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Unhappy T?

SikmT7

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3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
306
Location
Rahway, NJ
I have just received a magnificent looking 2.5 in B. Smithi which has escaped her enclosure the following day. Fortunately, I recovered her about 2 hours after she escaped, I found her walking on my ceiling, 10 feet above my floor! I checked her thoroughly and she is not injured in any way, shape, or form, thank God! I then re- housed her immediately into a small container about 8 inch diameter, I drilled several 1/4 inch holes into the lid and through the sides of the container. I put a mix of vermiculite, aspen bedding, and sphagnum peat moss. She has been continually climbing on the sides of the container and on the lid and has not been able to settle down yet. Also when I picked her up in my hand, she will be stationary for a minute, but with the slightest movement, she will dart up my arm at rapid speed, I have never seen a B. Smithi move that quickly and be that skittish. She has not kicked any hairs or has not thrown a threat posture, but she continues to be very skittish. I offered her a cricket yesterday and she refused which made her more nervous. I am planning on re-housing her at the end of the week in a 10 gallon talk with widely ventilated mesh screen with a double lock on lid and brand new log for a retreat. I have never seen a B. Smithi behave with such anxiety and I know the escape traumatized her. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do to make her feel at ease and more comfortable?
 

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Kymura

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1,000+ Post Club
3 Year Member
Messages
3,315
Location
Alabama
Is her bedding damp? Coir is usually better or cheap topsoil with zero additives works as well.
Most of them take a while to settle into a new enclosure. Could you post pictures of it?
 

SikmT7

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3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
306
Location
Rahway, NJ
@Kymura @kormath Thank you both very much for your advice. I am going tomorrow (pay day) and picking up some coir and a brand new, well ventilated, 5 gallon terrarium with a log for retreat. I know she is going to love it. I placed her in a quite and shaded area and she has calmed down quite considerably in the past few days. I have not opened her container and I am keeping vibrations to a minimum in the house and she is finally laying flat on her abdomen with her legs sprawled out just lounging :cool:. Her name is Caliente by the way and I am posting pics of her now....
 

kormath

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3,565
Location
Idaho
Agreed! like the name :) don't worry about the vibrations, i live in a townhouse complex, my neighbors on each side have you kids that are always thundering up and down the stairs, slamming doors, etc. Then there's me and my son and dog, running up and down stairs, banging doors etc. ;) I also live near an airport so there's the loud jets going overhead a few times a day.

Amazing what you can get used to in a short time ;)
 

SikmT7

Well-Known Member
3 Year Member
Tarantula Club Member
Messages
306
Location
Rahway, NJ
@Telson @kormath @Kymura Thank you all for your input! I really appreciate all the help and advice you have given me! I would like to update and say that my sweet !Caliente! is quite the HAPPY T now! Ever since I re-housed her, there was an amazing shift in her behavior. Will keep you all updated with new photos, thank you again and God bless you all!!
 

Kymura

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3 Year Member
Messages
3,315
Location
Alabama
@Telson @kormath @Kymura Thank you all for your input! I really appreciate all the help and advice you have given me! I would like to update and say that my sweet !Caliente! is quite the HAPPY T now! Ever since I re-housed her, there was an amazing shift in her behavior. Will keep you all updated with new photos, thank you again and God bless you all!!
Wonderful news! So very happy for both of you :)
 

kormath

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3 Year Member
Messages
3,565
Location
Idaho
@Telson @kormath @Kymura Thank you all for your input! I really appreciate all the help and advice you have given me! I would like to update and say that my sweet !Caliente! is quite the HAPPY T now! Ever since I re-housed her, there was an amazing shift in her behavior. Will keep you all updated with new photos, thank you again and God bless you all!!
Awesome! good to hear when they respond like that, you know you did right :)
 

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