Unusual behaviour...?

[Denny Teasdale]

HI everyone,

Just a quickie...my G. rosea is climbing a lot more recently, her tank is a 12x12x12 exo terra with a polystyrene "rock formation" backdrop which she's never really bothered with until today. I went upstairs earlier to find her hanging from the mesh lid by one leg...!!! But it's not just the backdrop she's climbing, I watched her cllimb up a corner of the tank earlier. The temperature is around the 20C mark and humidity level is the same as the room she's in.

I'm using children's play sand as a substrate and have done for a couple of months now with no problems...do I need to worry or is she just going through a bit of a phase...? She's recently ate 1 cricket on Saturday and seems in good health. At present I've placed a plastic barrier between the mesh and the inside of the tank just to protect her a wee bit (before everyone shouts at me about ventilation this is a) a temp measure and b) exo terra tanks have vents on the front also for those not familiar with them... ).

Any answers very much appreciated....

[Peter Lacey]

Tarantula are quite capable of climbing glass and the issue you raise with the mesh is a common one. Some people replace the mesh with a thicker grade mesh, others cover it with perspex. I should do the same but I havent.
Its important to make sure your tarantula can't fall on anything sharp or make sure your substrate is a few inches high and remove any rocks or hard objects. You'll not stop your G. rosea climbing but protecting it from a fall is sensible.

[Denny Teasdale]

Cheers Peter...has helped me out and put my mind at rest...

[Jane Mitchell]

Hi Denny,

Different species totally but exactly the same thing happened with our L Para!

It started climbing the walls about 3 months after we bought it. It was in exactly the same enclosure too - Exoterra 12" sq. I had a suspicion that it was walking across the ceiling because of the webbing and I finally saw it hanging quite comfortably totally upside down. We'd heard some stories about them getting caught in the mess so we changed the tank for a completely perspex one hoping this would solve the problem. If anything it's got worse! He/she now tries to use it's fangs to get a grip on the ceiling and it manages to get 4-5 legs up and then slips down again. On some occasions it actually fallen and landed on its hide so it's abdomen looks scarred like its been flicking hairs.

Thankfully, its due for a moult and has gone quiet for the last couple of weeks but it's obviously just something it likes to do. Other than raising the level of the substrate and moving any hard objects towards the middle of the tank, I really don't know what else to recommend.

Jane

[Colin D Wilson]

Other than raising the level of the substrate and moving any hard objects towards the middle of the tank, I really don't know what else to recommend.

Jane

This would be the reccommended thing to do, deeper substrate with a cork bark hide half covered (and waterbowl if you use one) is more than enough decor for a tarantula, the chance of falling from any dangerous height is minimised and it would encourage the spider to burrow as well.

[Denny Teasdale]

She seems to have settled back down again...for the time being at least...! Her hide atm is half a plant pot...but I have a feeling I may attract some criticism for that...!

[Colin D Wilson]

Her hide atm is half a plant pot...but I have a feeling I may attract some criticism for that...!

Can't see why .... plant pots (plastic or pot) are good versatile items to construct hides and brace burrows etc.
I you get criticised then i'll have to share it with you, as will many other keepers that use them

[Denny Teasdale]

Can't see why .... plant pots (plastic or pot) are good versatile items to construct hides and brace burrows etc.
I you get criticised then i'll have to share it with you, as will many other keepers that use them

Well that's that settled then...I was toying with the idea of burying it so much to let her dig her own retreat...but she's hardly interested in it anyway...!

[Colin D Wilson]

The idea we use here is to bury the half pot into the substrate (with a few inches of substrate still under it), hollow out a little in the centre so it gives the spider a starting point, then cover the top of the pot with substrate so a little more floor area is available for the spider.

[Denny Teasdale]

Cheers Colin...appreciated

[Peter Lacey]

Here's what I believe Colin was suggesting with the cork bark. I use it for my L. klugi

[Mrs Linda Street]

Any coffee drinkers out there, the Nescafe Decaf 200g coffee jar lids (blue) make a brilliant water dish for the bigger T's, much better than wasting cash on a lot of expensive designer dishes lol. Just flick out the cardboard insert and they're ready to use.

[Colin D Wilson]

Yup Pete, thats a reasonable representation of my suggestion

Coffe jar lids ..... waterbowls, cut a bit out and it's a hide, pop coffee filter paper in one and it's the start of an incubator ...... wonderfull things !!!!

[Mrs Linda Street]

Colin, don't forget you can also drink the coffee as well lol