B Smithi molt question - How long to wait

M

MikeInNC

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
38
Okay - I searched the forums but couldn't find anything (I may be rusty with my search skills.....).

Anyway. Long story short. B. Smith raised from 3/8" and was last seen with just under Quarter-sized leg span.

I re-housed it and it promptly barricaded itself in the PVC hide I made for it.

It's been just over 2 weeks now, and he/she hasn't come out.

How much longer should I wait before I consider removing substrate from the entrance of the hide to see what may/may not have happened?

Thanks for indulging me on what is, no doubt, a too-often asked question.

Regards,

-Mike
 
cold blood

cold blood

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Staff member
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Jan 19, 2014
Messages
13,259
You shouldn't ever consider removing the substrate and finding it....it will take as long as it takes. Its all part of the acclimation process, burying themselves is a good thing. Some stay buried for a day or so, others for weeks, some for months on end...its not a concern for you. One of the main personality requirements for keeping t's is being patient. Relax, he's ok. If you want to check, sometimes (often) they dig to the bottom and you can cheat by lifting the enclosure and checking it from the bottom, but don't go digging it up.
 
M

MikeInNC

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jul 9, 2012
Messages
38
Thanks, Cold Blood.

I'm not used to having a T take this long to molt (my GBBs spoiled me). All I've read are the things that could possibly go wrong - stuck in molt - dehydrated - etc.

I thought my GBBs taught me patience. This Smithi is apparently going to take my patience to a whole 'notha level - LOL

Thanks for the feedback!

-Mike
 
miss moxie

miss moxie

Arachnoprince
Joined
Jun 13, 2014
Messages
1,804
To be fair, it sounds less like he wants to excavate and more like he wants to remove a substrate 'door' from the hide to peek in. I'd say leave it be. It can be worrying, but it's not uncommon. My G. pulchripes has sealed itself off in it's hide and hasn't come out for three months. I can still see it, given the enclosure set up. It's doing just fine, and I don't even think it's in pre-molt. Spiders are just 'weird' sometimes.
 
G

Graeboe

Arachnoknight
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Oct 28, 2014
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164
Who is it that has the quote that a tarantula knows best what it needs?
 
Blueandbluer

Blueandbluer

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Messages
494
I used to call my smithi my pet rock, because sometimes she literally would not move for a month or more. Theyre just lazy somebodies. I wouldn't worry.
 
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