Sling Burrowing Behaviour

The_Monk

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 10, 2005
Messages
88
I purchased 5 slings about 3 weeks ago and they are doing fine. Two of them my b. smithi and n. chromatus each made themselves a burrow and I come home this evening to find that both the burrows are blocked up with a ton (well a ton to the size of the sling) of earth! Are they alright or is it some tragic digging accident? I dont want to disturb them incase they might be molting or something. The smithi has even killed the cricket I put in last night, left it, and gone. Is this premolt behaviour, just being unsocialable, or need emergency excavations? :? :?
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8,325
The_Monk said:
I purchased 5 slings about 3 weeks ago and they are doing fine. Two of them my b. smithi and n. chromatus each made themselves a burrow and I come home this evening to find that both the burrows are blocked up with a ton (well a ton to the size of the sling) of earth! Are they alright or is it some tragic digging accident? I dont want to disturb them incase they might be molting or something. The smithi has even killed the cricket I put in last night, left it, and gone. Is this premolt behaviour, just being unsocialable, or need emergency excavations? :? :?

the spiders are MUCH stronger than that little amount of dirt
they did it themselves :)

no worries :)

oh, and i'd leave them be and not disturb them... they could be molting


if the vials are dry, they might be trying to conserve humidity
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
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Jan 5, 2005
Messages
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also, most of my Brachypelma/Aphonopelma slings burrow. these guys are from very hot and dry areas, and must make a burrow to survive
 

Windchaser

Arachnoking
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Dec 13, 2004
Messages
2,996
This is nothing to worry about. Normally this is a sign of a pre-molt, but not always. They will be fine. I had a G. aureostriata sling stay blocked in for over 2 months once. I did provide a little water during that time, but stopped feeding. The burrow was blocked enough that I knew it wasn't going to eat. Once it opened the burrow up again, I started feeding.
 

girlsfavtoy

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 15, 2005
Messages
81
Windchaser said:
This is nothing to worry about. Normally this is a sign of a pre-molt, but not always. They will be fine. I had a G. aureostriata sling stay blocked in for over 2 months once. I did provide a little water during that time, but stopped feeding. The burrow was blocked enough that I knew it wasn't going to eat. Once it opened the burrow up again, I started feeding.
MY A.G is doing the same thing, has made a burrow at the bottom of the water bottle and blocked itself in. my other slings burrow also, i barly get to see my H.Gigas. They look nice once they molt though, light blue/greyish color :D.
 
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