New Mexican red knee tarantula owner need help

[newspidermom]

Or you can try and get a smaller horizontal kriter keeper until you figure out what to do. They're fairly affordable. Can you handle her?

 

[newspidermom]

No prob..I always a msg away...lol

 

[Joshduran16]

I can handle her every one in a while she kicks hair. But I'll buy more substrate but since the first three days she's just exploring hopefully

 

[newspidermom]

I think she'll be fine. Before you know it you'll be addicted like everyone else on here and one just won't be enough. I have 80 in all different size shapes and colors!

 

[DeanoMolly]

Hi joshdutan16, I have a smithi, and he loves to climb, my tank isn't the size of yours, but then lector(smithi) isn't as big! You couldn't of got a better t, in my opinion, the only down side I have with lector is he eats when he decides not when I put the locust in!! Every other t is like "yay, it's dinner time" and lector just sits there like "put it in, I'll eat it when I'm not so busy observing everything else"
Anyway enjoy

 

[Joshduran16]

Haha thanks you deanomolly. Ya they she seems like a great T. I have you to see when she will eat

 

[AceTRetreat]

That is a nice looking T you have as your first .... I would echo what newspidermom has written ... my two big concerns would be too much vertical height and the mesh ceiling. You can if the backing is foam insert designed for that Exo-terra cut it in half (would say looks as if want half as much vertical height) and then put cardboard or get piece of thin plexiglass cut to correct size and ventilate whichever you use so air circulates through ... leave screen lid above in place. For support front side and/or middle ... take small perhaps 1/2 inch PVC and embed suction cups at each end and place firmly into place ... this should be plenty to support cardboard or thin plexi (you can set on top, weave through, or put two above and two below and slide between .... I use the PVC with suction cups with vines wrapped around it for my Gargoyle Geckos and has never let go under the weight of vines and them. This will solve your weight and top issues all at once ... of course adjust according to how much more substrate you put in ... but without adding any would cay need to cut height in half .. looks to be maybe an 18 inch height with 2 inches of substrate so bring down to about inches above substrate.
Good luck and hope this works for you or gives you some other ideas how to work it ... then again you could get a lower more terrestrial habitat and then get an arboreal T for this habitat ..

 

[Joshduran16]

Another question when do i know she's hungry like the breeder said that she ate on the 11 of this month. Do I just wait. Cause I know they can go awhile in not eating

 

[Joshduran16]

If you can. Can you please send pics of your guys setup

 

[octanejunkie]

I would suggest getting a different enclosure. You can only fill substrate up to the door opening and then there's still too much height - not to mention the toe grabbing screen top.

I saw some good sizing guidelines here (on this site) for enclosures based on size and species of T, might be worth a search. Also, you might want to consider picking up a copy of the Tarantula Keeper's Guide off Amazon for $13 - a worthwhile investment and tons of good and practical info.

Welcome to the hobby, and the forum!

 

[AceTRetreat]

I would say by this weekend you could try putting a prey item in with your T .... check 24 hours later and if not eaten remove and try again in a few days. I use mostly KK for smaller and various size tubs for larger terrestrial T's .... ventilation is added according to the type T and level of humidity required.

 

[Joshduran16]

Thank you