My Tarantula won\'t eat HELP PLEASE!!

joespiders · #1 (**permalink**) 06-15-2002, 08:07 PM

Hi I'm new here and I need help. I have a Rose Hair Tarantula and it has stopped eating. It's my first spider as well. I had him on newspaper when I first got him. I have had him about 2 months now. He stopped eating about a month ago. I now have him in a the same 10 gallon tank with about 2 inches of potting soil which I mist daily. He has a clean shallow water dish and a hide box. He is active at night. I tried feeding him, day and night he won't eat. The crickets crawl UNDER him and he still ignores them. I don't know what to do. Is there any way to get him to feed? I tried the pet shop but they don't know anything that can help me. If anyone can help me please reply.
[addsig]

Jester^ · #2 (**permalink**) 06-16-2002, 02:15 AM

Howdy,

Welcome to the wonderful world of keeping Chilean Rose Hair's... Possibly the T with some of the most peculiar habits, especially when it comes to feeding.

What is the temperature of the enclosure? How moist is the substrate? What is the average humidity in the enclosure? Barring anything too unusual in any of those areas, I would say that it is just not hungry.

If its opisthosoma (abdomen) has not begun to shrink or shrivel noticeably, I really wouldn't worry about it too much. G. rosea are well known for being rather unusual in their eating habits, often times going for months (many months) at a time without any adverse side-effects.

If you are otherwise carefully following the usual care sheets (petbugs.com, arachnopets.com, etc.), just enjoy the savings in food costs. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Any other questions, feel free to holler.
[addsig]

joespiders · #3 (**permalink**) 06-16-2002, 03:47 AM

Thanks jester but I need to also know if iam caring for my spider right? I have about 2 inchs of potting soil in the tanks for bedding. I also mist the tanks 2 times daily and its about 75 to 80 dagrees is this the proper way to keep this spider?

Also am I misting the tank to much/not enough and if saim doing it wrong whats the right way? How wet should the soil be? I also have a small shallow water bowl in the tank is this right or should I have a sponge or piece of bunched up towel paper in the bowl? I was told I shouldent is this right? Thanks for any help
[addsig]

Jester^ · #4 (**permalink**) 06-16-2002, 07:30 PM

From your description I would say you are doing a fine job. Potting soil is a fine substrate as long as you ensure it does not contain additives (fertilizers, etc). I prefer a peat moss/vermiculite mix for mine, but that's relatively insignificant.

The temp sounds just fine... My arachnid cabinet maintains a gradient of 80-85 during the day (different species placed in different areas of the gradient), and falls to 75ish during the night. Yours is right there too, so that's fine.

Most rosey's will like a soil that will just maintain its shape if you pack it/clump it, but that does not feel moist/wet to the touch. Without knowing the ambient room humidity, it's difficult to say whether misting twice a day is enough. However, of all the environmental factors, I believe humidity is much overrated, except possibly at molt time. As long as your spider has a full bowl of clean, fresh water at all times, the humidity is almost incidental. Using a sponge, a clump of cotton, or a ball of paper towel is now deprecated. Just continue with the water bowl.

All in all, unless you see signs of distress other than the mere fact that it has not eaten recently, I would say you're doing a fine job with yours.

[addsig]

lizardlady · #5 (**permalink**) 06-19-2002, 12:32 PM

Here is my opinion; The last molt your T went thru produced his hooks, and he is now a full grown "ready to mate" adult male. A lot of the spiders that are wild caught are males, because they are the ones that are running around looking for mates. IF I am correct and you now have an adult male spider, they usually do not live long, a couple years at best. One of the reasons for their demise is the fact that they stop eating. Go to the sites that Jester recommended and find a care sheet (Petbugs.com is one of my favorites). You may also find something on Tarantulas in general that will explain the problem with males.
[addsig]