Help with my juvenile B. smithi. Please!?

[Andrew Ferguson]

I got home today and my wife says the spider has dug a hole. Nothing new there. So when I went to have a look, Smiffy had vanished!! The front of the plant pot had substrate almost filling the entrance, but no signs of legs. So I very carefully moved some away, a tiny bit at a time. But then I noticed I could see the bottom of the tank.

Smiffy has made a huge tunnel down to the bottom of the container, took a right and dug another tunnel about three times its body length along the bottom. Personally I think its chasing after a cricket that buried itself into the substrate. But what bothers me is that their is no support to the tunnel. Do I try and "rescue" Smiffy or do I just leave it be but at the risk of the tunnel collapsing? Help! Please!?

[Simon Norfolk]

Don't quote me on this... but dont tarantula's web the inside of their tunnels to lend the roof support?

[Colin D Wilson]

Just leave him, he'll be ok as long as the tank doesn't get knocked around.
even if the substrate does fall in, he'll be able to dig his way out, i've had G roseas make collapsing tunnels and have been ok

[Richard Shah]

Andrew, how much did u pay for the p+p with the 'cold weather' option? On the conditions page it says £9.95, whereas on the checkout it says £8.95?
Gd luck with Smithy, I'm sure he'll be ok listening to Colin's advice, and hopefully Simon is right!

[Andrew Ferguson]

Cheers Colin and Simon,

My head says leave it alone but my heart is saying help it, so on your advice I'll resist the urge to "assist" and leave Smiffy alone.

Richard I've sent you a PM.

[Richard Shah]

Cheers Colin and Simon,

My head says leave it alone but my heart is saying help it, so on your advice I'll resist the urge to "assist" and leave Smiffy alone.

Richard I've sent you a PM.

Replied; thanks again!

[SylviRigden]

Hi, your Smithi will be fine in his burrow system. He will probably come up for food and then dissapear again. He may hole up completely to molt. As he gets bigger he will spend more time on the surface. In the wild it's safer for a small T to be out of sight, so even arboral slings burrow. I wait some time before I dig them out to check them - a week or so usually, with no sign of activity at all.

[scotttaylor]

i think last time i hurd it that for the webs sizes its 4 times stronger than steal

[Richard Shah]

i think last time i hurd it that for the webs sizes its 4 times stronger than steal

Yeah I do not understand how, but it is apparently definitely stronger than steel.

[Kate Arbon]

I'm sure your Smiffy will be fine. Most the Brachypelma I've had have hidden a lot when small. My not-quite-new-anymore B. emilia is my first proper digger though, he tunnelled out through the bottom of his flowerpot and kept on going

[Richard Shah]

I'm sure your Smiffy will be fine. Most the Brachypelma I've had have hidden a lot when small. My not-quite-new-anymore B. emilia is my first proper digger though, he tunnelled out through the bottom of his flowerpot and kept on going

DAMN! ! ! What a G.!

[Andrew Ferguson]

Kate, thanks for that picture. That's just what mine has done, straight out from under the flower pot. But not quite the Channel Tunnel that yours seems to have built

I've just checked this morning and all seems well (phew!) and Smiffy has now turned around (facing towards the exit now) and built what seems like a chamber at the end of the tunnel. The cool thing about it, is that Smiffy has built it right up alongside the side of the container, I can see in. Smiffy is sat there, pedipalps tucked under and looks like its posing for one of those nature books; displaying a perfect side on view.

When I thought about getting a spider, Michelle (wifey) asked "what do they do then?" and I said "not much really". "So what's the point of having one?" was her response. Who would have thought I could get so much pleasure from seeing a young tarantula sat, quite happily in its burrow doing nothing

[James Box]

it's hard to explain isn't it? but we do get alot from them, and hopefully we can give something back.

[Richard Shah]

Kate, thanks for that picture. That's just what mine has done, straight out from under the flower pot. But not quite the Channel Tunnel that yours seems to have built

I've just checked this morning and all seems well (phew!) and Smiffy has now turned around (facing towards the exit now) and built what seems like a chamber at the end of the tunnel. The cool thing about it, is that Smiffy has built it right up alongside the side of the container, I can see in. Smiffy is sat there, pedipalps tucked under and looks like its posing for one of those nature books; displaying a perfect side on view.

When I thought about getting a spider, Michelle (wifey) asked "what do they do then?" and I said "not much really". "So what's the point of having one?" was her response. Who would have thought I could get so much pleasure from seeing a young tarantula sat, quite happily in its burrow doing nothing

it's hard to explain isn't it? but we do get alot from them, and hopefully we can give something back.

I get that reaction from people all the time! Mainly from my mum, but I can't wait to get a T. - hopefully James and Andrew, I'll share the pleasure you have with your Ts/T, with my T!

[SylviRigden]

We can't be that bad - millions more people watch plants and flowers grow, T's are far more interesting than them - they have a mind of their own.