Help/Contact appreciated

[Matt Brett]

Heheh, well this could be a millionth post from me already.
Is it possible for someone to PM me with their number who knows a lot about rehousing tarantulas. Thing is that I am trying to replace the substrate and I have everything out of the tank now except my B.Smithi lol. It's a really awkward tank in that the side slides up, rather than being a top down opening, so it's becoming impossible. He's now very nervous and kicks hairs a bit and absolutely refuses to go into the plastic bottle provided. So now I could do with someone to talk me through what to do lol.

I am useless

[Colin D Wilson]

I have a valuable piece of equipment in the form of an old persil container



Remove lid......place clear tub over spider (spider usually climbs up into it)....place lid upside down next to clear tub.....slide tub over lid and when correctly positioned push down lightly to clip shut..

There's enough air in there for the whole night if needed and if you drop a dark towel over the top the spider feels secure.

Easy to carry around too..

Job done

[Matt Brett]

Yeah, that would be awesome if my tank was open from the top, but it isnt. The front side of it slides upwards so you have to reach in horizontally :-/

[Matt Brett]

nah he wont get into the bottle. I had it right over him but rather than climb into it he just got agitated and went into an attack position. Am gonna leave it now for a couple of hours at least so he can calm down.

[Mark Pennell]

Matt
Lay your tank on its back so the doors are now the roof, get a long blunt stick and a plastic 2lt pop bottle.

Take the bottom of the bottle with a sharp knife or scissors. Keep this bottom piece.

OK place the bottle on the side of the glass next to the spider and gentle nudge the red knee from behind, it should climb into the bottle and to the top.

Now cover the bottom back up and remove from the tank. Clean and prepare your new home for it. To get it back into the tank, unscrew the bottle lid and use the long stick to gently nudge it back out.

If you are worried it may do a runner then put the plug in the empty bath and do it all there. Remember to wash the bath and your hands to clear the urticating hairs after. I hope this helps.



Cheers
Mark

[Matt Brett]

Unforuntately the substrate is still on the bottom. I cant get that out with him in there, and if I tilt the tank then the substrate will all fall around the place and scare him.
He was on the wall of it earlier though a good couple of hours after my first attempt so he had calmed down. Got the bottle near him and he just freaked out again. Didnt flick hairs this time but scrambled for his little safe spot. I just dont think I can get him out of there, but I need to. My last attempt has been to leave the bottle half in there in the hope he'll crawl into it by him self as it's now the only place to hide in the tank. If he goes for that then I can just lift him out.

[Peter Roach]

Yeah, that would be awesome if my tank was open from the top, but it isnt. The front side of it slides upwards so you have to reach in horizontally :-/

Matt, are you frightened of the spider ?
It seems to me that you cant /wont make the spider go where you want it to go.

As the doors slide upwards, just place something square like an empty cricket box over the top of the spider. If it runs into a corner just slowly but firmly lower in over the spider..if it legs are in the way dont worry as it WILL move them out of the way when the edge touches the leg. Once the spider is under the box just slide the lid under it, again dont worry about the legs as it will move them out of the way. Just dont rush it, take it nice and slow and easy.

Where are you based ? Maybe someone is close to you and can show you how to do it.

[Matt Brett]

No I'm not afraid of the spider. Are you afraid of them?

I didnt want to scare him. Besides, being persistant is all fine if your tank open from the top but mine doesnt. So I dont want him running out of the side and then over the edge of the shelf. Anyway, he's all changed now. Just did it with him in the tank.

[Colin D Wilson]

Glad you're sorted matey.
I have a few front opening cages myself (sliding doors), scorpions are fine and the slower moving spiders are ok too.
The one i dread for maintenance is the front opening 18 x 24 inch tank with five 3-4 inch regalis in there, should have thought that one through a bit more eh?

[Matt Brett]

Yeah, he's bugging me at the moment cos he's fallen for the third time today. Climbs the wall fine, then tries to turn around and generally loses his balance.

He worries me now cos I've got so attached to him. His personality is a direct match to my own and he is aobut as stubborn! He definitely doesnt learn.

Currently he wont touch the substrate, but it's allegedly 'perfect' for tarantulas. I really wrung it out so it should be so very slightly damp but besides that it's dry. Doing Kung Fu ensured I squeezed all the water out of it lol. Kinda annoying lol as it's probably as damp as the other wood he had if not dryer!

Still, something encouraging is that he's just wedged himself between two pieces of wood at an angle. It looks horrifically uncomfortable but that's the kind of thing he did when we got him so maybe he's got over his climbing obsession

I like his awkward and obnoxious behaviour, but I dont want him to hurt himself in the process :P

[Peter Roach]

No I'm not afraid of the spider. Are you afraid of them?

With about 240+ tarantulas .....Hardly

[Matt Brett]

argh, mold!!!

Sorry for yet again posting. I come home today and my flat smells a bit off. Like rotting vegetation.
Maybe this explains why he has been falling off the tank walls?
I opened the tank and now I find mold has grown over some of the wooden ornaments. I'm so angry because these are sold in the shop and look fine. The mold wasnt there yesterday so I've got them out straight away. I've moved everything now except him, the substrate and one other unaffected wood (cork I think) piece.
I've grabbed handfuls of the substrate to check it over and smell it and it's all fine. So apart from me venting rage at the shop tomorrow for actually selling this stuff as part of the setup, isthere anything I should no be doing? Is he going to be very ill from this, does he need treatment or will he be fine?

[Peter Roach]

There is only one reason why mold has appeared suddenly .... it is too damp for that type of wood.
It is probably grape vine, which can grow mold within hours. Cork bark is the best stuff as it doesnt mold or rot, it is very light for its size and looks good.
More to the point is that if mold has appeared then it is too humid for the smithi. The spider should be OK while the substrate dries out in a day few days..... if the tank has good ventilation.
The smithi will be fine so dont panic
Do you have any pictures of your setup, as a picture can show much more than any description possibly can.

[Colin D Wilson]

Peter's probably right in that it's grape or similar, i originally used some in our White's Tree Frog enclosure and it moulded overnight.
It just seems to literally suck any moisture from any substrate it touches, leading me to believe that your substrate is still a little too damp.
Try and dry out the substrate asap, even if it means taking the spider out and giving it temperary accommodation for a few days whilst the tank is dried out (lid off near a radiator will speed it up a bit)
a lot of spiders do the "glass hanging" thing if the substrates too damp but as Peter has said, it should be fine as you've noticed the problem quickly and made efforts to solve it.

[scott wilson]

your red knee

hi matt,what substrate are you keeping him on?ive got a sub adult red knee and its fept on very dry vermiculite,and seems perremember they are a desretfectly happy,humidty is around 75%,remember that these Ts come from a fairly arid place,made me laugh that yours isnt the only smithi that kicks hairs!!.