Chile Rose being weird...

Anno

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
5
Hi people had my first T since May last year since then it has stopped feeding since around six months
ago,despite offering a variety of food,also no moults so far.
I can't see evidence of enlarged palms and she seems to be female,having read about male behaviour
I am really stumped and concerned I check every morning to see if she is still with us:eek:

Any ideas?
 

Sam_Peanuts

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
408
If your feeding schedule was more than a few crickets a month, she's fasting because she's full. They grow very slowly so they don't require much food compared to others so they make reserves and then fast for months/years before molting.

As long as her abdomen is plump and she has access to water(remember they don't like moist substrate though), she'll be fine.
 

Tenevanica

Arachnodemon
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
726
Rose hairs are just weird in general. That's why beginners shouldn't keep them. Keep feeding her 1 cricket a week. If she doesn't eat it, remove it and try again next week. Rose hairs often fast like this. Just be patient.
 

lalberts9310

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
1,083
What was your feeding schedule like? G. Rosea and G. Porteri are notorious for fasting long periods (either you feed it too much and it's full, or it's pre-molt). How big is it? Do you have a picture of it and it's enclosure that you can post? If the abdomen is big and plump then there's no reason to worry about it, keep the waterdish full.
 

Sam_Peanuts

Arachnobaron
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
408
1 cricket a week is a lot for them when they're not fasting so no point in wasting a cricket every week, trying once a month would be plenty and even less often wouldn't be a problem at all, it certainly won't starve.
 

Beary Strange

Arachnodemon
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Messages
670
This is so nothing to worry about you could almost rename the thread "Chile Rose being normal". Weird is their normal. When she starts eating like champ, as mine do, then call her weird (although that's still not a concern).
 

Anno

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
5
image.jpg

Substrate may be an issue,also I was informed no water in enclosure...
 

lalberts9310

Arachnoprince
Joined
Oct 9, 2014
Messages
1,083
Keep the substrate dry, like in bone dry, they hate wet sub. And give it a waterbowl, it won't drown.
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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6 months to OVER a year isn't uncommon for a rosehair to fast, especially prior to molting. When mine fasts, I simply stop offering food until it either molts or begins to show a hunting posture on a consistent basis. Like others said, its actually quite normal for the species. With all t's you need to have a lot of patience, with rosies, you need to be EXCEPTIONALLY so. They take their time with everything, especially molting. I feed only about 3 times a month and still get a fatty that goes on long random fasting bouts....this is one species where you could simply feed a single cricket a month and still have a fat healthy rosie.

With the days getting shorter and fall around the corner, its also good to note that this is classic rosie fasting season. At some point every fall mine stops eating and often won't begin again till spring, often not eating at all or just once or twice in that time. Don't feel the need to keep offering food, that t is PLENTY fat. Do you know when its last molt was? Mine basically molts every 4 or 5 years...talk about taking its sweet time.
 

EDED

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
549
^^ good post!

I think mine behaves like that too and I have had it since 2006
it was WC so it acted even more 'bizarre' for many years in the beginning.

this is the only spider in my collection that gets a water dish and the substate gets watered once or twice a year.

and I agree with its behavioral changes according to seasonal changes.

This spring I had some spiders moved outside under my deck (shade/ temperature was almost perfect) and with all the spring rain/ storm all three spiders molted at the same time I thought that was very interesting. it was G. rosea and 2x H. schmidti adults.
I want to move to some place in the US where I can keep spiders outside all year around
 

El Consciente

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 13, 2015
Messages
28
Rosies are quite notorious for months-long periods of fasting and inactivity, nothing too strange or alarming here. As a rule of thumb what you'll want to watch out for with any spider is a shrunken (hungry) and/or shriveled (dehydrated) abdomen. As per your picture she looks perfectly fine to me :)
 

Anno

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
5
Cheers people

Thanks for the confirmation people, I have read all the books and more but still became concerned - She is a beautiful beast but not exactly the most dynamic pet I ever had!

This weekend I will be trying a different substrate, and may even try her with a Cricket,thanks again for the encouragement and feedback.

(maybe I need a second spider, any suggestions I could slide past the Wife? :biggrin:)
 

cold blood

Moderator
Staff member
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Don't change the sub, as long as its dry, its fine, if its not, just let it dry, no need to over-react. I haven't changed my rosie's sub in over a decade because there's no reason to and I doubt there is a reason for you to do so either.
 

Tenevanica

Arachnodemon
Joined
Feb 18, 2015
Messages
726
View attachment 138848

Substrate may be an issue,also I was informed no water in enclosure...
These are from the Attacama desert. The DRIEST desert in the world. There should be no moisture in the substrate. And you should add a water dish immediately even though they are from the desert, they will drink from it. Also, that spider has the plumpest abdomen I have ever seen. She is no where near starving.
 

Anno

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
5
I know where she is from,however the British T Society said no water,the substrate is jungle cork as you can see from this photo just now it clings to her feet and she does climb a lot in the evenings!
image.jpg
She also developed a bald patch through flicking urticulting hairs presumably,hence me worrying about stress.
 

BobGrill

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
1,669
I know where she is from,however the British T Society said no water,the substrate is jungle cork as you can see from this photo just now it clings to her feet and she does climb a lot in the evenings!
View attachment 138875
She also developed a bald patch through flicking urticulting hairs presumably,hence me worrying about stress.
That information is all false. Do some research about where these tarantulas come from if you don't believe us.

Sent from my LG-D801 using Tapatalk
 

cold blood

Moderator
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No water should be in the sub, but it should have a water dish.

The sub should be packed down tightly.
 

GG80

Arachnoknight
Joined
Nov 26, 2013
Messages
268
I know where she is from,however the British T Society said no water
Yes, give it a water dish. Despite being from a dry region and prefering dry conditions, they will drink from time to time. With regards to not eating, nothing to worry about. Mine hasn't eaten for 5 months now. I thought she was in hunting mode the other day as she was wandering around more than usual so I gave her a cricket and she showed no interest at all, but I find her sitting in her water dish taking a drink once or twice a month.
 

Anno

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 11, 2014
Messages
5
Ok,guys I am indebted to your knowledgeable replies,that's why I joined up,however I have researched these T's,bought the
revised Schulz book and as a professional ecologist specialising in Invertebrates I am more than aware of the needs environmentally to reproduce their habitat preferences so I object to the tone of the do some research post and some earlier ones.
When the many websites have varying information and inaccurate recommendations I came here,maybe I was wrong.
 
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