Please help! questions about my burrowing T!

[desert blond enthusiast]

Greetings,
I could use some expert help/advise on my T's burrowing behaviors. She's a little 2.5 inch desert blond tarantula. I recently put in a slanted hide/ half-log into her enclosure. She seems to be loving it as she's been burrowing into it like crazy. She's actually managed to burrow past the point of where the half-log covers. Should I be concerned of a possible cave-in if she's dug her burrow past the safety of the half log? If it's a concern, should I move the wood log thing further down into the enclosure, and risk disturbing her already-burrowed area? should I leave it be? I've attached a pic of her hiding away in her little burrow. Thank you in advance.

 

[Chubbs]

I doubt it'll collapse. You can probably leave it. My Ephebopus murinus did the same thing.

 

[desert blond enthusiast]

I doubt it'll collapse. You can probably leave it. My Ephebopus murinus did the same thing.

Thank you Chubbs, I'm a little sad to see less and less of Reggie now that she's been getting into her burrowing. I know she works on no one's schedule but her own, but I cant help missing getting to see her cute little fuzzy face all the time. The kids miss seeing her too.

 

[Chubbs]

Aphonopelma normally aren't that reclusive, so I'm sure you'll see it out in the open pretty frequently. You said it looked to be in premolt, so if it's hiding more than that could be why. If you decide to ever get into more advanced species, don't get a Ephebopus species I have seen my skeleton tarantula only a handful of times and it ONLY comes out in the early hours of the morning. My blue Fang I have seen maybe 4 or 5 times out in the open in the past 6 months I've had it. I don't mind reclusive species personally.

 

[desert blond enthusiast]

Wow, it must be very cool when you do see your blue Fang out and about though! Reginald is doing well, she has managed to burrow clear to the other side of the enclosure. She has even made a convenient little viewing window where I can see her when she's in the deepest part of her burrow! She's been just hanging out in there pretty still, right side up and not really moving much at all. I'm guessing that's the pre-molt lethargy that I'm seeing? I've attached a pic of her in her burrow through the little viewing window she's made.

As for getting more T's, it might be awhile, as my spouse is only just barely warming up to Reggie. However, if it does happen, I've always been kind of curious about the arboreal T's. Are there any arboreal species that would be good (and also not reclusive) for a beginner like myself?

 

[MassExodus]

Wow, it must be very cool when you do see your blue Fang out and about though! Reginald is doing well, she has managed to burrow clear to the other side of the enclosure. She has even made a convenient little viewing window where I can see her when she's in the deepest part of her burrow! She's been just hanging out in there pretty still, right side up and not really moving much at all. I'm guessing that's the pre-molt lethargy that I'm seeing? I've attached a pic of her in her burrow through the little viewing window she's made.

As for getting more T's, it might be awhile, as my spouse is only just barely warming up to Reggie. However, if it does happen, I've always been kind of curious about the arboreal T's. Are there any arboreal species that would be good (and also not reclusive) for a beginner like myself?

Knowing obligate burrowers, she'll have that view window webbed up in no time...hahaha! I have a gorgeous thick legged female C marshalli with a huge horn, haven't seen her in a year...just a leg occasionally...I'm about ready to change her enclosure up or sell/trade her. As far as arboreals, I recommend an A versicolor. I also recommend Sturmy76 on youtube for care videos. He's doing it right, and we both agree that the common misconception about avics dying easily, or not being good starter arboreals, is due to people keeping them wrong. Ventilation is key, and they're not frogs, like many seem to think. Water dish or occasional misting, lots of cross ventilation, arboreal setup, and you're golden. Or you could go with a P irminia/campbridgei, for a bit more attitude and speed, but they hide a lot, unlike mature avics. Those versis though...they're gorgeous as a sling, and even prettier as adults. Hope this helps.

 

[Enn49]

@desert blond enthusiast Most Ts line their burrows with web so they are amazingly strong and very unlikely to collapse but if they do they are quite capable of digging their way out.

A couple of arboreal Ts that I would recommend are Oligoxystre diamantinensis and Iridopelma hirsutum. In my experience they are 2 very placid Ts, both will stay perfectly still when I open their containers. The Iridopelma hirsutum has made a hammock of web at the very top of its container and sits there all the time in full view. The Oligoxystre diamantinensis is a more prolific webber having filled its container with a maze of web tunnels and usually spend most of the day on top almost touching the lid.

 

[MassExodus]

@desert blond enthusiast Most Ts line their burrows with web so they are amazingly strong and very unlikely to collapse but if they do they are quite capable of digging their way out.

A couple of arboreal Ts that I would recommend are Oligoxystre diamantinensis and Iridopelma hirsutum. In my experience they are 2 very placid Ts, both will stay perfectly still when I open their containers. The Iridopelma hirsutum has made a hammock of web at the very top of its container and sits there all the time in full view. The Oligoxystre diamantinensis is a more prolific webber having filled its container with a maze of web tunnels and usually spend most of the day on top almost touching the lid.

I never realized the O diamantinensis was arboreal...I have 2 GBBs so I never really looked into them. I'll be looking now, thanks!

 

[Enn49]

@MassExodus Yes, everything I read before I got mine said they were terrestrial but it began webbing like an Avic and now rarely goes to the ground.

This is my one's favourite spot.

 

[Chubbs]

Avicularia are probably the best beginner arboreals. I recommend Avicularia metallica or Avicularia avicularia. I'm going to have to disagree with the previous two posters about A.versicolor being a good choice. Same thing with iridopelma. Versicolors are a bit too fast and wired and slings tend to be a bit more on the delicate side. Many beginners end up killing theirs due to improper care. Same goes for Iridopelma, which can be defensive as well. Psalmopoeus are a BAD choice to recommend to a beginner. They are very very fast and can be pretty defensive as well. Their venom, which not as bad as an old world species, is still pretty strong by new world standards and is known to cause some pretty intense pain.

 

[Enn49]

@Chubbs I only recommended Iridopelma hirsutum based on my experience of the one I have. It's around 3" now and so calm.

 

[MassExodus]

@MassExodus Yes, everything I read before I got mine said they were terrestrial but it began webbing like an Avic and now rarely goes to the ground.

This is my one's favourite spot.

What a gorgeous spider...They look similar to GBBs but much more different than I had thought. And arboreal behavior... Thanks for the pic, this one just moved up to my top 3 on the to-get list

 

[Enn49]

@MassExodus That's not a good pic of it but just to show where it hangs out. Here's a better pic of Culli

 

[MassExodus]

@MassExodus That's not a good pic of it but just to show where it hangs out. Here's a better pic of Culli

What a beauty, yeah it was the lighting, they look very similar to gbbs, but I still see a slight difference, mainly the pink around the front of the carapace and on the legs, more pink in general.., hair seems a little longer too. I'm getting one !!

 

[MassExodus]

Avicularia are probably the best beginner arboreals. I recommend Avicularia metallica or Avicularia avicularia. I'm going to have to disagree with the previous two posters about A.versicolor being a good choice. Same thing with iridopelma. Versicolors are a bit too fast and wired and slings tend to be a bit more on the delicate side. Many beginners end up killing theirs due to improper care. Same goes for Iridopelma, which can be defensive as well. Psalmopoeus are a BAD choice to recommend to a beginner. They are very very fast and can be pretty defensive as well. Their venom, which not as bad as an old world species, is still pretty strong by new world standards and is known to cause some pretty intense pain.

Personally, I think more people kill versis because more people buy them..They are the most gorgeous Avic available...And as far as Psalmos, well, no tarantula bite would be a pleasant experience...one hopes that beginners in the hobby have the intelligence to research, and in this day and age, you can pretty much research the hell out of any tarantula you're looking to own. Not everyone is interested in G roseas, maybe give folks some slack, and the benefit of the doubt. Not every noob in the hobby is a ten year old. Just my opinion.

 

[Chubbs]

Personally, I think more people kill versis because more people buy them..They are the most gorgeous Avic available...And as far as Psalmos, well, no tarantula bite would be a pleasant experience...one hopes that beginners in the hobby have the intelligence to research, and in this day and age, you can pretty much research the hell out of any tarantula you're looking to own. Not everyone is interested in G roseas, maybe give folks some slack, and the benefit of the doubt. Not every noob in the hobby is a ten year old. Just my opinion.

And not everyone needs to get in over their heads either with fast-moving and defensive species. In case you were unaware, there are dozens of great beginners species out there outside of G.rosea. I don't even consider them the best beginners species as they can be moody. Pretty much all Brachypelma are great for beginners. Euthalus species also make great beginners species. There are also other types of Aphonopelma. I would highly recommend a Green Bottle Blue before any of the species you guys recommended. They are very colorful, web a lot, and are voracious eaters. They can be quick and are skittish, but I don't consider them that fast nor are they usually defensive. Psalmopoeus venom is more potent that most New World species. Obviously no tarantula bite is going to be pleasant, but psalmo venom is said to generate more intense pain and swelling and symptoms generally last longer. As for your comment about not every noob in the hobby is a 10 year old, well that probably doesn't even deserve an answer, but I'll give you my opinion anyway. If you read the OP's previous posts you would know that this is the only species he has ever kept. A slow-moving, generally docile species. Now considering how fast and skittish psalmos generally are, this is just a recipe for disaster. Perhaps if the OP had previous experience with fast animals such as snakes for example, he may have an easier time adjusting to fast-moving and defensive species such as these. Chances are he's not gonna know how to react when that thing bolts out of the container, and up his arm, or up a wall, etc. And what about when he has to rehouse it? I don't think that's treating someone like a ten year old. I think that is just looking out for a fellow hobbyist as well as the future of our hobby in general.

Enn, I do not feel that labeling a species a certain way when you've only kept one individual of that species is really accurate. I have 3 P.cambridgei. One is pretty shy and hides a lot and is also rather calm. The other 2 are out in the open usually and are also mean as hell and constantly try to bite my tongs. I also have a B.smithi who is extremely skittish. Does that mean I should label this species as skittish just because mine is? My point is that personality can vary by individual. Ask any more experienced keepers and most will tell you that as a general rule, Iridopelma are typically a skittish and often defensive genus. Hope you don't think I am being rude in any way in my post towards you.

 

[MassExodus]

And not everyone needs to get in over their heads either with fast-moving and defensive species. In case you were unaware, there are dozens of great beginners species out there outside of G.rosea. I don't even consider them the best beginners species as they can be moody. Pretty much all Brachypelma are great for beginners. Euthalus species also make great beginners species. There are also other types of Aphonopelma. I would highly recommend a Green Bottle Blue before any of the species you guys recommended. They are very colorful, web a lot, and are voracious eaters. They can be quick and are skittish, but I don't consider them that fast nor are they usually defensive. Psalmopoeus venom is more potent that most New World species. Obviously no tarantula bite is going to be pleasant, but psalmo venom is said to generate more intense pain and swelling and symptoms generally last longer. As for your comment about not every noob in the hobby is a 10 year old, well that probably doesn't even deserve an answer, but I'll give you my opinion anyway. If you read the OP's previous posts you would know that this is the only species he has ever kept. A slow-moving, generally docile species. Now considering how fast and skittish psalmos generally are, this is just a recipe for disaster. Perhaps if the OP had previous experience with fast animals such as snakes for example, he may have an easier time adjusting to fast-moving and defensive species such as these. Chances are he's not gonna know how to react when that thing bolts out of the container, and up his arm, or up a wall, etc. And what about when he has to rehouse it? I don't think that's treating someone like a ten year old. I think that is just looking out for a fellow hobbyist as well as the future of our hobby in general.

Enn, I do not feel that labeling a species a certain way when you've only kept one individual of that species is really accurate. I have 3 P.cambridgei. One is pretty shy and hides a lot and is also rather calm. The other 2 are out in the open usually and are also mean as hell and constantly try to bite my tongs. I also have a B.smithi who is extremely skittish. Does that mean I should label this species as skittish just because mine is? My point is that personality can vary by individual. Ask any more experienced keepers and most will tell you that as a general rule, Iridopelma are typically a skittish and often defensive genus. Hope you don't think I am being rude in any way in my post towards you.

Well I suppose "in over your head" is subjective to the person saying it..This ain't rocket science Chubbs, it takes very minimal reading skill and watching some videos to figure things out from the get go. That's what I did, and I haven't had any problems, at all. While jon3800 (26 years raising tarantulas?) explained how delicate and prone to die Avic slings were, I raised up six from about a 1/2 inch, with no problems. Research and reading comprehension won the day, so to speak. You'll have to excuse me if I disagree with some random guy on the forum talking about Avics dying... So how exactly does pushing people away from a spider that can cause mild pain promote this hobby? Or was that just a chance to espouse your knowledge? You'll have to forgive me if I seem a little blunt. You may have ten times the knowledge I do about tarantulas, or ten times the years of experience, (or not) but that doesn't mean I need to agree with you on your attitude towards newcomers to this hobby. I don't. You think pushing your fear on beginners is promoting the hobby? No, new ideas and new ways of thinking will promote this hobby, encouragement, not fear. I know enough to know a Psalmopoeus isn't an uncontrollable monster, nor was my irminia too much for me when I bought her three months into the hobby. My second tarantula was an OBT! OMG I'm still alive! A man has to look to his own experiences, yes? His own knowledge? And whether you agree with me or not, I'll give my own advice, your input is your own as well. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Chubbs]

Well I suppose "in over your head" is subjective to the person saying it..This ain't rocket science Chubbs, it takes very minimal reading skill and watching some videos to figure things out from the get go. That's what I did, and I haven't had any problems, at all. While jon3800 (26 years raising tarantulas?) explained how delicate and prone to die Avic slings were, I raised up six from about a 1/2 inch, with no problems. Research and reading comprehension won the day, so to speak. You'll have to excuse me if I disagree with some random guy on the forum talking about Avics dying... So how exactly does pushing people away from a spider that can cause mild pain promote this hobby? Or was that just a chance to espouse your knowledge? You'll have to forgive me if I seem a little blunt. You may have ten times the knowledge I do about tarantulas, or ten times the years of experience, (or not) but that doesn't mean I need to agree with you on your attitude towards newcomers to this hobby. I don't. You think pushing your fear on beginners is promoting the hobby? No, new ideas and new ways of thinking will promote this hobby, encouragement, not fear. I know enough to know a Psalmopoeus isn't an uncontrollable monster, nor was my irminia too much for me when I bought her three months into the hobby. My second tarantula was an OBT! OMG I'm still alive! A man has to look to his own experiences, yes? His own knowledge? And whether you agree with me or not, I'll give my own advice, your input is your own as well. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

First off, how in the hell is being cautious "pushing my fear onto others" ? I didn't say Psalmopoeus is an uncontrollable monster nor did I imply it. They're merely a fast-moving and sometimes defensive genus that I don't suggest to beginners. Simple as that. I'd rather nothing bad happen to the OP or his tarantula, or our hobby in general. The government is always looking for reasons to ban animals like this from the pet trade, lets not give them a reason to. It has happened before and can happen again. Guess what? Most people don't like spiders and as a result are very ignorant about them.

What worked for you may not work for others. Also if one has small children or animals or anyone else in the house with them, It is unfair to them if one were to be bitten as a result. Watching videos and doing research is NOT the same as first-hand experience. Watching a video of someone rehousing an OBT cannot prepare you for actually doing it. This is why it's best to start off with something that is perhaps a bit on the quick side but not overly defensive or very venomous.

But sure, you go ahead and keep recommending intermediate and advanced species to beginners and I'll be right there doing the opposite.

 

[MassExodus]

First off, how in the hell is being cautious "pushing my fear onto others" ? I didn't say Psalmopoeus is an uncontrollable monster nor did I imply it. They're merely a fast-moving and sometimes defensive genus that I don't suggest to beginners. Simple as that. I'd rather nothing bad happen to the OP or his tarantula, or our hobby in general. The government is always looking for reasons to ban animals like this from the pet trade, lets not give them a reason to. It has happened before and can happen again. Guess what? Most people don't like spiders and as a result are very ignorant about them.

What worked for you may not work for others. Also if one has small children or animals or anyone else in the house with them, It is unfair to them if one were to be bitten as a result. Watching videos and doing research is NOT the same as first-hand experience. Watching a video of someone rehousing an OBT cannot prepare you for actually doing it. This is why it's best to start off with something that is perhaps a bit on the quick side but not overly defensive or very venomous.

But sure, you go ahead and keep recommending intermediate and advanced species to beginners and I'll be right there doing the opposite.

You know, I keep hearing about the danger to our hobby, and I've actually searched for stories about tarantula bites, not bite reports from hobbyists, just news stories. I found a few, I think it was maybe ten? Not one of them was overly dramatized by the media. They seemed more intent on pointing out that it was the guys pet that bit him, in an ironic way, and that was about it. I have never seen a public outcry about tarantulas, ever, yet I hear that from hobbyists all the time: About how if we don't let everyone know the "dangers" of the more venomous species, tarantulas will be banned from import, banned as pets, etc, etc..when someone gets bitten. It's too much, just too much. This hobby is stunted by that kind of thing. In my opinion. And yes, sir, watching rehousing videos by someone who knows what they're about is EXACTLY the kind of research people should be doing, it's much better than the written word as a teaching tool. I would have thought that was obvious.

 

[Chubbs]

You know, I keep hearing about the danger to our hobby, and I've actually searched for stories about tarantula bites, not bite reports from hobbyists, just news stories. I found a few, I think it was maybe ten? Not one of them was overly dramatized by the media. They seemed more intent on pointing out that it was the guys pet that bit him, in an ironic way, and that was about it. I have never seen a public outcry about tarantulas, ever, yet I hear that from hobbyists all the time: About how if we don't let everyone know the "dangers" of the more venomous species, tarantulas will be banned from import, banned as pets, etc, etc..when someone gets bitten. It's too much, just too much. This hobby is stunted by that kind of thing. In my opinion. And yes, sir, watching rehousing videos by someone who knows what they're about is EXACTLY the kind of research people should be doing, it's much better than the written word as a teaching tool. I would have thought that was obvious.

Well sorry but I just don't think watching a video is the same and I already explained why. I'm sorry you don't like the fact that I am very cautious when it comes to these animals, and that includes recommending certain species to beginners. Like I said you say what you want, I'll say what I want.