- Messages
- 66
- Location
- New York
This is gonna be the first winter with Nurmi, is there any behavior I should expect? She'll probably be sluggish cause pretty much everything gets sluggish in winter.
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Winter Behavior
- Thread starter ArdorAphonopelma
- Start date
- Messages
- 2,565
- Location
- Baltimore MD
What species is she? How close to the equator does she live in the wild?
If they don't have a cold season in the wild and your home is the same in winter as it is in summer, they won't change a bit.
I'd there's a wet or dry season where they're from or some other variation, they might or might not follow that anyway.
Gotta know what species!!
If they don't have a cold season in the wild and your home is the same in winter as it is in summer, they won't change a bit.
I'd there's a wet or dry season where they're from or some other variation, they might or might not follow that anyway.
Gotta know what species!!
- Messages
- 66
- Location
- New York
shes' an aphonopelma seemanni, central america species. my apartment gets chilly not "omg freezing" but somewhat cold.
- Messages
- 2,565
- Location
- Baltimore MD
Here's a good caresheet for them. His caresheets have been dead on right for all my species.
http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/A-seemanni-care-sheet.html
http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/A-seemanni-care-sheet.html
- Messages
- 66
- Location
- New York
yeah her burrow, which takes up a majority of her tank is warmer than the outside, was curious since some animals can be kept warm but still end up displaying winter behavior.
Some species/individuals may begin to fast during this time. My H. Chilensis has been in premolt and fasting for a year.
- Messages
- 1,079
- Location
- Mt Barker South Australia
I live in a temperate climate in Australia and my inverts and reptiles all go into winter mode to some degree. It's spring here now and we had some warm weather so most of my tarantulas ate last week and were out waiting last night but today is supposed to have a top temperature of 17c so they are back in their burrows again. During winter most were hidden with or without their burrow blocked and refused food for the most part, even if only offered food once a month. Most of them come from tropical areas but they had no trouble "brumating" over winter, all bar a bunch of slings are up and about now and ready to eat. The ambient temperatures ranged from 10 to 15c , rarely going below 10c or above 15c.
I wouldn't worry too much about it, cold blooded animals don't use energy to heat their body so if it's cold they can just wait it out, if they don't move they are barely using any of the reserves stored in their bodies and they have very slow metabolisms. I would think it's like with reptiles, the dangers are temperature swings and outside interference (read - leave them alone) making them use up resources before the stable average temperature they need to be active is reached.
My view is if they are out waiting for food offer it, if they are not visible and are hiding in their burrow then just add water if needed without disturbing them, don't make them use energy if it's not warm enough for them to feed.
I wouldn't worry too much about it, cold blooded animals don't use energy to heat their body so if it's cold they can just wait it out, if they don't move they are barely using any of the reserves stored in their bodies and they have very slow metabolisms. I would think it's like with reptiles, the dangers are temperature swings and outside interference (read - leave them alone) making them use up resources before the stable average temperature they need to be active is reached.
My view is if they are out waiting for food offer it, if they are not visible and are hiding in their burrow then just add water if needed without disturbing them, don't make them use energy if it's not warm enough for them to feed.
- Messages
- 6,382
- Location
- The Oregon rain forest
She's probably captive bred so worrying about where her species is from in the wild is silly. It's like saying people from Coata rica cant have children in the US because it's not humid or warm enough for them to survive. Care sheets are for fools...thought weve beat this subject to death by now. 
- Messages
- 6,382
- Location
- The Oregon rain forest
I have never had any issues with any captive bred Ts with winter time settling in. I've had a few wild captured Ts burrow for months on end for no reason in the winter months. I have had to change climates for breeding purposes but that's it. Other then that everyone seams happy at 75 degrees year around.
