very odd behavior

[goliath man]

hey folks new burgandy goliath owner here was given as a b day gift. now I no its not a starter spider but I've spider sat before and never had issues its probably just stress on his part but then again its the longest I've had one that didn't work on schedule like the one I sat who ate no issues.so thorn is a bird eater and hes been with us for close to 3 weeks he ate when we first got him and as funny as it sounds cuz ive never seen one do this before i attemted to feed him a horn worn weekly because thats what hes been eating i put it in front of him he raised his 4 front legs and we thought he was going to eat no he ran back into his hiding spot it seemed funny at the time but ive never heard or seen one do that before other than that hes been drinking alot i filled his water dish 2 times within the day like i said i babysat a spider in the past a mexican red knee and they ate and interacted no issues but they all have their own personalities the humdity is perfect 80 % but he does like siting by the dish if anyone has any advice im open to it other than looking for info its nice to meet fellow spider owners. btw he loves his lil glow in the dark log hes constantly moving it

 

[m0lsx]

First, welcome to the hobby & the forum.

T's do not always eat & for a variety of reasons. Just leave the food for 24 hours & remove if not eaten.

Next, please ignore everything you have read about humidity. Humidity is the result of getting the husbandry correct, not an arbitrary % & the gauges are not awfully accurate. I currently have 4 sitting on my mantelpiece, all show a different figure & currently vary by 13%. Thermometers are also not very accurate.

Keep the substrate moist, but not wet, possibly acquire some springtails, as that will reduce the risk of mould being an issue & feed your springtails some dried yeast every few weeks, to create mould, so they are well fed.

 

[octanejunkie]

Welcome!

What is the scientific name of your tarantula? With this info we can give you better information, but from the picture it appears to be Theraphosa blondi, and potentially in premolt. Spiders often step eating when close to molting.

What in that pic is the glow log, what make ls the glow log glow?

 

[Tarantulafeets]

I would put in waaaaay more substrate, up to 2/3 the way up, as a fall on to any hard pieces of decor can cause an abdomen rupture. You definitely do not have to feed it once a week, I wouldn't feed it for the next month or so with how fat that t is. As @m0lsx said, you do not have to worry about humidity. The t raising its legs was a threat posture, as in go away, leave me alone.

 

[regalspottedbeast]

I agree with @Tarantulafeets. You need much more substrate. This species loves to burrow. Also keep in mind that these are moisture-dependent species. What that means is that you want to keep the substrate moist, but not swampy. I take a turkey baster and use it to inject water into the bottom layers of substrate. There isn't any need for misting. Also, what kind of lid do you have on this enclosure? Make sure it isn't mesh, because they can get their tarsal claws stuck and potentially lose limbs/ die. Replace it with acrylic that has holes drilled in it if this is the case. This species is very large bodied and is prone to dangerous falls which can injure them. Make sure you wear gloves, safety glasses, and a mask if you're doing major maintenance on the enclosure (changing substrate, cleaning, etc.) because their urticating hairs are very irritating to the eyes, throat, and skin. A tarantula that fat doesn't need to eat until its next molt. They can go for months without food and suffer no ill effects.

 

[goliath man]

Welcome!

What is the scientific name of your tarantula? With this info we can give you better information, but from the picture it appears to be Theraphosa blondi, and potentially in premolt. Spiders often step eating when close to molting.

What in that pic is the glow log, what make ls the glow log glow?

when i got him from the store it said theraphosa stirmi on the label he ate a day later than schedule the log is a glow in the dark logi don't use much light where he's at so it helps me see him with out spooking him

 

[goliath man]

I agree with @Tarantulafeets. You need much more substrate. This species loves to burrow. Also keep in mind that these are moisture-dependent species. What that means is that you want to keep the substrate moist, but not swampy. I take a turkey baster and use it to inject water into the bottom layers of substrate. There isn't any need for misting. Also, what kind of lid do you have on this enclosure? Make sure it isn't mesh, because they can get their tarsal claws stuck and potentially lose limbs/ die. Replace it with acrylic that has holes drilled in it if this is the case. This species is very large bodied and is prone to dangerous falls which can injure them. Make sure you wear gloves, safety glasses, and a mask if you're doing major maintenance on the enclosure (changing substrate, cleaning, etc.) because their urticating hairs are very irritating to the eyes, throat, and skin. A tarantula that fat doesn't need to eat until its next molt. They can go for months without food and suffer no ill effects.

i honestly was going by the shedule the store had him on he was with them for about 3 months

 

[goliath man]

i thank u guys for ur advice and support thor is doing well he's in a 10 gallon take and picture shown I want to get a exoterra tank in the future how ever due to covid i had a lose in the family and money is a bit tight I'm sure he can wait on the tank and as far as food ill wait a bit he last ate on the 20th personally not sure if its male or female he seems upset most of the time so I dare not try to touch him I want to create a bond as I have with most animals I've owned I don't know if its possible with a t he's a bit intimidating the moss on top is dry peat moss i haven't wet it yet if you are wondering and the tree I had for moisture i tried dressing up the tank when we got him he had the 2 hides one tree bark, one driftwood just thought it wasn't appealing considering he sat by the water dish mostly I know there's no way to make it like me I don't expect that but like I said not looking to get bit ether

 

[MBullock]

I feel like we're the reason theraphosa are gigantic lol. Humans have been hunting them as food in their range for eons, they probably take all the smaller specimens and leave the big ones, so you only have these huge genes left so they just keep getting bigger. lol

They probably evolved those hairs specifically to repel us hahaha

 

[x_raphael_xx]

I want to create a bond as I have with most animals I've owned I don't know if its possible with a t

Tarantulas have more primitive nervous systems than say a cat or dog, and they don’t have the same capacity for learning.

They won’t ever get used to interacting or learn that you are not a threat. They don’t recognise you or get easier to handle over time.

 

[octanejunkie]

Tarantulas have more primitive nervous systems than say a cat or dog, and they don’t have the same capacity for learning.

They won’t ever get used to interacting or learn that you are not a threat. They don’t recognise you or get easier to handle over time.

They are also less likely to eat you if you die in your own home than a cat or dog.

 

[x_raphael_xx]

They are also less likely to eat you if you die in your own home than a cat or dog.

Thats not what I learnt from Eight Legged Freaks!

 

[octanejunkie]

Thats not what I learnt from Eight Legged Freaks!

Are your enclosures escape proof?

 

[x_raphael_xx]

Are your enclosures escape proof?

I assume so.
You can only ever disprove a theory!

 

[goliath man]

i wanted to update people i set him up yesterday and he hissed attacked the plastic i used to scoot him for his old tank to the new one he seems more active in this one walked the whole scene yesterday thoughts on the set up he seems happier

 

[x_raphael_xx]

i wanted to update people i set him up yesterday and he hissed attacked the plastic i used to scoot him for his old tank to the new one he seems more active in this one walked the whole scene yesterday thoughts on the set up he seems happier
View attachment 59908

It does need a lot more substrate. Like at the very least halfway up.
They are big, heavy T's and if it decides to go for a climb and fall, it could get injured.
Apart from that...looks nice.

 

[goliath man]

It does need a lot more substrate. Like at the very least halfway up.
They are big, heavy T's and if it decides to go for a climb and fall, it could get injured.
Apart from that...looks nice.

theres 25 pounds in there lol

 

[x_raphael_xx]

theres 25 pounds in there lol

Its still quite a height to fall from, especially if it lands on the hard water dish or something.

Personally I'd rather lower the potential risk of injury or death to my tarantula than worry about the weight in the enclosure.

 

[NorseDad]

I don't have a T. stirmi, but I do have a T. apophysis which are kept basically the same way.

First, humidity gauges are garbage. Throw them out. They are wildly inaccurate and unnecessary. Next, add more substrate. Not just for the fall risk, but deeper substrate can help hold humidity longer.

If you want to go all out, The Bio Dude has a great kit for sale specifically for a T. stirmi setup. The TerraAranea substrate is a bit expensive, but works great and won't require a drainage layer if you want to go bioactive. I also recommend springtails and/or isopods for a cleanup crew.

 

[Arachnoclown]

That hide has to go...how is it going to burrow in a cup? The enclosure itself is best suited for a arboreal. It won't hold enough substrate to house a stirmi let alone any other terrestrial spider. Your not the first person to try to use that enclosure...it just doesn't work well. Look for zoo-med low profile enclosures instead of exoterra.

The hide I have buried in the photos is 12" in diameter and has 6" of substrate. In the video you can see how much room there is inside.