Another G. rosea Q

I kno this has been asked before but my question has a little more to it. I bought this Rose and it's had the bald spot when I bought it. It's gotten bigger, darker since I bought it a month or so ago. Hasn't
eaten a single thing, and only 1 time I've seen it drink water. It's spun a large web on the ground
substrate and spend literally 24 hours a day just laying on it in the same spot. I kno they're pretty
much paper weights, and it's hopefully very close to a molt, but is it normal to sit and NEVER move?
I hold and pet it, and it curls up and seems to sleep comfortably in my warm hand but other than that, no movement. Here's a pic of the abdomen. View attachment 139777

MF G. rosea. I acquired one in June and it has yet to eat a single morsel, which is a normality for this species. Just keep the substrate dry and a full water dish constantly and she'll be just fine. I like to think that G. roseas are in a perpetual catatonic stupor they never do anything! There are the few oddball crazy ones though. My hopeful male red phase is pretty defensive.

It's normal, they are pet rocks. That T is in heavy pre-molt. Why more urticating bristles has been rubbed off, the bald spot been getting darker, and has webbed a molting mat on the surface on the substrate. Drinking water, not eating and less activity is also very common prior to a molt. Leave it alone.

I would suggest that you stop handling it as well. The curling you see is what they do when they get stressed, typically trying to hide themselves behind their legs. It's not comfortably sleeping when curling up in your hands. Don't handle it, especially now. It does not have the ability to get used to you, or know you. All it thinks when you pick it up is that it's a predator that's going to eat it, they don't like it, they don't benefit from it, all they do is get a ton of stress. Tarantulas are not for handling. Also, majority of bites happens from handling, especially when looking at the so called "docile" species. G. rosea/porteri are also notorious for their mood swings and very long fasts. Sometimes they stop eating altogether for no apparent reason which is normal. But yours is in pre-molt, why it's not eating.

If you find it on it's back, leave it alone, don't flip it back over. Keep the waterbowl full and don't feed it anything until it molts. The abdomen is very plump so it can go without food for a long time. Also don't feed it at least a week after it molted. Certain prey items such as crickets are capable of injuring or even killing a molting or freshly molted T, why trying to feed a pre-molt T or a freshly molted T is not a good idea. You can feed it again when the T has fully hardened, remember soft fangs gets damaged easily. If the fangs are white or red in colour, don't feed. Feed it when the fangs are black again, then it has fully hardened.

Thx for the assurances

No prob bob!

Petting it?? You are aware of how quickly they can turn a 180 and tag you, right? Like before you could react, even in heavy pre-molt.....don't pet spiders:wink: Rosehairs are notoriously moody and unpredictable, even if they appear docile 90% of the time.

Yup its pre-molt looking...and a G. porteri btw. Fasting is what they do best, and pre-molt fasts can last ridiculous amounts of time, like in excess of a year...who knows when it ate last, but it won't again till after molting (not that the fatty needs food)....but there's no real need to even offer. Just keep water in the dish and wait...before molting is about the only time I consistently catch mine drinking or webbing.

cold blood said:

Petting it?? You are aware of how quickly they can turn a 180 and tag you, right? Like before you could react, even in heavy pre-molt.....don't pet spiders:wink: Rosehairs are notoriously moody and unpredictable, even if they appear docile 90% of the time.

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+1
Tarantulas (and all arthropods for that matter) do not even have the mental capacity to understand that you exist, much less that you're trying to show affection. Buy a tarantula, put it in a secure enclosure, and try to bother it as little as humanly possible. That's what is best for the spider and owner.

cold blood said:

Petting it?? You are aware of how quickly they can turn a 180 and tag you, right? Like before you could react, even in heavy pre-molt.....don't pet spiders:wink: Rosehairs are notoriously moody and unpredictable, even if they appear docile 90% of the time.

Yup its pre-molt looking...and a G. porteri btw. Fasting is what they do best, and pre-molt fasts can last ridiculous amounts of time, like in excess of a year...who knows when it ate last, but it won't again till after molting (not that the fatty needs food)....but there's no real need to even offer. Just keep water in the dish and wait...before molting is about the only time I consistently catch mine drinking or webbing.

Click to expand...

Why would u say its a porteri? The pic doesn't show it, but the carapace is pink all over. I thought rosea has a pink carapace
and porteri does not. It's hard to show the pink hairs but they are there.
Also, I say "petting" like its a dog, but I occasionally hold it to show others and gently rub the abdomen.
Thx for all the info

---------- Post added 10-28-2015 at 02:53 PM ----------

EulersK said:

+1
Tarantulas (and all arthropods for that matter) do not even have the mental capacity to understand that you exist, much less that you're trying to show affection. Buy a tarantula, put it in a secure enclosure, and try to bother it as little as humanly possible. That's what is best for the spider and owner.

Click to expand...

I understand they aren't mentally aware. I guess it was more for me, like others, who just want to feel like it's creating a bond
with them. Thx tho for the info

It could be either really. Most believe that the grey ones with pink hair are porteri and the red ones are rosea, but it's an age old debate with no clear answer since nobody has done the proper research yet.

Not sure why the change of heart in the recent year or two since as far as I know, nothing's changed in over a decade about this.

"Petting" it, and rubbing the abdomen, and handling it is really more for your own benefit. It's not a dog, or a cat... it's more like a fish, it should be in a tank/enclosure for viewing purposes only. That's where the spider is the most happiest. In it's enclosure where it is comfortable, without unnecessary stress caused by handling, where it can do what it wants and just be a tarantula. You should think what makes the spider happy and comfortable. And that would be to provide it with food and water, and then to disturb it as little as possible.

SpiderDad61 said:

Why would u say its a porteri? The pic doesn't show it, but the carapace is pink all over. I thought rosea has a pink carapace
and porteri does not.

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I say that because it is....porteri does have your described carapace. It will be even brighter following a molt.

Do you walk it too?

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BobGrill said:

Do you walk it too?

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Yes, and pick up the shit afterwards

Better watch the language oop:

SpiderDad61 said:

I occasionally hold it to show others and gently rub the abdomen.

Click to expand...

You do realize that's where the urticating hair patch is? You're basically intentionally hairing yourself.

Definitely don't try that with your Theraphosa. You will regret it.