Well, hello everyone. I'm new to the tarantula keeping, and got my first spider a few days ago! I decided on the Aphonopelma "New River" Rust Rump, because its simply beutiful. Its currently a juvenile around 8cm long and it was sexed as a female from the retailer (the spider shop).
I've been watching closely at its behavior and making sure its comfortable in the new home, i realise that my terrarium is probably way to big for a juvenile, i was going to buy an adult at first but since i settled on this species it was a quite expensive for an adult/subadult.
So, i put it in, it's fairly active, moving around following the glass edges stopping every now and again, somtimes moving towards the heated side and hanging for a while. Few hours later, starts commiting suicide (lol) going to the top of the terrarium, and falling of due to slipping (16-17 inch drop =o) did this about 10 times while i was watching, i notices the vermiticule was sticking to the toes which i was worried about it seemed to make it loose grip more often on the glass. it also got one of its legs stuck in the ventilation mesh at the top and dangled from the top, i then saved it and put it on the ground. and not long after that it stopped climbing the glass (think it got the hint). Oh and i handled it for a minuit or two while it was wandering around, very calm and happy it seemed, put it back in and it carried on.
So later in the day it was taking longer breaks, walking around the glass edges (favouring the corner closest to me on my computer) which is furthest from the heat mat. and towards the end of the day, it finally went into one of the 2 hides i made (the smaller one) i saw it webbing for about 30 seconds making a bed or somthing, and stayed in there until i went to sleep.
I woke up in the morning and it was curled up at the opposide end of the hide, on the heated side, right next to the water bowl (note, havnt seen it drink yet) and it wasnt moving at all, being a newbie i was over cautious and had to give it a little tap on the abdomen, it didnt react much, moved about half a centimeter forward and relaxed again, this was about 10am in the morning. since then its only moved one or two centimeters and still in pretty much the same position, curled up with the front legs covering the carapace.
Probably nothing to worry about, i mean it is only day 2, but feedback is helpful and reasuring, i recorded a video for the first day when it was more active and took a picture as its curled up now. thanks for reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HZfLztiNkI
I've been watching closely at its behavior and making sure its comfortable in the new home, i realise that my terrarium is probably way to big for a juvenile, i was going to buy an adult at first but since i settled on this species it was a quite expensive for an adult/subadult.
So, i put it in, it's fairly active, moving around following the glass edges stopping every now and again, somtimes moving towards the heated side and hanging for a while. Few hours later, starts commiting suicide (lol) going to the top of the terrarium, and falling of due to slipping (16-17 inch drop =o) did this about 10 times while i was watching, i notices the vermiticule was sticking to the toes which i was worried about it seemed to make it loose grip more often on the glass. it also got one of its legs stuck in the ventilation mesh at the top and dangled from the top, i then saved it and put it on the ground. and not long after that it stopped climbing the glass (think it got the hint). Oh and i handled it for a minuit or two while it was wandering around, very calm and happy it seemed, put it back in and it carried on.
So later in the day it was taking longer breaks, walking around the glass edges (favouring the corner closest to me on my computer) which is furthest from the heat mat. and towards the end of the day, it finally went into one of the 2 hides i made (the smaller one) i saw it webbing for about 30 seconds making a bed or somthing, and stayed in there until i went to sleep.
I woke up in the morning and it was curled up at the opposide end of the hide, on the heated side, right next to the water bowl (note, havnt seen it drink yet) and it wasnt moving at all, being a newbie i was over cautious and had to give it a little tap on the abdomen, it didnt react much, moved about half a centimeter forward and relaxed again, this was about 10am in the morning. since then its only moved one or two centimeters and still in pretty much the same position, curled up with the front legs covering the carapace.
Probably nothing to worry about, i mean it is only day 2, but feedback is helpful and reasuring, i recorded a video for the first day when it was more active and took a picture as its curled up now. thanks for reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HZfLztiNkI