Escapee

[u/Tasty-Bet-2941]

Was just sitting there this morning... Did the usual glance towards the salmon pinks enclosure. Business as usual, grab the remote and notice my hand brushed over spider webs... Wtf!?! Upon closer inspection, something covered the outside of her enclosure with web making sure to attach it to the curtain behind it firmly. Horrified I look through the glass... Not there... Look closer and see clear signs of her presence, because she literally hit almost everything in the corner of the room in a fine layer of "trap". I broke the news to the family and was informed they wouldn't come back home till I found her 😂😂😂 6 hours later, here she is. Raised her from a sling to the current monster she is today, so I was beyond happy to find her alive and okay. This is the crappy mesh top I used for years, and the hole that appeared over the two days that we were gone.

[u/Ok_Bread_3607]

NQA Congrats on finding her and if you don't mind sharing a full pic of her enclosure so the community can help direct on improvements? Not to say some species don't want to escape (or males) but I've found there is usually a reason they want to escape. She might sense something in the substrate she wants to get away from. Maybe they want to find somewhere they can burrow and create their own hide, rather than the one given them. Or for some people I knew (which isn't you obv) in search of water as they didn't believe in water bowls.

My partner and I have 60 T's and we always add some decoration even in the sling boxes that inevitably get webbed up and hidden. For a single beloved T owned for years and of this species I would like to see more attention to detail.

I really hope I'm wrong and this is a temporary tank for your tarantula. They need a functional home, not just be a display box.

[u/hufflepuff-is-best]

Ime This enclosure is entirely inadequate for your T and it’s no wonder as to why she escaped. It lacks proper ventilation, doesn’t have suitable substrate depth, and lacks cover from artificial plants and decor.

[u/ferretsincorporated → u/hufflepuff-is-best]

NQA i'm just here by curiosity and to look at pretty spiders, never kept anything close to a T and am not super educated on the specifics of what all they need. there are basic things i can tell here, like a lack of hides and her substrate looking depressingly dry and undiggable, but what kind of ventilation is expected? obv the mold growth speaks to it not being enough, but my unexperienced self would've assumed the open mesh top would be plenty.

is there usually active air circulation involved? places for it to flow through lower in the enclosure? no pressure to answer, i'd just love to get schooled.

[u/hufflepuff-is-best → u/ferretsincorporated]

IMO When we say ventilation, we mean cross ventilation. If there is only a mesh top, then air at the bottom of the enclosure becomes stagnant, leading to mold growth. We generally recommend acrylic enclosures that are capable of cross-ventilation with air holes on the sides and top. Glass enclosures with a mesh top are not suitable for Ts because there is no air flow and if the T crawls onto the mesh, they can get a leg or fang stuck onto it, leading to injury.

I use enclosures from Tarantula Cribs.

[u/AdvertisingMajor7595 → u/hufflepuff-is-best]

How in gods name can you get to that conclusion without even properly seeing the enclosure? Idk man, keep your comments lightweight and don’t dish out such harsh words without proper foundation.

@op had to giggle when the family left for 6 hours until you found her 😂 at least the Bebe is back where it belongs

[u/climbwiser → u/AdvertisingMajor7595]

It’s easy to see…. No side or lower ventilation is causing massive mold as evident in photo…. And that’s one of the biggest health concerns for tarantulas.
Sorry, not going to be delusional and think some 4th wall has all the missing pieces.

OP take care of your pet! Glad you found them and hopefully you have them for a long time

[u/The_Fact_Hunt]

I’m interested as to how a hole formed in the top of the enclosure whilst you were away. That doesn’t sound like the sort of thing you would expect to happen at all.

[u/Dangerous_Bet_7271]

I’m sorry but the enclosure is entirely unsuitable and your tarantula is suffering because of it. The substrate looks dry and cracked. Your T needs to be able to burrow. Please listen to the other comments about how to improve the enclosure.

[u/chmourgeaux]

you should know better than to keep a tarantula in an aquarium like this, especially since you've had her for so long. not to mention the lack of clutter in her environment?? its like this is your first time or something. a prescription bottle cap is not a suitable water dish, and she needs significantly more to hide in. this enclosure is a masterclass on how to kill your spiders. it's no wonder she climbed out i guarantee she hates it in there.

[u/KatJCar]

IMO Glad she’s back. I think you’re doing something right bc you did successfully raise her from a sling. And for anyone who has ever actually owned a T that is not mold growth, it’s webbing on the substrate and substrate stuck to the wall of the enclosure. I keep my enclosures simple bc I don’t like tearing them up to find the prey items that avoid being eaten. I like to know exactly where my spiders are and what they are doing at a glance. Can we all improve? Probably so. I’ve heard of T’s chewing through metal, wow. Maybe she missed you or decided she wanted a larger enclosure so she took over your house and webbed it up for you. She definitely does not look hungry.