B Smithi acting oddly...

s3cretz

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Dec 19, 2011
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So I recently purchased a MF B Smithi who has acted strangely ever since she arrived. First off, I am keeping her in a 10 gallon tank with dry Eco Earth for substrate, a perfectly adequate sized hide and a water dish. I've tried feeding her Dubias since she arrived and it seems she has no interest, at this point. The strangest thing is that at least twice a day, I will find her hanging from the interior rim of the aquarium, as if she's trying to escape?? Each time I find her, she is hanging by one leg, unable to free herself and I have to open the top and help her off the rim of the aquarium.

This seems really abnormal from everything I've read unless the T is not happy with the substrate. She really doesn't do much the rest of the time other than just sit there in different spots. She never uses her hide, it seems either. The first two T's I bought were the Smithi and a 3.5" PZB...so far, they're both incredibly boring. I feel I might as well have purchased a Rosie and an OBT, since the Smithi is like a pet rock and the PZB has become a pet hole. :unhappy:

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated

Thanks
 

catfishrod69

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well actually she is acting completely normal for a new tarantula. she is getting used to her new home. it will take her some time to calm down and start using her hide, and quit climbing. she also may never have seen dubia before. give her a little time to settle in. sometimes it might take a month or more. just make sure that the distance from the top of the substrate to the lid is 1 1/2 times her leg legnth. that way if she were to fall she wouldnt get hurt.
 

s3cretz

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Dec 19, 2011
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Thanks for the fast reply. I'm sure it varies from tarantula to tarantula but is it usually more than a month before they settle in? The PZB has already created a huge den, threat postured at me (surprisingly) and has at least eaten once. The Smithi just seems really restless.
 

Chris_Skeleton

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If its dangling by a leg, it sounds like you don't have enough substrate. Post some pics of your setup. Also, how did you determine it was female?
 

catfishrod69

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well it all varies from tarantula to tarantula really. they all have different personalities. i have some that have settled in since day 1, and some that still havent settled in 2 months later. just depends on their personality.
 

s3cretz

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If its dangling by a leg, it sounds like you don't have enough substrate. Post some pics of your setup. Also, how did you determine it was female?
That would be about 6-8 inches of substrate which seems like overkill compared to even Rob C's setup for his Smithi. I don't have a problem adding more substrate if that's the issue, I just haven't seen many vids where there was that much substrate.

Well, the guy on here that sold her to me told me it was a MF, so seeing that he had a great rep on here, I took his word for it.
 

catfishrod69

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what is your smithi's legspan? and the vids you see on youtube are almost all wrong.
 

catfishrod69

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ahh. then that distance is fine. just let it have its time to get used to its new home. it will be fine.
 

catfishrod69

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ahh i thought you meant it already had 6-8" of substrate. sorry. yeah you better add alot of substrate to that. fill it about halfway. other than that, looks fine.
 
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