Rose substrate & web question

Hi,

I have 2 questions for all of you experienced Rose keepers. I just received a new female G. rosea as a gift. I have her all of 2 days. When she eats, she will pounce and then web up her prey as if she was going to save it. Then after it's wrapped she starts to eat it. Is this normal? Usually, the first cricket she doesn't wrap at all. Also when she begins to eat, she will circle and lay down a web mat. Just what is she doing? Her behavior is just fascinating.

Second, she, and some tiny rose slings I have, don't like their substrate. I'm using a peat based potting soil, firmly tamped down. They will stand on anything else they can before they have to stand on the soil. Even to hanging onto the walls. My large rose is on top of her log hide. My G. pulchra and B smithi slings have no problem with it. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

first off, the way it is eating is perfectly normal. this is what they do.

secondly, your soil may be too moist for their liking. rosies dont need much humidity at all. i keep my rosies substrate bone dry, but always keep the water dish full.

couple ideas

Rosie webbing -
nothing too unusual here, I notice my rosie, and several other species doing the same thing. If you look at them while they eat, the web stretches up from the substrate and into their "mouths". I'd bet the webbing kinda keeps the cricket together so they get all the "juice".

Substrate issues?

1> maybe too moist?
2> still getting acclimated?

I've noticed in situations where my spiders have behaved as yours, they will typically accept their surroundings after a few days and/or after the substrate has dried out a little bit.

THE HAPPY FEEDING DANCE!!=D

As far as substrate issues, my roseas are picky as heck. They both need a large, flat rock to stand on. Someone here once referred to them as pet rocks! If I take out their rocks, they will pout and hang on the side until it is replaced. And niether of them like a bit of moisture on their rock OR substrate. If I mist the tank, they will promptly move themselves to a very dry spot.

They are spoiled little brats, aren't they?

The eating response you see is perfectly normal. Is the substrate too moist? Try mixing some vermiculite with it.

Andy

i use sand. it seems to be the only thing she likes or at least tolerates. i went through 3 different mixtures before the sand. she is very, very picky. i remember someone here saying that their girlfriend was from chile and she said it almost never rains there.