Please help, really worried

[Neil Richardson]

Yup, again i can only echo whats been said. Peat/vermiculite mix is great for most spiders as they can dig in it, plus it holds moisture reasonably well.

Just make sure the peat is additive free, and sterilise it in the microwave beforehand to kill any beasties that may be living in it.

[Mark Pennell]

Correct me if I'm wrong, and I'm sure you will a heat mat without thermostatic control will run at full tilt and get damn hot if there is no air flow in the room/tank.

For a single spider tank (in this case) most of the mat will be exposed to the air and not be conducting into the tank.

Karl
The usual small sized spider mats are only about 15 watts and should only cover about half the back of the tank. These if, as I suggested are backed up with a sheet of polystyrene or radiator reflector (B&Q) will reflect the heat into the tank thus warming the tarantula. These mats do not heat the air but objects in the path of the infrared heat. (read this on the mat instructions)

These 15 wat mats are fine to use without a thermosat but anything bigger should have one, and should never be use otherwise.

All my mats are connected to a thermostat, some of them are 4 feet long.

If you had even a small mat under the tank with 25mm of substrate this this will create a far worse hot spot with the potential to cause real problems during a molt. The mat place on the tank will create as Neil correctly mentioned - a thermal gradiant. Thus allowing the T to escape heat when it is warmed up and can move closer should it need warming.

To be honest its only just lately my mats have been kicking in, as its been a pretty warm summer, this is another dam good reason to you thermostats BTW.


Regards
Mark

[vax]

I thought the spider was looking really sorry for itself this morning, really seemed to deteriorate badly overnight, despite the heat mat the inside of the tank was cold and wet - so I took the whole kit and caboodle to a reptile house (where they also have spiders) for advice. They said the spider is a juvenile male Aphonapelma (about a year old?) and pretty malnourished, in fact the man was not too optimistic about him at all. The spider's body temperature was really low, so the man put him in the reptile room to warm up then helped me sort the enclosure out.

The one I had was pretty unsuitable - the lid didn't really close properly and the ventilation was poor. Apparently this particular spider can be quite the Houdini? He also said the substrate was completely wrong, and gave some 'vermiculite' mix (I've noticed the complete lack of consensus here on this topic but I have faith in this man!). Got quite a tall vivarium (said I didn't need half the height but was all he had but will come in handy if I get an arboreal) he put a polystyrene thing in and a small heat mat over that (probably covers 1/3 of the floor space). Plugged the heat mat into a thermostat, the thermostat bit is just poking through the vermiculite in the far corner so is pretty much where the spider lives. Stuck a small dial on the side that measures the humidity. He soaked the substrate and then partially dried it out. There's no condensation at all now, which is a great relief, and the spider has had two crickets. He also put a little stone thing that looks like a potato, that the spider can make a burrow in.

He advised me to give the spider 2 crickets A DAY for a few days, then taper off (if he survives) to 1 or 2 a week. It's all been alot of trouble to go to for a spider that might die anyway.

I really regret my impulse buy, but hopefully 'Otto' will survive and thrive for the next couple of years. Aerial shot of new enclosure - does all look ok? 'Otto' is under the plant.

[Neil Richardson]

Vermiculite is fine for spiders, just looks ugly in my opinion.

Good to see that not everyone in shops is ill-advised

[Mark Pennell]

Vax
That’s good news that you feel less worried about your spider, I know you mentioned the shop gave you good advice and you are now happier. However I would just like to make one small point.

I would like to know how this person new the age of your Aphonopelma by just looking at it. Yes you can to a degree sex by checking underneath commonly called ventral sexing, but age! that’s a new one on me.

Aphonopelma are very slow growing and although scale is hard to judge from the photo you posted if that’s a year old! Then, sell me some of the steroids it was fed on! 

The tarantula in the picture you posted did not look that bad off, and in reasonable condition. I see no reason why it should die off, now you have it set up and warm and eats eating a few crickets.

“(I've noticed the complete lack of consensus here on this topic but I have faith in this man!)”

Vax, everyone has there own way of keeping tarantulas and I have mine. I personally do not like to use vermiculite as a substrate as I found over the years that certain tarantulas absolutely hate the stuff plus its does look a tad ugly.. But this is just my opinion I happen to think the coir or peat with just a sprinkle of vermiculite is much better. Around four inches in depth.

Anyway very best of luck with your spider and I hope all turns out for the best, please when it molts get a second opinion on the sex of your tarantula, sexing by the cast skin is the best way to confirm what has been suggested.

Regards
Mark

[vax]

Do you think he might be quite a bit older then? He's certainly alot more active this evening. The reptile man said something about the size of the spider's bottom compared to its head but I don't know if he was working out his age or the fact that he is underfed. I really need a good book about all of this stuff, any recommendations - or will I pick it up online as I go along?

Just took this one, does he look healthy, as far as you can tell?

[Neil Richardson]

Looks like it's absolutely fine. Maybe a tad on the thin side, perhaps it has recently moulted, but i see no cause for concern there at all.

[vax]

Thanks, am reassured, and thanks to everyone for their replies. To show a better idea of size, here is a pic of him next to a pen:
<edit> Is it normal for them to climb right to the very top of a tall enclosure? It's 45cm tall. Sorry for the obsessive posting, it's worse than having a new baby!

[Mark Pennell]

Vax
No need to apologise for lost of posts, this is just what this forum and the BTS are here for.

Ok the spider looks fine, yeah a few more crickets down the old gullet and it will look a whole lot better.

My guess on age would be around 3 or more years if captive posible older if wild caught.

Climbing to the top - well all t's will do this from time to time, but again this could be to do with the heat being underneath. Just give the tarantula a few days to settle and all should fine. They need to work out there surroundings and this may be what its doing.

Cheers
Mark

[vax]

But if it's three, and a male, then his days on this earth will be few?

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

I'm glad things are now working out, just a couple of points:

1) - From the pics you have posted it is almost impossible to tell if it is a male, we would ideally need to see his pedipalps (the two short looking 'legs' on the front), basically if they look like obvious 'boxing glove / bulbous' shape then that is an indicator of male.

2) - When Mark said 3 years old, he was referring to the overall age of the spider since a spiderling and not the amount of time he has been male (if he truly is of course). I presume this was what you were getting at Mark? but correct me if i'm wrong.

Howard

[vax]

1) - From the pics you have posted it is almost impossible to tell if it is a male, we would ideally need to see his pedipalps (the two short looking 'legs' on the front), basically if they look like obvious 'boxing glove / bulbous' shape then that is an indicator of male.

Like house spiders then?

[Mark Pennell]

But if it's three, and a male, then his days on this earth will be few?

Vax
I am pretty sure he is not mature, if indeed it’s an immature male. A, seemanni males (if this is what it is) are black and lack the pronounced white strips, they are more muted and grey like, if my memory serves me well.

Yes indeed I was referring to the overall age of the spider not a 3 year old mature male.

Regards
Mark

[Adam Walters]

Hi Vax,

If I can just add my 2p's worth to the thread;

In my oppinion I think it would be a good idea to add more substrate (all that you have perhaps?) into the tank, to reduce the height as much as possible. The reasoning behind this is;

a) they like to burrow!
b) you have a tank that is far to tall for a terrestrial species
c) tarantulas can be quite clumsy, and if they fall from great heights can injure themselves (a 40 cm drop would most likely kill them).
d) the heat mat should be on the side of the tank to allow for the t to regulate it's own temperature

In response to your question about a good book, I think it safe to say that 'The Tarantula Keepers Guide', by 'Schultz and Schultz' is probably the best, and held in high regard amongst many.

[Howard Farley (Huk7)]

Hi Vax,

If I can just add my 2p's worth to the thread;

In my oppinion I think it would be a good idea to add more substrate (all that you have perhaps?) into the tank, to reduce the height as much as possible. The reasoning behind this is;

a) they like to burrow!
b) you have a tank that is far to tall for a terrestrial species
c) tarantulas can be quite clumsy, and if they fall from great heights can injure themselves (a 40 cm drop would most likely kill them).
d) the heat mat should be on the side of the tank to allow for the t to regulate it's own temperature

In response to your question about a good book, I think it safe to say that 'The Tarantula Keepers Guide', by 'Schultz and Schultz' is probably the best, and held in high regard amongst many.

I would second all of that, it's good advice and the book comes highly recommended.