Baby Red Knee running away from food

[Justin Lycett]

Hi. I'm new to Ts and have recently bought a baby red knee from a reptile centre. I've already got a Chilean Rose, which I've only had for about ten weeks and is doing fine.
The baby red knee molted the day after I bought her, and all looks fine. It's been about eight days now and she still isn't interested in food; in fact she sometimes runs away from it.
I've tried small crickets and small locusts, though the locusts are a fair bit bigger, and take the food back out if she shows no interest whatsoever after a couple of hours.
I realise that Ts don't often eat for a while after a molt, but does this sound normal after eight days? Because she's a baby, I'm a bit concerned that the food I'm feeding her is either too small (the crickets) or too big (the locusts, like in the photo attached). I do have plenty of water in there with her. Many thanks.

[Peter Roach]

The first thing you must do immediately, is take out the vermiculite and throw it in the bin and put in something like coir, topsoil, peat compost or similar.
Pure vermiculite is totally unsuitable as a substrate for any sized tarantula. A bare bottom tank is better than using that.

Eight days without food for a tarantula is like you being 10 minutes late for your afternoon tea and biscuits, nothing to worry about.
I usually feed my smithi slings once every 2 weeks and adults every 4-8 weeks (depending on sex).
I'm guessing that your smithi is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch legspan ?

What type and size container are you keeping it in ?
Do you mist the the sling, if so how often ?
Do you heat the tank, if so how ?

Pictures speak a thousand words

For now . . . .
1) Change the substrate
2) Wait 5-7 days after changing the substrate and offer a live #2 or #3 cricket. If not eaten after 30 minutes take it out. The same day just before you turn the room lights out, kill a cricket by crushing its head and put the body in the slings tub. Remove it in the morning if not eaten.

I cant suggest anything else yet until I know what the slings tank is like and the conditions it is being kept in

ps. Personally, I think locusts are probably the worst food available to hobbyists and havent used them in over 3 decades of keeping tarantulas.

[Justin Lycett]

Thank you, Peter, for taking the time to reply. You've certainly helped me sort out a few issues already.
You can see a photo of the tank above. It's 4inch x 8inch and the whole thing including spider came as one from the pet shop. They said no need to change over until about six months.
I've got some decent substrate; I use that with my Chilean Rose, but only kept the baby in the other tank because of bad advice by the pet shop. I've got another vivarium which is 30x30x30cm and is one of those Exo Terra ones. Is that too big to use at the moment? If not, I can transfer her over.

I do not spray the spider, but I did dampen around the water bowl when I saw that she was about to molt. I heat part of the tank from underneath, but that's only because the temp in the house has dropped and it gets quite cold when we're out and the heating isn't on. I prefer no heat and would rather leave at room temp, so turn the heat off as soon as it turns mild, but not sure if babies need that extra heat or not.

She, I think it's a she because checked the molt, but can't be definite, has about 3inch leg span. Will definitely use crickets, but, again, pet shop advice said locusts.

Thank you again.

[Justin Lycett]

Whoops, correction. Leg span just under 2inch, not 3.

[Peter Roach]

It's 4inch x 8inch and the whole thing including spider came as one from the pet shop. They said no need to change over until about six months.

It is not the time that will dictate when you will need a larger tank but the spiders actual size. That size tank will be OK until it reaches around 3 inches

I've got another vivarium which is 30x30x30cm and is one of those Exo Terra ones. Is that too big to use at the moment?

A tank cannot be too large but the smaller the tank, the easier the spider can find the food and therefore grow quicker etc etc

I do not spray the spider, but I did dampen around the water bowl when I saw that she was about to molt.

Providing a damp area just prior to a tarantula moulting does absolutely nothing apart from making the hobbyist feel better
For a tarantula to successfully moult it must be internally hydrated, which means providing water and/or well hydrated livefood (juicy crickets or roaches)

I heat part of the tank from underneath, but that's only because the temp in the house has dropped and it gets quite cold when we're out and the heating isn't on.

If you must use a heatmat, it must be placed on either the side or back of the tank NOT underneath.

I prefer no heat and would rather leave at room temp, so turn the heat off as soon as it turns mild, but not sure if babies need that extra heat or not.

As a very rough guide, any temperature where you are comfortable in a T-shirt will be OK for almost all tarantulas, B smithi included. At the moment my spiders are all kept around 70F with a few degrees drop at night.


I would put substrate in the tank so that it is approx 1/4 filled and tamp it down firmly and half bury the hide so that only a small gap is showing. This will allow the smithi to dig under the hide and make a burrow of its own design.
I would also take out the swimming pool that you have provided and provide something smaller like a milk carton lid or similar.

[Justin Lycett]

Thanks again for the response. I will definitely do what you suggest, and ditch the swimming pool too!