G. pulchra sealed in burrow- when to worry?

[belljar77]

So, my little pulchra is sealed up tight, and has been for about three weeks. I assume it's molting, but this will be the first time in my care; when I last saw it, it was maybe 2+ inches (very maybe, never tried to measure). I know, I know, that's what they do, but I'm still new to this, and have Mom-anxiety. When do I start to be legitimately concerned?

[curiousme]

Oh deja vu! I started a thread like this when our first sling did that. You worry when you smell a smelly smell that smells smelly. If you don't then assume it is okay. We have slings that burrow down for months at a time and even spend the entire late fall to early spring burrowed down. They have all emerged unscathed and beautifully molted. Don't dig it up either, let it have its alone time!

[maitre]

You worry when you smell a smelly smell that smells smelly.

this is great

[CAK]

Hey B!

You worry once it stinks!

I have a rosea that was sealed up for 5 months, I have had her about 8 months now and she still hasn't eaten but one cricket for me since I got her. Grammostola's are put on this earth to stress us out!

Just make sure there is tons of water in the bowl at ALL times!

My Rose is plump, fat and happy as pie!!! She is in SERIOUS NEED of new clothes though. She is starting to look like a homeless man!



Joe

[curiousme]

....Just make sure there is tons of water in the bowl at ALL times!

Keep a water dish in there, but don't be alarmed if you don't see it drinking, or the water level going down. Ours never broke the surface, but some do to get a drink.

[sja69]

Oh deja vu! I started a thread like this when our first sling did that. You worry when you smell a smelly smell that smells smelly. If you don't then assume it is okay. We have slings that burrow down for months at a time and even spend the entire late fall to early spring burrowed down. They have all emerged unscathed and beautifully molted. Don't dig it up either, let it have its alone time!

If they molt under the substrate should you just leave the old exuvium buried?

[curiousme]

If they molt under the substrate should you just leave the old exuvium buried?

We have and do. Some people worry that they will mold, but I haven't ever seen it. Some Ts will houseclean too and bring the molt up for you, often disposing of it in the water dish. Sometimes they will use bits and pieces of it in their web too, for very serial killer~esque decorating. We have a MF Haplopelma species that molted down in its burrow and she never bothered to bring up the molt. There was NO WAY we were going to disturb her burrow to get it either! So, my opinion would be not to worry about it.

[scar is my t]

If they molt under the substrate should you just leave the old exuvium buried?

The spider will most likely throw the old skin out ( they are tidy ) but dont worry if your cant find it spiders have been doing this for millions of years.

[sja69]

Most people say that their spiders seal themselves in their burrows with webbing, but what about when they do it with the substrate like mine just has?

I'm sure if it wanted a drink it would be more than capable of digging it's way back out, but if it stayed in there for a period of time where the hell does it get it's air from?

[Helix]

He/she is fine. If it wants a drink, it will come out.

[Sr. Chencho]

Wow, that's a tight bunker.
Be patient, it'll be out when it's ready.

Like stated before, if it doesn't smell bad, no worries.

Fredster

[belljar77]

Yes, since I posted this, my pulchra is out, molted, and perfectly fine. I've learned a bit about patience...

[sja69]

Cheers guys, I'm not going to dig it out or anything.
It looks tight because I cleared away the mound it left outside the door so it would have less to dig through if it wanted to come back out.

Thing is, I'm going away for 8 days on tuesday and I was going to take it to my friends house to be looked after. Now this has transpired, I've decided that I don't want to move the enclosure so now it will only be able to be checked on twice while I'm away.

I've put in a very small and shallow water dish and will mist the enclosure before I leave so I reckon it will be ok.

The only thing I'm worried about, apart from how is it going to breathe in there, is that the borrow might not be big enough for a successful molt, but time will tell I suppose.

@belljar77, How long was it holed up for in the end?

[belljar77]

About 3 months.

[joes2828]

how is it going to breathe in there

T's don't respire the same way humans do (no inhaling or exhaling) and require very little oxygen to survive. Don't worry about it not getting enough air.