rose hair

[scam_5000]

Hello,

I have a rose hair tarantula, and I just changed the substrate in her enclosure. Now she will not come down from the top of the auqarium. I changed her substrate from peatmoss to this stuff called jungle floor (woodchips, and peatmoss). I was wondering if anyone else has had their spider do this?

Thanks,
Chris

[Cirith Ungol]

Hello,

I have a rose hair tarantula, and I just changed the substrate in her enclosure. Now she will not come down from the top of the auqarium. I changed her substrate from peatmoss to this stuff called jungle floor (woodchips, and peatmoss). I was wondering if anyone else has had their spider do this?

Thanks,
Chris

If you moistened the substrate the T will be likely to stick to the walls until the substrate has dried up. You don't need to add extra humidity to most T's enclosoures, especially not to a roseas.

Another thing is that it might be a bit stressed out. It will calm down during the next few days.

[Big and Hairy]

No worries. Mine does the same thing after I clean out her tank and replace the substrate. Like Cirith Ungol said, it is probably a little too moist right now. I recently cleaned out my rosie's tank and put fresh moist substrate in there. After a few days of drying, she was back to her normal self.

[MindUtopia]

I would imagine it might just not be settled in yet or perhaps the substrate is too wet. I know that if it's the stuff that comes in the blocks that you have to soak in water before you use, sometimes it's a little to damp. Don't worry, if you have lots of ventilation, it will dry out. Something else you should check though is what kind of wood the wood chips are made from. I've heard that cedar (and perhaps pine as well?) wood contains a natural insecticide that can be fatal to tarantulas. Most people don't use wood chips for this reason. 100% peat, potting soil, or a peat/vermiculite mix works just fine and as far as I know there is no benefit to wood chips. Hope this helps.

Karen