Pictures of Pickles, my LP

[Lady Lilith]

Worried because he has not eaten for almost 2.5 months now, 2 months with nothing pre molt, and now 2 weeks post molt. He did have to regenerate a leg and does not look dehydrated or anything and I've seen him drink last week. I'm guessing Pickles is a male because of the leggy coltish appearance. Tried to get a good pic to sex from but haven't yet, also, please forgive me posting pics here, however, I have no idea how to post pics via url. i do have a photo bucket account and really did try but was unsuccessful.

Thanks for help and advice and any comments in advance.

 

[Lady Lilith]

Last of Pickles' pics.

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Hello
Your setup looks great,there should be a water dish in there might be missing it ? The tarantula itself looks fine,adding some roaches that can inhabit is also an option since they can't hurt the T.

 

[Lady Lilith]

Oh yes, actually there is a water dish. it is off in the left front corner. Pic included. I spotted him drinking last week so no problem there. This is a pic of the entire enclosure, you can hardly make it out but there is a terra cotta pink colored water dish in the corner on the left. The smaller tank on the right houses my 3.5 inch juvenile GBB, Jewlz. She likes, oddly enough, to hang out on the left wall of her tank while Pickles hangs out on the right wall of his. I don't think either has reached sexual maturity yet, but, do you think from those heights and angles they can see one another? That wouldn't stress Pickles out so he wouldn't eat would it?

And, Thank you for your comments. He has, since placing him back in his tank after his photo session this morning-lol-, commenced to going into his hide and burying himself halfway through the substrate that forms the back wall of his hide. Only his bum is sticking out, he's buried his head in the proverbial sand. Gads. And, there is a Dubia hanging onto the ceiling of his hide I'm sure for dear life. What is a mother to do?

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

I can't see there being an issue due to the two next to each other,I just think when he or she is ready it will eat.

 

[Lady Lilith]

Good. Thank you so much. Little else we can do anyway. Be well Martin

 

[Lady Lilith]

Martin,

I'm wondering about something. I am terribly sensitive/allergic to T bristles and used a towel to pick Pickles up a few times today to remove him/her for photos. Please tell me this didn't do any harm? Or could it?

 

[Martin Oosthuysen]

Any picking up of a tarantula can cause harm,but that doesn't mean this had actually occurred. Don't worry too much,see how he or she is in a few days.

 

[Lady Lilith]

Seems okay, crawling around in his/her hide. It's just that I got another response about not eating and was told it might be because the exoskeleton hadn't yet hardened. AFTER I handled my T. Won't do that again anytime soon. Thanks so much for your patience.

 

[Denny Dee]

Suggestion: Leave the T alone for awhile. Handling T's causes stress. Period. So, towel or no towel, give him/her time to relax and acclimate. They will eat. Promise.

You have the water dish covered. Keep the humidity up to ensure proper molting. Just leave alone for awhile and let us know how it goes. Betting he/she will eat soon enough and will be stress free from that point moving forward.

 

[Lady Lilith]

Suggestion: Leave the T alone for awhile. Handling T's causes stress. Period. So, towel or no towel, give him/her time to relax and acclimate. They will eat. Promise.

You have the water dish covered. Keep the humidity up to ensure proper molting. Just leave alone for awhile and let us know how it goes. Betting he/she will eat soon enough and will be stress free from that point moving forward.

Thank you, Denny Dee. I appreciate your concern and your guidance. And I agree, wholeheartedly, with your advice.
I must admit that too much stress on my part usually leads to too much stress on my T's part as I poke around the cage and handle my T's checking for any signs of starvation, mites, mold, desiccation, DKS, etc.
And, these are creatures that have lasted for millennia, through various climate changes and environmental disturbances, so, I have to believe that they can do so in captivity as well, as long as I leave pretty much alone, aside, of course, from regulating heating and humidity, providing food, and undertaking an occasional (quarterly) complete tank cleaning.

Pickles seems none the worse for wear this morning. I observed him/her roaming about the tank last night, from water dish, to driftwood, to the side of the tank and found him/her nicely settled into the hide and busy attempting to burrow through its earthen back wall.

I tossed in two large Dubias last night and two large crickets, placing a small amount of food for them in a corner of the tank, and plan on keeping hands off from now on unless it is either an emergent situation or there is a molt or uneaten prey that needs removal.

I really feel like I did when I brought my first born home from the hospital, which were a set of twins, boy and girl, who are now a happy, healthy 28 years old and none the worse for wear themselves, and trust me, I wore them out fussing over every sneeze and cough and chicken pox and finally, after exhausting myself into distraction, resorted to letting them role around in the mud as much as they chose and jump in every puddle they saw which led to both happier children and a happier less stressed me.

Live and learn

Thank you to all here (Tom, Martin, Denny, Rick et al) who are so kind as to show such patience and who freely share of their wisdom and experience.

Namaste,

Kelly, Pickles, Jewlz, Dio, and LIta

 

[Denny Dee]

Thanks Lilith. Sounds like you are on your way to figuring out the issue. Good luck!

 

[Lady Lilith]

Denny, where do you house all your T's? I am beginning to think 20 gal per reg sized T (like Rosies or GBB's) and 30 gal per larger sized T (like Brazilians or Smithis) aren't truly necessary. I must admit, though, I enjoy decorating their housing. I know the T doesn't really care one way or the other as long as its basic needs are met, but I've seen some who keep them all in tupperware type boxes, and though I don't think that small of a space with so little room to roam harms the T in any way, I'm wondering, now, seeing experienced and caring keepers use them, if they (the T) might not actually prefer them? Care to share your thoughts on this? Thanks

 

[Denny Dee]

I like to display most of my inverts. It is what allows me to keep the collection as even my wife loves the setups. I have even more true spiders than T's. And my scorpions have even surpassed my T species. I too enjoy decorating the tanks. You will get a wide variety of opinions on enclosure size. Most of my T's are housed in 5 gallon tanks with some of the larger ones in 10. My T blondi is in a 20 long. The sad part is that they live 99% of their time either in the burrow, the hide or within a few inches of the burrow so I am more than happy with my sizes. My scorpions I have reduced to 2 gallon containers. This is due primarily to space left in my spider room. I don't think that a T "likes" any particular style over the others. They do like the proper temperature and humidity ranges so that is really more important.

 

[Denny Dee]

My Invert Room:

 

[Lady Lilith]

Ummmm....gulp! Wow! Very nice set up! And if you don't mind me saying so, your wife keeps a lovely home I tried to zoom in on some of your books as I'm an avid reader but couldn't make out the titles Anyway, I think you're right about the size thing. They stay in their hides or burrows most of the time anyway, my P. imperators, the two of them, are in a 30 long as they like to make extensive burrows and will grow to be 8 inches or so. And you are right about the heat and humidity, as well. The humidity for the scorps is the most frusrating thing but I think air humidity is less important than soil moisture, as they burrow into it to cool off anyway.

And, I did notice you don't have a P. murinas in your collection. Probably a very smart move. I think in a bit of time though I will invest in one. Can't say I am unarmed going into the endeavor now

Be well, and great displays!

Kelly

 

[Denny Dee]

Ummm...actually I do have a P. murinas. I love the aggessive old world terrestrials. May be in the minority here? But that is just another great aspect of the hobby. So many great choices.

Thanks for the kind words. I will definitely pass them along to my wife (although she spends very little time in the spider room) . I need to update the photos as most of the books have been re-located to make more room for my enclosures. The addiction continues....

I have two imperious in an exo-terra tank. My only community species. Doing great.

 

[sym]

Great set up you have there Denny

 

[Denny Dee]

Thanks Sym. I posted this on the enclosure section awhile ago. I need to update it. Just lazy when it comes to taking pictures.