Odd P. Irminia behavior?

King Sparta

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Jan 2, 2015
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Hey guys,
So I purchased a 3" juvie p. Irminia at the expo on sunday, I got home and rehoused it in a tall deli cup. The substrate I used was premade substrate from tangled in webs. I know that P Irminias are arboreal and heavy webbers, but my P. Irminia hasn't really made any webs, or burrows yet. All it does is hide behind a piece of cork bark I put in. The temperature is 75 F and there is a water dish. Is something wrong here?
Thanks,
Here are the pictures for the inclosure: CAM00392.jpg CAM00393.jpg
 

soundsmith

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Aug 28, 2015
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It is very normal for a tarantula to take a week+ to feel comfortable enough to start redecorating.

Looks like there are no cross ventilation holes on the sides of that cup? Also, I'd put in a taller piece of cork bark but that's me.
 

EulersK

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What soundsmith said. Also, in terms of webbing, remember that these are species characteristics, not rules. I got my P. irminia as a little 0.5" sling and raised it to maturity - it was never a heavy webber. Pretty sure my rosie has webbed more than that spider ever did.
 

lalberts9310

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It needs time to acclimate.. really normal, add some fake plants in there as well for anchoring points. And give it cross-ventilation (vents on the side, not the lid).
 

dementedlullaby

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Looks like there are no cross ventilation holes on the sides of that cup? Also, I'd put in a taller piece of cork bark but that's me.
I have to agree, my fairly small slings have bark about the same size. A bit bigger of a piece couldn't hurt. I rehoused them recently and also gave some plastic plants around the bark to help for anchor points. Maybe try a few plastic plants as well. Three of the four used their bark/plants to make web curtains while the other decided to make a tube on the other side for whatever reason. When mine get older I'll be switching to bark tubes for the next enclosures. +1 for the cross ventilation as well.

Also fair warning, these guys grow pretty fast so you'll probably be rehousing him again soon enough. At 3" I'm thinking mine will be in their adult homes actually. I've already housed my slings in plastic jars around the same size, maybe a bit bigger and they have no problems catching their cricks. They're my favorite species, congrats on the new acquisition.
 

cold blood

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It badly needs 1) more cover, especially at the ground level where it will make its home and 2) proper ventilation....this unto its self could be a quick killer. Add ground cover and ventilate the sides and it will probably begin construction in less than a day. They may be arboreal, but they will not act as such (very often) until they reach larger sizes, 3" is about where I notice my Psalms acting more arboreal....till then, they live in web tubes with substrate curtains at ground level. Because of this, I don't think a bigger piece of wood will alter a single thing....I think the wood chunk is just fine. They also don't need quite that much substrate, and while it won't hurt, it will detract from the room your speedster will have and this may cause you to have to re-house a molt or two sooner.
 

Storm76

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I'd simple use a bigger piece of corkbark angled at one side of the enclosure. My girls both just build a dirt-curtain behind that and were completely comfy with that as youngsters :D
 

cold blood

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Yeah Jan, angled wood does give them a natural tight place to work, and the vast majority of mine start here as well....maybe not even a bigger piece of wood, but a flatter one that can be angled and provide that tight angle at the substrate level for them to tuck into.
 

Storm76

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From the picture it just looks to me as "less than minimalistic". I used taller, but slimmer pieces of corkbark usually. *shrugs* Personal preference. 2" of substrate for slings is enough IMHO, too.
 

King Sparta

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Hi guys,
So my P. Irminia has started some webbings at the base of the cork bark, going to get a bigger piece on sunday. Tried feeding, still hasn't accepted any food, do you know on average time it takes for tarantulas to settle in a new habitat? When would he accept food?
P.S. I added cross ventilation on the sides of the deli cup.
Thanks,
King Sparta
 

Radium

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I wait two weeks after any large disruption before trying to feed, including rehousings.
 

cold blood

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Hi guys,
So my P. Irminia has started some webbings at the base of the cork bark, going to get a bigger piece on sunday. Tried feeding, still hasn't accepted any food, do you know on average time it takes for tarantulas to settle in a new habitat? When would he accept food?
P.S. I added cross ventilation on the sides of the deli cup.
Thanks,
King Sparta
Some get comfy in mere hours or less, others can take much longer, I feel it really depends a lot on the set up. Every Psalm I've ever raised has acclimated very quickly. A Psalmopeous should be down for food the same day, if its refusing, its a real possibility that its just pre-molt. Members of this genus are either feeding heavily, or preparing to molt with little middle ground in between. These spiders grow fast and eat more than many species...if its not eating, don't worry and just be patient, the fact that its webbing is a good start.
 

King Sparta

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when I got it, the dealer said that she just molted, which may be the reason why it isn't eating.
Thanks
 

cold blood

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when I got it, the dealer said that she just molted, which may be the reason why it isn't eating.
Thanks
Hmmmm, does it look really thin? They typically do after molting, but they also generally recover quick and are often on the feed in mere days. I can't imagine a Psalm not eating just 2 weeks after molting. Have you tried pre-killed prey items or different prey items? If the dealer was in fact right (they have a lot of stock often and he could have just been mistaken), its gotta be hungry.
 
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