Buried Spider

[lestatsluver666]

My Bird Eating spider (bit under the size of a 10cent piece, unsure what genus) have buried itself, and not left an opening for it to get out. It's been like that for a while.
I know it's alive, cause I can see it moving at the bottom of the tank, and I have crickets in there for it, which seem to dissapaer, but I don't see carcasses.
The soil in there is peat moss, which I keep moist.

It won't stave herself to death will it?
I think it is female, btw, as the abdomen is larger, and not so narrow.

 

[Tanith]

She should be just fine. Its really quite common for slings and juvies to burrow. She'll come out eventually.
If you want to know for sure shes a female, I can show you were on a molt to look. (Only really works with a fresh molt, though.)

 

[lestatsluver666]

Thanks.....
I'm just afraid of not looking after it right.....:S

 

[Tanith]

Sounds like you're doing fine. Can't really do much damage to a pet rock. They're pretty good about raising themselves and occassionally screwing with a keeper by doing something weird.

 

[Tatelina]

If the crickets are dissapearing and no carcasses are being left...wouldn't logic tell you that they are being eaten?

My boyfriend and I got a spiderling each at the same time (from the same...batch/nest/sac/whatever) and whilst mine has never dug a burrow and it always out and has shed already, his is always deep down in his little burrow and hardly ever seen outside of it.

Interestingly we feed them the same amount/frequency and mine is triple the size.

 

[lestatsluver666]

May aswell ask a couple of other questions...I'm a novice at keeping animals...

How often should I change the peatmoss in it's tank? Should I not bother if it is buried? Any other advice for a general beginer

 

[Tatelina]

Who did you buy your spider off?
I know bylo has a great info fact sheet...perhaps PM them.

And no. Don't change the peatmoss unless it goes moldy...

 

[lestatsluver666]

I baught it off Mentone Aquarium, in victoria. They were recomened through a friend, and assured me the spiderlings were bred in captivity.
I got it...wow, coming up on two years ago...and while I haven't managed to kill it, I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. It's doubled it's size in that time, but this prolonged dissapearence got me worried and led me here.
I actully JUST finished reading the fact sheet on green scorpian, which has helped allot.

I wish I knew if it was a tropical or arid spider. It was just sold as a bird eating spider for ...$60 I think x_x.....allot of money for me....
Does being tropical or arid make much differance to its care?
And when it does come time to change the peat moss, I'll have to dig it up to do that....recomended way to do that? :S

Thanks for any help....I feel like a dunce, but If it benifits any creature under my care, personal image will have to be sacrificed....lol

 

[Brettix]

Hi mate check out the link in my signature It might help you out.
cheers.