My red knee has started hidding!!??

[Psychobunny]

My Mex red knee used to always be out and about and never went into his hidding cave.

He always wanted to see what was going on.

A few months ago, I moved his home a few feet away from the window where he was to

make room for my mantids.

Since the move, he has retreated into his hidding spot (hollow half log from pet store) and

never comes out!!

This is very odd behaviour for him since when he was closer to the window, he was always

out roaming around.

He still gets sunlight, but just not as much.

He used to like to bask in the sun for the short time it was on that side of the house.

Should I move him back where he was to see if he comes out of his log?

 

[ismart]

Try it, and see what happens? I have a female that has yet to ever hide in here underground burrow. She rather sit out in the open. How old is your male? My girl now 15 years old! One of the best invert investments i ever made!

 

[Psychobunny]

He is about 2 years old, and the most docile T I have ever seen.

He has never once even flicked a hair at me, and gets on my hand w/o prodding.

He is going through one of his fasting spells and hasnt eaten in months!!

Now he hids all the time when he used to be like yours, always out and about.

I will move him back and see what happens. But then I have to figure out where to

put the mantids which are on a large UTH (under tank heater). So will have to do a

whole new set-up for them just because Kiwi has an attitude

 

[meaganelise9]

Maybe it would like a basking heat lamp? (I know nothing about these guys).

 

[ismart]

Wow! My red knee hates me! She flicks hairs at me if i look at her the wrong way! :lol: She even bit me once! Hurt like heck! Needless to say, i don't handle her ever. I also have a female rose hair that is as sweet as could be. She lets me handle her. I have yet to have any issues with Rosie.

 

[Peter Clausen]

My suspicion is your T is about to molt. How long has it been?

Does he have adequate space in that log? A shallow water dish to keep his fluid levels up?

Is his abdomen small, plump or very plump?

Are you sure it's a male?

 

[Psychobunny]

Yes, he has plenty of room with a nice water dish.

It's been a long time since his last molt, so maybe that's what it is.

No, I do not know how to sex these. I have seen tons of pics but would need to

see the difference up close for myself as a comparision.

So I dont know for sure it's a male.

P.S. his abdomen is plump but not very plump.

A few months ago, it was very plump. Then he went into one of his "fasts"!

 

[dragon]

How long have you had it? How large is it?

Its possible it is getting ready to molt. Also possible that it is reacting to the change in environment. I suspect the reason it was out an about before was not because it wanted to bask in the sun but possibly because it was cooler out of the hide than in it.

Do you have any media in which for it to burrow?

 

[PhilinYuma]

"No, I do not know how to sex these. I have seen tons of pics but would need to

see the difference up close for myself as a comparision.

So I dont know for sure it's a male"

Do you have the Giant Tarntulas book published by Elytra and Antenna? Orin has a couple of good closeups of tarantula genitalia and a verbal description that should help. He also has a discussion of "hidey holes". If you don't have it, itis available from Elytra and Antenna, which has a banner here or Peter's Bugs in Cyberspace site under Books and Magazines.

Have you moved him back, by the way?

 

[Psychobunny]

I cant tell if he is ready to molt because he ate a nice big roach yesterday and has finally

come out of his hidding place.

However, he hasnt been at all interested in any more food after the roach.

Yes, I have about 3'' of that coconut fiber stuff as a substrate.

He likes to build little mounds around his log, but has done no tunneling.

I didnt exactly move him to the exact spot, but he is still getting sun, and is only about

a foot away from the original spot.

He is coming out much more now. I have no clue why because I havent done anything.

Maybe it's because I put that roach in there!!??

I hate to feed him roaches because they dig into the substrate and you never see them again!!

 

[Psychobunny]

I think I have a pic of his underside at home.

If I find it, I will post it. Maybe you guys can tell, I cant!! :blush:

 

[MantidLord]

My female rose hair was the same way, except for the opposite. When I lived in vegas, she always stayed in either her cave or hollow tree. Yet now that I moved to Ithaca, she never goes into her hiding cave, just sits outside. I don't know if she's trying to warm up (New York is a lot colder than Nevada) or just a new environment but she seems okay. I hope your tarantula turns out alright.

 

[HoldThePickle]

I think I have a pic of his underside at home.

If I find it, I will post it. Maybe you guys can tell, I cant!! :blush:

A decent picture should do the trick. Of if you keep the molts, take a picture of the inside of the abdomen of the molt, where it meets the thorax. That could probably give you a 100% accurate sexing. Also, how big is this thing?? If it's adult sized, then it should be showing tibial hooks on the front pair of legs, if it's a mature male. Even in generals, the males seem a lot more slender and leggy, where as females appear kind of thick and compact.

 

[Psychobunny]

It's about 3 1/2 to 4'' and deffinetly thick and compack. Legs are thick, abdomen is fat and round, and thorax is

large and wide.

I no longer have the photo, and I dont see the hooks on the front legs, but there is so much hair there, it would be

hard to see?!

 

[Psychobunny]

Here are a few pics of Kiwi.

I used my magnifier to look for the front leg hooks and could not find them. Maybe female?

 

[Newflvr]

The view you need for sexing is a close up of the bottom of the abdoman, all this pic proves is that it's not a mature male. As for the behavior it could be caused by any 1 of many variables. Your T's abdoman is large enough,a little less food would be good. Generaly but not always a T will stop eating when a molt is coming on.

 

[Psychobunny]

The view you need for sexing is a close up of the bottom of the abdoman, all this pic proves is that it's not a mature male. As for the behavior it could be caused by any 1 of many variables. Your T's abdoman is large enough,a little less food would be good. Generaly but not always a T will stop eating when a molt is coming on.

LOL! I know that, I just wanted to post a pic of him/her for people to see.

I am not about to flip it over for a underside shot.

I can, however, put him/her on a pain of glass and take a shot from under it.

If fact, since I work in a lab, I can use a large evaporation dish.

Good idea, I will run back in the lab and find one (and sneak it home

No, he has not eaten in months, it's abdomen has always been plump and round.

I do throw a cricket in there once a week, but it's always there the next day!!

My friends T hasnt eaten in a year!! so at least I know it's not abnormal.

His looks and acts healthy.

 

[suzypike]

Very pretty T! I love Brachys! Is that a smithi? I have a smithi, but it doesn't have it's adult colors yet.

It looks really good to me. As long as it has a full water dish I wouldn't worry about it not eating much.

I bet it is getting ready for a molt... Or maybe pouting over being moved. LOL!

 

[Psychobunny]

Kiwi is coming out of his hidding cave now and spending most of his time out in the open.

I guess it's a seasonal thing!? In the winter, he like to stay in his cave.

When the weather starts getting warmer, he comes out.

His butt is much fatter then last I saw it!!

Oh dear, need to put another bug on "Weight Watchers Diet"!!

Now, I have to find a sunny spot so he can bask in the morning sun (he likes that!!)

This means I will have to move some mantis cages :\