heat thats all.
I am wandering what temperature you are aiming for as im certain even if the enclosure gets warmer the spider will still be drawn to the matt.I advised you already to turn the matt off till after summer when temperatures drop below 18-20°C as its not needed not in this weather.
There are few possibilities why you spider sits on the sides apart from the most likely being position of the heat matt.Too fluffy substrate for their liking(you need to pack it down when you add it). Recently disturbed enclosure (it takes time for tarantulas to settle in).
Your Brachypelma does not need tons of airflow and moist substrate to make poorly ventilated enclosure suffy but I will be very reluctant (wary) about restricting ventilation further.
Refusing food may be caused by disturbance, may be going in premoult or its simply not hungry.Having said that sime spiders are shy eaters and will eat late at night or when you are not around hence I advised to leave feders in 24h and then remove. If you suspect its close to moult don't feed or prekill the feeder as you don't want live feeders with moulting spider .
It will eat when its ready try offering again in 2-3 weeks
Hope that helps.
Regards Konstantin

Thank you, Konstantin.

 

[Malcspring]

What temperature should I be aiming for, for a Mexican Red Knee? I am having loads of conflicting info, so I don't know what to do?
I want to give my T as good environment as I can.
Thanks

 

[Konstantin]

Hi
Anything between 18-30°C will be fine for most species of tarantulas.
Tarantula keeping is a breeze if you don't overthink things .
Regards Konstantin