Jail Break?

[mrotsliah]

I have a lasiodora parahybana. I've had her in a 10 gallon tank with a metal screen top for several months now. Lately, she has been climbing all over the walls and on the screen top. I'm scared that she will fall. She has her fangs through the screen holes (see picture), and she seems to be biting the screen and making a few dents. I have a book that has a picture of a screen top that has been torn up by a tarantula. I am wondering if she is attempting to break out of the enclosure. So I am wondering what type of enclosure would be appropriate for an L.P. How much should I worry? I thank you for any advice.

 

[ilovebrachys]

Hi.. Looking at your picture I can see that your tarantula is a mature male (it has tibial hooks and it's pedipalps look like boxing gloves) it is roaming around looking for a female and will continue to do this for the rest of its life.. Mature males spend all there time doing this and will eat little - it would be best if you could rehouse it into a smaller enclosure that has a different lid and not so high as you are right in assuming it may end up hurting itself...

 

[mrotsliah]

Ah, ok. So it's a male. I'll look into a new enclosure tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Aracnoenthusiast]

You could also change the lid to acrylic with vent holes. That along with less height to fall from would help keep him safe

 

[Oursapoil]

Another fix, get some large packing tape and cover the inside edges of the mesh until you have at least a good 3 inches width covered from the glass to the expose mesh. When your definitely male LP will climb the glass to get to the mesh, he won't be able to get a grip to the packing tape and reach the mesh. It works wonder on my T. blondi. This is an inexpensive fix, but if you have the time and materials available, an acrylic top would be the best option.
Let me know if you would like pictures, cheers.

 

[menavodi]

Ah, ok. So it's a male. I'll look into a new enclosure tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

You could also try to find him a female.

 

[mrotsliah]

Instead of a glass fish tank, how about a wide, shallow, clear Rubbermade or Sterilite container with small holes in the top? Of course, I would put something heavy-ish on top of it to keep him from pushing the top off and getting loose.

 

[ilovebrachys]

Instead of a glass fish tank, how about a wide, shallow, clear Rubbermade or Sterilite container with small holes in the top? Of course, I would put something heavy-ish on top of it to keep him from pushing the top off and getting loose.

A plastic container can serve him well as a home - ideally a clip top lid, like you mentioned make sure you have ventilation holes for him and a water dish... Mature males suffer dehydration very easily.

 

[mrotsliah]

I got a wide and shallow plastic tub. The original top was solid gray. So I bought some plexiglass and put some holes in it. To keep the top on the tub, I have placed a couple of books on top of it. I finally found a use for those differential geometry books. Do you think they are heavy enough? Or should I use calculus books?

 

[Rosey_Slingster]

Following.
I am not the person to know, but i would think anything heavy, would stop any esapees?
Good look with you're spider Quest!