Hey All

I just recently brought a ± 2-3 year old Chaco golden knee Male, from a local pet shop,
Really happy with it. Got it about 2 weeks now.

Just one problem, in the pet shop and onwards (which is about a week after i brought it) he climbed on the glass surface on the side / vertically, without a problem. But the past few days, it keeps on trying over and over to get up, but keeps on falling off. My concern is, that it sometimes fall a bit hard, and once on the hard coconut hide out place. And I know if it damages the abdomen it could mean death.

Any suggestions on what i can do maybe?

One thing i can see, is that his abdomen is bald, because it did shed its hair, and starting to get darker the bald spot. Which i know
is means it will probably soon start with its molt process. I don't know if this might be related to the sliding / slipping problem,

Hi,

The Chaco is a terrestrial Tarantula, meaning it is more a borrowing spider than a climbing spider. I would suggest that you fill your enclosure with substrate as this will decrease the distance between the highest point that he can climb and the floor. This will decrease the chance of the abdomen splitting open on a fall. also try to remove rocks for a few weeks to see if he stops climbing after the substrate level has been increased, because falling on a rock is way worse that falling on soft substrate.

Do you have a hide for him?

Here is some more info you your Grammostola pulchripes :

www.care-sheet.com/index/Grammostola_pulchripes

and a care sheet

terrestrialtarantulas.blogspot.com/2011/...eet-grammostola.html

How wet is your substrate?

Is it not maybe a Mature male and is on he's way out?
Can you post a picture of the Spider in question.
And your setup please.

Just to answer the questions...


Klippie, i do have a coconut hide for him (here is a pic of the hide, just for info), and actually for the first time it used the hide last night. Seems he actually enjoy it and stay in it thru the night. Thanks for the reply and links, i don't have the time now to read the links but will do it tonight.
About the substrate, i do have a a layer of about ± 4cm thick substrate, not so sure on which substrate it is, but its similar to the peak moss in my eyes, and i must say its nice and soft texture feel. It fairly wet, you can feel the wetness, but not soaking wet.

The coconut hide



Creator, It fairly wet, you can feel the wetness, but not soaking wet. I do have a humidity meter inside, close to the substrate which are on 85%.

Cascade, it's a Mature one in my eyes, seems close to a molt process. According to the pet shop, they did tell me that it won't live for many years, i will probably only get about ± 4 years out of it.
It's the Chaco Golden Knee.



Enclosue - 30cm x 25cm x 25cm.




I hope it serves all the questions.

Your's looks like the same age as my friends Chaco, and his is very old and the abdomin looks the same with the bold brown patch, his Chaco never climbs up against the glass and he can't even remember when it had it's last molt as it is a mature male.