Suitable hide?

[Paul Arnold]

Hi.
Is it possible to use a rather large,heavy "dug in" flower pot as an adequate hide for T.Stirmi without causing the Tarantula any undue stress from the lack of a burrow? My problem is that mine resides in a cavernous hole, under some cork bark, with 6 inches of substrate and basically I have a pet hole to look at. Most of the time I don't even have a hole to look at as she's a bugger for filling it in,waiting behind the earth, and snatching prey that strays too close in this way. This Tarantula of mine is a complete burrow potato,and pretty much a recluse (to be expected with a deep dark hole to lurk in)
I would sorely like to be able to view the spider for obvious reasons, but not if it will cause any harm

[Peter Roach]

In a word . . . .Yes.

I use the plastic flower pots cut in half which work fine for me

[Paul Arnold]

Thanks.
Ive seen the term "obligate burrower" on many care sheets relating to this Tarantula so I had it in my mind that it would be better to afford it a semi burrow. Though i guess in hind sight the term refers to behaviour in the wild? Sorry more of what I know are basic questions I use dug in hides for all my T's but I still see those ones. Flower pots are alien to me
Will the T shed "outside" so to speak, will it not be able to turn over under a flower pot? When using this type of shelter do you find the T spends a bit more time "outside" or just that its much easier to view?

[Aragorn Davies]

Hi paul, I also have a stirmi which at the moment is in pre molt so I don't see much of it at all....When I housed it in the last enclosure I used a clear plastic box with on side pushed against the glass then piled substrate on top and on all the other sides, so that If needs I could just shine a light in and see what it was upto, like a viewing window.

I moved it recently into a larger tank and built a new home for it, started with a 3" layer of substrate placed a half round pipe of artificial log up against the back wall of the tank i.E viewing window and the other end the entrance, piled substrate up the sides nearly covering it, then some artificial plants and a black plastic cover over the viewing window on the outside of the glass, so if I need to check progress I have a look and do not disturb the T, seems to work ok for me, and no stress for him....and it looks a little more natural, only just though lol ....

[Peter Roach]

Will the T shed "outside" so to speak, will it not be able to turn over under a flower pot?

I have absolutely no idea. Over the many years that i have been keeping T's, I have had many chances to watch various species moult having 'caught' them out laying on their back in the open and under their hides but as of yet have yet to see one actually moult.
If I notice one moulting i just ignore it and let it get on with it. I'll usually check on it after a few days . . if i remember.

When using this type of shelter do you find the T spends a bit more time "outside" or just that its much easier to view?

Totally depends on the individual spider, species, container humidity, light levels in the room etc etc etc

I have species that i have NEVER seen from the day I bought them but also have species that NEVER go in their hide and are always out on show.

[Ben Cook]

all my spiders have a hide and enough substrate to burrow if they choose. i'd rather give them the choice and they be comfortable than be able to see them if they dont want to be seen.

[Peter Roach]

Two pic's I took today of my genic with egg sac in her hide in which she spends approx 50% of her time (100% of the time now she has egg sac) The hide is usually quite dark inside but it looks light and bright due to the flash on the camera.
I've found that if the substrate is at least 3-4 inches deep, the spider can shovel the substrate up so that the entrance is almost blocked but you can still see it.

[Christopher Smallman]

I have a Brachypelma smithi who has never used her hide a curved piece of cork bark with a depression dug in the substrate in fact I once lifted her out on the hide to change the subby and placed her in a empty petpal she never budged a inch
Then about a month ago all I could see was a fat bum poking from under the bark so for the 1st time in nearly 4 years she used her shelter.
I would always provide a shelter of some sort and let the spider decide to use it or not even if you have to wait 4 years lol.

ChrisS.

[Aragorn Davies]

I have a Brachypelma smithi who has never used her hide a curved piece of cork bark with a depression dug in the substrate in fact I once lifted her out on the hide to change the subby and placed her in a empty petpal she never budged a inch
Then about a month ago all I could see was a fat bum poking from under the bark so for the 1st time in nearly 4 years she used her shelter.
I would always provide a shelter of some sort and let the spider decide to use it or not even if you have to wait 4 years lol.

ChrisS.

B smithi has got to be next on my list of "i want".. Its great when they are out and wondering about, my G Rosea is out all the time and yet has i nice bit of cork to hide in, which uptill yesterday was a clay flower pot which she still never used, she just likes roaming around which is good as i get to see her.




However the Stirmi i see when i come home from work at 0230hrs other than that its a pet hole, with sometimes some legs out the front ...




and this is the viewing point which i can check with, if i need to,, just a flap covering the back of its burrow on the outside of the glass...simple but helpfull..the wire is the Temp probe lead which is in the burrow at the back where he likes to dig in...