Normal behavior?

[KhoanScart]

I'm a brand new tarantula owner. I have a pre-adult 4 to 5 inch female A. Seemanni. The first day I got her she was relatively active, exploring her new enclosure and drinking from her water dish. Yesterday morning, I found her bunched up in the corner of the enclosure with her front legs huddled together. I didn't think much of it and left her alone. When I came back from work 8 hours later she was still in the same position. I didn't want to bother her but I was afraid she may have died, so I gently prodded her to see if she would react. She was a bit slow to react but she did start moving and went to the other side of the enclosure. I cleaned her water dish and gave her fresh water and left her alone for the rest of the night.

This morning I found her on top of her hide, facing the corner of the enclosure with her front legs bunched up again. I was afraid it may be a death curls so I took a clean make up brush and gently stroked her abdoman and back legs. She reacted immediately and turned around a bit so I'm leaving her alone for now. I know she's not dehydrated, because I saw her drink on the first night and there's substrate in her water dish again so I'm assuming she drank last night too. Is this normal? Could it be that she's still a little stressed from rehousing? As long as she reacts immediately to stimuli is she okay?

 

[Nunua]

Absolutely normal behavior. The position you describe is known as "stress curl", so you are correct when guessing that she is most likely still stressed out from the rehousing.

At this point, no matter how stressed you are, you should stop touching her and leave her alone - otherwise she will stay constantly stressed and settling in drags out.

It can take anything from hours to months for tarantula getting adjusted into the new place and start digging around or using the hide. She certainly keeps roaming around in the night, because that's the time when they usually are the most active - Everything is dark, and there are no excessive stimuli from people walking around etc. Tarantulas have those long hairs called setae that are extremely sensitive to all vibrations and the subtle strings of webbing on top of the substrate even amplify those vibrations.

I hope the photos below will show you the difference between two curls.

Stress curl - This is how for example my N. chromatus sling usually sits when disturbed

Death curl - See how legs are curled under the tarantula exposing the carapace, because there is no longer fluid pressure to straighten them.

 

[Arachnoclown]

Welcome...Can you take a photo of your enclosure so I can make sure things are good for her. I've got a few A. Seemanni myself and they can be finicky.

 

[KhoanScart]

Welcome...Can you take a photo of your enclosure so I can make sure things are good for her. I've got a few A. Seemanni myself and they can be finicky.

Here's her enclosure. 12 x 12 x 12 Exo Terra mini wide. She has around 4 inches of substrate to burrow into.

BTW, when should I try to feed her? I was planning on waiting until Saturday to offer her a cricket. Should I just watch her behavior and judge on that?

 

[RonC]

Sometimes takes a few days but just be patient. Disturb it the least amount possible. Wait a couple of days at least then offer it a cricket. Pull the cricket out if it doesn't take it in a few hours or acts stressed by it. Try again in a few days.

 

[Dave Jay]

Here's her enclosure. 12 x 12 x 12 Exo Terra mini wide. She has around 4 inches of substrate to burrow into.

BTW, when should I try to feed her? I was planning on waiting until Saturday to offer her a cricket. Should I just watch her behavior and judge on that?

Welcome, both to the forum and the hobby!
I'll leave it to Arachnoclown or another to comment on the enclosure itself but a near a window is generally a bad spot for an enclosure of any kind, the temperature and humidity are just too variable. For a tarantula in particular I think there is also too much light, that is bound to stress a tarantula out, I'm surprised she comes out in the day at all to be honest. From what I can see the actual enclosure looks ok, but I'll leave that to the experts.

 

[KhoanScart]

Welcome, both to the forum and the hobby!
I'll leave it to Arachnoclown or another to comment on the enclosure itself but a near a window is generally a bad spot for an enclosure of any kind, the temperature and humidity are just too variable. For a tarantula in particular I think there is also too much light, that is bound to stress a tarantula out, I'm surprised she comes out in the day at all to be honest. From what I can see the actual enclosure looks ok, but I'll leave that to the experts.

Yeah, at the moment I don't have anywhere else to put her. I'm planning on getting a nice storage shelf for her and the other two I'm planning on getting. I've also ordered some static cling film that will black out the window and give her more darkness. It should be arriving today.

 

[Dave Jay]

Yeah, at the moment I don't have anywhere else to put her. I'm planning on getting a nice storage shelf for her and the other two I'm planning on getting. I've also ordered some static cling film that will black out the window and give her more darkness. It should be arriving today.

When people don't have a choice but to put an aquarium near a window they often stick styrofoam to the back and or sides, it might be worth cutting up a broccoli box or something just to insulate it a bit.

 

[KhoanScart]

When people don't have a choice but to put an aquarium near a window they often stick styrofoam to the back and or sides, it might be worth cutting up a broccoli box or something just to insulate it a bit.

I actually pulled a book case from the garage and have her away from the window now. I also got some blackout curtains and cut a piece out so I can drape it from the above shelf over her to give her more darkness. I also have a space heater in the room set to keep it at a comfortable 70 degrees F. I think she'll start feeling better now.

 

[Dave Jay]

I actually pulled a book case from the garage and have her away from the window now. I also got some blackout curtains and cut a piece out so I can drape it from the above shelf over her to give her more darkness. I also have a space heater in the room set to keep it at a comfortable 70 degrees F. I think she'll start feeling better now.

You do know that when she grows up to be a spoilt btch drama queen it's gonna be all your fault for spoiling her?!!!