New Tarantula Need Help!

[Haileeamethyst]

Hello, I am a new first time tarantula owner and picked up this beauty a little more than a week ago. She is a Curley haired tarantula named Lalaith. Because I’m new to this, I naturally am concerned about a few things. First, I am wondering if my enclose needs anything of if it looks okay( there is a water dish that might not be visible in the picture). I first fed her the day I got her and I fed her about 3 feeding crickets. About a week later (2 days ago) I got some young Dubia and Madagascar hissing ****roaches to feed her. I put 3 roaches in her enclosure and she wasn’t eating them. The next morning it looks like she might have eaten 2 unless they borrowed which I will check for but she wouldn’t eat the one I saw out. I’m not sure if she’s going to molt soon or just didn’t like the roaches? I’m wondering if I should try to pick up some crickets or wait a week. She also spends a lot of time just hanging out on the glass and I’m not sure why. In the picture she’s getting warm on the heating pad but she’s on the other side of the enclosure in the glass a lot. Because I’ve only had her for about a week, I can’t really look for changes that would indicate she’s in premolt. Any advice? Thank you in advance
-Hailee

 

[Rs50matt]

I’d start by saying that it doesn’t need a heat mat. Even thou it’s going towards its unnecessary and a waste of money.

That’s a hell of a lot of food to be giving a T. Albos are good eaters but like most Ts they are opportunistic, if food is there they will eat it most of the time. It could lead to problems later down the line. A cricket or 2 once a week , or 1 Dubia roach will suffice. Hissers are pretty big for an albo.

More substrate wouldn’t hurt but as long as it isn’t climbing the glass it won’t be able to fall but take note that a fall from the top to the substrate could very easily kill your T.

 

[Haileeamethyst]

I’d start by saying that it doesn’t need a heat mat. Even thou it’s going towards its unnecessary and a waste of money.

That’s a hell of a lot of food to be giving a T. Albos are good eaters but like most Ts they are opportunistic, if food is there they will eat it most of the time. It could lead to problems later down the line. A cricket or 2 once a week , or 1 Dubia roach will suffice. Hissers are pretty big for an albo.

More substrate wouldn’t hurt but as long as it isn’t climbing the glass it won’t be able to fall but take note that a fall from the top to the substrate could very easily kill your T.

 

[Haileeamethyst]

Thank you. I know that a heating pad isn’t necessary, but my roommate/landlord keeps our house at 60 degrees so I thought that it would help. The roaches I fed were nymphs so about the same size as a feeder cricket. I could get some more substrate soon. Do you have some advice on how to get her to stop climbing the glass?

 

[Haileeamethyst]

*edit- when I said she’s hanging out on the glass, I meant pretty high up in the glass which is one thing that I’m concerned about

 

[Arachnoclown]

That enclosure is way too big for your spider. If you add about 6" of substrate that will help out if she falls. I'd get rid of the pine log to...pine can be toxic to invertebrates. Use cork bark instead. Water dish??? I dont see one in the photos. A spider that size can eat every 2 weeks.

 

[menavodi]

Some like crickets better....