Hello I'm a newcomer to the T' hobby

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
Hey there, I bought my first Tarantula ( Chilean Rose) about 2 weeks ago. She (calling her she just because) seems a bit slender to me. I measured her at 4.5" inches. She refused to eat the crickets I bought for her. Went an entire week and didn't touch them. Just sat around on her little log all day all night. About a week later she nabbed a cricket.

I then bought her some super worms. Once again didn't flinch at them when i put them near her. However one fine morning I awake to a super worm in her clutches. I'm like ok maybe things are looking better for her. I caught a baby Gecko roaming the house and said hmmm maybe she'll love him. He roamed the enclosure frelly for about 2 nights, then WHAM!! I awake to find him being dealt with accordingly.

Hopefully she is coming at ease with her home. I'm gonna completely redo it for her because I also got it from the pet store, they just sold me the entire set-up they had for her which was wood chips for bedding. Tacky. I changed it out for peat moss. But I'm gonna get her a better hideout, and some tiny plants to place in there also. I've been using a sponge for water that also came with it, I've read mixed reactions about sponges or water dish. Any tips?

Also crickets are the pits to me. I wanna try something she'll go after more often, rather than tiny crickets roaming, and stinking. lol
 

venomous.com

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
263
Sponge is no good, mist the sides of the cage once a week and have a water bowl (2 oz soufflé cup are perfect) at all times.

Buy large crickets, you only need one or two per week. If she hasn't eaten after 24 hours, remove them. Never feed wild caught to your critter, you don't know where it's been.
 

Nicole

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Apr 30, 2004
Messages
95
You don't need the sponge, just a small water dish. It's probably overkill for just one spider, but if you really don't want to deal with crickets, you could look into starting a small roach colony. Don't be surprised if she randomly fasts for surpisingly long amounts of time, rosies are known for that sort of thing :)
 

B8709

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
194
A baby gecko huh? You're so cool.....:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
Stick to crickets or roaches.
I suggest you research this site by using the search function. Everything you need to know is on this site. There's been a zillion topics about eating. They only need a cricket or two once a week but if they skip weeks or months (as G. Rosea are prone to do) it won't hurt them. It eats when it wants to.
Negative on the sponge unless you want to breed bacteria. Just stick with a waterdish.
 

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
B8709 you need to lighten up a bit. Forums like this are for chatting, not necessarily drifting through tons of archives. But all of you thanks for the tips I'll get rid of the sponge ASAP. I just felt a little bad when I bought her and got her home. The feeling I got was *neglect* especially after seeing the woodchip bedding and researching how bad it is for them. But as for the Gecko, LOL aye i was in panic mode for her not eating enough, and hey it worked. Florida lizards can't be too hazardous. It's nature dude.

One thing people forget when keeping wild animals as pets, is the fact they are still WILD by nature no matter how much we cage them. If I let her loose in Florida, unless a bird nabs her, she'll feast on the amount of lizards, frogs, and huge grasshoppers roaming around.

thumbs up to you guys though, you're awesome.
 

Caramell

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
145
Owowoww.
Yo Dawg, I highly recommend that you change your setup completely. Wood chips are incredibly abrasive and sharp, so you should switch to either peat moss or coco fiber, available in home depot and pet stores, respectively.
The sponge in the water dish only breeds bacteria which is harmful to the T. Ts don't drink using the sponge;they can easily drink directly from a small water bowl.
You shouldn't worry about your T not eating for a few days, even weeks. They have super slow metabolisms and can survive months without food(though I don't suggest starving it). Feeding geckos to a T is very risky, since you don't know where the gecko has been, and the vertabrates can cause molting problems in the future.
And I think your T is slender because it's an MM, a mature male tarantula. If it is, then it doesn't have long to live, which is why it's not eating. All that's on it's mind is mating.
EDITEDITEDIT: I just reread the thread and noticed that you are aware of the bad cage conditions. Sorry! Just trying to help :)
 
Last edited:

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
460
B8709 you need to lighten up a bit. Forums like this are for chatting, not necessarily drifting through tons of archives.
No disrespect since your a new member and all but honestly this forum is great for *exactly* what you've described and holds tomes of knowledge within. I suggest to you now and and every newcomer to get acquainted with using the Search function as well

Also, being the new member to these boards as well T's in general, it may be best to acknowledge the time and effort put forth by junior and senior members before you go and simply waft away opinions lightly. This is not your typical 4chan forum where anything and everything goes; read the rules.

Read the stickies, use the search properly and enjoy your stay and welcome to the boards! :)
 

malevolentrobot

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
310
your answers to those who have replied so far, this is a joke, right? :?

some of the best information on how to care for G. rosea is stickied on this site. you should get acquainted with the search function, otherwise... people are just going to tell you to use it, period.

i get that you are new here, and that's great you found this place, but seriously, the search function is awesome and will give you tons of info on stuff like what you are asking about, it will be instantly in front of you instead of you having to wait for replies even.
 

B8709

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
194
Hey, I didn't mean to come across as mean. There's just a lot of stuff to learn and it's all right here in the forums.
Welcome to the hobby.
 

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
Hey, I didn't mean to come across as mean. There's just a lot of stuff to learn and it's all right here in the forums.
Welcome to the hobby.
No problem. Appreciate it. And to the one who asked me to change from the woodchips, I posted that I switched it to the peat moss. I took care of that quickly it was the sponge I wasn't quite sure about because I was getting mixed responses about it across the internet. But thanks a million.
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
1,309
But as for the Gecko, LOL aye i was in panic mode for her not eating enough, and hey it worked. Florida lizards can't be too hazardous. It's nature dude.

One thing people forget when keeping wild animals as pets, is the fact they are still WILD by nature no matter how much we cage them. If I let her loose in Florida, unless a bird nabs her, she'll feast on the amount of lizards, frogs, and huge grasshoppers roaming around.

thumbs up to you guys though, you're awesome.
I suggest to you to never feed your T wild caught animals. You seem to forget that just because it is wild by nature does not mean it is still in the wild. As for the lizards not being hazardous, you have no idea what that lizard has been in or around that could be potentially harmful to your T. And if you let your T of in the wild, it could also die from being stepped on, ran over, or if it came across pesticides. Yeah it's a wild creature, but it is from another country, not Florida, so don't say it would thrive if you released it. One, don't feed it wild caught prey. Two, don't feed it vertebrates. Stick to crickets and roaches.

Not trying to be mean or rude. You need to take the advice you get. Everyone here is experienced and can give you a lot of information.

Good luck and welcome to the boards.
 

Arachnoholic420

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 25, 2009
Messages
813
I agree about your wild caught statement.....

You need to take the advice you get. Everyone here is experienced and can give you a lot of information.

Good luck and welcome to the boards.
But are you sure about that statement??? ;)
Or your mean some of us here have or had some experience.....
Not all....

Peace!!!
 

Chris_Skeleton

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 31, 2010
Messages
1,309
I agree about your wild caught statement.....



But are you sure about that statement??? ;)
Or your mean some of us here have or had some experience.....
Not all....

Peace!!!
I meant everyone who had replied so far, shouldve made that clear :rolleyes:

To OP, a lot of people here are very knowledgeable, but you have to watch out for others. So if you post, be ready for some critiquing and criticism, and don't get upset about it. We are only here to help. We already have some members here who ask for advice and then get upset at what we tell them and they dont follow our advice. And sometimes this leads to their T getting injured or other things. Take my signature for example.
 

hassman789

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 2, 2009
Messages
576
Yeah not only are pesticides and stuff dangerous in wild caught food BUT, there is theory that to much calcium (from bones from vertebrates) for a tarantula can mess up it's molts. And a live animal (geckos, mice ect...) can give your tarantula a nasty nip, Mabey fatal, they cant clot blood.
 

malevolentrobot

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
310
Not trying to be mean or rude. You need to take the advice you get. Everyone here is experienced and can give you a lot of information.
lol, i wish. it becomes evident after a while here who knows what they are talking about and who's in it for the post count.

also, thanks. never claimed to have a lot of experience myself, i just listen to those who do :D.
 

DawgPoundSound

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 28, 2010
Messages
5
Hey at my age I'm well aware of what you guys speak of when it comes to taking advice. I usually weed out the sensible from the *talkers*. But once again thanks for the heads up. Most of you are pretty much in agreement on what you say. And glad to be aboard. I'm off to research the boards on who to purchase a Salmon Pink from now. LOL
 

malevolentrobot

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 21, 2010
Messages
310
Hey at my age I'm well aware of what you guys speak of when it comes to taking advice. I usually weed out the sensible from the *talkers*. But once again thanks for the heads up. Most of you are pretty much in agreement on what you say. And glad to be aboard. I'm off to research the boards on who to purchase a Salmon Pink from now. LOL
good T, hardy as heck and grow fast. check out the FS/T and i'm sure lots of people have slings or juvies. not a hard T to come by, and not bad on your wallet for what you get, thats for sure.
 

Ictinike

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 30, 2009
Messages
460
Hey at my age I'm well aware of what you guys speak of when it comes to taking advice. I usually weed out the sensible from the *talkers*. But once again thanks for the heads up. Most of you are pretty much in agreement on what you say. And glad to be aboard. I'm off to research the boards on who to purchase a Salmon Pink from now. LOL
Check the For Sale/Trade/Wanted To Buy ad's in the lower portions of the main forum page but I think I saw you browsing there earlier.

Also you'll hear reference to many of the wonderful breeders, sellers and dealers among the forum posts here at AB and be sure to check on reviews left by other AB members on purchases, trades and sales HERE.

Again, welcome and have fun! :)
 
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