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Question about burrowing

SpellKaster4

SpellKaster4

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
140
Location
Indiana, USA
So this is a question for anyone who is a little more experienced with LPs than I am. I came home from work today and checked on Peter and had a bit of a shock. Peter was freaking gone. I noticed last night that he had made what amounts to two caves under his cork wood. So I grabbed a flashlight and looked in those and didn't see him. I looked all around the enclosure, which if you've seen my other posts you know isn't very big, and I couldn't find any holes or signs of him having burrowed anywhere. It was as if someone had come in and taken him out. Now, I knew he was in there somewhere so I grabbed a paint brush and started lightly feeling around seeing if I could figure out where he was hiding. I'll post a picture so my description makes more sense but I found him and I'm a little confused. I knew going in that LPs, especially when they are young will often burrow so I was ready for that. But Peter buried himself. When I brushed some of the substrate it all moved together due to being webbed and he popped out like a trap door spider then ducked back under. Is that a normal thing for an LP? The only other slightly odd thing that has happened is that he didn't touch the last dubia that I offered him. Normally he's pretty quick about eating but he showed no interest this time. I'm not going to disturb him anymore just to be on the safe side but if anyone has some experience with this I would love to hear about it.
About the pictures. I'll try to show the two "caves" that Peter dug out and I'll use my brush to point to where he is currently hiding.
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Dave Jay

Dave Jay

Well-Known Member
1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
1,079
Location
Mt Barker South Australia
I would say he's had enough to eat and is now waiting to be ready to moult, you have given him quite a lot of food really. I'd just leave him to it now, he's just making himself feel safe I think.
I'll point out I don't know the species and have only kept tarantulas for a few months but if it was my tarantula I wouldn't be worried one bit, I've been reading your threads and that's my take on this new development, he's had a lot to eat!
 
SpellKaster4

SpellKaster4

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
140
Location
Indiana, USA
I was kinda wondering when he was going to go into molt. I know LPs are fast growers but I haven't really been able to find out how often they will molt. Most people just say "oh he'll be 'this' big in a few months" but that only tells me so much lol. If he is going to molt then I'm super excited! Obviously this will be my first experience with this so it'll be really fun to go through it all.
 
Calico

Calico

Active Member
3 Year Member
Messages
166
Location
California
I feel your pain! My A.Chalcodes buried himself for 130 days and I was panicked the whole time. After hearing others reassurances and state that theirs burrowed for a heck of a lot longer than that, I relaxed. Though I missed seeing him. I was like you and kept poking around in the beginning but figured I would just let nature take its course and not stress him. I finally did remove the flat rock that he was under and he popped out like yours did. Scared the bejesus out of me but he was fine. And no molt was found so I'm assuming he was just chillin. I'll offer the same advice everyone gave me. Just make sure his water dish is full at all times and let him be. Good luck!
 

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