It’s probably one of the most common, yet stressful, scenarios for a new tarantula keeper. After months of research and homework, you purchase your first tarantula sling. Your anxiety level is high as you are new to the hobby, and despite all the preparation, you are still worried that you will make a husbandry mistake. You set up what you think is the perfect enclosure, rehouse your new little guy without incident, and take a moment to admire your new pet. Satisfied that you’ve done everything right, you head off to bed.
However, when you awake the next morning and check on your T, you find the enclosure empty … or at least it first appears to be empty. Closer examination reveals that your little guy has been busy, and he has now burrowed deep beneath the substrate. Not finding any hole or passageway, no way for your spider to resurface again, you begin to freak out. You did your research, and you read that this species is terrestrial, not fossorial … why has it buried itself? Fearing for your new acquisition’s safety, questions swirl through your brain.
Is he in danger?
Is he trapped?
Is he dead?
Should I dig him out?
In most instances, the answer to all of these questions is a resounding NO.
But what should I do?
And the short answer to this oft-asked question is: Do NOTHING.
Burrowing is normal behavior with many species of slings, including some arboreals.
Although this is a topic I’ve touched upon in a few different blogs, the question is asked often enough that I felt it deserved its own topic. After all, if you begin keeping tarantulas as a hobby, you are likely to experience this behavior at some point or another.
One of my P. sazimai slings sealed in its burrow. I’m expecting a molt from this one soon.
When I first got heavy into the hobby, I experienced this scenario with my L. parahybana sling. After a couple weeks of it sitting out in the open, greedily snatching prey and using a piece of cork bark for a hide, I awoke one morning to find that it had buried itself. Now, at first I didn’t panic because I could see the little webbed-over hole that marked the mouth of its den. However, when I discovered that this hole had been filled in a couple days later, panic set in. As weeks passed, I became thoroughly convinced that my little guy had buried himself alive. He wasn’t visible, he wasn’t eating, and the tunnel looked as if it might have collapsed. I was ready to dig him up to “save” him when I decided to first do a bit of research first.
It was a good thing I did, too.
I discovered that it is perfectly natural behavior for slings to bury themselves. Because we are keeping these animals as “pets”, behaviors that are perfectly normal and essential for a wild spider’s survival can seem perplexing in captivity. Although a T burying itself seems like a dire sign to us, it is in fact very normal.
My little LP opened its burrow again after a few weeks, and although I never saw it out, the prey I dropped in soon disappeared. It lived like this, hidden in its hole, for another year before finally growing large enough to feel confident living outside of its burrow. It’s been out in the open ever since.
Let’s consider some very important facts:
1. Tarantulas bury themselves for security. Tarantula slings are especially vulnerable in the wild. As a result, it behooves them to stay out of sight where larger predators like birds can easily gobble them up, or where they could easily dehydrate beneath the sun’s heat. In the wild, a sling’s burrow protects it from predators and the elements and provides it a safe home-base from which to hunt when night comes.
Sure, we keep the temperatures optimal in their enclosures, and there are not threats from predators in the safety of our homes, but they don’t know that. Their evolutionary programming is telling them that they need to burrow for security.
This behavior isn’t limited to only terrestrial Ts, either. I keep several arboreals, including eight species of Poecilotheria and L. violoceopes, and all have burrowed as slings. I could see this causing a bit of stress for a keeper expecting these spiders to be up on a branch or piece of cork bark.
2. Many tarantulas will bury themselves during the molt process. Even larger specimens may disappear into burrows when it comes time for a shed. Again, it comes down to the tarantula feeling safe and secure. The molting process is incredibly taxing and leaves the spider exhausted and very vulnerable. Not only is the spider physically taxed, but its new fangs and exoskeleton are soft and need time to harden. Therefore, many Ts will secret themselves away in their burrows when premolt approaches to wait out the process.
In these instances, the tarantula might cover over the entrance to its burrow with dirt or webbing. If your spider suddenly buries itself after previously being out in the open and eating well, chances are it’s just in premolt. It will emerge again eventually, a bit larger and sporting a brand new exoskeleton.
3. Tarantulas normally don’t die in burrow collapses. Many new keepers fear that if their tarantula buries itself, it could perish from a cave in. I have heard of exactly ONE instance where this happened, and it was because the spider managed to burrow under a heavy rock the keeper was using as a decoration. This instance was a freak accident and nothing more.
The fact is, tarantulas will line their burrows with webbing, and that helps hold the walls together. If you’ve ever had to dig a tarantula out for rehousing, you’ll understand how tough and put-together these web-lined tunnels can be. Also, tarantulas are quite strong and very good diggers. Even if a tunnel was to collapse, as long as there was nothing heavy above it, the T would just dig its way out.
4. Your tarantula will not suffocate beneath the ground. Another misconception is that if a T closes off its den, it can suffocate to death. Again, not true. Tarantulas need much less oxygen than other animals, and most would naturally spend their lives in tight burrows dug far into the earth. As long as there is proper ventilation in the enclosure, they won’t suffocate.
When in doubt, always remember the golden rule of tarantula keeping: the tarantula always knows best.
In our quests to be the best tarantula keepers possible, we often forget a very important detail: tarantulas have evolved over millions of years and know how to survive. Unlike their human keepers, they are not prone to “irrational” decision-making. In most situations, they know what they are doing and what’s good for them. If your T suddenly buries itself, it’s not arachnid suicide. It’s only doing what it’s been programmed to do. Although you may have to wait a while to see your favorite pet again, understand that it’s not in any danger.
On of my P. atrichomatus slings buried at the bottom of its enclosure. This one spent almost a month sealed in.
So, to review, if your tarantula suddenly buries itself, there is only one thing to do…
…NOTHING!
Resist the urge to dig it up to “check on it.” If you succumb to the urge, you risk needlessly stressing it or, if it’s in the process of molting, KILLING it.
Also, do NOT try to open up the mouth of the burrow to “give it some air” or to allow for its escape. Again, just leave the animal be. It may be a week, it may be a couple months, but your spider will emerge eventually.
And finally, NEVER shove live prey down the hole if it’s not eating. Not only will this stress the animal out, but the prey item could kill the spider if it’s in the middle of a molt. Also, if the spider dispatches but doesn’t eat the intruder, you may now have a rotting bug corpse stuck in the burrow with your T.
At what point should I worry and dig up my specimen to check on it?
In 99% of the instances, it will be entirely unnecessary to dig up a tarantula. However, I’ve had folks ask how long they should wait before worrying. I would say if you have a small sling that has been buried for six to eight months without taking any food or making an appearance, it might be time to worry. The fact is, some slings will die; it’s an unfortunate part of nature that all specimens aren’t healthy enough to live.
If it’s a small specimen and more than a half-year has gone by, it might be time to do some investigating. After all, you don’t want to be keeping a dead T as a pet. Still, be sure to be very careful when digging the animal up, and keep in mind that you could harm it if it’s molting. Also, larger spiders can spend more time safely in their burrows as they are not fragile and prone to dehydration or starvation. For larger specimens, I would wait even longer.
That being said, I offer this anecdote for anyone considering digging up one of their tarantulas. I had a 3/8″ Maraca cabocla that burrowed deep in its enclosure last year and completely covered the entrance to its burrow. From late October until almost April, it did not eat and I saw no sign of it. At first, I thought it was just staying in its den for the winter. I’ve had many Ts do this, and it had never caused me any alarm. However, as more time passed, and I saw no movement within the vial, I assumed the worst.
Finally, I convinced myself that the small T had probably died over the winter, so I set to digging it out. I spent almost a half hour carefully removing the substrate and spreading it out on a white dinner plate so that I could hopefully find the tiny body. At one point my heart sank as I pulled out a masticated form I mistook as the spider’s corpse.
Nope … only a molt.
Finally, as I was removing the last bit of dirt, my little guy scurried out and stood upon the heaped contents of its enclosure as if to say, “dude…what the heck?” Needless to say, I felt silly (as well as a bit bad for the spider). Yup, I had jumped the gun; my tarantula was quite healthy and in no danger. By digging out its substrate, I had jeopardized its health and caused it needless stress.
I won’t make that mistake again.
Your tarantula has buried itself? Just relax!
Like many aspects of this hobby, patience and experience are key. As you experience this situation more and more, it becomes much easier to recognize it as the normal behavior it is. The next time your precious little one decides to play hide-and-seek on you, don’t let it be cause of worry.
And if you find yourself getting impatient, do what many of us do … just buy more tarantulas!
For more on MOLTING and signs of a molt, check out the article below!
Tom's Big Spiders 
The number of times I see this question pop up – and the number of times I need to remind myself that I was new to this hobby once and worried at least as much!
I haven’t seen my little M. balfouri since April, and it hardly ever eats. I top the water up, I pop the occasional locust in (normally taking it out – still alive – a few days later to feed to someone else) and I occasionally check that the webbing and the burrow look maintained, as ragged and neglected webbing wouldn’t be a good sign (I like to know that the little guy does pop out and perform maintenance on occasion). I recently had my husband search for my P. irminia because I hadn’t seen it for two weeks and I knew it wasn’t due a moult, having moulted less than two months ago. Did I feel silly when two indignant little toes poked themselves out of a mound of substrate? Just a bit – but I’d recently moved it to a larger enclosure and they’re infernal little teleporters – so my concerns were genuine in this case 🙂
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Yes! I see this one all the time, but I honestly can still remember stressing about the exact same thing, so I get it when people worry and ask. Although I’ve mentioned this before in other blogs, I figured I’d devote a post to it so hopefully some keepers will stumble on it when researching. Fingers crossed!
And, I even ratted myself out with the story about the M. cabocla sling, as in that instance, I didn’t follow my own advice. Whoops! I think it’s important for folks to realize even keepers with more experience sometimes succumb to the anxiety. Obviously, you had the same thing with your irminia. Sometimes, you just have to go with your instincts. Being a little embarrassed is better than having a dead T, right? 😉
It’s funny that you mention your M. balfouri as the first year I had mine, they buried themselves for almost 6 months. I was freaking out because I was very worried that they would starve to death. Before they disappeared, they weren’t eating, and they certainly weren’t very plump before their fast. I thought for sure that I was going to lose them. The only reason I didn’t dig them up was because all three were doing the same thing at the same time, so I chalked it up to being “normal.” When they finally reemerged, I was so relieved. However, even when they did start eating again, they weren’t great eaters. Only recently have they begun really packing away the crickets.
Hope your guy reappears soon!
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Haha, I’m certainly not the first keeper with any experience to think the worst (in this case, teleportation – I spent a week gazing at the living room ceiling just in case, since that’s where they invariably end up) and I know I shan’t be the last. A lot of people would have dug up their balfouri by now, but a friend who keeps them (his AF won Best In Show at BTS last year) has been very helpful in telling me what I needed to know prior to aquiring one, so I was aware that they make great pet holes lol. My OBT is a pet web, so as long as there’s no bad smell when I remove the lid from my balfouri’s enclosure to refresh the water I’m leaving well alone. If a T doesn’t do a lot (and balfouris really don’t, once they’re comfortable) they’re not going to eat. The only difference between my balfouri and my A. chalcodes in that respect is that I can see my A. chalcodes – and very lovely she is too 🙂
I really need to update my own arachnid blog here, as I’ve recently got a load of new pokies and baboons in: I seem to be all about those at the moment! I woke up this morning to my first OW moult too – my P. muticus grown on sling. Here’s hoping I can sex it!
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Ha! I love that I’m not the only one who has used the old “Sniff Test!” One of my kids walked in on me one afternoon while I was sniffing an M. balfouri enclosure and the look on his face was priceless. “Does it smell good, Dad?” I had to explain that I was trying to make sure that it wasn’t dead. Hahaha
I’m fortunate now in that if I go into my T room early in the morning, all three of my balfouri juvies are usual out and about. I even managed to get video of one eating, which made me feel about as excited as if I had filmed a Sasquatch. Haha The majority of the time, though, I’m just looking at three webbed-up dirt bins.
Ahhhh…the chalcodes! One of my new favorites. Mine is in premolt as we speak; can’t wait!
You still have to get me a link to your blog; I’d love to follow. I’ve become a bit obsessed with pokies over the past year, and I’m slowly collecting females of all of the species. They are just such beautiful, elegant tarantulas. I also love the baboons (although I admittedly don’t see mine often!). I have a H. pulchripes coming this week that I am super excited for.
Good luck on the sexing!
T
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I’ve had my chalcodes for almost two years now. Such a pretty girl, but has never moulted with me in all that time! She actually ate a few weeks ago, breaking a nine month fast, but is refusing food again now.
There really is something special about pokies, isn’t there; I think it’s their quiet elegance and understated beauty. When my regalis appears I can’t take my eyes off her, she’s so lovely, and my little juvi P. met is such an aggressive eater that I find it so much fun to watch: the rufilata has turned out to be just as greedy too.
As chance would have it, I’m expecting a H. pulchripes next week too! The friend I’m buying from was one of the first in the UK to breed from a WC pair, and I’m beyond excited because I’ve been wanting one ever since they arrived in the hobby last year.
My “Arachnagirl” blog is here – https://arachnagirl.wordpress.com/ – but it’s seriously in need of an update. Some of my baboons are so elusive that I don’t even have pictures of them yet, and I can’t remember the last time I posted anything 🙂
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A nine month fast? Man, that’s an impressive one! I’m glad that she finally ate for you. Hopefully, she’ll fatten up and give you a molt soon.
I love “quiet elegance”…I think that captures them perfectly. They are like the “royalty” of my collection; so proud-looking and gorgeous. Mine are all kept at my eye level, so I spend a lot of time admiring them as well. Speaking of which, I have three I have to rehouse this weekend. That’ll be fun! 😉
Congrats on your H. pulchripes! Mine came in yesterday, a 1″ sling, and now I have a female on the way (LONG story there).
Thanks for the link! I’ll will check it out momentarily. Sounds like you’ll need to update it with some H. pulchripes pics. 🙂
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The roses sling I have is still alive…but I have not set up a substrate. But I did set up a separate tank that is about 5 across and 3 wide and 4 high (inch) Now I just need to move the spider, but the funny thing is that it molted two days ago. So I guess I should wait a week, feed, then the day after move the T to the tank? Also what i used for substrate is a product from All Living Things, Jungle Bedding, it says there’s coco fiber, some calcium sand and some soft wood chip looking bits. I guess I’m just worried that maybe I should of used the lizard product instead of the hermit crab, because that is what the Jungle Bedding is being sold for, hermit crabs.
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Hello!
Depending on the size, you only need to wait 3-4 days before trying to feed it again. Slings less than an inch or so usually harden up in few days. However, waiting a bit longer certainly won’t hurt it. If it doesn’t show interest in the prey when you drop it in, just take it out and try again in a few days. Personally, I would feed it a couple times before moving it, as there is a chance that the stress from the rehousing might cause it to stop eating for a bit. At least if it eats some before the move, you don’t have to stress about that.
I just looked up the Jungle Bedding, and I’m not sure that would be an appropriate substrate for your rosie. First off, it’s specifically formulated to retain moisture, and G. rosea abhor moist conditions. You could use an oven to dry it out and sift out all of the wood chips, but then it has the Calci-Sand in it, which I would not use for Ts. I guess if the sand is in smaller quantities and you sift out the large pieces it COULD work, but I would honestly just get something more appropriate, like straight coco fiber (sold by Zoo Med as Eco Earth).
You could also used straight, organic top soil or peat, but these are usually sold in larger quantities and you’ll only need a small amount.
Do NOT use the Repti Bark. That is definitely not appropriate for Ts (although Pet stores seem to think it is).
Just make sure that whatever you use is dry. If the sub is even slightly moist, your tarantula will likely climb the walls until things dry up a bit.
Hope that helps!
Tom
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Since I started this with three petco rescues, I have increased my ‘gang’ to 8 total, with an E. campestratus and an OBT on the way to round out to ten.
I now have five burrowers, the best of which is my vagans sling…who built a spiral stairway to the very bottom, leaving windows on each side.
Even my ornata burrowed beside her vertical bark.
If it weren’t for my two adult porteris and my immature adult rosea, people would say I like building fake terrariums. heh heh.
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I LOVE it! The addiction has taken hold. This is pretty much exactly how I got started. I had one, bought two slings, then…boom. I spent most of my time researching new species, making lists of who was selling what, and buying new Ts. I’ve FINALLY gotten to a point where space will become an issue if I’m not careful, so I’ve slowed down a bit. Still, there are so many others species I’m interested in…
Well, congrats on your latest additions! The fun part about the burrowers, at least in my opinion, is the thrill you get when you actually catch one out and about. It becomes a major event here when I catch one of my dirt dwellers on the surface.
Ha! That is hilarious about the P. ornata. I had one of my other pokies secret itself away inside a hole in the cork, and I at first panicked because I assumed it had escaped. They are just so camouflaged.
Hahahaha! You know, you could just fill your room with beautifully decorated terrariums and TELL everyone that they contain tarantulas. Would be a bit cheaper. 🙂
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The P. ornata wasn’t in the cards for purchase initially. The ad I answered was for several types on craigslist from a guy who lives about 3 miles from me, and I’d been wanting a vagans.
So when I got there, he shows me his T’-room, and he’s already got the vagans in a deli cup ready to roll. (gorgeous fat little bugger 1″)…and there in a corner of the room in a HUGE vertical cage is a P. ornata. “Mom”. Oh my gods what a beautiful T.
Then he brings over the sling box where there are about a hundred ornatas farting about. (3rd instar.) I lean over and one of em’ climbs the wall to the edge. I put my hand close thinking to shoo her back…the little bugger jumps on my hand and climbs to my fingers and then just sits there, looking at me, all “oooh pick me! pick me!)
I looked up at the seller, laughed and said, “okay I’ll take her as well.”
And yeah, I could do the ‘fake-keeper’ deal, but I’d know better. 😀
I’m going to hold at 12 for now. The “petco rescues” (3 total, 2x porteri and 1 3″ rosea) of course, and on the sling-side:
a G. rosea, G. pulchripes, B. vagans, N. chromatus, the P. ornata, and on the way a E. capestratus and an OBT.
I’m probably going to get two more arboreals to round it out. Having different species with different requirements makes things more interesting to me.
The thing about the hobby is that once set up, it is really inexpensive, and husbandry is a snap compared to stuff like lizards, fish and such. I’m enjoying the hell out of it. 🙂
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Man, that full-grown adult must have been a beauty to behold! I have a female, but she’s only about 4″ at the moment (growing like an eight-legged weed, though). It’s like that sling selected you in the way a puppy would select a future owner. Hahaha I’m sure you’ve done your research, but just be aware that they won’t stay that cute for long. Out of the eight species of Poecilotheria I currently keep, my ornata is the most high strung. And my LORD, is she fast. Most times, if you tap their enclosures before opening them, pokies will scramble to their dens or flatten out against the cork bark to use their camouflage. However, I’ve noticed that while my other species are usually content to just sit there and hide, my ornata is more prone to bolt suddenly and race around the enclosure. Just a heads up…watch those fingers! 😉
Yeah, the fake keeper thing just wouldn’t be as much fun. Haha.
LOVE the pulchripes, vagans, and chromatus. I’m surprised the N. chromatus isn’t kept by more folks, as they are just so striking. Apparently, the hairs aren’t much fun, though. My G. pulchripes spend most of their days bulldozing the substrate in their enclosures. Little dudes are never satisfied by their efforts it seems.
Do you have any idea what arboreals you’ll be getting next?
And I agree completely about the hobby. Having kept snakes, lizards, and fish, I’ve found T keeping to be so much easier (and cheaper) overall.
I’ll be very interested to hear what you get next. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Casey's Overnight Cafe and commented:
I was going to blog about this interesting behavior, but cancerides beat me to it. 🙂
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Yeah, the ornata adult is spectacular. She’s of the more blue-purplish variety, and a full 9-10″. His was fairly docile…BUT he said the male he mated her to tagged him. We didn’t talk about it much, but it was no joke.
With this type of species, I’ll be using gloves, and a set up that allows me good control with the doors. I’ll probably build my own, as I’m not happy with the choices out there. (Either way too much $$$, or way to cheap on the construction.) For now, the 7″ tall AMAC cage will be fine, but they grow damned fast, so plotting/planning the big one now. 🙂
http://wp.me/aFPCi-zA
http://wp.me/aFPCi-zB
Right now, these are pretty high on the “wish list”. Both carried by Kelly Swift:
Psalmopoeus cambridgei – Trinidad Chevron
Psalmopoeus irminia -Venezuelan Suntiger
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Wow, I can only imagine how amazing that specimen must have been. Even a 7″ pokie is something to behold; a 10″ specimen must be breathtaking. My girl’s got a couple years to go until she hits that.
Having read the bite reports and watched a couple videos of Rob C. after he got tagged by his 10″ female (consequently, during a breeding attempt), I know that I NEVER want to take a bite from one of these. I always make sure to used tongs and to give mine plenty of room to escape. I’d rather have to wrangle one from my table than from up my sleeve!
I’ve observed that unlike my other species that, when startled, will usually bolt UP and out of the enclosure, my pokies almost always circle AROUND the sides. As a result, I’ve moved mine all into enclosures that allow me to work from the top. I used to keep my P. vitatta in one of the those gorgeous Exoterra nano arboreal enclosures, but I found the front opening door to be a bit of a liability for feeding and maintenance, If she were to get startled, she’d be coming right out at me and, likely, onto my arm. Didn’t quite want that. Haha
Those enclosures are gorgeous! I love ones that allow for good visibility, especially when working with the feistier ones. I like to know where my spider is at all times!
Ahhh…Psalmos! I’ve been admiring both of these species for quite some time, but I’ve yet to acquire either. One time they had sold out, and the other time I was supposed to get one as a freebie, but the guy sent me another B. smithi. Gorgeous species, and if you already have experience with the pokies, they shouldn’t surprise you with their speed (although they are one of the species referred to as “teleporters”!).
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That is good information to know regarding the “direction”. Yeah, larger, I can see letting it get out. A catch cup and slide lid to recapture definitely beats getting chomped. 😀 A guy in the T. enthusiasts group on FB posted up pictures of JUST that happening to him…although instead of a bite, his just crawled on his arm and then kicked back on his hand. He mentioned he was at pucker-factor 10 while it was going on though. 😀
These cages I’ve got might “look” gorgeous, but I’m not happy with them. They will “do” for juvies as well as my penchant for being able to “see” my kids clearly, but they are AMAC plastic, and the taller lids are “sticky”. This is a pain as it jolts and or disturbs them every time I need to do something in the cage. I’m going to most likely build my own larger cages for rehousing when it is time. The exo’s are nice, but after seeing how easy it is to work with acrylic, I can do one of these far cheaper than what is being sold. (Geek + hobbyist = fiddler.) -heh.
AS an fyi:
Kelly has the cambridgei in as a new arrival @ 15$/per 1/2″ slings
and he also has the suntigers (irminia) in @25$/per 1″ slings
and for purchases always over 20$ a freebie selection, and over 100$ a second set of freebie choices.
—if there was a time I’d prefer the “common name” it is definitely “suntiger”. heh heh.
I’m blogging the “unboxing” of the OBT and the campestratus later today with pics of Kelly’s packaging.
🙂
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Oh, man…pucker factor of 10 is right! There are certain species I keep that I don’t want ANYWHERE near my body. Haha
Yup, my exo is currently collecting dust in my garage. I originally bought them for a display cage, but they just don’t work great for Ts. Plus, my collection is so large now, and space is at a premium, so I need something that’s more practical. I want to be able to see them, but I also don’t want to have to get rid of any to make room.
Personally, I’m with you with the fiddling. Have the fun of the hobby for me is making cages and playing with substrate. I’m like a mad scientist now when it comes to mixing dirt. I think I have issues…
I definitely have to order from Kelly soon. He’s the only of the big, respected dealers I haven’t ordered from yet.
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Solved the AMAC problem. I’ll never buy another pre-built cage. For larger ones, “lexan” plexiglass is cheap at Lowes, and http://roundvents.com/ is where to get those cool vents. Turns out that a 10$ dremel circle cutter attachment works perfectly on the amac plastic, so setting up a feeding “door” on the top lid means I only have to pull the top off for major stuff. (I’m going to use a vent with a hinge and latch to prevent “the great escapes”. 😀
Yeah, second order from Kelly. Order arrived a day early (on 2nd day air) again. He certainly has a selection to choose from, and the prices are excellent. 🙂
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lovely article Tom helps out a little more of understanding the wonderful world of a Tarantula Keeper !!
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Thank you so much, Bry!
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Thank you so much! My husband and I purchased our first Ts. His is singapore blue almost, of not an inch. Mine is a brazillian white knee its bitsy. 1/4-1/2 inch. His goal was to just get me involved in the hobby but didnt realize it was so tiny. His is comfortably webbing and hiding in the along the cork bark. Mine was great burrowing and then sitting on top of premade vials. I was nervous about watering level in the vial so I went to a large enough container to have a water dish instead. Now Spout has buried away under the hide I gave it. Complete hill in the way. I’ve been reading everything I could find but I’m still anxious. I just look for signs. How often should I still be offering a prekilled roach? The last sat so I haven’t offered anymore. I assume premolt but I’ll be a nervous wreck if it doesn’t come out in 6 mos.
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Hello, Brittany! So sorry for the delay! Did it reemerge yet? That species usually only spends up to month burrowed (although colder temperatures could lead to a longer premolt period). When it’s ready to eat again, it will open up it’s burrow. That’s when I usually start offering food again.
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Quick question –
if my T has burrowed itself…i still leave a water dish for it. But should i also leave a feeder for it? And if so, what kind? I know if it was molting, the answer would be NO. Yet when we dont know what its up too, what do you recommend?
Thank you & God Bless
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Sorry for the delay, Fernando. I DO keep the water dish full. If they close off the burrow entrance, I generally don’t drop a feeder in. Once they close it off completely, it usually means that they are done eating for a bit.
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I keep rereading this and trying to calm down. I’ve had my first two T’s for about three weeks-both avic avics. Both have buried themselves in substrate now. They’re juveniles, one about 1.5” and the other 2”. I saw the smaller one eat once and the larger one three times. They each have sticks and artificial plants and hides but no interest. No webbing. Mostly they just hung out high in their enclosure. Reptile store folks said that they don’t burrow. What the heck? I can’t see a burrow opening.
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Hi, Jana. Could you shoot me an email with some photos of the setups? Avic never burrow, so the reptile store folks are correctly. Perhaps if I can see the enclosures, I can help you out. My email is tomsbigspiders@outlook.com. I’ll keep a lookout!
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Well, what an adventure. Both T’s located and returned to their lodgings. I know how one got out but not the other. In any case, the terrariums have a design flaw, especially for a newbie such as myself. You can latch the door without all four hooks being engaged. That leaves a 1/4” opening and if you aren’t looking down on the top, you don’t see that. So, walkabout T’s. I’ve purchased a different style of terrarium.
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