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stevenorndorff Nov 30, 2009 06:19 PM

My Cobalt doesn't seem to do anything. I've heard they are supposed to burrow and spin alot of webs but mine always just sits in a corner or hangs from the lid. Any bsuggestions why?

Replies (9)

wolfpackh Dec 01, 2009 07:36 AM

So long as your T eats and looks outwardly healthy is the main thing. Some burrowing species just don't dig a burrow. Others turn into a pet hole right off the bat. I use top soil and cocoa fiber as substrate usually some 8 inches deep or so.

TheVez2 Dec 01, 2009 08:57 AM

>>My Cobalt doesn't seem to do anything. I've heard they are supposed to burrow and spin alot of webs but mine always just sits in a corner or hangs from the lid. Any bsuggestions why?

Sitting in a corner can mean it is stressed out (is it all huddled up too?).

Hanging from the lid is the bigger concern. That is a good way to get an injured T. Climbing on the lid is an indication that the T is not happy with the setup and is searching for some different conditions. What kind/how deep is the substrate? What size is the tank. What is the temperature/humidity? Is the substrate dry/damp/wet/soaking?
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KJ Vezino
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StevenOrndorff Dec 01, 2009 03:39 PM

Yes she is usually huddled up. It's in a 10 gal. tank with about 6" of organic topsoil. The substrate stays moist and the temps stay between 75 and 80. I mist the tank a couple times a week and feed roaches about 1 time a week. She has a shallow water dish and a piece of pvc stuck into the substrate (that is where most my other t's start their burrows)

TheVez2 Dec 02, 2009 08:47 AM

>>Yes she is usually huddled up. It's in a 10 gal. tank with about 6" of organic topsoil. The substrate stays moist and the temps stay between 75 and 80. I mist the tank a couple times a week and feed roaches about 1 time a week. She has a shallow water dish and a piece of pvc stuck into the substrate (that is where most my other t's start their burrows)

T does not sound happy. Not sure why. Possibly the substrate is too damp. It should ideally have a gradient - dry on one side, and moist on the other. Or at least let it dry out completelt before wetting again.

Not sure about topsoil as a substrate by itself, it has a lot of clay in it and can be quite hard. I mixed mine in with peat moss or coconut coir.

Those are the only thing I saw that could possibley be off.
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KJ Vezino
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Missouri Tarantula Enthusiasts Group

StevenOrndorff Dec 02, 2009 11:57 AM

I only mist one side and it dries out most the way between mistings. The top soil i use is out of a bag (that's why i specified organic) that has no pesticides/fertilizers or clay in it

StevenOrndorff Dec 02, 2009 11:59 AM

Oh but she was in her tube for a while yesterday and moving around this morning. Mabee she is doing better now. I hope so. She ate a large roach yesterday

TheVez2 Dec 02, 2009 12:58 PM

>>Oh but she was in her tube for a while yesterday and moving around this morning. Mabee she is doing better now. I hope so. She ate a large roach yesterday

Well, eating is a good sign. If it were stressed out, it probably wouldn't eat.

Topsoil has clay in it. It is a mix of clay, compost and sand (and whatever other ingredients they decide to use, wetting agents, etc.)

I found that when I used topsoil, after it got wet and dried, it was a solid block. I like potting soil better for substrate (mixed with peat)
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KJ Vezino
My Gallery
Missouri Tarantula Enthusiasts Group

clffdvr Dec 05, 2009 12:03 PM

How about the temperature? Maybe she will like 85F more than 75. Make it on one end of the tank so she can move to the other end which will be cooler. OTOH if she stays in he 85F zone, that is an important discovery. It seems to me it's worth a try. If your equipment is primitive, make sure you don't accidentally create a system that will shoot the whole tank up to 120 when you are not looking. In my defense, just because I have a really strong reptile knowledge base does not in itself make this an unworthy move. Maybe the next general step in T care is to find the preferred temps of all the captive species.

clffdvr

StevenOrndorff Dec 05, 2009 04:06 PM

I lowered the temps to 72 and she is acting normal now. I keep them in my snake house and just use the room temps for them and adjust the snake heaters. I'm getting ready to build a t. tank rack so i can give then a gradient as well with flexwatt down the back but right now i can't give them heaters b/c RHPs or CHEs would heat the whole tank and a heat pad or flexwatt wouldn't heat through the 6-8" of substrate.

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