Beginner - Sleep and mites - Sory a few questions!!!

[Mandy Green]

Hi Everyone

Just joined this site as it seemed a good one out there and very friendly 9 i hope that is still the case!!)

I have just bought a sub adult male Bracypelma Smithi , mexican Red Knee Tarantula. I think he is lovely but so far my mother and mother in law are refusing to even come into the house!!! (some may think that is not a bad thing!!) - though I was panicking last night that he might escape and attack our little dog as they are in the same room!!! Though the Dog has not noticed him!!

Anyhow - I just wanted to ask if a Smithi is nocturnal. I have read different things about this and nothing definite. He has not moved all day so assume he comes alive at night ( he started to walk around and climb up the tank when I went to bed!)! (he has moved a leg so is not dead!) I just wondered how long they actually do sleep for in a day?

Also I have a few while mite things I guess in the tank he came in. I have got an earbud wuth vaseline on to try and get them - do I need to change the substrate if there are any there?

I appreciate any answers and thank you very much for your help!! Sorry for waffling (any top tips gratefully appreciated about caring for my new friend!!)
Thanks, bye!

[Mandy Green]

Sorry for the spelling errors!!!! First time!!!!

[Simon Batten]

I have a bracypelma smithi spiderling shes about 1cm leg span and unless I disturb her, I never see her she hides under the bark but must come out to hunt because the pinheads disapear also my Avicularia avicularia only moves around at night all my Ts hardly move so dont be too surprised by it, sometimes they will sit still for hours on end they tend not to move very much anyway, also I wouldnt worry about the dog too much I have 6 in the same room as my dog just make sure they dont escape by weighting the lids a bit not because they might do any harm more because they might hurt themselves or be hard to find, I hope that helps a bit

[Ray Hale]

Dont panic. Most tarantulas are more active in the dark avoiding bright lights. My T room is kept very dark at all times except when I am working in there.
The mites are also not a mjor issue. Make sure you remove any dead crickets and any discarded food debris. Both harbour mites and can cause problems. If you wish change the substrate and keep a close eye on the crickets.
Ray Hale

PS

Welcome to our Forum.......and yes we are all friendly

[Mandy Green]

THank you very much for the advise......and the welcome!!

[Martin Airs (Camberwell)]

Hi mandy,

Everything I've read about tarntulas tells me they're nocturnal, but some of mine are out all day, and some only come out at night, so I believe they're not strictly nocturnal, but more just dont like bright light.

regards mites, I wouldn't worry too much about them as long as they're not absolutly everywere and a major infestation, mites are actualy a member of the arachnid family so will probably live anywere a tarantula might, but the big difference is that tarantulas manage to hold moisture much better than mites can, so to get rid of mites just keep the enviroment dry, a mite will dehydrate and die much quicker than a tarantula. you should keep B.smithi dry anyway, and just provide a water dish. also a main requirement for mites to reproduce is wet substrate, so as long the substrate is dry they cannot lay eggs in it

as allready suggested just take out dead crickets and the mites should disappear.