Euathlus sp Red

killainstinct

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
11
Hello All,

First time t keeper here.

Did a fair amount of research and reading up before I decided to buy a t and ended up with one of these beauties after much consideration. Bought as an adult at about 5-6 years. I bought it from thespidershop retailer in the uk (online) and it should be female, although I am aware it can be difficult to determine sex at the best of times.

When I purchased it as a kit it came with a Large Exo-terra faunarium. It took a damn lot of substrate to fill it to a level where a fall would not hurt my T!

My question is guys what would be an appropriate sized container for her? I have some pictures but unfotunately am at work at this moment in time so can' t upload just yet (Data protection laws :mad:)

I have noticed she tends to climb and move around a lot, as a newbie i'm not sure if this is natural or not. I control the temperature and Humidity well and keep it within the range stated on the care sheet. However I have noticed a few weird things.


A) She does not use the hide I have provided for her, instead she will move to the corner of the enclosure and wedge herself into the corner with her legs close to her body. From the reading I have done so far this looks like a bad sign?

B) I read everywhere that they are a docile species, anytime I open the lid of the enclosure she is immediately on her way out to investigate I have occasionallylet her wander around on the floor! But when i try and check her mood very often I receive no threat posture whatsoever, she just turns around and attacks the brush (it is a tiny brush and i use VERY light strokes).

I would highly appreciate any advice you guys can give me.

I will get some pictures posted up as soon as I leave work.

Thank You
 

scott99

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jan 8, 2015
Messages
160
it probably stress out, you only need a shoes box for an enclosure. it sounds like you have a defensive T, attacking the brush like that.
 

Roosterbomb

Arachnopeon
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Messages
42
How long has she been in the enclosure. She might need to settle in. Mine is in a 2.5 gallon tank. She seems to prefer the substrate pretty dry but I keep a water dish in there. She likes to hang out in a fake broad leaf plant. She also goes in her hide.

---------- Post added 03-29-2015 at 06:34 PM ----------

I would also recommend to quit messing with her she's not comfortable right now.
 

johnny quango

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
May 17, 2013
Messages
260
Good choice of starter tarantula. You need to let the tarantula settle in her new home and once she does the behaviour should change. As for the enclosure if it's the large exo with two hatches then personally I think it's a little large but I wouldn't worry or change it right now either when you do get the next exo terra size down. I have a adult female sp red and she is kept in an exo terra of the size mentioned and she's fine infact I would say it's perfect as this species tend to be nomadic in nature and curious
 

MrDave

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
119
You may have seen this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eynusLViSw which more or less sold me on the idea of getting one of these (which I've not done yet, but.. soon). You can see what she's keeping hers in - a 6" x 10" inch plastic container. So, yeah. Shoebox size as THE DARK KNIGHT suggests.

How do you control temperature and humidity? Usually, when people say they're doing that, they're told to not worry about humidity, just keep a water bowl in there, filled with water. And as for temperature, just keep your room at a comfortable-for-you temperature of 20C or higher using a space heater. Heating pads and lamps can cook your T...
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
You may have seen this vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eynusLViSw which more or less sold me on the idea of getting one of these (which I've not done yet, but.. soon). You can see what she's keeping hers in - a 6" x 10" inch plastic container. So, yeah. Shoebox size as THE DARK KNIGHT suggests.
But she didn't have shoe box height. I watched most of that video but was upset at the distance from that little bit of substrate to the lid (and with a dwarf T), and with that ceramic water dish in corner. Looked like a death trap. And then she started talking about some expert that uses water crystals for Ts and how that expert had 20 years experience - yikes.
She handled the T (at some height - esp considering its small size) and it looked so bald on it's rump like it only tolerates handling because it had no more defenses left.

I wish you could adopt THAT T and give it a good home!

Are they arboreal? I was assuming terrestrial and granted, I am no expert; perhaps my criticisms are off in left field. But I was disappointed in whole video, just made me mad -- and the keeper seemed so kindly just clueless.
 

MrDave

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
119
But she didn't have shoe box height. I watched most of that video but was upset at the distance from that little bit of substrate to the lid (and with a dwarf T), and with that ceramic water dish in corner. Looked like a death trap. And then she started talking about some expert that uses water crystals for Ts and how that expert had 20 years experience - yikes.
She handled the T (at some height - esp considering its small size) and it looked so bald on it's rump like it only tolerates handling because it had no more defenses left.

I wish you could adopt THAT T and give it a good home!

Are they arboreal? I was assuming terrestrial and granted, I am no expert; perhaps my criticisms are off in left field. But I was disappointed in whole video, just made me mad -- and the keeper seemed so kindly just clueless.
Wow, I'd never noticed any of that. I just remembered the container dimensions. Thanks pointing it out!
 

killainstinct

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
11
Thank You for the quick replies guys.

I have had her since the start of the year she arrive on 28 December so it has been a while now, I'm worried now that you have said she is stressed!

I don't control the temperature with a heat mat, read enough to know i should control room temperature. I keep a water bowl to control the humidity. Recently I have covered her hide with substrate and for the last few days she has been chilling out in the open and hasn't even ventured into her hide. When i go to bed she is walking about, when I wake up she is sat near the water bowl legs spread out.

Pictures will be up at lunch time today. hopefully you guys can give me some advice.

What could be stressing her out?

She eats very well. So feeding has not been an issue so far.

It's only been about 3 days since I pushed her hide down and added substrate on top, I also added substrate around the hide. For some reason she seems to prefer this and the last two or three days she hasn't stuck herself in the corner of the enclosure.
 
Last edited:

Blueandbluer

Arachnobaron
Joined
Mar 17, 2015
Messages
495
Thank You for the quick replies guys.

I have had her since the start of the year she arrive on 28 December so it has been a while now, I'm worried now that you have said she is stressed!

I don't control the temperature with a heat mat, read enough to know i should control room temperature. I keep a water bowl to control the humidity. Recently I have covered her hide with substrate and for the last few days she has been chilling out in the open and hasn't even ventured into her hide. When i go to bed she is walking about, when I wake up she is sat near the water bowl legs spread out.

Pictures will be up at lunch time today. hopefully you guys can give me some advice.

What could be stressing her out?

She eats very well. So feeding has not been an issue so far.

It's only been about 3 days since I pushed her hide down and added substrate on top, I also added substrate around the hide. For some reason she seems to prefer this and the last two or three days she hasn't stuck herself in the corner of the enclosure.
Is there a lot of noise or vibration where her enclosure is?
 

pinktoed

Arachnopeon
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
4
I keep my g rosea that I would guess is nearly 2 inches bigger than your t in a, what I would call, lunch box sized Tupperware container I got at my local dollar store. I filled it
halfway with eco earth, put a little make-shift hide in there, and put a gatorade cap for a water dish. Absolutely no worry of fall damage, no signs of stress, and always happy to come out for handling. I think your T would do well in an enclosure set up like this. However, I don't think the enclosure you have it in is to blame for the nippy behavior. How often are you feeding her?
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
Wow, I'd never noticed any of that. I just remembered the container dimensions. Thanks pointing it out!
Sorry if that all seemed directed at you (just the part where I wished you could get her T was for you), but I was thinking OP might check out the vid and didn't want OP to take any advice from it. lol
 

MrDave

Arachnosquire
Joined
Aug 31, 2014
Messages
119
Sorry if that all seemed directed at you (just the part where I wished you could get her T was for you), but I was thinking OP might check out the vid and didn't want OP to take any advice from it. lol
Directed at me or not, its was great to point out the errors in that vid. Definitely would not want OP to follow any of that too closely. Would love to rescue her T, but I'm really liking the idea of following edgeofthefreak's footsteps and getting a could of the super tiny slings. See his/her pics in the other thread?
 

killainstinct

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
11
Is there a lot of noise or vibration where her enclosure is?
There shouldn't be although she is situated near my TV (which is rarely ever on) my room is very quiet. Although the kids do occasionally venture in to my room to sit on the gaming console, they are well behaved whilst I am there, perhaps when I'm not something goes on!

I keep my g rosea that I would guess is nearly 2 inches bigger than your t in a, what I would call, lunch box sized Tupperware container I got at my local dollar store. I filled it
halfway with eco earth, put a little make-shift hide in there, and put a gatorade cap for a water dish. Absolutely no worry of fall damage, no signs of stress, and always happy to come out for handling. I think your T would do well in an enclosure set up like this. However, I don't think the enclosure you have it in is to blame for the nippy behavior. How often are you feeding her?
I think I might have to look at getting another enclosure then. I have actually been wanting one that looks nicer than the faunarium set up that I have at the moment. I feed her once a week with a small sized cricket. She has never refused food so far. again I haven't managed to upload any picutres just yet, horrible long hours at work :(
 

killainstinct

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
11
Pics

Hi again folks,

Managed to get some time to upload a few pictures today.









Playstation remote is there purely to give you guys an idea of the size of the enclosure.

Does anybody know where I can nice acrylic enclosure for her in the UK? I have seen a few but they have push fit lids which didn't seem too good to me!
 

Curious jay

Arachnodemon
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
Messages
730
I got my MF in a medium KK, due to their fondness of wandering and altering their surroundings.

Your substrate looks far to low and difficult to burrow in.

Wouldn't waste money on acrylic enclosures, try finding a decent sized RUB (really useful box).
 

killainstinct

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
11
I got my MF in a medium KK, due to their fondness of wandering and altering their surroundings.

Your substrate looks far to low and difficult to burrow in.

Wouldn't waste money on acrylic enclosures, try finding a decent sized RUB (really useful box).
This is why I was thinking of buying a smaller enclosure! Having to fill the enclosure up with substarte.

When you say it looks too difficult to burrow in do you mean it has been compacted too much? I am using coconut husk as substrate, should I Fluff it up a little bit so it is easier to manouver?

I have also noticed that my female has literally webbed everything from top to bottom, the substrate has a layer of webbing over it almost making it carpet like. Is this normal behaviour?
 

Ellenantula

Arachnoking
Joined
Sep 14, 2014
Messages
2,009
Substrate needs to be much deeper to have room to burrow. Substrate should not be that distanced from top to cushion a fall if they climb up to top of glass.
Also, compress the substrate (pack it down tight) so the burrow will be more stable. I believe Ts hate walking on loose substrate -- the ground should feel secure beneath their feet.
 

killainstinct

Arachnopeon
Joined
Mar 24, 2015
Messages
11
Substrate needs to be much deeper to have room to burrow. Substrate should not be that distanced from top to cushion a fall if they climb up to top of glass.
Also, compress the substrate (pack it down tight) so the burrow will be more stable. I believe Ts hate walking on loose substrate -- the ground should feel secure beneath their feet.
Aha!

I think the mistake I made is not taking a picture from the side with a ruler or something. On the above pictures it looks shallow but the enclosure itself is quite deep. I have the substrate at least half way up the enclosure probably about 6 inches of it. If it is still required I will certainly add more substarte (hence why I am thinking of a new enclosure, havign to sue a lot of substrate!) How far from the top should the floor be?

I did pack it down also, my bad for taking rubbish pictures really.

Do these guys make little burrows? I had no idea, she has taken a liking to her hide since I covered it with substrate and reduced the room inside by raising the floor.
 
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