Stuck in middle of OBT transfer - becoming concerned

Ellenantula · Dec 28, 2014

Right now my OBT (sub-adult?) is loose inside a large faunarium (with lid on) with his new home (a slightly smaller prepared faunarium) inside of the large faunarium with him. I've already removed his old home so he cannot return to it. But after several hours, he still hasn't found a way into his new home. I put some of his old webbing in the new enclosure, in case that would make it more "homey." BUT: He basically has to climb up the outside of his new enclosure, go inside smaller lid open at top, crawl upside down inside lid and then down into new home. He will walk all over the walls of the larger faunarium but doesn't seem to see the medium sized faunarium in the middle with him. I am used to docile new world Ts you can just pick up or cup, I've never rehomed a faster & more defensive species before. His old enclosure was 4"X4"X4" and the side by side transfer method was too daunting to me due to his escape risk. I researched these boards and decided on the bag method but that was a total flop for me. This was my only idea and now I think I goofed up big time. I admit a healthy respect for this fellow and I just don't think I can remove the larger faunarium's lid to prod him inside his new home. I didn't expect to have to rehome him so soon anyway. Will he figure out this obstacle course on his own to enter his new home? Have I made this too difficult for him as well as too stressful? I don't know what more to do. he was supposed to run around madly & magically find the new home's opening, end of story.
Any ideas? Do I just wait it out?
Thanks,
Ellen

freedumbdclxvi · Dec 28, 2014

If it goes into the enclosure you intend it to, that will be a pure fluke. It will settle in where it feels comfortable. There's no reason not to catch cup it and get it in its new home. Not to sound rude, but if you're this intimidated by the animal, you may want to rehime it and wait til you are a bit more comfortable.

Ellenantula · Dec 28, 2014

I don't really have room to catch-cup him. There was barely room for the new enclosure and his old home to fit into this faunarium. I used tongs to pull out his old webbing and he ran out of old home into bottom corner of large faunarium, allowing me to quickly pull his old enclosure out. I dropped some of his cleaner looking webbing into the new home and got the big faunarium's lid on fast. Then I waited, and waited. I tried using a thin wheat straw thingie through the lid's openings to prod the fellow, but that just got me a threat pose. I am not sure how it would be possible to cup him now -- just no room to work even if I took the big lid off.
He is my first old world T and the only T I own that I am so intimidated by. And I admit, I am afraid of him and want to be super careful. I researched and knew OBTs would grow fast, but I didn't expect it to be this fast. He was like 1.5" in summer and is 3.5" now -- (molted again 3 weeks ago). His old hide was tiny, his substrate down to 1" deep (because he built vertically with dirt and web,) and I felt I had to rehome him at his new large size.
Any other ideas with these limitations?
If I open the large faunarium lid, he's just going to do a runner. And there is no room to catch-cup him that I can see.

skippydude · Dec 28, 2014

You are going to have to catch that T if you want to rehouse it. Remove the new enclosure from the old one, catch the T, then place it in the new enclosure. Easy money :tongue:

[video=youtube;riFI2G3h_9s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riFI2G3h_9s[/video]

freedumbdclxvi · Dec 28, 2014

You don't have room for a small deli cup? Can you take a pic of what you're working with? I can't see how a catch cup won't work.

Sana · Dec 28, 2014

I can understand wanting to be careful around an OW but sadly your plan didn't work out the way you hoped. The only hands off idea that I can come up with would be to shift the new enclosure against the side of the one that it's in with the T's old webbing draped on the opening and dangling down into the new enclosure. With a lot of luck it would crawl down into the new enclosure. I'm not so sure that this would work as I've never been in your position. Cupping it is probably the more practical and efficient plan, after removing the new enclosure. The folks here are pretty knowledgeable and that's the suggestion they're giving.

If you feel intimidated enough that you are unable to cup it, you may want to consider looking for another keeper to trade it to for a different OW species that you feel more comfortable with as your first.

Ellenantula · Dec 28, 2014

Okay, I tried twice and failed, so I'm taking a break. He was in upper left corner of large faunerium, so I removed its lid, with catch cup at the ready and lid in other hand (to guide him? Yeah, like I'm that good). Anyway, at sound of lid popping open, he startled and ran madly around the enclosure. When he came back to top (I admit it, I blew inside the enclosure to get him to run, when he finally got near the top again, I tried again -- he ran back down to bottom of enclosure after doing about 30 split-second loops around the faunarium. He never came out, he never went into catch cup. And, so you understand clearly, I put the faunarium inside a large rubbermaid container inside the bathroom tub, Tub drain covered, heat/air vent covered in bathroom and with towels in front of bottom of bathroom door and linen closet door. My middle name is Safety (or Coward, or Stupid, judge me, I admit I messed up). Not messed up today, but this past summer when I bought an OBT sling because my sweet docile Rosie just wasn't enough T for me. All I need for her is my hand, let her walk up, move wherever. Sheesh, why can't OBTs be like that? My adrenaline is racing almost as fast as an OBT is. I watched your video btw -- you did GREAT! My OBT is ridiculously fast. Perhaps the deli cup is scary to him too. I am still shaking and need a break to try again. If I thought a drink would help, I'd take one, but I figure drinking and OBTs mix even worse than cowards and OBTs. I need my wits about me, so I'm taking a short break and hoping someone will post that I am impatient, leave things as they are and he will find his new enclosure with my old plan. I actually have a crazy mad idea right now, even though I KNOW this large faunarium is too big for him, that maybe I should just start adding a little dirt each day and dropping in a hide and letting him have the thing. :-(

---------- Post added 12-28-2014 at 09:45 PM ----------

Well this is my most stupid post yet, but I am actually not afraid of a bite. I mean, I get it would hurt a lot and I would be quite sick, but that isn't my fear, and anyway, I think I could avoid getting bit no matter how this ends. I have a macaw, it's not bites I fear (not that I want to get bit either). I think what I fear most is him getting loose and then biting one of my cats or a parrots, and/or them killing my OBT. I'm afraid of him but I do love the guy.

freedumbdclxvi · Dec 28, 2014

It won't go into the catch cup on its own. You're gonna have to calmly but quickly put the cup over it while against something (the sub, the wall, etc), then slide the lid or a piece of sturdy cardboard under the cup to keep it in there while moving it to its proper enclosure.

Take 20 mins, relax, then go try again.

IHeartTs · Dec 28, 2014

This is a lot to picture in my head but like everyone else said, catch cup. You should be working with fast, defensive species in a space where there are few places to hide and not much room to run, like the bathroom. Escapes happen but you should be in a position to be able to catch the escaped T with very few problems. The spider doesn't think "oh this must be my new home I should go in it now". It's more like "Scared. Hide. Threat posture. Bite". Catch cup and a paint brush or straw is how you're going to get him out. He most likely will not dart the very second you open the lid so you'll have a few seconds to prepare to catch him. Maybe consider some more defensive and fast NW Ts if you don't already have them. Psalmos, taps, and ephebopus are good transitions into OWs. All the flavor, half the calories!

BobGrill · Dec 28, 2014

Maybe you should consider selling it to someone on here who has the experience and isn't intimidated by fast/defensive tarantulas.

Ellenantula · Dec 28, 2014

Well, I did take the lid off his new intended enclosure inside the larger faunarium, so that it will be less of a challenge for him to go into his new intended home on his own (not saying I won't keep trying to catch-cup him, but I at least removed 1 obstacle to him finding it on his own. When he runs around madly, he could, maybe, possibly run up the intended enclosure's side and then down inside it. It has a hide and would definitely appeal to the poor stressed out thing. I am also seriously considering leaving him in the large faunarium if all else fails. It would be one solution. And just the thought that I have options has rested my mind a little. But a 3.5" T in such a large faunarium, (even knowing he (or she) will grow a little more), it's really WAY too much space.for him. He would probably web up half of it and leave half untouched.

Misty Day · Dec 28, 2014

BobGrill said:
Maybe you should consider selling it to someone on here who has the experience and isn't intimidated by fast/defensive tarantulas.

+1. If you can't handle an OW spider then maybe you shouldn't have one. It's bad for you and the t.

Ellenantula · Dec 28, 2014

The thing is, I really wanted to gain experience with old world Ts. It was a planned purchase, not an impulse buy. But, I did think I would have more time to mentally prepare than this -- they grow so darn fast and move so darn fast. I am attached to my OBT. And mine isn't a hider, he's been out in the open pretty much since I got him. He webbed up, had an amazing tunnel system, but was almost always sitting out on his hammock when I looked in on him. I truly do enjoy him, feeding him, watching him build/redecorate. I would hate to make such a big decision to part with him based on maintenance/rehoming issues which occur so infrequently. I enjoy him 99% of the time.
LOL to your suggestion of selling him to someone here -- if I could get him in a cup to ship him to someone I could get him in a cup to re-home him. lol

Sana · Dec 28, 2014

Ellenantula said:
Okay, I tried twice and failed, so I'm taking a break. He was in upper left corner of large faunerium, so I removed its lid, with catch cup at the ready and lid in other hand (to guide him? Yeah, like I'm that good). Anyway, at sound of lid popping open, he startled and ran madly around the enclosure. When he came back to top (I admit it, I blew inside the enclosure to get him to run, when he finally got near the top again, I tried again -- he ran back down to bottom of enclosure after doing about 30 split-second loops around the faunarium. He never came out, he never went into catch cup. And, so you understand clearly, I put the faunarium inside a large rubbermaid container inside the bathroom tub, Tub drain covered, heat/air vent covered in bathroom and with towels in front of bottom of bathroom door and linen closet door. My middle name is Safety (or Coward, or Stupid, judge me, I admit I messed up). Not messed up today, but this past summer when I bought an OBT sling because my sweet docile Rosie just wasn't enough T for me. All I need for her is my hand, let her walk up, move wherever. Sheesh, why can't OBTs be like that? My adrenaline is racing almost as fast as an OBT is. I watched your video btw -- you did GREAT! My OBT is ridiculously fast. Perhaps the deli cup is scary to him too. I am still shaking and need a break to try again. If I thought a drink would help, I'd take one, but I figure drinking and OBTs mix even worse than cowards and OBTs. I need my wits about me, so I'm taking a short break and hoping someone will post that I am impatient, leave things as they are and he will find his new enclosure with my old plan. I actually have a crazy mad idea right now, even though I KNOW this large faunarium is too big for him, that maybe I should just start adding a little dirt each day and dropping in a hide and letting him have the thing. :-(

---------- Post added 12-28-2014 at 09:45 PM ----------

Well this is my most stupid post yet, but I am actually not afraid of a bite. I mean, I get it would hurt a lot and I would be quite sick, but that isn't my fear, and anyway, I think I could avoid getting bit no matter how this ends. I have a macaw, it's not bites I fear (not that I want to get bit either). I think what I fear most is him getting loose and then biting one of my cats or a parrots, and/or them killing my OBT. I'm afraid of him but I do love the guy.

Taking a short break is a reasonable plan as you have the T contained. I recently had to take a break and try again the next day to rehouse a pampho. Nobody treated me poorly for it. The break will hopefully give the T time to calm down a little as well. You are correct that drinking and OBT's (or any T's) don't mix. I think I tend to agree with the cup and cardboard or heavier paper suggestion. I doubt that nudging a very fast species into a cup is going to go smoothly for you.

Edit: I failed to mention my favorite tip for a rehouse, do it on a cool morning. Spiders of all kinds are nocturnal and this is their active time. You may not have cool on your side this time, but morning could be arranged.

Poec54 · Dec 28, 2014

Ellenantula said:
The thing is, I really wanted to gain experience with old world Ts. It was a planned purchase, not an impulse buy. But, I did think I would have more time to mentally prepare than this -- they grow so darn fast and move so darn fast.

Possibly not enough planning. This is not the OW species to start with. Ceratogyrus and Augacephalus are much easier to deal with, as are some of the other Pterinochilus. It's best to work your way up in stages, and then you don't get in over your head.

Ellenantula · Dec 28, 2014

True. But when I had my heart set on getting a macaw, everyone on Compuserve's Pet forums said you couldn't start with a macaw, get a cockatiel or something smaller. So I did. But the truth is, the only thing to prepare you for a macaw is a macaw. I still have that cockatiel too, but he taught me nothing about caring for a macaw -- only personal experience worked (and 18 years later I still love my macaw and have no regrets). And I think advising someone to get a "starter" parrot is unfair to the "starter" species since it isn't what you really wanted (I love that cockatiel, but still, he should have been adopted by someone whose dream bird was a cockatiel, not a macaw.
So I used that same logic in getting an old world T. And granted I AM the idiot with the OBT problem tonight, and I readily admit it's all my fault) but I realized that having a Rosie and a few other docile-type slings would not prepare me for caring for a new world species, only raising a new world one would. Obviously, let's keep things honest, I chose the OBT because it's readily available and inexpensive. While I regret needing some guidance tonight, I can't honestly say I regret buying him -- I am quite attached to the fellow. I tried again to catch-cup him (sorta -- he runs too fast when I open the lid amd won't settle down. I am definitely not fast enough to cup one running at full speed, I might accidently crush with cup edges). I would like to sleep on it, but am concerned he is stressed in such a large faunarium. Re-homing is stressful enough even when it goes smoothly.

BobGrill · Dec 28, 2014

Ellenantula said:
True. But when I had my heart set on getting a macaw, everyone on Compuserve's Pet forums said you couldn't start with a macaw, get a cockatiel or something smaller. So I did. But the truth is, the only thing to prepare you for a macaw is a macaw. I still have that cockatiel too, but he taught me nothing about caring for a macaw -- only personal experience worked (and 18 years later I still love my macaw and have no regrets). And I think advising someone to get a "starter" parrot is unfair to the "starter" species since it isn't what you really wanted (I love that cockatiel, but still, he should have been adopted by someone whose dream bird was a cockatiel, not a macaw.
So I used that same logic in getting an old world T. And granted I AM the idiot with the OBT problem tonight, and I readily admit it's all my fault) but I realized that having a Rosie and a few other docile-type slings would not prepare me for caring for a new world species, only raising a new world one would. Obviously, let's keep things honest, I chose the OBT because it's readily available and inexpensive. While I regret needing some guidance tonight, I can't honestly say I regret buying him -- I am quite attached to the fellow. I tried again to catch-cup him (sorta -- he runs too fast when I open the lid amd won't settle down. I am definitely not fast enough to cup one running at full speed, I might accidently crush with cup edges). I would like to sleep on it, but am concerned he is stressed in such a large faunarium. Re-homing is stressful enough even when it goes smoothly.

This is a bad species to start with for a first Old World. The two genera that poec just listed are far better.

Sana · Dec 28, 2014

I wouldn't think that it would be any more stressful to the OBT to wait until morning. I don't have as much experience as many members here, but common sense and working with many types of creatures leads me to think that waiting until morning may be a good choice for the both of you.

Formerphobe · Dec 28, 2014

Get a giant, clear lawn and leaf bag. Place old and new enclosures inside and tie off bag. Have everything at a workable height. Bending over the bath tub gives the spider the advantage. Have 11 - 12 inch tongs, maybe two. Cut small hole(s) in bag just big enough to fit tong(s) through to manipulate spider. Keep in mind that it can still bite through the bag, but less likely that you will get bitten since you will have some clue where it is, and it will be contained somewhere in the bag. You will get through this. Chalk it up as a learning experience.

If you elect to leave him in the larger faunarium, that will be fine, too.

ETA: Waiting until morning will be fine, too.

IHeartTs · Dec 28, 2014

It's totally understandable that you're attached because 99% of the time you enjoy him and that's awesome because OBTs sure are pretty. But the 1% of the time that you're struggling with is where injuries, bad escapes, etc happen. There was a thread recently about a good transitions and stages of T buying that make working with OWs easier. You should take a look and really really consider some defensive NWs in the mean time to gain more experience with that type of attitude. Maybe by next rehouse with the OBT (if you keep him), you'll be more confident and familiar with how to work with this spider. My OWs usually have nothing on my defensive NWs. I'm almost positive my AF p irminia was stridulating at me Friday. He's most likely not going to go up the side of the new enclosure and inside it on his own. You're gonna have to somehow get him out of the bin to a spot you can catch him or coax him slowly into the new enclosure. I honestly don't see the latter working out very well because he seems flighty but I've done it successfully with a couple fast OWs. Ts and macaws aren't comparable on any level. There are many tarantulas that are just as cool as OBTs. Its better to own a different species you like a tiny bit less than to stress yourself out every time you have to work with the OBT.

Stuck in middle of OBT transfer - becoming concerned

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