Need help with B. smithi

[jason holland]

Hello all, i was wondering if i could have some advise from you all.

i'm new to keeping tarantula's and have just recently bought myself a b. smithi. the tank it's in is fine. plenty of room for it to roam about it. so no probs there. its the following id like some help with if possible.

(so if any b. smithi owners, would be great if you especially could help)

ok it's about 1.5 - 2 inches in legth. so im presuming about a year old.

i have some pics here, so if anyone can tell sex from these pics would be most apreciated. (but i recon you wont lol) (and im guessing female...)







ok now for wots in the tank...

the substrate im using is called T-rex Forest Bed Singles. (the stuff that expands when in water etc.) in the tank this is slightly damp. the temp of the cage at the mo is around 30ish at the hotest end. about 27ish at the cooler. with a dish of water in there as well as it is recomended by all to have some source of water. few plastic plants etc...

does that sound ok? or would anyone recomned anything else etc?]

the tank is heated my a heat mat under the substrate. substrate being aprox 3 cm thinck average.

is there anyway i can stop the tank from condesing up.

now as the t has only been inthe tank 2 days, id expect it to climb the sides a tad (now stopped that) and be a bit random as to what it does, as its getting used to its new inviroment. but when startled, it's dashing round like a mad man. i swear t's (well ground dwelling ones) arent normaly as crazy as this lol. do you reckon its because so much is new to it? or maybe just its full of "beans" as its only a juvi? or maybe because somethigs wrong with its enviroment.

im sure im doing things fine. its not eating yet, but i forgot to ask when it was fed last. so ill just try every couple of days until it eats. but i just wanna make sure (acooridn to you lot) that im basically looking after it well. as i wanna make sure my t is all righty then

sorry for the long post. hope you lot can help.

cheers all, jason

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi Jason & welcome.

As far as sexing, the best way is wait untill it moults and sex the exuvium in my opinion.

The tank sounds fine in the way it's set up, although if there's a lot of condensation i would be inclined to add further ventilation.
The substrate will dry out in time, this will be more in line with Brachy's favouring the dryer side, with a water bowl of clean water to add a little humidity.
I notice you haven't stated you incuded a hide in the tank, if you pop half a plant pot or similar in there the spider will have somewhere to go and feel secure.

Apart from that it all seems quite good mate

Regards

Colin

[Ray Gabriel]

Just to add what Colin has said, what size of heatmat and place it on the back of the tank (if it is small enough place it on the insdie of the lid of the tank, depending on the type of lid.

Ray

[Andrew Murdoch]

New Member!

I am really sorry to do this, but I have joined the forum a few days ago and have been trying to figure out how to start a post! I am new to spiders and sort of new to computers. Anyways i have the same type of questions as the thread starter. I have a similar layout for my Red Knee, very similar and have followed information from this site and have been reading up on Tarantulas for quite some time. My T. has burrowed a wee hold and It was facinating to watch, it had been eating well too. I am now worried as it has blocked up its hide away with substrate and has now been there for a day or so. I hope it is ok, if the substrate collapses will it be able to get out? Is the Tarantula gonna molt, if so will it do it indoors?
Once again I am new to spiders and am totally into them, I am just starting out, still confused by spider behaviour etc. My name is Andy and I come from Glasgow, are there any of you guys from my kneck of the woods. Anyway sorry for cutting into this thread like this but I cant seem to start my own.

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi Andrew, welcome to the forum

To start a new thread just click the "New Thread" button which is situated below and to the left of the Forum Header BTS Discussion Forum General Questions

if your T has blocked itself in there's a good chance it's preparing to moult, they're pretty good architects so unless the tank gets a good shakeup the substrate will be fine and not "fall in" on it.
The tarantula will probably moult within it's hide and then when fully hardened up come out for you to admire it.
Just remember to keep the water bowl topped up with clean fresh water (to provide humidity) and keep an eye on the temp. (also i'd remove any uneaten live food items, crickets in particular)

Colin

[Phil Rea]

I am really sorry to do this, but I have joined the forum a few days ago and have been trying to figure out how to start a post! I am new to spiders and sort of new to computers. Anyways i have the same type of questions as the thread starter. I have a similar layout for my Red Knee, very similar and have followed information from this site and have been reading up on Tarantulas for quite some time. My T. has burrowed a wee hold and It was facinating to watch, it had been eating well too. I am now worried as it has blocked up its hide away with substrate and has now been there for a day or so. I hope it is ok, if the substrate collapses will it be able to get out? Is the Tarantula gonna molt, if so will it do it indoors?
Once again I am new to spiders and am totally into them, I am just starting out, still confused by spider behaviour etc. My name is Andy and I come from Glasgow, are there any of you guys from my kneck of the woods. Anyway sorry for cutting into this thread like this but I cant seem to start my own.

Hi Andrew,

To start a new topic, just click the buton located at the bottom of the forum page

If the substrate collapses, it will be able to dig itself out no problem. As you have suggested, it could be an impending moult. If so, then holing itself in its hide to do so shouldn't really cause a problem.

Just keep an eye on it

Phil.

[edit] Beat me to it Colin [/edit]

[Andrew Murdoch]

Thanks very much Colin for the info. I still cant seem to find out how to start a thread. I have looked at what you replied and i am stuck. its probobly looking right at me but I cant seem to see it!!!!!!!!
Just to ask, should I pull away the substrate to see if the T is ok, or is this too stressful for it. I am like you guys, I dont wanna handle it, I just like watching it go about its business when I see it.
I put a water dish in the other day, but I also have bought my self a water sprayer, which is best do you think?
My spider has or seems to have had a good appetite befor it went 'underground' things I read said it would stop eating befor a molt. it is a young one, perhaps two and a half inches leg span, how old is it do you think. I also realise that the molt process is very stressful for the T. Should I try not to worry, will it come out in its own time. I feel I just need reassurance, I am learning as I go but I am just starting out and hope I am doing the right thing.

[Phil Rea]

Don't disturb the spider, as if it's moulting you don't want to cause it undue stress.

Don't spray it either, the water bowl should be fine. It will come out in its own time

[Geoff]

This thread's getting muddled and confusing.

the temp of the cage at the mo is around 30ish at the hotest end. about 27ish at the cooler. with a dish of water in there as well as it is recomended by all to have some source of water.
does that sound ok? or would anyone recomned anything else etc?]

the tank is heated my a heat mat under the substrate. substrate being aprox 3 cm thinck average.

is there anyway i can stop the tank from condesing up.

when startled, it's dashing round like a mad man. i swear t's (well ground dwelling ones) arent normaly as crazy as this lol.

In my opinion the temperature's too high. If the temperatures you've quoted are air temperatures my bet is that the substrate temperature is higher. I advise you to do what Ray's recommended and put the heat mat on the back of the tank or inside the lid. Alternatively, if you want to keep the mat underneath the tank, I suggest you lift the tank off it, lay a sheet of glass over the mat then place a matchstick at each corner of your tank when you put it back so that there's a gap between the heat source (the mat) and your tank's base enabling the heat to be distributed more evenly by circulating around the outside of the tank instead of heating up the substrate.

[Colin D Wilson]

Geoff

I must admit i presumed the temperature was that of the top level of substrate.

Brachy's do well any where between 75 - 90 deg F. if this one's at 80 - 86 deg F then the sustrate could only be a couple of degree's higher but i agree, either lift the tank on matchsticks or heat mat on the side.

[jason holland]

ok...

the heat is taken from on top of the substrate.

the tank is 24" x 12" x 12"

the heat mat is 22" x 12" x 12" with one side lifted up at one end . basicaly creating a slight slope in the tank. im sure you know what i mean.

so maybe putting the mat on the side might help.. hmm ok. i shall try that tomorrow unless someone says otherwise on here.

i do have a hide for it. its a cave of cork bark. covered in fake aqarium leaves. but it still hasnt (to my knowledge) been in there. it just seems to like the corners where the plants are at the moment.

(also any ideas on him being a bit nutty... running about wen startled like a crazy... well spider lol. just him / her being a youngster? or anyhitng else?)

[Mark Lynes]

I keep all my 60+ Brachys at temps in the mid 70's,with a night time temperature drop. I get the impression they definitely do not like it if it is consistently too warm. They also do not like it too wet, mine will actively move away from wet areas of substrate onto drier ground. Personally I do not even have a water dish, however that is my choice and I am aware that not everyone would agree with me on this one and it's not something I would necessarily recommend to a novice.

Just my twopenneth.

Mark

[jason holland]

hmm yeah see the corners probably are dryer and at the moment its currently on a plastic leaf. so maybe some drying out may need to happen of the subsstrate. it doesnt feel do damp, but then i have never felt a dryer substrate, so i dont really have too much to compare with etc. i reckon the mat on the side of the tank would def be a good idea to reduce the temp of the substrate at least. outside or inside tank?

[Elaine Ross]

Hi Jason and welcome to the forum. Congratulations on your first tarantula. B smithi is an excellent choice. Very beautiful and easy to care for. Yours is lovely

I have a couple of Brachy's (no smithi though) and find that they prefer their substrate totally dry. They climb the wall if the substrate is damp to get away from it. I overflow the water dish sometimes just to raise humidity a bit but that is generally when a moult is pending. My heatmats are used on the back of the tank on the outside. It heats one side of the tank and leaves the front cooler if the spider wants to move away from the heat.

Elaine x

[Mark Lynes]

I have a couple of Brachy's (no smithi though)..

Elaine x

It should be made a criminal offence not to keep B smithi

Mark