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Earlgrey 0

New Member
Messages
3
Location
Uk
Hi. My mum brought me a grammastola pulcha for my birthday,last week first ever tarantula. It is 5/6 cm and beautiful. It took 4 days to deliver,parcel force took there sweet timeI finally received monday 7th June.. got everything ready,tank perfect,hide,water, substrate deep enough to burrow. It was out 4 days exploring tank, went to feed last night and gone,I can see where its burrowed. I've been so worried that it now has been 8 days since last ate in total,coz 4 days in delivery..Will it be OK as I'm a newbie. Thanks
 

Mygalomorphic

Member
Messages
44
Location
USA
Don’t be worried! If the entrance to the burrow is sealed with substrate or webbing then your T is most likely molting. I have a few who will disappear for MONTHS, then one day they come out bigger and brighter with an appetite.

If the entrance is open then likely it’s coming out at night when you aren’t watching. Many species will burrow when they are small but will be out more when they get bigger. You can put prey items in the enclosure and see if they are gone when you wake up. If not, remove them and wait a few days to offer again. If the burrow is sealed off then don’t offer prey and just keep water available.

8 days is not too long to go off feed for a T so don’t be concerned. Try to resist the urge to dig it up, you could disturb it while molting or more likely you’ll find a spider who is upset that it got dug up. They are much more self efficient than most other pets we are used to.

Welcome to the hobby! Don’t be afraid to ask questions but also search the forums because many people ask the same questions.
 

m0lsx

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3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
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2,009
Location
Norwich, UK
Have you come across the term "pet hole" yet? If not, it is what you currently have. I have a Grammostola pulchripes sling & do not see it very often at all. My adult Grammastolas are always out on show, my sling never is. My grammostola iheringi is currently a very small juvi & always out. But never used to be. Burrowing is what slings do to protect themselves. And at least with a Grammasola it is normally out when an adult.

For slings I put a beheaded mealworm in twice a week & remove it after 24 hours. Mealworms are beheaded as like that they do not burrow & potentially become a beetle which can harm T's. And a beheaded mealworm will still be moving 24 hours later. Several I removed last night wriggled when I grabbed them with the tweezers to remove them.

Normally a sling will eat when it needs too. So just pop some food in, leave it 24 hours & repeat every few days. If it wants to eat it will. Sometimes you will find prekilled prey completely disappears, as it will be dragged into a burrow. From a mold point of view, I do not like that. But at least I know my slings are still alive when they do that.
 

DustyD

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Messages
1,181
Location
Maine
Having a G. pulchra and G. pulchripes a little smaller than yours for about a month, I too went through your concern. Take a deep breath, relax and take the above advice.

I barely see either one of them. Prekilled or maimed superworms, crickets disappearing and a molt I have found on the surface have let me know they are ok. Although pulchripes emerged briefly right by the hide entrance last week to take down a superworm.
 

DustyD

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Messages
1,181
Location
Maine
Here is pulchripes peering out, she takes about a minute to creep up and pounce.
 

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Earlgrey 0

New Member
Messages
3
Location
Uk
Hi all thank you for the advice. Finally the t came out ,although not eaten now since I got her 7th June.phoned up where I got her ,they said don't worry as it has a big butt..whiich it does. Checked humidity and temp.change water everyday.
I think I will get another, have a good dubiaroach colony. So may as well. .thanks for all your invaluable info guys
 

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