more questions about G. Rosea

dangerprone69

Arachnoknight
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I recently purchased a G. Rosea and I have him in a 5.5-gallon tank with a mix of coconut bark chips, soil, and terrarium moss as substrate. Anyone have any advice for me? I'm curious if I should switch him into a 10-gallon tank or change the substrate.

I'm also thinking about attaching an undertank heater since my bedroom isn't the warmest place during the winter. I gave him some heat earlier in the week by switching over my scorpion's ceramic heater and he retreated pretty fast, either hiding behind his water bottle or going back under his hide.
 

Mike H.

Arachnoprince
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Room temps are generally fine...70 to 75 degrees....heat lamps will dehydrate your spider...not recomended....peatmoss kept bone dry works well...5 gallon tank is fine...leave the water dish in as well..


Regards, Mike :worship:
 

Nerri1029

Chief Cook n Bottlewasher
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WELCOME TO THE BOARD !!!

Yup that sticky - post has LOADS of info..

roseas are hearty and easy to care for ..

good luck..
 

dangerprone69

Arachnoknight
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Thanks for the advice guys.

I just about crapped my pants this past weekend because the substrate started to mold. I pulled him out and replaced the substrate with a mix of Eco-Earth and ground walnut shells (brand name- ESU Reptile Desert Blend). He seems to have taken to it well, I tried to make sure it wasn't too damp. I think I went wrong with the original substrate because I tried to moisten it, not realizing that Rosea's don't need moisture.
 

8SEXYLEGS

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I know a lot of people don't recommend any type of heating, but it gets very cold here in the winter and i have heating pads on both of my T's for a couple of reason's :1) I don't want to leave my heater on all night and I don't want my T's to freeze. 2) I don't have a thermostat to controll the temp. in my home. If I did, I would just set it on 72 an know my T's would be good to go, and not worry about the heating pad. 3) I would hope, that in the event my T's got too warm sitting on their heating pads they would be smart enough to run to the other side of the cage where it would be cooler and where their water dish is.
In the summer I will unplug the pads.
 

metzgerzoo

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8SEXYLEGS said:
I know a lot of people don't recommend any type of heating, but it gets very cold here in the winter and i have heating pads on both of my T's for a couple of reason's :1) I don't want to leave my heater on all night and I don't want my T's to freeze. 2) I don't have a thermostat to controll the temp. in my home. If I did, I would just set it on 72 an know my T's would be good to go, and not worry about the heating pad. 3) I would hope, that in the event my T's got too warm sitting on their heating pads they would be smart enough to run to the other side of the cage where it would be cooler and where their water dish is.
In the summer I will unplug the pads.
Agreed...except that IMO, I would put the heat pad on the side of the tank by the water dish, not on the bottom.
A 5.5 gallon should be fine, as long as your rosea is not a sling. Your new substrate sounds fine....kind of pricy and un-necessary, IMO, but as long as you keep it dry and use only the water dish for moisture, your rosea will do just fine.
 

Pokie1

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Oct 11, 2004
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I think that using a size-appropriate heating pad is fine so long as in the summer it is kept low. A lot of people tell you to put it on the back. This, however, seems illogical to me as it heats nothing IN the enclosure and most of the energy would be wasted because heat rises and the spider is on the bottom of the tank. On the other hand, it is common knowledge that T.s burrow to cool off. So, I settled on putting the heater on the underside of the tank on one end only. On that end i have the substate only about 1 1/2 " deep, and that is wher I put the water dish etc. I keep a red light on above the cage The heater warms the substrate, keeping it from staying too wet. On the other side of the tank, I put deep substrate and a hide.

Best regards

Pokie1
 

Dreaddinit

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Do like I did and get the Exoterra tamp and humidity guage. Youd be suprised at how well they stay at a constant temp and humidity. Mine is at 70 degrees and 75% humidity.
 

8SEXYLEGS

Arachnosquire
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Pokie1 said:
I think that using a size-appropriate heating pad is fine so long as in the summer it is kept low. A lot of people tell you to put it on the back. This, however, seems illogical to me as it heats nothing IN the enclosure and most of the energy would be wasted because heat rises and the spider is on the bottom of the tank. On the other hand, it is common knowledge that T.s burrow to cool off. So, I settled on putting the heater on the underside of the tank on one end only. On that end i have the substate only about 1 1/2 " deep, and that is wher I put the water dish etc. I keep a red light on above the cage The heater warms the substrate, keeping it from staying too wet. On the other side of the tank, I put deep substrate and a hide.

Best regards

Pokie1
Both of my heating pads are at one end of the tank, but I put my water dish on the oppisite side, thinking that if it were right on top of the heating pad it would evaporate very quickly. Also, each of my T's half peice of cork is towards the end of the tank as well. So far I don't have any roasted Tarantula's, but this is what works best for me and my setup and climate in my home.
 

dangerprone69

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metzgerzoo said:
Agreed...except that IMO, I would put the heat pad on the side of the tank by the water dish, not on the bottom.
A 5.5 gallon should be fine, as long as your rosea is not a sling. Your new substrate sounds fine....kind of pricy and un-necessary, IMO, but as long as you keep it dry and use only the water dish for moisture, your rosea will do just fine.
Well, you're right about that new substrate being pricey. Last friday I went out to home depot and did what I should've done in the beginning: I bought some peat moss. It cost me $5 for 5x the the amount of substrate I get out of a $5 brick of eco-earth. The reason is because that new substrate started to mold as well. I thought for a bit that maybe it's something in the air but my scorpions are on the same stuff and I've never had a problem with them.

I'm also a little wary of overstressing my little spider since he's had new substrate dumped on him twice over the last week. He hasn't been eating too much recently but I expect that. My first Rose fasted all the time.
 

shogun804

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Dreaddinit Mine is at 70 degrees and 75% humidity.[/QUOTE said:
isnt 75% humidity to high for a G rosea.....i think its like around 50% or 60% something like that
 
Last edited:

luther

Arachnodemon
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Apr 8, 2003
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Dreaddinit said:
Do like I did and get the Exoterra tamp and humidity guage. Youd be suprised at how well they stay at a constant temp and humidity. Mine is at 70 degrees and 75% humidity.
A humidity guage for a G.rosea? About as useful as a bicycle for a fish. Go bone dry with regular access to a dish of fresh water. Bob's your uncle.
 
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