Chiliean Rose T.

[sapphire_moon]

I was thinking about getting a Tarantula. But wanted to get some info first. I have already decided that it will be a chiliean (sp?) rose hair. I was wondering if anyone could recomend a good caresheet, one they have used or one that you find truthful.......I have already done a search, just don't know which ones to believe sometimes........Thanks in advance!

[woody]

Easiest tarantula to care for - hands down. Room temperature and a water dish and you pretty much can't go wrong.

[sapphire_moon]

right, but what to feed, how often to feed, what kind of substrate, humidity, hides, size of enclosure.........etc...etc.....

[woody]

-Crickets or mealworms (don't let mealworms burrow though)
-2 or 3 a week minimum (though this species tends to fast occasionally - take out any uneaten food after 24 hours)
-peat/vermiculite 50/50 mix (can use forest bedding but I find that mites love it more than the tarantulas)
-corkbark, pvc tude, coffee mug (mine stays in the open 99% of the time). The hide should basically just be relevant to the size of the animal.
-10 gallon aquarium with a lid (careful of screen lids coz their legs occasionally get caught on them and that is no good).

G. rosea was the first tarantula I got and I found that most of the caresheets weren't much different from each other for this particular species. I basically just took what the caresheet at http://www.petbugs.com said and went with it. This species is really tolerant of dry conditions. I rarely mist mine (it hates it) and rely on the water dish for the humidity that it needs. Hope this helps.

[sapphire_moon]

hmmmm I am hoping that I can get one soon....but I've heard that they can eat 4-6 crix every 2 weeks and that is fine.......what do you think?

[woody]

Yeah, 3 or 4 crickets a week should be fine. I'm sure some are more insatiable than others (mine included) but I've read that, in the wild, they probably eat less regularly than that.

[jay76]

Yours is out in the open most of the time too Woody? I was wondering if mine was an exception hehe

Something else to keep in mind Sapphire is that it's best to remove the remnants of meals as soon as possible. It helps keep the substrate clean and lets you use it longer before you need to change it. Oh, and be prepared for the odd bout of unexplained temper. Mine flings the water dish around the tank 2 or 3 times a month.

[woody]

Yeah, mine is out almost all the time. The only time it seems to go in the hide is just after I change the substrate. It will first climb up on the glass just above the substrate. wait for the substrate to dry out, and then go in the hide overnight. Other than that, I have full view all the time. The water dish incidents don't happen to me though. Mine has no temper unless you try to pick it up (at which time it runs and then assumes hair flicking position). For interest sake I threw three small stones in with her and she likes to preoccupy herself with moving them around and situating them differently.

My H. maculata on the other hand...half the time I dunno if it's alive or dead.

[jay76]

Some small rocks, eh? Maybe I'll toss a few in with mine too... divert her attention from the hapless waterdish maybe...

[woody]

That might be a good idea. I got the notion from some website I was looking at. Someone said they did it as an experiment. I tried it and it seems to keep her occupied. Good luck:)

[sapphire_moon]

No, I read somewhere that it said 4-6 crix ever TWO weeks..........is that possible? Can you post a pic of your set up so I can get a good idea as to what it would look like....and jay76 do you have any pics of her going into a temper tantrum........???

[woody]

Three crickets a week sounds acceptable but it's really up to you and the animal. Some eat more than others and you have to factor in the proximity to moulting (many tarantulas fast before a moult).

I have no camera but my setup is simple...
-10 gallon glass tank with snap on barred lid
-peat/topsoil/vermiculite substrate bought from a garden centre (about 2.5" deep)
-PVC tube (6" long)
-tupperware lid for water
That's it and the tarantula has been going strong (in my care) for about a year now:)

[sapphire_moon]

Thanks if I get one I will probably feed on the same day as snake feeding day....:)

[jay76]

Sorry no pics, she does it when I'm not around LOL (I seem to only be home more than 7 hours a day three times a week or so). When I freshen the water, I sort of mound the substrate around it to help hold it up. She justs hurls it around... I've found it on the very far side of her tank actually. When I'm around she sits there like a little angel. The only temper I've actually seen was when I took pics of her the last time, the camera strap dangled in and she grabbed & bit it.

About feeding, you want a nice healthy looking abdomen. All the T's I've seen in stores are scrawny and underfed looking... check out Robert's pictures of the mating roseas, those are healthy looking! So if you're going to go with 4-6 every weeks, make sure she has a good head start.

You'll notice she wigged out on her water dish again...

http://www3.sympatico.ca/jml931/newpics/t-tank1.jpg

I make no claims that it's perfect or anything, but she seems content and eats like a pig, so it can't be all wrong either.

[sapphire_moon]

I want one so bad.....:( She's a beautiful Tarantula......

[jay76]

Go for it! You won't regret your decision :)

[sapphire_moon]

Maybe, but we have to wait till we move. We have to save money. And the rats here cost $4.29 usd without tax (tax is 7.3%) I feed every friday, and he can eat one every friday (sorry I know this isn't the snake section) we have 3 snakes,1 rabbit, 2 dogs and 1 cat....so feeding them isn't exactly cheap since they get the better quality dog/ cat food. My grandmother is a money hungry c*nt who "loans (never gets paid back)" money to everyone yet when we need help to get outta this stinkin place that won't hire me or my partner because of who we are, she won't help one least bit, not even gas money.............ok sorry I ranted! all better now.