Rose Hair tarantula
- Thread starter emily1123
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Just about everyone has or had a G. Rosea at one point or another. For housing, use dry substrate (eco earth or bedabeast, some sort of coco fiber) and provide a hide with a water dish.
More importantly, what do you have it on now??
More importantly, what do you have it on now??
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Get her off of the sand immediately they don't like it, it's not good for them, and they'll stress out. Rosies tend to like it dry, not moist. if the substrate is too wet, they'll hang out on top of their hide. what kind of tank or container is it in?
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Damn, Usambara! Beat me to the punch that time! :}
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HAHA. Seems as though neither of us have enough to do...
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Make sure you read that link posted a couple posts back, lots of good info. there. Just to add, I keep my rosie (adult female) in a large kritter keeper with about 3'' - 4'' of DRY bed-a-beast for substrate, a water dish and a small flower pot half buried for her hide. She hasn't complained once... 
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I've always housed mine in an at least 5.5gal critter keeper or aquarium with 3/4 the cage full of bone dry 100% peat moss, with a hide and water dish. Never ever had any problems!
-Matty
-Matty
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Sand...no way in my opinion.......I would use Eco-earth substrate.....and not moist....as dry as possible....put in a water dish and you are set. When you get a rosires substrate moist.....they hate it and start climbing.....rob
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...........:wall:
Vermiculite is an improvement over sand. You may find however that she hates it too, she may not. If you still have problems a couple of weeks from now try using peat or coconut coir (sold as bed-a-beast, eco-earth, etc) Almost all my t's are on peat mix and a few of the moister, burrowing species are on coco coir because it retains moisture better.
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Hmmmm perhaps i jumped a little quickly, i'm kinda punchy today. Sorry for that.
My opinion is that vermiculite alone is only good for arboreals who rarely touch the ground and need lots of humidity. It seems to stick to terrestrial t's feet and bristles (fur) and they don't like it so much. Also they can't burrow in it at all because it's too light and fluffy. It's still better than sand. This is where opinions can differ. I'm not saying the Shultz's are wrong, they've been working w/ tarantula's since i was i kindergarten and vermiculite is ok according to them.
I prefer to put my dryness loving T's like G rosea on slightly moistened peat and once it's dried out it stays dry. The moistness is really for dust control more than anything. It's more natural and if they choose to dig they can. At this point i'd say leave her be and see if she takes to the vermiculite then great. If after 2 weeks she's still climbing the walls or sitting constantly on top of a log or something (avoiding contact with the substrate) then you may want to switch it out for peat.
Don't let bossy keepers like me discourage you or anything. These t's we love are extremely resilient creatures. You could probably keep one on broken glass in a cardboard box and it would survive as long as it had water and 2 crickets a year, lol.
My opinion is that vermiculite alone is only good for arboreals who rarely touch the ground and need lots of humidity. It seems to stick to terrestrial t's feet and bristles (fur) and they don't like it so much. Also they can't burrow in it at all because it's too light and fluffy. It's still better than sand. This is where opinions can differ. I'm not saying the Shultz's are wrong, they've been working w/ tarantula's since i was i kindergarten and vermiculite is ok according to them.
I prefer to put my dryness loving T's like G rosea on slightly moistened peat and once it's dried out it stays dry. The moistness is really for dust control more than anything. It's more natural and if they choose to dig they can. At this point i'd say leave her be and see if she takes to the vermiculite then great. If after 2 weeks she's still climbing the walls or sitting constantly on top of a log or something (avoiding contact with the substrate) then you may want to switch it out for peat.
Don't let bossy keepers like me discourage you or anything. These t's we love are extremely resilient creatures. You could probably keep one on broken glass in a cardboard box and it would survive as long as it had water and 2 crickets a year, lol.
COCONUT FIBER!!!!
Mother of god! Why do people ask a question and then not listen to the answer????!!!!!!
Use Eco-earth or bed a beast or any other kind of coconut fiber bedding. It's better than peat. Just make sure it's mostly dry before you put the spider in there or it will do nothing but hang on the walls.
Put about 3 to 4 inches deep with a place to hide and a water dish. If you like you can sprinkle some smooth natural aquarium stones on top just for looks. (makes it look natural)
Mother of god! Why do people ask a question and then not listen to the answer????!!!!!!
Use Eco-earth or bed a beast or any other kind of coconut fiber bedding. It's better than peat. Just make sure it's mostly dry before you put the spider in there or it will do nothing but hang on the walls.
Put about 3 to 4 inches deep with a place to hide and a water dish. If you like you can sprinkle some smooth natural aquarium stones on top just for looks. (makes it look natural)
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There is NOTHING WRONG with peat moss, leave the huge text at home. I use peat for all my Ts, moist or dry as species needs, and have done so for a couple years now. No problems, no complaints.
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Emily, I too use peat moss. However, I have used vermiculite with more than G. rosea and never had any problems with it. They lay down a fine layer of silk over the substrate most of the time anyway. The only trouble you might have with it is if your T clearly doesn't like it (climbs the walls, shakes her feet like a cat walking on snow or other such behaviors) or is small enough to still burrow a lot. Because it is very loose it seems difficult to burrow in which is what made me switch to peat even before I found the boards and that most of us use either peat or coconut fiber. I personally have had more mold problems with coconut fiber so, I only keep my more moisture loving species on it. Read the link, enjoy your T, and welcome to the boards.
---Jen
---Jen
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I agree. I've always used peat moss and never had any problems. Back when i first joined this forum everyone agreed on peat moss....
-Matty