B.smithi doing upside down press ups.

[Andrew Ferguson]

I went to a local pet shop to have a look at some scorpions and they had for sale a plastic container, vented lid, feeding hatch and all for under £4. So I bought one. Transferred Smiffy and (s)he seemed very happy. Walking about, hiding in the plant pot or under the plant. Then, it seems to have taken a liking to walking up the sides. Then back down on the substrate for a few hours. However, it will now climb up the sides and hang upside down from the lid and perform what can only be described as press ups. I've seen it fall (or to be exact, did a backwards flip!) once. I actually told it off for being so stupid
My first thought was the substrate was wrong, but the surface is dry, but not dusty. The bottom 3/4 is moist but not wet. One corner is left damper than the rest (which Smiffy prefers) and the water dish is regularly emptied and filled up with freshly cooled boiled water. Does my smithi think it's an arboreal species, or just think it's Spider-Man?

Any comments or opinions would be gratefully received.

[Tara Newman]

Thats what our b.smithi does she used to go upto the top of the tank and hang upside down from the metal mesh at the top and bite it, she hasnt done it in a long while now though, but she has broken some of the metal links of the air holes :O

[Simon Norfolk]

Is the spider mature? Because it sounds like fairly typical adult male behaviour. They tend to go walkies and make dashes for exits, chew through bars etc in order to search for a mate. The girlies just dont care and sit where they are.

[Kate Arbon]

If I remember right the spider is definitely not mature, only about 2 inches?

It's perfectly normal when a T is rehomed for it to wander around and stick to the walls/ceiling for a few days. It seems to be their way of 'sulking' that we've changed their environment. After a week or so Smiffy should stop spending so much time off ground.

[Andrew Ferguson]

Still a little juvi. My wife even noticed the other day (s)he had climbed into the plastic plant and was sat on a leaf. I wish I'd seen that, but hey, so long as Smiffy is acting "normally" I'm happy. Actually, when it does climb the sides it gives me a chance to get out the magnifying glass and have a good look at the underneath of the tarantula.

Thanks for the replies.