Should I be concerned?

ThrunThru · Jul 28, 2014

Our B. Boehmei, every night, tries to escape from her terrarium. On top, there is a bit of space, but thankfully not enough for her to squeeze through since there is a lamp on top. She escaped about 10 times already in the past, but as of today, though she is about 4,5 inch, she keeps on persevering into her attempt to discover new territories. Within the last 10 mins, she kept hopelessly pushing the lid up and ending by falling into the water dish (about 2-3 inch in height). Sometimes, I think that she is even using her fangs to widen the top mesh.

To a point, it seems interesting how much energy she puts up in all her hope, despite that the end result will always be the same - although I find her entertaining -, but as for any thing else, should I be concerned about her health?

I counted 5 falls so far. Poor thing.

sugarsandz · Jul 28, 2014

I strongly suggest re-homing your boehmei since you know she can get out and can get injured. You can get a plastic shoe box or any decent sized plastic container and make holes in it and turn it into a great little home for her to prevent her from escaping. I use critter keepers and plastic containers of different sizes. Tarantulas can make holes to escape from if the mesh is flimsy.

A few questions. How far is she falling? Are you using the heat lamp for heat or as a weight for the lid? Do you have any plastic boxes that she'd do well in?

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. If you want her to live a long and safe life I'd get her terrarium lid changed or get her re-homed asap. I would be concerned for her health since she risks a fall injury or maybe a tear from the hole she keeps going through if it is sharp in any way.

SheWolf · Jul 28, 2014

You should be concerned with how much she is falling, even at a short height falling into the water dish, especially that many times, is dangerous. The T could burst its abdomen. Also, you should try to figure out why shes trying to escape. For one thing a lamp on top is not needed, the light will just bother them. How moist is the substrate and does she have a proper hide?

Biollantefan54 · Jul 28, 2014

Can you post pictures of the enclosure?

lacrosse5001 · Jul 28, 2014

It's possible that your T is just unhappy with something in the enclosure. What's the substrate like?

ThrunThru · Jul 28, 2014

sugarsandz said:
A few questions. How far is she falling? Are you using the heat lamp for heat or as a weight for the lid? Do you have any plastic boxes that she'd do well in?

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. If you want her to live a long and safe life I'd get her terrarium lid changed or get her re-homed asap. I would be concerned for her health since she risks a fall injury or maybe a tear from the hole she keeps going through if it is sharp in any way.

1) From the side where she was falling down, the height between the ground and the top is of 5,5in (the water dish is of 1,25in).
2) The heat lamp is only there to put pressure on the lid. It's not even plugged to the power source.

I've got a plexiglass laying around. I could cut it into shape, pierce holes and replace the lid with it.

ThrunThru · Jul 28, 2014

Biollantefan54 said:
Can you post pictures of the enclosure?

There she is.

ThrunThru · Jul 28, 2014

lacrosse5001 said:
It's possible that your T is just unhappy with something in the enclosure. What's the substrate like?

Check picture.

Biollantefan54 · Jul 28, 2014

Does it have a hide? What is that circle thing? A hydrometer, thermometer?

Misty Day · Jul 28, 2014

I'd move the waterdish away from the corner and put it in the middle of the enclosure, a fall on the substrate is bad enough, but I've had that same waterbowl only for my snake, and they're very hard and would be easy to burst an abdoman.

Zigana · Jul 28, 2014

I would add more substrate with the space between substrate and top being the leg span of spider. This usually calms them down quite a bit. With your enclosure it will take a lot of substrate. Are you sure your T is female?

cold blood · Jul 28, 2014

ThrunThru said:
1)

I've got a plexiglass laying around. I could cut it into shape, pierce holes and replace the lid with it.

Excellent, do that, add significantly more substrate and you will be in a better place. Escaping 10 times is clearly something that needs to be fixed, falling 5 times makes it even clearer that change need to be made.

timisimaginary · Jul 28, 2014

1) are you sure she's a "she"?
2) agree with adding more substrate, even if it doesn't prevent the climbing, at least the falls will be shorter.
3) is there anything in the environment around the cage that could be creating vibrations or loud noises? if so, those could be disturbing the T and making it climb.

wil123 · Jul 28, 2014

It could be to hot.I came home once and the air conditioner had bin turned off,during summer.It was some thing like 95 in my t room.So all my ts were ether at the top
of there cages were there was ventilation or in there water bowl.So I turned the vent on them and misted them with cool water.

dredrickt · Jul 28, 2014

If its already escaped 10 times, and its frequently falling, I'd just rehouse it. Get a plastic sterilite container, poke some holes in the side for cross ventilation, and the top, and fill it most of the way up with substrate. Include a decent sized hide and make sure it has a locking lid. Give it a few weeks to settle in.

edgeofthefreak · Jul 28, 2014

Adding more substrate is (as posted above) one of the first best things you could do here. A comfortable amount of room is healthy for a spider. Too big and they'll wander. But adding substrate to an enclosure that big might be daunting and expensive.

I'd recommend burying a 2L pop bottle (or two) at the bottom, and pool the substrate around it. You spider is not a heavy burrowing species, and may even enjoy finding "treasures" in the deep. Keep the water dish in the middle to prevent making even a short fall worse than it needs to be.

This will help most of your spiders issues, especially if heat is the reason for it's climbing: it would naturally be so much closer to the ventilation.

Then get that top fixed properly! Spare plexiglass is just about perfect!

Last but not least, if you give us an updated picture, move that ultra-shiny (and all too photogenic) spoon!! lol

ratluvr76 · Jul 28, 2014

edgeofthefreak said:
Last but not least, if you give us an updated picture, move that ultra-shiny (and all too photogenic) spoon!! lol

hahahahaha

sugarsandz · Jul 29, 2014

If you can make a lid that fits and find a way to latch or keep it closed that would be awesome. The plexiglass would work great. As suggested, I'd add more substrate, it still has a long way to fall. I've seen latches made from those sticky hooks that people hang stuff from along with rubber bands.

ThrunThru · Jul 29, 2014

timisimaginary said:
1) are you sure she's a "she"?
2) agree with adding more substrate, even if it doesn't prevent the climbing, at least the falls will be shorter.
3) is there anything in the environment around the cage that could be creating vibrations or loud noises? if so, those could be disturbing the T and making it climb.

1) Yes, I'm sure she's a female. She has shed a month ago.
2) Agree.
3) My PC is 1,5m from her cage, and she only tries to escape when it's calm (as it is the case most of the time).

ThrunThru · Aug 3, 2014

Here is the picture

I drilled about 32 holes.

All is left to be done is to put a heavy object on top

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