L Parahybana climbing/biting screen lid?

Piderman · Aug 3, 2015

My L Parahybana of about 6-7in has made a habit lately of climbing upside down on the screen lid of the tank. Others have said theirs do this when the enclosure is dry. I misted more often and continue to exchange his water, and this seemed to stop the climbing. I then replaced the old substrate and added much more so he couldn't hurt himself in a fall. Two days late he's back at it. I've also noticed him hooking his fangs through the screen mesh (it's sturdy mesh and there are books on top for weight, I'm not concerned about an escape). Upon closer inspection I noticed one of his fangs are chipped, broken off at the tip. I don't feed him anything large or tough enough to do such damage, i can only guess it's from biting the screen. I'm concerned about him hurting the other fang or doing enough damage to prevent himself from properly feeding. I've both increased and decreased humidity to try and find an ideal zone so he's not trying to "get away" from the substrate, but he's still climbing. Could this be just exploration? Anyone else ever have these problems?

Poec54 · Aug 3, 2015

Yes, it is trying to get away, to a place it likes better. Tarantulas are famous for chewing thru screen and escaping, both fiberglass and aluminum.

Sam_Peanuts · Aug 3, 2015

One of my P. cancerides used to do this. She did it often for a while and them simply stopped so I'm assuming she was only exploring. I doubt getting the perfect amount of humidity in there will make her stop since they do like to explore from time to time.

I did change the lid to an acrylic one soon after I noticed she was biting it since I was afraid she would break a fang doing it as it was much stronger than the usual aluminum screens. With the acrylic lid, she can't hurt her fangs and she can't get her leg stuck on it like it happened once.
She was holding on by only one leg and couldn't touch the substrate or the sides so I had to lift the lid and slowly lower it in her enclosure so she could get her leg claw unstuck from the lid. That doesn't happen often, but when it does, she could lose a leg if she's in such a position for too long. I stopped using screen lids ever since unless I'm trying to dry an enclosure faster and it's only temporary in those cases.

Hobo · Aug 3, 2015

Pic of enclosure?
Most of the time, from what I see most often, this is due to inadequate hide/burrow + large enclosure.

El Consciente · Aug 4, 2015

Hobo said:
Pic of enclosure?
Most of the time, from what I see most often, this is due to inadequate hide/burrow + large enclosure.

+1. Every terrestrial I've had has done this after a rehouse. An unsettled T will tend to wander vertically as a means to find security.

Piderman · Aug 4, 2015

Here's the enclosure since the rehouse. I like to keep the decor simple for cleaning/cricket removal, etc. I've been waiting til his next molt to move up to a 5gal, right now I just feel like that's more space than he needs (I could be wrong?)

Pics:
http://imgur.com/UOTCkGg
http://imgur.com/yWyKzJA

lalberts9310 · Aug 4, 2015

You should really add a bit more substrate where the waterbowl is at to cushion a fall. What you can do is replace the screen top with plexiglass with drilled vent holes. Plexi (or any other cast acrylic sheet) is easy to drill vent holes into. Screen is just not great for T enclosures, it destroys and prevents the purpose of a micro-climate, its unsafe for your T, it can easily get a fang or claw stuck in there and I guess you don't want to struggle to free the fangs of a T from a mesh lid, if a claw gets stuck, the T can possibly detach the stuck leg. And they chew through it, easily. So your best bet is to replace it with something more suitable and safer.

Sam_Peanuts · Aug 4, 2015

Why would he need more substrate around the water bowl? There's only about her length between the top and the soil it seems so she can't fall from much high. They're not made of glass, they can handle a little bruise.

Also, you won't have much of a micro climate with all of your holes at the top either way, but a screen is indeed not good.
There are screens that are solid enough to not get chewed by them BTW.

Seems like she has a secure place to hide assuming that hole is big enough for her to hide in.

lalberts9310 · Aug 5, 2015

Sam_Peanuts said:
Why would he need more substrate around the water bowl? There's only about her length between the top and the soil it seems so she can't fall from much high. They're not made of glass, they can handle a little bruise.

I missed the second link for some reason. The picture from the top looks like the sub is too little there. But the second pic I can see there is enough sub. So I take back what I said hehe.

Yes too much vent holes in the top ruins any micro-climate. Personally if I used a plexi lid I would drill a row of holes on two sides of the lid and no holes in the centre of the lid.

Storm76 · Aug 5, 2015

From those couple pictures, I'm assuming if that T stretches out, its legs will touch the sides of the enclosure, meaning its probably a bit too small really. LPs are a bigger species and since they aren't burrowing to the point of majority of time = burrow, they needs space to roam around a bit. Personally, if my assumption is correct abotu the size of T / enclosure there - I'd give it more space.

Skrupo · Aug 5, 2015

My LP does this as well. She climbs on the wall of the enclosure and slowly makes a few rounds around. I have noticed she weaves a lot of webs, ataching them around on the glass. The whole enclosure is covered in thin webbing, about 3 inches from the ground, leading up the walls. I believe that might be the purpose of her excercise, to lay webs around the enclosure. I also noticed she'd chipped one fang, bit she molted shortly after, and it has regenerated completely.

Ultum4Spiderz · Aug 5, 2015

Can they chew through LEXAN plexiglass? My Lp tries to break free often and, is seen doing this twice a week or more.

Poec54 said:
Yes, it is trying to get away, to a place it likes better. Tarantulas are famous for chewing thru screen and escaping, both fiberglass and aluminum.

Poec54 · Aug 6, 2015

Ultum4Spiderz said:
Can they chew through LEXAN plexiglass? My Lp tries to break free often and, is seen doing this twice a week or more.

I used to use thin pieces of it as dividers in 10 gallon aquariums (siliconed into place), and would keep an adult T on each side. A Hysterocrates female worked at it and on one side was able to snap off a small piece (less than a square inch). If you use the stuff, get it a little thicker.

Chriscent · Aug 10, 2015

My LP male (7-8") is off and on a climber. He's in a 30 gal and would fall often. So I made shelves so he doesn't fall as far now and has more hides. I was told he's looking for love and not really trying to escape. Unless escape leads to love. :biggrin: He's a slow grower, and turns down food more often than not. His butt went a little bald from one of his falls, but that was months ago and he still hasn't molted to repair it, or get bigger.

cold blood · Aug 10, 2015

Chriscent said:
My LP male (7-8") is off and on a climber. He's in a 30 gal and would fall often. So I made shelves so he doesn't fall as far now and has more hides. I was told he's looking for love and not really trying to escape. Unless escape leads to love. :biggrin: He's a slow grower, and turns down food more often than not. His butt went a little bald from one of his falls, but that was months ago and he still hasn't molted to repair it, or get bigger.

If he's not mature, he's looking for food, not love....if he's mature, he's looking for love...but he won't molt again and won't have nearly the drive for food.

L Parahybana climbing/biting screen lid?

Piderman

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