Sericopelma rubronitens

[Andrew climance]

A brief update.

My Sericopelma has, over the past week or so, extended her tunnel from one end of the tank (at the very back) to the other, the entrance being at about the middle of the tank and to one side - the tunnel is, therefore, a total of some 24", or thereabouts.

Basically, I could shine a torch and look right through the tank to see what she was up to... which was not much.

Anyway, after two or three peeks with a torch, she filled the ends in!

'That's it', I thought, 'I've stressed her out'...

Anyway, two days ago I looked in and the entrance to the burrow (which had been blocked with a huge mound of earth) had been opened right up. I backed off and left her to it, hoping that I may get Mikhail's photo sooner rather than later!

Yesterday I look in and its blocked up again!

Wily so-and-sos these spiders!

[Andrew climance]

Ok, I'm aware that this is turning into 'Andrew's Sericopelma blog' (and much of this may be old news to more seasoned 'T folk'), but I'm fairly astounded. In the past couple of weeks my Panamanian Red Rump has continued to extend her burrow; it now runs around the extremities of nearly three quarters of her tank. This makes it three feet long!

It is interesting because I have actually been able to observe her during her excavations, watching her shift mounds of earth, and she seems completely unphased that the tunnel is effectively 'open' to observation. Although I had seldom seen her on the surface and she is very nervous when caught 'in the open', usually darting underground in a flash.

She has now, though, unblocked the entrance to the burrow completely.

Yesterday, I walked into the room with the lights out and she was out on the surface (shock!) I grabbed my camera to get Mikhail his photo, but as soon as the light went on, she scarpered back down the hole...

This is by far the most interesting T that I have ever kept and certainly one of the most 'active'!

[Andrew climance]

I thought this might illustrate what I have been talking about. Note that the burrow extends around the back of the tank and forward about 4" to come out on the surface. By my reckoning, the tunnel is about 40" long now.

I am mildly concerned about possible collapse, but I guess that the sides of the tank exert supporting pressure in the same way that normal earth does in the wild; however, since I took the photo, the corner near the water dish has indeed collapsed a little... I dropped a cricket into the hole and 'Garfield' (the kids name my spiders, not me) pounced in a flash... the first confirmed feeding since I got her!

[Mikhail F. Bagaturov]

The one thing I tell You, that most of the tarantulas will lead the same way of life like Yours Sericopelma cf. rubronitens if provided it with the such a big terrarium with the smae layer of substratus...
So, this is to me not very surprising. Would be nice to see a pic, still

Continue with the updates please!

[Andrew climance]

The one thing I tell You, that most of the tarantulas will lead the same way of life like Yours Sericopelma cf. rubronitens if provided it with the such a big terrarium with the smae layer of substratus...
So, this is to me not very surprising. Would be nice to see a pic, still

Continue with the updates please!

Yes, I knew that they burrow and what have you, but I didn't expect to see such extensive tunnelling. I have been out of the hobby for many, many years, but I don't remember any other spider digging so furiously!

I'm delighted and it is fascinating to be able to be able to watch the process - and see the T in a situation that I guess we don't get to see that often...

I suppose this is probably 'old news' to more seasoned T keepers, but I'm enthralled!! Ha ha ha!

The bug has most definitely bitten again!

Where are you based, Mikhail?

[Mikhail F. Bagaturov]

HEllo ANdrew!

Yes, as for mine tarantulas - they did not burrow at all since so I don't give em such a possibility. I use small containers folloeing the rule x2 of legspan and provide a deep layer of substratum only for asians and Eucratoscelus (which is reject to dig at all ), so it is not a common thing to me to see such a construction like Yours really I also don;t use hides for most of my tarantulas.
But some time ago when here in RUssia times, there only 2-3 species only were available we use a big terr's with deep soil and often Brachy albos establishing a good burrows with tunnels as far as I remeber...

I live in Russia, in a city of St.Petersburg, but before most of my life i was living in capital, Moscow.

[Andrew climance]

St Petersburg (was it once Leningrad?), is a beautiful city, I believe. Is there a large Tarantula following in Russia? Do you have a society like the BTS/ATS etc?

Sorry for all the questions, but it is interesting to talk with people from different cultures who have the same interests.

My Sericopelma continues to dig away; the corner shown in the photo has now been filled in, with a surface entrance 2/3" to the right of it - so there are now two entrances. As far as I can see, she has simply pushed earth up to the glass and seems to be doing so along most of the front of the tank (but not the left hand side).

I watched her last night and she was carrying enormous clumps of earth - maybe an inch and a half across - to the end of the burrow...

I have to say that my A. bicoloratum is in nearly an identical set-up and has displayed no such behaviour...

I took the decision early on to house my Ts in larger, more 'naturally decorated' tanks, thinking that I would only get one or two... Mistake! I now have another six on the way and there is, of course, no way I can house them all so extravagently! Pet Pals for the new additions, I fear!

[Andrew climance]

Mikhail! Pictures!

http://www.thebts.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=8037#post8037

[Mikhail F. Bagaturov]

Thanks for fotos.
Not very good to find the details but in general sutable.
Does it possess a strong red seate on the abdomen or not (doesn't seen on pix)?

Yes it is what formerly called as Leningrad at the Soviet Union times and it is a beautiful so-called "Nord Venice" city.
Here, we have some can be called quantaties of tarantula-keepers and some really keep em, not think it is just a fun, but seriousely I think we're still far to became to something called Society or at least a large group of tarantula-keepers, since so we have two big separate groups - one which interesting in tarantulas as it is, others - to make money on em... and we're competite in some ways, that's as You realize not good for the hobby... ;(
But time will tell...

[Andrew climance]

No, not the best shots, I admit, but she was only out for 30 seconds or so before disappearing again, so I had to be quick! I wasn't expecting to see her out and about, to be honest!

I wouldn't say the setae on her abdomen are particularly strong, but they are certainly red. Certainly not as strong as those of B Vagans, I wouldn't say...

Thanks for your comments on the Russian T 'circle', very interesting.

[Andrew climance]

My S. rubronitens died a couple of days ago. I hadn't seen her for a few days, so I started poking about to see if I could lure her out; I lifted up her hide a little (at the entrance of the extensive burrow that I had described) and there she was curled up and quite obviously dead.

I'm naturally crestfallen, she was a really interesting T and I was smitten with her. The temperature and humidity seemed good, nothing had changed environmentally...

gutted.

[Ray Gabriel]

Can i have the body please

Email me if you still have it.

Ray

[Mikhail F. Bagaturov]

Hello Andrew!

My S. rubronitens died a couple of days ago. I hadn't seen her for a few days, so I started poking about to see if I could lure her out; I lifted up her hide a little (at the entrance of the extensive burrow that I had described) and there she was curled up and quite obviously dead.
I'm naturally crestfallen, she was a really interesting T and I was smitten with her. The temperature and humidity seemed good, nothing had changed environmentally... gutted.

This is really bad... damned... and very sorrowful indeed...
But sometimes it happens... WC's are always a lottery.

All I can say, good luck with the new one!

[Andrew climance]

Ray, you have pm

Mikhael, thanks!

[Nicola Dolby]

Spider

Hi,
you have my comiserations Andrew. I had one of mine pass away just before Christmas, I felt awful. When you see them there with their legs curled up under them its almost tragic. All I can suggest is get another a.s.a.p. It made me feel better though it obviously couldn't 'replace' the one lost.