# My ChileRose is curled up in the corner of her tank



## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

why is she sat with his/her legs curled up really tight to her/his body :whip:

btw dont no if its boy or girl


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

and its abdomen is not that plump either


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## crazyg (Feb 3, 2008)

is it dead ???


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## RepBex (Jan 17, 2008)

Could it be a shed maybe and your spider is hideing ????


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

1) how long have you had it for?

2) when did it last eat?

3) does it have a water bowl?


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## _simon_ (Nov 27, 2007)

Curling legs and deflated abdomen sounds like dehydration? Is it still alive?


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## BlackRose (Jul 8, 2007)

make sure it hasnt molted..spiders look like this after they molt..even when asleep sometimes.have you witnessed it falling? on your other post you said it climbs up the side..i havnt read that post.what size and style tank is it and are you using anything like a heatmat?do you know how old it is?my spid sits with one or two legs tucked under alot for no reason, but if yours has all its legs tucked right under it doesnt sound good, im afraid. does it have a water? dehydration is the biggest killer.pics?


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## Willenium (Apr 17, 2008)

Sounds like it's died and dried up to me.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

sounds to me like you need to learn about your pets BEFORE you purchase.

Rather than make another thread why don't you explain your set-up, size of enclosure, size of T, temps and general humidity. In the last thread you mentioned its dry but have you provided a water bowl? How are you measuring the heat? Where is the enclosure positioned? (near a window, radiator, heat source). How good is the shop you bought it from? Is it CB or WC? Has it eaten? Have you provided a hide, how deep is the substrate?
Chili Rose are a very hardy species requiring very simple care. For it to have gone into what resembles a death curl suggests you're doing something wrong. You might be wise to remove it, put it in a clean small enclosure (ICU) with a little moist kitchen towel covering half the tub which should be renewed every other day and leave it undisturbed for a few days in a dark area.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> sounds to me like you need to learn about your pets BEFORE you purchase.
> 
> Rather than make another thread why don't you explain your set-up, size of enclosure, size of T, temps and general humidity. In the last thread you mentioned its dry but have you provided a water bowl? How are you measuring the heat? Where is the enclosure positioned? (near a window, radiator, heat source). How good is the shop you bought it from? Is it CB or WC? Has it eaten? Have you provided a hide, how deep is the substrate?
> Chili Rose are a very hardy species requiring very simple care. For it to have gone into what resembles a death curl suggests you're doing something wrong. You might be wise to remove it, put it in a clean small enclosure (ICU) with a little moist kitchen towel covering half the tub which should be renewed every other day and leave it undisturbed for a few days in a dark area.


I assume he must have some idea of what is needed when caring for an exotic pet if he also has leopard geckos(in his profile).

Still in my incredibly limited experience(i only have one Tarantula) it sounds like it's really dehyrdated, unfortunately if it's had it's legs curled for a few days now it might be too late. If not try to do what Pox said, take it out of the enclosure your keeping it in and put it in a smaller box(like the box livefood comes in but ensure it's cleaned out) with some moist kitchen towel on the bottom, keep it moist and see if it recovers. My GBB was acting a little funny, had one of it's front legs curled under(look more curled then just the angle it was standing). I misted the entrance to it's web tunnel so it was pretty wet and then after doing a defencive threat pose( i don't think it liked my misting near it but at least it still had energy) it walked onto the wet substrate and did seem to start drinking quickly afterwards. No idea why but it doesn't ever seem to walk over to it's water bowl, so lazy and snug in it's tunnel it would rather die it seems.:lol2:

still hasn't eaten for three weeks though but has perked up.

EDIT: scrap that it just ate! Yay! I was trying to move something in it's exo terra( it's moved some dry moss so it's in the way of the water bowl i was trying to remove it) and it turned around in it's web tunnel and came to the entrance to it near my hand and did a bit of a threat poisture, obviously wasn't amused that i was pulling on the entrance web. Anyway while it was annoyed i thought i'd try and swap my hand for a locust and lone behold it pounces on it and second i dropped it in. yay pissed off spiders eat!


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

crazyg said:


> is it dead ???


 no defo alive


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

beardyLover said:


> Could it be a shed maybe and your spider is hideing ????


 no lol its the spider but im expecting her to shed soon i may add


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## LoveForLizards (Apr 20, 2008)

As asked already what is the humidity and does s/he have acess to a water bowl?


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> 1) how long have you had it for?
> 
> 2) when did it last eat?
> 
> 3) does it have a water bowl?


 1/ i've had her about a year now

2/ in about 11 months she has only eaten about 5 times 

3/ yes she has a water dish


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

LoveForLizards said:


> As asked already what is the humidity and does s/he have acess to a water bowl?


 the humidity is always around 60% - 70% and yeh she doue have a water bowl


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

BlackRose said:


> make sure it hasnt molted..spiders look like this after they molt..even when asleep sometimes.have you witnessed it falling? on your other post you said it climbs up the side..i havnt read that post.what size and style tank is it and are you using anything like a heatmat?do you know how old it is?my spid sits with one or two legs tucked under alot for no reason, but if yours has all its legs tucked right under it doesnt sound good, im afraid. does it have a water? dehydration is the biggest killer.pics?


she hasnt molted yet but the last time she did was 23/dec/07, so im expecting her to be molting soon. i havnt seen her fall but the size from substrate to top of cage is only about 5inch. 
her tank now is a "Geo Extra-Large"(basically exactly the same as kritter keeper or faunarium - around 12" x 8" x 8"H.
theres a heat mat on the side of the tank.
im not sure exactly how old but shes an adult and at least a year
she has water yeh
sory no pics cant get any on the pc


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> sounds to me like you need to learn about your pets BEFORE you purchase.
> 
> Rather than make another thread why don't you explain your set-up, size of enclosure, size of T, temps and general humidity. In the last thread you mentioned its dry but have you provided a water bowl? How are you measuring the heat? Where is the enclosure positioned? (near a window, radiator, heat source). How good is the shop you bought it from? Is it CB or WC? Has it eaten? Have you provided a hide, how deep is the substrate?
> Chili Rose are a very hardy species requiring very simple care. For it to have gone into what resembles a death curl suggests you're doing something wrong. You might be wise to remove it, put it in a clean small enclosure (ICU) with a little moist kitchen towel covering half the tub which should be renewed every other day and leave it undisturbed for a few days in a dark area.


i do learn about them before i purchase them. i am against impulse buying on live animals. i no about tarantulas and their care its just im making sure shes ok and worrying about her, maybe unneccesseraly?
there is a water bowl and i meant the substrate(coco-fibre) is fairly dry. but the overall cage is 60% 70%. theres exo-terra thermometers in the cage and ive kept them in difrent places in there to know all the temps. (low 70s overall and 85 to 90 right next to the heat mat[side of tank])
the tank is not near windows or radiotors.
the shop is a very good , knowledgable and well known shop "Paws For Thought, Leeds".i dont no if she is CB or WC but im gessing WC wich im not proud of now(wen i bought her i didnt ask)
in the last 11 months she has only eaten about 5 times
there is a hide (half plastic plant pot[in middle of tank])
substrate (coco-fibre) is 3.5 inches
and thanks for your advice


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## Oliver Dodds (Apr 26, 2008)

I have been keeping spiders for years, and if what you say is true, it sounds to me not like dehydration, but like a mature male that has worn down and is on its way out.
Its still worth putting it in a cricket box (nothing else in) and using a bright torch light to examine it and look for signs of injury.


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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

wally2 said:


> why is she sat with his/her legs curled up really tight to her/his body :whip:
> 
> btw dont no if its boy or girl


 
Are you sure it's not the usual "stress" position? Sometimes when a T feels "stressed" or "exposed", it will pull all it's legs in with it's knees over the top of it's carapace and freeze (sometimes for days at a time lol). 

If it's a death-curl the legs will be folding underneath the body and the carapace will be clearly visible. As long as this ISN'T happening, and as long as it still reacts to a gentle touch with something soft, then I'd just keep an eye on it for the next few days. Maybe move the enclosure to a room where there's no noise (it could be reacting to disturbances like noise or vibration).

Of course, you should still watch the abdomen for signs of dehydration, but as long as it's not a death-curl I wouldn't worry too much. Good luck, and keep us updated.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

oooh yeah! 

Of course:bash:

You don't know the sex do you for all we know it might be a male that's at the end of it's relatively short life, if it was already adult when you got it and now you've had for a year then it could be on it's way out.

Ok do you have a half decent camera? If so try taking a picture of it(take off the lid and try and get a close picture so it's isn't blurred by the plastic of the tank. I don't know how to sex spiders exactly but it has something to do with small spurs on their front legs or something? I'm sure someone here could easily sex it for you if you gave them a half decent pic, i think it's not a 100% sexing method but it's a shot i guess?

take the pic in good light it always improves quality. I took i good pic and my camera is only 2migapixels..my phone is better then that.:lol2:


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

Cleo said:


> Are you sure it's not the usual "stress" position? Sometimes when a T feels "stressed" or "exposed", it will pull all it's legs in with it's knees over the top of it's carapace and freeze (sometimes for days at a time lol).
> 
> If it's a death-curl the legs will be folding underneath the body and the carapace will be clearly visible. As long as this ISN'T happening, and as long as it still reacts to a gentle touch with something soft, then I'd just keep an eye on it for the next few days. Maybe move the enclosure to a room where there's no noise (it could be reacting to disturbances like noise or vibration).
> 
> Of course, you should still watch the abdomen for signs of dehydration, but as long as it's not a death-curl I wouldn't worry too much. Good luck, and keep us updated.


 yes! your right, the "stress position" is exactly what he/she is doing! and it must be because shes just being moved into a new tank! thanks a lot: victory:


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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> oooh yeah!
> 
> Of course:bash:
> 
> ...


If it's a MM there will be a hook on the undersides of the first pair of legs (just by the 2nd joint from the "toe" end). The ends of the pedipalps will look blunter and rounded (like a pair of boxing gloves) also. 
If these signs aren't present it doesn't mean it's female...could still be a male that hasn't gone through it's maturing molt yet.


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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

wally2 said:


> yes! your right, the "stress position" is exactly what he/she is doing! and it must be because shes just being moved into a new tank! thanks a lot: victory:


No probs. Still keep an eye on her, but hopefully we've cracked it :2thumb:.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

Oliver Dodds said:


> I have been keeping spiders for years, and if what you say is true, it sounds to me not like dehydration, but like a mature male that has worn down and is on its way out.
> Its still worth putting it in a cricket box (nothing else in) and using a bright torch light to examine it and look for signs of injury.


 cheers for the good advice , ive cheked her over and she has no signs of injury and looks fine. just her slightly small abdomen


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## Oliver Dodds (Apr 26, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> oooh yeah!
> 
> Of course:bash:
> 
> ...


You can only tell the sex of certain species when they are mature males, as only some species have the tibial spurs. Luckily G.Rosea has these tibial spurs when mature, so should it be a mature male, a good picture will show this.


EDIT:- Just read 3rd page but will leave this posted for reference


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Do you have the heat coming from the underside or the side?? Some Ts get stressed if there is no way they can get away from a heat source hence y people recommend putting heat on the sides. However a rosea may be fine at room temp. 
How big is the tank as this can sometimes cause stress when moved into a very large tank.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Selina, he has explained the heatmat is on the side of the tank.

thanks for providing the info, it often helps to know as much as possible before providing a response.
WC - many Ts are WC unfortunately, and Chili will be closing its borders to all exports this year so hopefully we'll see less WC and more CB from the huge variety of tarantula Chili has to offer.
Can I ask if you know how to identify mature males? Forgive me if this is obvious but can you see any emboli or tibial hooks? emboli will look like deep red to black bulbs on the pedipalps, tibial hooks will be on the first pair of legs just past the joint and may look like tuffs of hair. 
Mature specimens eat far less than their younger counterparts and although 5 insects in nearly a year sounds less than enough, they are commonly known for fasting for far longer. I know of a MM that hasn't eaten for over 2 years.
I'd suggest if the temperature is 90 you're creating too much heat and this might be the cause of dehydration. 70-85 is quite adequate so perhaps worth moving the heatmat away from the enclosure.

Fingers crossed this is all a reaction to being moved as you suggest its stress position (not sure on that term but its a descriptive) rather than death curl. I often find when rehousing Ts its a good idea to include some of the original webbing and furnishings of the old enclosure into the new one. Or, just put the whole old tub straight into the new one.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

The only thing thats worrying about this is the fact they have referred to it as "stress" related. Does this mean the spid has done this before????? Sounds more like a death curl to me tho. If i was you i would dampen the subs in front of the T. 
Can i also say please read everything Poxicator is writing as that is a lot of good advice you have been given. Even if you listen to no one else!!!!


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

selina20 said:


> The only thing thats worrying about this is the fact they have referred to it as "stress" related. Does this mean the spid has done this before????? Sounds more like a death curl to me tho. If i was you i would dampen the subs in front of the T.
> Can i also say please read everything Poxicator is writing as that is a lot of good advice you have been given. Even if you listen to no one else!!!!


ok thanks very much for advice  i think it is defo stress and not the death curl. but now im still wondering whether its male or female. i need to find out how many times a male molts before his final molt to maturity and how old he will usually be at this point. :notworthy:
ive dampened the substrate slightly now too im expecting her to molt soon  abdomen has gone a bit darker )


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

wally2 said:


> ok thanks very much for advice  i think it is defo stress and not the death curl. but now im still wondering whether its male or female. i need to find out how many times a male molts before his final molt to maturity and how old he will usually be at this point. :notworthy:


How would you distinguish between them????? If its a male it would be a death curl anyway. 

Depends on the spid how many times he moults and its usually about 5/6 years i believe.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> Selina, he has explained the heatmat is on the side of the tank.
> 
> thanks for providing the info, it often helps to know as much as possible before providing a response.
> WC - many Ts are WC unfortunately, and Chili will be closing its borders to all exports this year so hopefully we'll see less WC and more CB from the huge variety of tarantula Chili has to offer.
> ...


 thnks poxicator : victory: uve helped me a lot.  the temps are fine in there cos its around low 70s its just 90 up to an inch away from the heated side so s/he can defo thermoregulate if s/he wants. 
yeh i do know how to sex T's its fine for asking. but mine still might be a immature male, but im prety sure its most likely a female and the shop said it was most likely a she 
i didnt know about what you said about chile, thanks for letting me know


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## PSYCHOSIS (Sep 23, 2008)

It sounds like it has died : (


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

selina20 said:


> How would you distinguish between them????? If its a male it would be a death curl anyway.


Probably the easiest way would be if you can see its toes its stressed, if its toes are underneath then its dead. I think that works.
Mind you I've caught my af pruriens grooming 4-5 feet at one time which looks a lot like she's going into a death curl. Scares the crap out of me because she's not young.

I had a MM years ago that would sit in a death curl months before he actually died, he would uncurl if disturbed and was eating right up until he died. 

With regards to how many moults before a male matures I'd be interested to know that also, is a set number or does it differ with each spider?


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

iiisecondcreep said:


> Probably the easiest way would be if you can see its toes its stressed, if its toes are underneath then its dead. I think that works.
> Mind you I've caught my af pruriens grooming 4-5 feet at one time which looks a lot like she's going into a death curl. Scares the crap out of me because she's not young.
> 
> I had a MM years ago that would sit in a death curl months before he actually died, he would uncurl if disturbed and was eating right up until he died.
> ...


But surely a dehydrated T would start a death curl with its toes visible?


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## iiisecondcreep (Oct 29, 2007)

selina20 said:


> But surely a dehydrated T would start a death curl with its toes visible?


I've never had a dehydrated T (as far as I know anyway!) so I don't really know, I just assumed that if its going to die it goes from sitting normally to curling the legs under, thats what any of mine that've died have appeared to do. I could of course be completely wrong, its been about 4 or 5 yrs since I had a T die and it was a MM.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the outcome is, I hope he/she makes a full recovery!


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

iiisecondcreep said:


> I've never had a dehydrated T (as far as I know anyway!) so I don't really know, I just assumed that if its going to die it goes from sitting normally to curling the legs under, thats what any of mine that've died have appeared to do. I could of course be completely wrong, its been about 4 or 5 yrs since I had a T die and it was a MM.
> I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the outcome is, I hope he/she makes a full recovery!


With my smithi she did it in stages as they curl their legs under due to needing energy to keep them out straight. But the uncurling took a shorter time than the curling.
I think its dehydrated tbh.


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## 118-118 (Dec 16, 2008)

any improvement selina? hope so.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

118-118 said:


> any improvement selina? hope so.


Not really shes starting to curl again since i put her back in her tub. ICU seems the only way i can keep her alive


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

Selina, I'd keep it in the ICU for a week or so. If its in a dark undisturbed place it will be fine. Just provide a water supply via kitchen towel and change every couple of days.

The death curl is actually caused by the hydraulics of the tarantula. With a healthy specimen blood (hemolymph) is pumped into the legs to make it move, whilst this is happening the air supply is greatly reduced which is why most Ts can't run long distances.
I've never heard of the natural curled stance of spiders referred to as the "stress curl" and I'm not sure that's correct but it is something I've noticed, quite often with transported Ts.


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## asm1006 (May 5, 2007)

Have to say even though I have only ever held a tarantula once (nervous!)
this thread has really been interesting to read.

What is a MM?

Sorry to hijack thread and hope spiders are ok.xx


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> Selina, I'd keep it in the ICU for a week or so. If its in a dark undisturbed place it will be fine. Just provide a water supply via kitchen towel and change every couple of days.
> 
> The death curl is actually caused by the hydraulics of the tarantula. With a healthy specimen blood (hemolymph) is pumped into the legs to make it move, whilst this is happening the air supply is greatly reduced which is why most Ts can't run long distances.
> I've never heard of the natural curled stance of spiders referred to as the "stress curl" and I'm not sure that's correct but it is something I've noticed, quite often with transported Ts.


I have tried her in ICU but as soon as i move her back into her tank she goes downhill so i decided to make her tank into an ICU unit but it dont seems to be working. Its almost like she cant maintain moisture if u get my drift?????
Iv never noticed a stress curl lmao. Oh well suppose its something to look out for. 
A MM is a mature male lols.


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## asm1006 (May 5, 2007)

well hope little one gets better: victory:

thanks for definition of MM:blush: as you can see I know zilch about these creatures!


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

selina20 said:


> I have tried her in ICU but as soon as i move her back into her tank she goes downhill so i decided to make her tank into an ICU unit but it dont seems to be working. Its almost like she cant maintain moisture if u get my drift?????
> Iv never noticed a stress curl lmao. Oh well suppose its something to look out for.
> A MM is a mature male lols.


Sorry, haven't read all your post and didnt see any pix as I was at work (firewall). But, the idea of a small ICU is its easy to maintain humidity in an attempt to rehydrate. The larger the enclosure the harder to maintain that humidity. If you've kept the T in an ICU for a week then I guess you've given it a good go, but IMO if its doing well in the ICU and not so well in its enclosure its a no-brainer where it should be.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> Sorry, haven't read all your post and didnt see any pix as I was at work (firewall). But, the idea of a small ICU is its easy to maintain humidity in an attempt to rehydrate. The larger the enclosure the harder to maintain that humidity. If you've kept the T in an ICU for a week then I guess you've given it a good go, but IMO if its doing well in the ICU and not so well in its enclosure its a no-brainer where it should be.


Was worried about the kitchen towel harbouring bacteria. Thing is i have the same level of humidity in her tank as in the ICU lols. Will try her again and if she deteriorates a life in ICU it is i think


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

bacteria is something we warn ourselves against for good reason. A sponge full of old water and detriment is bound to harbour bacteria, even after a wash and when injury occurs the bacteria are ready to attack. However, in an ICU there's less opportunity for harmful bacteria to exist and the fact the tissue is renewed regularly helps to reduce the risk to an acceptable level IMO.
Unless you have a very accurate digital reader I wouldn't rely on your humidity readings.
Good luck m8


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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> Selina, I'd keep it in the ICU for a week or so. If its in a dark undisturbed place it will be fine. Just provide a water supply via kitchen towel and change every couple of days.
> 
> I've never heard of the natural curled stance of spiders referred to as the "stress curl" and I'm not sure that's correct but it is something I've noticed, quite often with transported Ts.


 
Just to clarify, I've never heard of it called the "stress-curl" either. As you said in an earlier post, I was trying to be descriptive (looks like that backfired lol :blush.

I've seen some Ts adopt this stance when rehoused, kept in poor petshop conditions, and as you stated, when shipped in the post. That's why I used the word "stress". I never meant to infer that this causes the tarantula any harm. I was just trying to describe what seems to be a normal reaction to unfamiliar surroundings. I've heard of people mistakenly think this is a death-curl so thought I'd try to eliminate that possibility first.

btw: I also try to transfer as much webbing as possible when rehousing. Haven't read about any research into this, but I feel it must make the move less stressfull (oops, there's that word again lol) :2thumb:.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

LOL, agreed Cleo, merely a descriptive. I'm curious now to know if there's actually a proper descriptive as its certainly a pose that isn't uncommon.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Was worried about the kitchen towel harbouring bacteria. Thing is i have the same level of humidity in her tank as in the ICU lols. Will try her again and if she deteriorates a life in ICU it is i think


I guess though even if the air humidity seems the same according to a dial in say a small faunarium or cricket keeper etc the tarantula has more water droplets right near it. Maybe it helps keep the humidity a little higher then it the viv even if they read the same. That was a crappy description so...

Less volume means more molecules of vaporised H20 in the air. Those dial humidity readers aren't exactly amazingly accurate and also i suppose the the fact all of the spider is on a damp substrate the water evapouring from it is going right into it's face. basically like those vapour treatments for colds, blocked noses.:lol2:


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

wow lol looks like ive started a huge new topic. the stress related curl or watever u wanna call it, does it actually have a name?? surely it must if it happens so often :/


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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> LOL, agreed Cleo, merely a descriptive. I'm curious now to know if there's actually a proper descriptive as its certainly a pose that isn't uncommon.


I'll admit...my curiosity's been piqued now. I don't think I've ever heard or read any descriptives apart from the usual "death-curl" or "threat pose" type. When you think about it, there are surprisingly few.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

asm1006 said:


> well hope little one gets better: victory:
> 
> thanks for definition of MM:blush: as you can see I know zilch about these creatures!


 lol yeh i didnt no wat MM meant at 1st :blush:but i soon worked it out


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

she is still in that stress position soon she shud settle in


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

wally2 said:


> she is still in that stress position soon she shud settle in


Hmmmm shes been in it a while any chance u could get a pic????? Tbh mate i think shes in a death curl so might be better in ITU???


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Hmmmm shes been in it a while any chance u could get a pic????? Tbh mate i think shes in a death curl so might be better in ITU???


 i really want to get pics up but i cant , pc wont let me (borowing this pc from dads work and cant do anything really on it).im prety sure its not a death curl becos humidity has never been low and shes always had access to water. her knees are just sort of bending over the TOP of her and not underneath at all. she dus move around sometimes to difrent parts of the cage.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

has she got a hide? If she has nothing to sleep under(inside etc, shelter) then maybe it's the best sleeping position she has? She's pressing her legs against her body and trying to cover herself with them(knees high up close to body, end of legs going under her a little(so it looks like she might be curling).


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

wally2 said:


> i really want to get pics up but i cant , pc wont let me (borowing this pc from dads work and cant do anything really on it).im prety sure its not a death curl becos humidity has never been low and shes always had access to water. her knees are just sort of bending over the TOP of her and not underneath at all. she dus move around sometimes to difrent parts of the cage.


Tbh this is what my smithi does before she curls. There doesnt need to be any change in humidity for there to be a curl. To be on the safe side i would put her in a crick tub with dampened loo roll and a bit of moss and put her on a small heat mat. Just see if this will make a difference. My smithi has her knees high and legs really bent when shes not curling.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Tbh this is what my smithi does before she curls. There doesnt need to be any change in humidity for there to be a curl. To be on the safe side i would put her in a crick tub with dampened loo roll and a bit of moss and put her on a small heat mat. Just see if this will make a difference. My smithi has her knees high and legs really bent when shes not curling.


I still wanna know if it has a hide!:lol2:

Maybe it was WC and it's was already an old one. Still OP when you can taking a picture of it's set-up will be oh so useful.: victory:

Off-topic: Can someone invent non evapourating liquid water? I swear i filled up my GBB's water bowl an hour or so ago, it's more then half empty and it hasn't drank from it! I don't want to keep refilling it as it will raise the humidity by too much but an empty water bowl is equally bad..


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> I still wanna know if it has a hide!:lol2:
> 
> Maybe it was WC and it's was already an old one. Still OP when you can taking a picture of it's set-up will be oh so useful.: victory:
> 
> Off-topic: Can someone invent non evapourating liquid water? I swear i filled up my GBB's water bowl an hour or so ago, it's more then half empty and it hasn't drank from it! I don't want to keep refilling it as it will raise the humidity by too much but an empty water bowl is equally bad..


If your temps are high enough for that to happen i would worry. If you keep it on eco earth make sure there is none not even a speck in the water bowl as this will absorb the water no matter how small the speck.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

doubt my temps are all that high in fact i might get the GBB at heatmat, room temp is 23c right now but drops to 18c sometimes. Think a 24/7 heat mat is needed?

Also since my T spends most of it's time on the right hand side(like right near the glass since it's were it's web tunnel is) think it's a better idea to put the heat mat against the left side?


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> doubt my temps are all that high in fact i might get the GBB at heatmat, room temp is 23c right now but drops to 18c sometimes. Think a 24/7 heat mat is needed?
> 
> Also since my T spends most of it's time on the right hand side(like right near the glass since it's were it's web tunnel is) think it's a better idea to put the heat mat against the left side?


Tbh i dont use a mat on any of my Ts they are all at room temp. I think its the subs theory tbh unless the water bowl has a hole in it lols. Could try spraying rather than using a water bowl?


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Tbh i dont use a mat on any of my Ts they are all at room temp. I think its the subs theory tbh unless the water bowl has a hole in it lols. Could try spraying rather than using a water bowl?


i guess but i don't want it to get too humid as i know GBB's don't really appreiciate that and my room humidity is 60% as it is.

Also when i spray the wet patch dries up quite quickly or at least enough so the T isn't going to be able to drink from it. However your probably right about the coco fibre because there's some grains in there.

Alright might leave the heatmat then, not that they work that well i have one for my Emp it it barely heats it 1C above room temp, it's only 25c in the emps viv now cos it's sited relatively near the radiator.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> i guess but i don't want it to get too humid as i know GBB's don't really appreiciate that and my room humidity is 60% as it is.
> 
> Also when i spray the wet patch dries up quite quickly or at least enough so the T isn't going to be able to drink from it. However your probably right about the coco fibre because there's some grains in there.
> 
> Alright might leave the heatmat then, not that they work that well i have one for my Emp it it barely heats it 1C above room temp, it's only 25c in the emps viv now cos it's sited relatively near the radiator.


The only mats i brought that were decent were the tiny 3 watt and 4 watts that i keep to bump the humidity for poorly spiddies.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

selina20 said:


> The only mats i brought that were decent were the tiny 3 watt and 4 watts that i keep to bump the humidity for poorly spiddies.


yeah this thing is like 30cm long and 20cm wide I'd say, it's luke warm...does naaathing.:lol2:

By heat mat i was expecting put your hands on a fresh mug of tea warm, not...tea you've left for like 10 mins and it's all room temp n ewwy.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> yeah this thing is like 30cm long and 20cm wide I'd say, it's luke warm...does naaathing.:lol2:
> 
> By heat mat i was expecting put your hands on a fresh mug of tea warm, not...tea you've left for like 10 mins and it's all room temp n ewwy.


Tbh my small 1s get hotter than my 7 watt ones i use on my snakes. Currently using one on Voodoos tank.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

finally got a pic of her in that "stress position"








what do you think...


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> has she got a hide? If she has nothing to sleep under(inside etc, shelter) then maybe it's the best sleeping position she has? She's pressing her legs against her body and trying to cover herself with them(knees high up close to body, end of legs going under her a little(so it looks like she might be curling).


 yes she has a hide in the middle of the tank. a half plastic-plant-pot.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Hmmmm seems something is bothering her. Is her hide big enough?????


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Hmmmm seems something is bothering her. Is her hide big enough?????


 her hide is just a bit bigger thank her, she could go in n out ther an move around a bit.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

can you take a pic of the hide because i bet it's to open, my ceramic plant pot was i think hence why my GBB has ignored it and made its own hide in the fake tree trunks i have.

Can you get a picture of the whole viv, or is that pic just an example of a tarantula in the position you describe and you still can't get actual pics?


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Thats y i find lizard habbu huts buried are the best ot cork bark.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> can you take a pic of the hide because i bet it's to open, my ceramic plant pot was i think hence why my GBB has ignored it and made its own hide in the fake tree trunks i have.
> 
> Can you get a picture of the whole viv, or is that pic just an example of a tarantula in the position you describe and you still can't get actual pics?


 lol that is defo mine a few days ago, shes not a curled any more so she probs has settled in better. ill try gett sum pics for ya


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Just a thought what are the temps like. If ur room is cold this could cause her stress. When i got my rosea last week she was like this due to the stress.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

selina20 said:


> Just a thought what are the temps like. If ur room is cold this could cause her stress. When i got my rosea last week she was like this due to the stress.


yeah i think that might be part of my GBB's recent stressing I'm hoping the heatmat comes tomorrow and Hopefully it will bump up the temp if she sits near it.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

joeyboy said:


> can you take a pic of the hide because i bet it's to open, my ceramic plant pot was i think hence why my GBB has ignored it and made its own hide in the fake tree trunks i have.
> 
> Can you get a picture of the whole viv, or is that pic just an example of a tarantula in the position you describe and you still can't get actual pics?


GBB are not known for burrowing or adopting hides. As slings they tend to be a little arboreal, adopting small bushes which is why I suggested earlier to put a branch in there. You'll soon find it has a webtastic time.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> GBB are not known for burrowing or adopting hides. As slings they tend to be a little arboreal, adopting small bushes which is why I suggested earlier to put a branch in there. You'll soon find it has a webtastic time.


tell mine that!!! he wont web up


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> GBB are not known for burrowing or adopting hides. As slings they tend to be a little arboreal, adopting small bushes which is why I suggested earlier to put a branch in there. You'll soon find it has a webtastic time.


it has a branch lol it used it as a support for it's now seemingly abandoned web tunnel, hopefully it will go back to it.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

yeah I noticed you included a branch. Personally I'd ditch the hide although there's no harm in keeping it. I recon your GBB will eventually cover the whole enclosure in a network of web tubes.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> yeah I noticed you included a branch. Personally I'd ditch the hide although there's no harm in keeping it. I recon your GBB will eventually cover the whole enclosure in a network of web tubes.


My GBB has always used his hide till recently. Think i might remove it and just give him more stuff to climb on.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

Poxicator said:


> yeah I noticed you included a branch. Personally I'd ditch the hide although there's no harm in keeping it. I recon your GBB will eventually cover the whole enclosure in a network of web tubes.


noticed....did i post a pic of my viv on this site or something.:lol2:


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

from that pic do u think its male or female??


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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

wally2 said:


> from that pic do u think its male or female??


I'm afraid there's no way of knowing the sex from that pic. You need a molt or a very clear, close up pic of the underside of the abdomen. The area you need to photograph is between the forward booklungs and the pedicel (waist).

Thats a nice looking Chile you got there. Give it a little more time and see if it settles in. IME it can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of months for a tarantula to get used to new surroundings.

Good luck with (hopefully) her.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

wally2 said:


> from that pic do u think its male or female??


You need either a moult or a pic of the underneath part of the T. I wouldnt recommend trying to get a pic while its like this tho as it will stress it out further.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)




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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)




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## Cleo (Apr 10, 2008)

I'm rubbish at sexing from pics, but I can tell you both those photos won't help. You need a really close up shot and to have the abdomen well lit. To be honest, I'd just wait for a moult if it were me, but then again I'm a bit lazy lol.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

Cleo said:


> I'm rubbish at sexing from pics, but I can tell you both those photos won't help. You need a really close up shot and to have the abdomen well lit. To be honest, I'd just wait for a moult if it were me, but then again I'm a bit lazy lol.


 yeh i no they dont show its sex but the last pic is i like lol


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

She still dont seem happy. Just thought have u tried part submerging the hide in the substrate as she mite feel like its too flumsy etc.


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

selina20 said:


> She still dont seem happy. Just thought have u tried part submerging the hide in the substrate as she mite feel like its too flumsy etc.


the hide is about an inch in the substrate and ive started a sort of burrrow below the hide for her alredy. (just starts goin down bout 2 inches) .
: victory:she hasnt used her hide yet .
been a week now since she moved tank and i think she has settled in just about because she has now started spending her time stood up tall looking like a feeding position( rather than the 'stressed' or curled position.
i did try feed her 6 adult black crickets last night but she didnt eat any.:bash:
and she has started some webbing on the floor


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

wally2 said:


> the hide is about an inch in the substrate and ive started a sort of burrrow below the hide for her alredy. (just starts goin down bout 2 inches) .
> : victory:she hasnt used her hide yet .
> been a week now since she moved tank and i think she has settled in just about because she has now started spending her time stood up tall looking like a feeding position( rather than the 'stressed' or curled position.
> i did try feed her 6 adult black crickets last night but she didnt eat any.:bash:
> and she has started some webbing on the floor


You fed her 6 at a time!!!!! Can i ask why she should only be on a couple a week. Try covering the hide in subs i found my Ts take to the hides better if i do this.


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## joeyboy (Jul 19, 2008)

selina20 said:


> You fed her 6 at a time!!!!! Can i ask why she should only be on a couple a week. Try covering the hide in subs i found my Ts take to the hides better if i do this.


What do you mean you ask why she should only be on a couple a week? Do you mean she should be in a couple a week not 6?

Are there crickets running around in her tank, if there are a few it might be stressing her out.

Only other thing i can suggest is trying to bury the plant pot more, so it's like a hole in a hillside if that makes sense, might make it seem more secure to the T.


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

6 crickets a week is far too much food.
Stanley Schultz recommends 6 crickets a month!
Personally I go for between 1 and 2 crickets a week, depending on sling/adult and time.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

joeyboy said:


> What do you mean you ask why she should only be on a couple a week? Do you mean she should be in a couple a week not 6?
> 
> Are there crickets running around in her tank, if there are a few it might be stressing her out.
> 
> Only other thing i can suggest is trying to bury the plant pot more, so it's like a hole in a hillside if that makes sense, might make it seem more secure to the T.


Why do they need more than a couple a week???? The amount hes feeding her could cause her to become obese and like with all animals its not a good thing 4 a T and can cause them to get stuck in a moult etc


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

whoah i dont normally give her 6 at a time !
and she is no way gonna become obese, i said she hasnt eaten in nearly a year i was wrong sorry she hasnt eaten in 2 years! no joke


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

wally2 said:


> whoah i dont normally give her 6 at a time !
> and she is no way gonna become obese, i said she hasnt eaten in nearly a year i was wrong sorry she hasnt eaten in 2 years! no joke


Thats perfectly normal for a rosea lols. You should only offer her 1 crick at a time and if she doesnt eat it remove it after 24 hrs


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## jalapeno (Jan 19, 2009)

wally2 said:


> why is she sat with his/her legs curled up really tight to her/his body :whip:
> 
> btw dont no if its boy or girl


hi i have a chile rose, she sometimes tucks her legs under n just stays still for upto a day, i was told that her tank may not be warm enough, i made it a little warmer n very rare she does it now, hope this helps : victory:


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## wallyreptiles (Nov 17, 2008)

jalapeno said:


> hi i have a chile rose, she sometimes tucks her legs under n just stays still for upto a day, i was told that her tank may not be warm enough, i made it a little warmer n very rare she does it now, hope this helps : victory:


 yeh but i cant make it warmer cos i cant out a heat mat underneath. her temps are high 60s to low 70s.


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## Eleanor Jones (Aug 3, 2008)

From the pictures I'd say that your spider looks very healthy to me. It clearly isn't a mature male which I think was suggested as a possiblility before you put the pics up? But as others have said it can't be sexed from those pics (an immature male looks like a female unless you can see the underside of the abdomen).

Regarding the temperature, it is quite low, so that would explain a lack of appetite. The metabolic rate will be very slow so it won't be very active and won't want to eat much. I understand the difficulty of heating it more - I had a similar problem when I first started keeping spiders and lived in a cold house.

You can make the enclosure warmer by insulating it. I used glass tanks with a small amount of ventilation in the lids, much less ventilation than you have. This is fine if the substrate is dry. You can reduce the ventilation by covering some of the holes, to prevent all the heat rising out of the tank. I covered three sides and most of the lid with either polystyrene sheets or bubble wrap, covering the heat mat which was stuck onto one side of the tank, so that all the heat went inside the tub and not outside (the mat was controlled with a thermostat). You can probably do something similar with your tub.

Like others have said, put one cricket in at a time, some spiders are nervous of their food and won't eat if there's too much. Leave it in there overnight as some are slow to react (one of mine will never eat immediately).


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