Is my Cobalt Blue sick?

I just purchased a cobalt blue tarantula. When i got her in the mail she was very lively and was quick to let me know she wasnt happy with being shipped. She is in a ten gallon tank with several inches of substrate for her to burrow. She has a small water dish and the tempeture is about eighty degrees and the humidity is up. I own several tarantulas and did hours of research before deciding on a cobalt. When i got her in the tank she went straight up the tank walls and sat on the sides. The very next day she was curled up under a log. Getting worried i pushed her a lil with a paintbrush. it took several good pushes to get her to move. She is very lethergic. She has ate two crickets and it woke her up bit. She retreated into a half flower pot I had placed in the tank for her to use if desired, webbed the opening closed. When i misted the tank this morning she went into defense mood and try to charge the mist. She then ran back up the side of the tank walls. I am so confused if she is sick or what it could be. First time purchasing a T through the mail and I have never had one act this way. Help please.!

She needs time to adjust. I would fill the 10 gallon tank to within 3"-4" of the top with substrate. If the spider was feeling ill it would not have eaten.

Enjoy! Wade

Pictures please of the setup as a whole!

How long has she been in your care now?

T's take a while to adjust to new enclosures, sometimes even as long as 2 weeks. But I'd like to see the tank and her first before jumping to conclusions on the matter.

Ive just never seen a Tarantula curl up like that sept when I found my male pink toe died. I just dont understand why she would be so lethergic one day then the next day just from misting the tank down she went into defense mood and came after the mister.

Well, if they curl up it's either:

A) deathcurl = time has come...

B) dehydration = not enough fluid to keep the ability to move (could be an indication since you said you misted and afterwards she went into defense mode)

C) grooming = looks sometimes the same like the above...

Please, post some pictures of the tank and the T if possible. In order to help you, the others will most likely ask for the same anyways

Ive only had her two days. She came in the mail tuesday. I dont have a picture of my tank set up but i can describe it. Its ten gallon with about five inches of substrate, ive placed a small hole for her to use as a starter burrow or she has a flower pot she can use as well. with a small water dish.

You've had her 2 days - she's certainly adjusting to the new enclosure for one. Secondly she doesn't look dehydrated on that picture! However, the substrate looks a bit dry? H. lividum needs damp substrate if I'm correct, plus she hasn't dug a burrow, yet right? So she'll probably go into defense mode -very- easily currently anyways. Her abdomen looks kinda small though, I'd probably throw a cricket in there and see if she maybe takes it, but considering you've had her only that short, she might need more time to adjust. I'd clean that waterdish and refill it with water, throw in that cricket, then leave her be if she takes the prey.

It usually takes at least a week for a T to adjust to the new enclosure. Sometimes longer. Just see she always has fresh water available and try feeding her. (Normally I wouldn't feed already, but in that case with the small abdomen, she looks kinda underfed. - It's a female, I assume?)

I do believe it is a female that is what i requested when i purchased now if she is a she im not sure until she will molt. Ive been misting it several times aday to keep it nice a moist for her so she will be more comfortable. She has already eaten two crickets would of fed her again this morning but i ran out have to stop by and get some more when i get off work. She did hide in the little flower pot i had but when i misted it this morning she went into defense mood and ran out and up the tank walls. I really wish she wouldnt go up the tank walls, im scared shell fall and hurt herself. and honestly I am kind of scared of her. They were not kidding when they said an aggessive T.

p.s that isnt her water dish, that is the tub she was in when she came in the mail lol.

TaylorRenee said:

I do believe it is a female that is what i requested when i purchased now if she is a she im not sure until she will molt. Ive been misting it several times aday to keep it nice a moist for her so she will be more comfortable. She has already eaten two crickets would of fed her again this morning but i ran out have to stop by and get some more when i get off work. She did hide in the little flower pot i had but when i misted it this morning she went into defense mood and ran out and up the tank walls. I really wish she wouldnt go up the tank walls, im scared shell fall and hurt herself. and honestly I am kind of scared of her. They were not kidding when they said an aggessive T.

p.s that isnt her water dish, that is the tub she was in when she came in the mait lol.

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Not wanting to sound offensive here, but do you really think it's a good idea to own a T you're pretty much scared of?

Anyways, you could always fill in more substrate (general rule of spider stretched out = reaches lid with tips of front legs) - after all she is a burrowing species. However, where did you get her from (don't call names, please) an LPS or a real T-shop (KenthebugGuy and so on)? LPS often make mistakes when selling them (label as female while it's a male) but without looking at the T closer, you won't really know. Either way, I think it's a female, since males don't look that blueish but more blackish actually. If you didn't get her from a LPS, any idea how old she is? (in case the seller mentioned it - most LPS won't have a clue on that btw)

I wouldn't mist multiple times per day, as every time you do, you disturb her and basically "reboot" her to getting used to her new enclosure. See that you'll really dampen the susbtrate (don't make it swampy!) so you see the water getting soaked into it and then leave her be. You only really need to mist if you see the substrate starts to dry out, then you need to moisten it again. Misting is not really required for Haplos (those owning one might correct me if Iam wrong on this!) if I recall correctly. She need high humidity but also some time to adjust to her new enclosure.

As for defensiveness / speed: Yeah, these are meant for experts only really and personally I won't get any Haplo myself, as these kinda scare me, too. I really don't want having to deal with maintenance on their tanks or rehousing one But since you own one there's tongs and common sense to avoid getting bitten. Once she has established a burrow, you'll probably won't see her very often anymore anyways (people tell of periods of MONTHS without having seen their specimen...one of the reason why I personally don't find them too attractive).

I should've added, this is an OW (Old World: Asia, Africa, India, Australia and so on...) species that is known to be a "multiple biter" sometimes even (meaning it doesn't just bite and run, but actually hangs on biting more than once sometimes) - they do have medically significant bites as well, as with nearly all OWs...so avoid getting bitten - just informing you, not wanting to scare you even more. But whoever sold you that T, especially if it's your first, did do a bad job at veryfying how much research you did before buying one...

Post a picture of the whole tank when you get the chance however, please.


EDIT:
Oh, and stupid question maybe: Is that your very FIRST T, or just "another" one?

EDIT 2:
After thinking about it and looking at that picture again, I'd say she definetly needs more substrate if that angle shows it correctly there. Which means, getting her out of there and then filling in substrate like 4" (maybe 5" seing her size) under the lid so she can really burrow down. As to how to get her out, I'd use some kind of container that fits on top of her and put it over her - very slowly, because she'll probably try to bite it! Once that's done, carefully sliding the lid UNDER her and close the jar/cup/box whatever it might be and get her out so you can do your maintenance. If you're unsure if you can do that, hopefully you might have someone in your neighborhood, friends that can help you. If not, then you'll have to get over your worries and just try while using common sense (quick reactions might help, too !). Also, the others will probably have more tips for you regarding the situation. But doing this, would allow you to get more substrate in there and you won't have trouble dampening it correctly before putting her back in (probably best to put that container in the tank then, open the lid carefully and let her move out on her own with closing the tank)

Really hope the best for you and your T! She's certainly a looker!

Regards,
Jan

No I get what you are saying, I just didnt expect her to be as quick as she is. Im sure ill ajust to her, just im mostly nervous it is a new spider i dont know her yet lol. I got her from a reptile shop that has several species and breed them. They said she was about four inches and about two years old but she isnt quite that big. Maybe 2 1/2, 3 inches at the largest. So my age im not sure of. Yeah i hope she calms down. I personaly think she is beautiful. and with her speed and defensiveness I dont mind a few month break from her. Of course hoping she will live.

Sorry, I re-edited my post twice, suggest you read it over again My bad, sorry about that.

No I have owned several T's. She is just another one to add to my collection. She is the first OW ive owned so it somethin different to learn. I might do that. One if it will help her if she does fall off the side of th tank, and to make her more comfortable. I feel really bad the stress she has been through and id hate to lose such a beautiful T due to a bad fall. I really hope fatting her up, and getting her to burrow will improve her mood, and my worries. I am just so scared she is gonna die due to what i seen yesterday.

Thank you so much for your help
Taylor.

TaylorRenee said:

No I have owned several T's. She is just another one to add to my collection. She is the first OW ive owned so it somethin different to learn. I might do that. One if it will help her if she does fall off the side of th tank, and to make her more comfortable. I feel really bad the stress she has been through and id hate to lose such a beautiful T due to a bad fall. I really hope fatting her up, and getting her to burrow will improve her mood, and my worries. I am just so scared she is gonna die due to what i seen yesterday.

Thank you so much for your help
Taylor.

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You're very welcome, I hope it'll help. Please update us on the condition of your Haplo whenever possible.

Oh, and welcome to the forum

she just needs to adjust, wouldnt you want to be left alone after going through all of that shipping process

Yeah she has calmed down a lot. I still wish she would start a burrow or go hide other than just sit in the corner of the tank hiding her face. She has a very good appetite, trying to fatter her up, she was a little skinnier than I would of liked.

TaylorRenee said:

Yeah she has calmed down a lot. I still wish she would start a burrow or go hide other than just sit in the corner of the tank hiding her face. She has a very good appetite, trying to fatter her up, she was a little skinnier than I would of liked.

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It'll take some time, one way or the other. Patience is a virtue

As Jan has said, she just needs time to adjust. It may take a long time for her to create a burrow...or today may be the last time you see her lol You basically want to let them do things on their own time. House her and then leave her be. The more you open her container, mist, or nudge her, the more stressed she'll be.

Instead of misting, when it's time, pour water into the sub. It'll soak through and keep humidity levels high for long periods of time, especially in her burrow, once she makes one. Misting is ok for a quick spike in humidity but doesn't have much lasting effect.

Also, if she is indeed only 3", a 10 gal tank is overkill. Not that it won't work, thats just a lot of tank for even a full grown lividum.

Haha yeah, watch out for the speed and biteyness. You'll learn to adjust, just always respect what they're capable of. Without a burrow, she's probably really defensive. All the more reason to look but no touch. Good luck, she's a beauty!

She is doing very well Ive gotten her to eat several crickets and has put on a little more weight which makes me thriled! Ive added more substrate to her tank and started a preborrow for her. She is now hanging out on the side of the tank instead of being curled up in the corner of her home. But some weird stuff is coming out her mouth it is very watery looking like she is almost allowing vemon to come out her fangs. Kinda freaking looking actually, but I could be mistaking it for a water droplet that was on the tank seeing as I just redid her home less than an hour ago.

On another note when I cleaned up her tank I went ahead and redid my Rose hairs tank which freaked her out when i put her back in the tank. and she crawled up the sides and hung herself from the mesh lid. She didnt appear to be bleeding or hurt and she hasnt ventured back up the side of the tank. I of course freaked out, but am glad she is ok.

TaylorRenee said:

She is doing very well Ive gotten her to eat several crickets and has put on a little more weight which makes me thriled! Ive added more substrate to her tank and started a preborrow for her. She is now hanging out on the side of the tank instead of being curled up in the corner of her home. But some weird stuff is coming out her mouth it is very watery looking like she is almost allowing vemon to come out her fangs. Kinda freaking looking actually, but I could be mistaking it for a water droplet that was on the tank seeing as I just redid her home less than an hour ago.

On another note when I cleaned up her tank I went ahead and redid my Rose hairs tank which freaked her out when i put her back in the tank. and she crawled up the sides and hung herself from the mesh lid. She didnt appear to be bleeding or hurt and she hasnt ventured back up the side of the tank. I of course freaked out, but am glad she is ok.

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Glad it went fine with filling in more substrate to your lividums tank. Is it nice and damp? She'll come down the side when she's ready, don't fret over that. After all, she now needs to get adjusted. I'd say leave her be for a week or so now, except keeping an eye on her waterdish. Just let her do her thing.

As for your rosea, is the substrate DRY? They seriously despise damp / moist susbtrate and can hang out for days ongoing on the side if they don't like it.

I am sure that is what it is. It is a lil damp and i can tell she doesnt like it. Now she is just hanging out on top of her home trying to avoid it. It will dry quickly it didnt get very wet, it was a mistake of mine.

And yes it is nice and damp so i can have the least amount of contact with her. She is in a nice dark spot in my room. She has put on a good amount of weight too, I dont believe the company fed her very well. She was happy to have some food.
As for now I think I will research my new T I would like to get. Any suggestions?