Anyone familiar with tarantulas?

[Daesie11]

I have a pink toe tarantula, pretty sure she is a female and young. Maybe a year old? A little less? Shes definitely not full grown but shes not a baby anymore either. She eats like a champ and is a great way to get rid of my crickets that have grown too large for Pesto
I'm just wondering if there is anyone here with experience in keeping tarantulas so I can make sure I'm doing everything right for her and to just bounce off of. She hasnt made any sort of web since I've gotten her and dont know if I should he worried or not.

 

[timw1]

I don't have any now, but have had many in the past. I had one (Grammostola Pulchra) that lived to be 16

 

[Daesie11]

I don't have any now, but have had many in the past. I had one (Grammostola Pulchra) that lived to be 16

Oh wow! I hope my baby lives to be that old

 

[timw1]

Not fair, but females live a lot longer than the males.

 

[Daesie11]

Not fair, but females live a lot longer than the males.

I'm pretty sure I have a female, though I'm sure I could be wrong

 

[Graves923]

Im late to the party here but arachnoboards is a great tarantula forum. I recently just had my male pink toe die. Key with them is keeping them in an enclosure that is taller than it is wide. They only need something about 2x as wide as they are. Keep the substrate lightly moist as they prefer a bit more humidity.

 

[Daesie11]

Im late to the party here but arachnoboards is a great tarantula forum. I recently just had my male pink toe die. Key with them is keeping them in an enclosure that is taller than it is wide. They only need something about 2x as wide as they are. Keep the substrate lightly moist as they prefer a bit more humidity.

Do you know what happened to your Male? Just old age? I have my female in a nano tall exoterra at the moment. She webbed up an entire corner about a week ago so I assumed she was going to molt, but hasnt yet. Shes just been sitting in there. My bf is starting to get a little worried about her especially because we cant feed her in there. I know you're not supposed to feed them when they are molting because they are extra fragile then, but it's starting to have been awhile of her up in there

 

[Graves923]

Do you know what happened to your Male? Just old age?

Yea. Once a male reaches its final molt where tibial spurs appear they are on their death bed. At that stage their only purpose is to find a female and mate before time is up.

Sounds like she is in premolt if she made a web hammock and closed herself in. Molting leaves them extremely vulnerable so most arboreals will make a "cacoon" if they cant find a suitable hide to web up and molt in safely.

They can be in a premolt stage for a long time before molting so be patient. You can carefully open a small hole in the webbing to peek at the spider if you feel the need. I have a white knee (A. geniculata) that has been in premolt for the last 3 months. Not eating, bald rump, darkening exoskeleton, and all other premolt signs. She is my largest and oldest at 4 years old and 4 inch body length.

 

[Daesie11]

Yea. Once a male reaches its final molt where tibial spurs appear they are on their death bed. At that stage their only purpose is to find a female and mate before time is up.

Sounds like she is in premolt if she made a web hammock and closed herself in. Molting leaves them extremely vulnerable so most arboreals will make a "cacoon" if they cant find a suitable hide to web up and molt in safely.

They can be in a premolt stage for a long time before molting so be patient. You can carefully open a small hole in the webbing to peek at the spider if you feel the need. I have a white knee (A. geniculata) that has been in premolt for the last 3 months. Not eating, bald rump, darkening exoskeleton, and all other premolt signs. She is my largest and oldest at 4 years old and 4 inch body length.

That makes me feel a lot better, thank you! She has cocooned against the corner of the enclosure so I can see her through the glass. I'll be patient!

 

[Graves923]

Awesome. Thats the best when they leave you a window into their world like that. Keep an eye on her and eventually youll find a tangle of legs and a fresh looking spider.

 

[Daesie11]

Awesome. Thats the best when they leave you a window into their world like that. Keep an eye on her and eventually youll find a tangle of legs and a fresh looking spider.

Thank you!!

 

[Zevil]

I'm late. But I have kept spiders since 20 years ago. I only keep tarantulas for about a year.

Firstly humidity isn't a requirement for tarantulas, especially arboreal ones. Do not mist their enclosures and wet the substrate, you will probably make it too humid for your pink toe. Many arboreals die because of high humidity. Just leave a water dish in at all times.

Leave it be if it shuts itself in a web. It's probably in premoult. Don't worry if it doesn't eat, a tarantula your size can survive for months without food. As long as the abdomen is full and not shriveling, it will be fine.

Have plenty of fake plants or wood for it to hide under and make webs on. To tell its gender you need to take its moult and check for "flaps" just between the top of the book lungs.

Oh and post a picture of its enclosure.