HELP with my rose hair tarantula! PLEASE!

I bought a chilean rose hair tarantula a few weeks ago! but i need help. all she wants to do is climb all on the tank! consistently. and she falls. and gets right up and does it again. i do not know what to do. she never hides. or randomly stays in one place and doesn't move. i don't want her to die. but there is no telling if she is hurt, she certainly doesn't seem to be in any pain. I'm not sure to be honest. the pet store said she was roughly 6 months old. and that she was a female. but i just am not 100% sure! i absolutely love having her and they are interesting creatures! by the way she is in a 10 gallon tank. she is a beautiful creature and i want to give her the best life as possible.


i am new to this. never thought i would ever own a tarantula so i apologize if this is a frequent question. but i am fascinated now by her. and i very much look forward seeing her live out a long and healthy life.

please any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated! if you need pictures please let me know!

What kind of substrate do you use? It sounds like it could be too wet for her. Rosies like their substrate bone dry, with only a water bowl for humidity. How deep is the substrate? There shouldn't be more than 1 1/2 times the tarantulas legspan between the top of the tank and the top of the sub, since falling is dangerous for them.

How big is she? If she was 6 months old she would be less than half an inch.

Here is a link that will get you started since your new to tarantulas.

http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/sho...read-how-to-really-take-care-of-your-G.-rosea.

Cavedweller said:

What kind of substrate do you use? It sounds like it could be too wet for her. Rosies like their substrate bone dry, with only a water bowl for humidity. How deep is the substrate? There shouldn't be more than 1 1/2 times the tarantulas legspan between the top of the tank and the top of the sub, since falling is dangerous for them.

How big is she? If she was 6 months old she would be less than half an inch.

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first off, i would like to thank you.

now.

OH WOW! definitely got lied to then..but the substrate i use is all living things premium tropical soil. its compressed coconut fiber bedding.. and it is definitely a big gap between the substrate and the cage. i filled it enough to where she could burrow and that is it. id say her body alone is roughly 2-1/2 to 3 inches long. and i haven't wet the substrate in over a week and a half since i found out they don't like wet substrate. first it definitely sounds like i need to be adding more substrate. do you have any suggestions on what i else i should provide. or possibly do different?

jearl523 said:

first off, i would like to thank you.

now.

OH WOW! definitely got lied to then..but the substrate i use is all living things premium tropical soil. its compressed coconut fiber bedding.. and it is definitely a big gap between the substrate and the cage. i filled it enough to where she could burrow and that is it. id say her body alone is roughly 2-1/2 to 3 inches long. and i haven't wet the substrate in over a week and a half since i found out they don't like wet substrate. first it definitely sounds like i need to be adding more substrate. do you have any suggestions on what i else i should provide. or possibly do different?

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read that link if you haven't already and if you're already keeping her on dry substrate then all you will need to add, again if you haven't already, is a shallow water dish with plain water. No sponges or gelled water. And a simple hide. Half of a flower pot or some other type of similar hide is all that's really required for her comfort. Aside, of course, of the aforementioned additional substrate to a depth not less then 1 and 1/2 times her leg span from the top of her cage.

A picture, if you could provide it, will help us to make any other suggestions.

Welcome to the hobby. Welcome to the forums. :1:

ratluvr76 said:

read that link if you haven't already and if you're already keeping her on dry substrate then all you will need to add, again if you haven't already, is a shallow water dish with plain water. No sponges or gelled water. And a simple hide. Half of a flower pot or some other type of similar hide is all that's really required for her comfort. Aside, of course, of the aforementioned additional substrate to a depth not less then 1 and 1/2 times her leg span from the top of her cage.

A picture, if you could provide it, will help us to make any other suggestions.

Welcome to the hobby. Welcome to the forums.

:1:

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here of some photos. like i said. i apologize in advance. please try not to criticize me to hard!

That's a very dangerous cage. Not nearly enough substrate. Too many hard objects near the sides for when she falls.

Do you have the 3rd edition of Tarantula Keeper's Guide?

Based on those pics, your T needs a loooooooooot more substrate.
Once the substrate dries out completely she'll start spending more time on the ground, and after adding in more substrate you won't have to worry about the falling.
To me, everything looks fine besides that. She's a pretty girl

Amimia said:

Based on those pics, your T needs a loooooooooot more substrate.
Once the substrate dries out completely she'll start spending more time on the ground, and after adding in more substrate you won't have to worry about the falling.
To me, everything looks fine besides that. She's a pretty girl

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@poec54, i do not. but if it is something beneficial then i will definitely be getting it. and @amimia i will be getting more substrate ASAP! thank you for the compliment on the T, she is a beaut and is very calm with me! i look forward to learning more about these magnificent creatures!

Do a search here...there is a TON of info on this species already posted over and over that will answer just about any question that you could ever ask, plus a ton you may never think to ask. And for sure get the TKG!

I wouldn't use that hide at all, its just too big. And if I did, I wouldn't aim the entrance to the back so it has to go on a climbing mission to get in, plus you will want to be able to see it, newbs tend to freak when they can't see their new t for extended periods of time, so why go out of your way to encourage it....on the outside of that hide, its a significant fall risk, even at lower drop heights...on the inside its way more than a t that size would feel comfortable using unless its a heavy webber, which yours is not (t's prefer tight to spacious, unlike humans). A simple hide is all you need, and frankly adults of the species frequently ignore their hides for the most part, choosing instead to just sit out in the open.

You don't need that gauge in there, pet stores love selling those add-ons to boost their bottom line, this is one of those things...as is that large hide, heat pads/lamps, sponges, water crystals and big aquariums. None of which are beneficial to the t, just the store's profit margin, actually all are negative things to have. The LPS is a notoriously BAD place for any and all t advice, there are exceptions, but they definitely ARE exceptions and few and far between indeed.

As tall as that aquarium is, I would personally not use it for that t at all. You're gonna spend as much on the sub to fill it as you did on the aquarium its self, plus the breed tends to not be much of burrowers as adults.

Also keep in mind that the species is very slow growing, and as a result have a very low food requirement, and 2-4 feedings per month are plenty...just one big cricket per feeding. If it doesn't eat the cricket in a few hours or over night, take it out and try again in a week. Try to avoid leaving uneaten prey in the enclosure, alive or dead. Also because of this slow growth they have a terrific tendency to fast for extended periods of time. 4-6 month fasts are the norm, and year long fasts are not unheard of with a plump healthy specimen.

And as mentioned, they hate moisture, so never mist or moisten anything outside the dish. Adding moisture is a quick way to encourage a fasting episode.

It may roam a lot or climb excessively until it acclimates, which could take days or many weeks, don't freak, when you have it set up right, it will eventually settle.

Good luck, take a day and run a search and absorb, then get the book and read it a few times...believe me, it will stay interesting enough. Welcome to the hobby!

Ts, generally speaking, are very sensitive to vibrations and movement; Also sudden changes in light. I noticed the T is on your bed side table.

I would discourage this, rather put her some where peaceful... that way you can sneak up on her and see what she likes to do when no one is around. :-D

Lots of good advice giving above^^ and lots of information about this species on the internet.

BossRoss said:

Ts, generally speaking, are very sensitive to vibrations and movement; Also sudden changes in light. I noticed the T is on your bed side table.

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Good point, I bet that fan would bother her when it's on.

Cavedweller said:

Good point, I bet that fan would bother her when it's on.

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I doubt it. They're sensitive to vibrations, but having a fan on won't stress them much.

BobGrill said:

I doubt it. They're sensitive to vibrations, but having a fan on won't stress them much.

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especially since it's pointing at the side of the cage, not down into it.

jearl, you have a beautiful T there.

+1 to all the other advice.

Although, I didn't think about the vibrations from the base of the fan transmitting through the table and into the cage.. that may cause stress. Sorry cavedweller, I think you're right.

Hello dear,

I am the past owner of a Chilean Rose who spent 13 happy years with me after rescuing her from a more than inept pet store who got her from who knows where. All I remember is that the previous owner, who dropped her off at Petco, said it was his son's and he left for college and he, the dad, was now killing flies and feeding them to her... ANYHOW.... my first introduction to T keeping was with her, and for a first timer, especially a human who is used to eating at whim and not having to worry about much, a Chilean Rose can be a bit much, ONLY because THEY NEVER WANT TO EAT!!! Dearest, it is NOT anything you are doing wrong, or anything that is wrong with your T. And, knowing what I know about humans we are totally unprepared for the news that we are just OKAY with what we are doing for our loved ones... Really though.. T's have been in existence for millions of years and have acclimate to SURVIVAL instinct.. never have I known a T to refuse a meal if it were on the brink of starvation, even if it meant rushing at the tip of your finger or whatever you may be offering its food up on.. relax dearest, your Friend will be fine and you are doing a wonderful job of making sure it will be so. No matter what you think, neither you nor your T are any different from anyone else here on this site who has fussed and worried and lost sleep over it, which makes you one of us. Welcome home dear, and please relax. It's all really going to be OKAY

Just make sure u put more DRY substrate and again make sure its DRY..lol.. love ur rosie

ratluvr76 said:

especially since it's pointing at the side of the cage, not down into it.

jearl, you have a beautiful T there.

+1 to all the other advice.

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Does a ceiling fan on circulate bother Ts?? Wintertime fan setting. I never done research on this but, space heater isn't worth it it drys out my ts cages. Unless temps drop under 65 not worth it.

Ultum4Spiderz said:

Does a ceiling fan on circulate bother Ts?? Wintertime fan setting. I never done research on this but, space heater isn't worth it it drys out my ts cages. Unless temps drop under 65 not worth it.

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I use 2 celling fans in my main spider room almost daily from March to October. The only thing I've noticed is that fans may be distraction when I pair up spiders (cage top off and the air movement), so I turn them off then. When I lived up north, I used a humidifier in my spider room during the time of year the heat was on. Between the two I had a warm, humid room all winter.